Testing our patience...

I was not blessed with patience as a virtue, so I'm thanking the good Lord that he is giving me the opportunity to learn patience through the adoption process.Many people ask us how our trip was, or how things are going,and I have to say that it is a difficult question to answer right now. 

As for the trip, with the exception of the return trip and our court appearance, it couldn't have gone any better.  Combining serving, friendships, and meeting Zion for the first time made for a dream come true for us (especially me).  It was a great experience for me to watch the people of Ethiopia capture my wife's heart and to see God work in her.  As nice as it is to share wonderful time together sitting on a beach or other vacation spot, I have come to believe that it is as good, if not better for a relationship, to be able to serve together and share God's love to those less fortunate.

We obviously are dreaming of our little Zion who remains in Ethiopia for the foreseeable future.  He is a sweet and wonderful little spirit and I can't wait to get him home.  As hard as it was to leave him, we are comforted by the fact that he is getting great care and in a very nice care center.

As for the court issue, we are still in limbo.  We happened to be one of the first 2 couples (we appeared together) to be caught up in a new Ethiopian guideline regarding adoptions involving children from the sounthern region.  Apparently they now need a letter from the southern region government, verifying the status of a care point which Zion spent a short time in. 

Initially, our attorney in Ethiopia stated that it would set us back 1 week, so not to be alarmed.  The magic question is whether that is American time or African time.  In African time, that week could go on for a long time.  Currently we are at 2+ weeks with no word and Holt is not able to predict when the letter will get taken care of. 

It is frustrating, but we are trying hard to keep in mind that things don't happen on our time.  He will decide when it is time for Zion to come home.  Please join us in praying for a quick resolution to this bump in the road.

Trying to keep perspective...

We are trying hard to figure out what God is trying to teach us. Traveling to and from Africa is never easy, but this has been downright ugly. We were scheduled for about 32 hours of travel, but we have far surpassed that.

It started poorly when the first meal came to me an hour into the 6 1/2 hour flight from Addis to Frankfurt. I chose the pasta because my experience with the meat on earlier flights wasn't so good. Within 1 hour of eating my stomach went crazy. The vomiting and diarrhea began. Just what you want to be doing on an airplane. It continued throughout the flight and into the 6+ hour layover in Frankfurt. Not sure how I was going to survive the 10 hour flight to Denver, we boarded. It went okay and I only had a couple of issues. The whole time I was thinking, "get to Denver and we're only 1 1/2 hours from home. In Denver, I was finally able to hold down food so things were looking up.

Then the delays began...

They pushed our flight back every 15 minutes for 4 hours. Finally they cancelled it and rescheduled it for 7:00 this morning. As only the US airline industry can do, they begrudgingly reserved a room for us in a hotel 30 minutes away and told us to grab the shuttle. It doesn't take a genius to figure out how long it will take to get a planeful of people to a hotel 30 minutes away with 1 15 passenger van with luggage. Getting sick of waiting in the 20 degree temperatures, I used my African negotiating skills to find a van which would take us and 2 of our fellow travelers for $40.

We made it to the hotel, hoping for the first 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep for several days. At midnight, a text came from United stating that our 7:00 flight was now cancelled. So at midnight I pleasantly spoke to a United person on the phone so they could reschedule us.

Currently I am sitting on the wheel well in a van full of new friends. They were planning on putting all of us on their bus until it didn't start in the cold weather.

But, at the end of the day, my wife has reminded me of our family montra in these situations..."I get to..."

I get to ride on the wheel well of a van because most people in the world don't have that ability.

I get to travel 46 hours to get home because most people in the world would travel 2 weeks to get to the US if they could.

I get to reach into my pocket for my last $20 to pay for a van that I shouldn't have to buy last night because many people in the world don't make $40 in a month.

I get to put on dirty clothes today which smell of a combination of coffee (from the packed gifts for our family) and vomit, because many people in the world struggle to compile multiple sets of clothes to put on their back.

I get to miss my kids at home for one more day because there are many people who desire to have kids or more than 1 and can't or aren't allowed to.

We are trying hard to keep everything in perspective and stay positive. Hoping to be home soon!

Zion Day

We met our beautiful baby boy today!  He is so amazing!  We were able to spend five hours with him, which was so much more than we thought we could. We left for a lunch break and to let the kids nap.  We had lunch at an authentic Ethiopian restaurant with two other couples that we have met here.  This is a picture of our meal.  It is eaten with your hands and injera, the country’s staple food. Keith & Holly and Anka & Andrew were able to share today’s special moments with us and have helped us document it well. 

I bet we gave Zion hundreds of kisses.  He took two short naps on us, but otherwise was so content to be held and rocked.  He did a little tummy time. He has great head control and can push his weight up on his arms.  He drinks milk from a cup, which was so surprising.  Yes, a cup, not a bottle!  We are unable to post any pictures of him until the adoption is final but we took a lot of incredible ones.  I am certain that I am in love with this tiny being, but there is so much more……

I love his long eyelashes.

I love kissing his cute cheeks.

I love his tiny toes.

I love his curly hair.

I love his homeland.

I love his beautiful smile.

I love his warm dark skin.

I love his milk breath.

I love his soft cry.

I love his little bottom.

I love his culture.

I love his “almost giggle”.

I love his snuggles.

I love his big brown eyes.

I love his grunting.

I love his story.

I love his stares.

I love his dried boogers, I do.

I love being his mommy. 

What a blessing he is to us!  Leaving him was one of the hardest things I have ever done.  I cried our way home to the guesthouse and long for the day to bring him home.  Then I cried with immense gratitude and sadness for the birthmother who had to leave him just five months ago.  Please pray for her healing and comfort.

Court tomorrow, hoping to pass it without delays!!

Love, Shannon

Korah...Part 2

Another amazing Ethiopian day!  The day started with a return visit to my old friends in Korah.  I was a little unsure going back to it would feel.  My good friend Brady (who has been there multiple times) told me that each time he returns it is better and better.  He was right.  Seeing all of the people, homes and small market when we were pulling in brought a lot of good memories back.

The instant we got out of the car in front of the Great Hope church, we were greeted by a host of children, many of whom I recognized and recognized me.  We were instant friends again – holding hands, hugging and getting kisses on the cheek.  What a great way to start the day!

I shared some of my pictures with the children that I had taken in August and brought back to give them.  They were very happy to receive them and had a lot of fun seeing them.  We were able to talk with the band of brothers and show Shannon the dorms, kitchen, clean water project which was recently finished by One Child Campaign, and saw where the Mission Ethiopia women make their beaded necklaces. 

Then it was time to worship at the Great Hope church.  I wish we could have understood more of it (the only words we knew in the 90 minute service were Amen and Alleluia), but there was no doubt that God’s presence was in that building.  We sat with many of the kids that greeted us and one young boy crawled up on Shannon’s lap and fell asleep (snored through much of the service).  She is obviously a natural at this.

Many of my Man Up friends will remember “Brady’s girls”.  They are two young girls (kindergarten age) who have made a great friendship with Brady.  We were able to meet up with their older brother who wanted us to come visit their house.  Upon our arrival, we were blessed by their mother with wonderful coffee and popcorn, while the kids played, sang, and acted crazy for iPhone video recordings.

After leaving there, we headed to Mercy’s house.  Mercy has a very special place in the hearts of Man Up and Simply Love mission teams.  She is a beautiful 15-year old girl who has a heart and seizure condition.  Thanks to the great work of Kari Gibson over the past year, she has done well with new medications and is prospering in school.  Her mother, Mulu, is a very sweet woman also.  Upon our arrival, Mulu indicated to us that Mercy is sick and sleeping.  She told us that yesterday at school someone hit her and it triggered her heart condition and she is not doing well.

We sat with Mulu as she made us coffee and talked with her, trying not to disturb Mercy from her rest.  After coffee, we prayed over Mercy, asking for God’s help in healing her.  Mulu was so appreciative of our visit that she prayed over us, blessing us and praying for a safe journey home. 

Our final stop in Korah was back to the house that my team renovated last summer.  It was great to see the kids again, because the oldest is usually at boarding school, but was home for a short time to complete some paperwork to return to school.

Unless you have been to Korah, it is hard to explain what it is like.  It consists of 130,000 people living in very close and difficult (to put it lightly) situations.  Korah is where the people of Addis go when the city wants to forget or ignore them (i.e. Lepers).  As my good friend Maste says, “No one comes here, not the police, government…no one.  That’s why it means so much to them when you come, even just to visit”. 

They are such wonderful people in the most difficult of situations, but they don’t complain and for the most part, they aren’t looking for a hand out.  They are just seeking love, hope, and a little bit of help to find their own way out.  I can’t put it into words the amount of happiness it gave me to return and to share Korah with my wife.

The day finished with something else that brings me great happiness…Island Breeze.  For whatever reason, this local Ethiopian restaurant makes the most incredible brick oven pizza (not to mention onion rings and nachos, and I’m sure a whole lot of other things that I haven’t been able to taste yet). 

As much as I loved the day, I know it will only get better tomorrow.  We finally get to meet Zion!!  According to the schedule, we will have almost a full day with him (much more than anticipated).  I remember meeting Landri for the first time and if this experience is half as good as that, I won’t be able to contain myself.

Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we travel, meet baby “Z”, and try to serve these people and God in some little way.

With great Love, Mitch.

Day 1...

Our flights went well, LONG but well.  By well I mean no major delays and the gift of an exit row.  I was wishing I were one of those people who can just sleep anywhere, in any position, like the guy next to me, or like old men at the mall.  We got to the guesthouse around 11:30 pm and crashed. 

The first day of our “court trip” in Ethiopia started with breakfast at the guesthouse.  Banana bread and coffee.  Then our driver, who we will call “Z”, took us to a boy’s orphanage.  It is called Mark 10, named for Mark 10:14 which reads:

“Let the children come to me, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as they”

What an amazing group of young men!  Ages 10-17, they were invited off the streets and are choosing to better their lives through school and worship.  Mitch played some futbol (soccer) with them.  Quick ‘lil guys, he got schooledJ  Such a  humbling experience to see these people who are so poor in material things but rich in the greater things, love and hope. 

We then went on to a town favorite, Kaldi’s Coffee Shop.  Delicious frappuccino!  

Next, we went to a transitional home for Children’s Hope Chest.  This home had 15 boys and 2 girls. They are there to depart from the drugs and crime on the streets, in hope to return to their own families or on to a long-term orphanage.

Mitch really enjoyed playing foosball with them.  I taught them a clapping game and my heart melted a little more with each of their giggles. 

We rounded out the day with a little souvenir shopping and came back to the guesthouse for dinner. 

This being my first experience of “mission work”, it was a difficult, painful yet rewarding day. A few promises were made:

I promised to those young beautiful faces that I will be back to see them again. 

I promised to those warm little hearts that they are worthy and deeply loved.

I promised myself that I will always pray for them to the Lord our God for peace and comfort.

I promised God that I will continue to support those in need, however I can.  My work here is not done.

I promised Mitch that my life is forever changed……….for the better!

Love,  Shannon

Heading Back...

It has obviously been a long time since I have posted.  This is for a variety of reasons...busy life, still working through some emotions of my time in Africa, laziness, and at the end of the day, I'm just not really the type of guy who spends a lot of time reading or writing this kind of stuff.  But, at the end of the day, I fully realize that this is not only an opportunity to share my experiences with my family and friends who I don't see everyday, but it is also a way to chronicle my experiences and hopefully my kids will be able to read and appreciate and be proud of some of the things that I have done in my life.

Tomorrow, Shannon and I head back to Ethiopia.  This trip is for a very different and exciting reason...to meet baby Zion!  We have held pictures of him for several months now and we finally get the opportunity to meet him and appear in front of the high court of Ethiopia.  Unfortunately, our time with Zion will be very limited and we can't bring him home this trip, but just meeting him and holding him will be an amazing experience.

We are also going to be able to visit Korah while we are there, along with several other ministries.  If you read this blog while I was there in August, you have an idea as to what kind of affect Korah had on me, so the chance to return and visit our friends and worship with them in their church on Sunday morning is an amazing opportunity.  Obviously I have some mixed emotions as to whether it will be the same as my last visit, or will it be better?  Will we be received as well as the last trip?  Will Shannon embrace the culture like I have?  Only time will tell...

We are also blessed to be visiting a couple of orphanages that were recommended to us by my new, good friend Caleb David at One Child Campaign.  I don't know much about these ministries, other than they are for former street kids ages 8-15 and we will be able to meet them, talk, play, and serve them.  They have asked me to talk for a few minutes, sharing God's word and encouraging them to work hard to achieve all that God has in store for them.  This isn't something I feel very good at, but I'm sure He will help me out when I get there.

It was rather interesting packing our bags tonight.  It definitely had a lot of the same feel that I had last summer, but it was also rather different.  A lot less unknowns I guess, which leads to less anxiety.  And, a lot of excitement - to meet Zion, serve others, serve God, and spend some amazing one-on-one time with my wonderful wife of 9 years with no interruptions.  While I don't know if I could live disconnected all the time, because of the way we live here, but it sure is nice to step away from technology for a few days, slow down, and appreciate life.

As I have told many people since returning the last time, for all of the things that Africa has wrong, they also have a lot of things right.  They are a relationship dominated society which cares much more about spending time with friends and family than they do worrying about the next event they need to attend.  That is why I feel that I developed a much better appreciation for Love while I was in Africa last summer.  The people we worked with showed me how to Love Big (to steal a Roger Gibson line).  I hope some more of that rubs off on me over the next week.

Please keep us in your prayers as we make the long trek back to Africa.  I will do my best to keep you posted on our adventures...

Our Last Days...

Sunday August 14, 2011

As I sit here on the plane typing in the midst of our 17 hour flight, I find myself reflecting a little bit on everything.  Overall, it is hard to piece everything together. 

I absolutely can’t wait to see my kids and Shannon this afternoon.  I want to share my experiences with them and give the kids everything that I bought for them.  I don’t know for sure how I will be able to share everything with them though.  I truly believe that until you experience the amount of emotions, love and heartache that we experienced in the past 2 weeks that you can’t quite comprehend was it is all about.  I know Shannon will be very interested and supportive as I sort through everything and I love her for that.

I really can’t imagine going to back to work tomorrow.  That’s a pretty crazy statement for me, because I truly love what I do and have so many wonderful and supportive people at work.  But, I have been in such a different world for the past 2 weeks where everyone seems to be happy, time is not important, and there is no pressure to do anything, and that is a different world from what I’m used to.

I hope I can somehow relay to my kids what my trip was all about.  They are very young and I doubt that they will be able to comprehend any of it, but the earlier they learn about the issues of others in the world, the better off they will be long term.

The team has talked a lot of “decompressing” after the trip.  At first, I kind of blew the concept off, as usually I can analyze situations and make decisions pretty easily.  But, I will admit that right now, I’m not sure what the next step in my life will be with regards to serving God and the underserved.  There are so many opportunities that are available that I’m not sure what is the best match for me and my family. 

Sponsoring kids is always an option which is easy and very cost effective.  I will say that I learned on this trip that if we decide to sponsor a child (and this goes for anyone reading this) that sending money is not enough.  These kids are starving for love and they take letters and pictures from their sponsor very seriously.  They badly want to be involved in someone’s life and feel loved and cared for. 

We are going to explore the option of bringing older orphans (18 years old) over the states to give them opportunity and help transition them into a productive adult.  And, adoption of younger kids is obviously not off the table for our family.

I can’t imagine that missions work will not be a part of my life in some capacity going forward.  I do think that I gave the people I came in contact with some hope and love, but I assure you that I received far more from this than they did.  I truly learned to love people while in Africa.  Everyone we touched loved us and wore huge smiles, whether at a facility or on the street.  I hope this makes me a better father and husband.

I also learned that I’m nowhere close to where I need to be with regards to my faith and my spiritual walk with Christ.  The men on this trip amazed me at their knowledge and devotion to their faith and they were great role models for me.  I have a new dedication to knowing Christ and improving my faith.

Other than that, I will continue to think and pray over the next few weeks as to the next step in life.  Thanks again for following this and contributing to my life.

Saturday August 13, 2011

Today was our final opportunity to love on orphans in Africa.  It was also the only day that we would be visiting a Catholic orphanage, so I felt a little bit closer to this institution.  Being the only catholic on the trip, everyone knew I had a little soft spot for the 4 nuns that run the place. 

It is home to about 110 kids, ranging from small babies to high school age.  They are also the only place we visited that had special needs children.  While it was hard to see so many kids in their orphage in somewhat difficult circumstances with very limited resources, the visit was good.  We had a blast with the older kids.  They got the opportunity to experience their first high stakes game of dodgeball.  Their playground was set up perfectly for it and we had a lot of fun teaching them the finer points of the game (I was the one getting drilled in the eye with a nerf football).

It was a short visit with them and time to head for lunch.  We visited a local place that serves a variety of food.  They weren’t prepared for 40+ Americans to raid their place, so the wait was lengthy, but the pizza they made was out of this world.  I wish we had an Island Breeze pizza place in Springfield.

We finished the day with some quick shopping, then packing, and off to the airport for our 10:15 flight.

Friday August 12, 2011

The day started off with a fun note.  I was called outside my hotel room by my good friend Jason to see the monkeys which often visit the trees above the parking lot of the hotel.  Jason had begun treating them to Wheat Thins.  After several minutes of tossing the crackers to the monkeys, we earned their trust and we eventually had them literally taking crackers from our hands.  It was a ton of fun and certainly something we don’t see in Missouri.

Roger and Rob then treated us to a very nice breakfast buffet at a gorgeous lakeside resort next to Lake Hawassa.  The scenery was beautiful and the food was just as good.

Then it was supposed to be off to a transition home in Hawassa.  But, we were informed by the director of that facility the morning our visit was scheduled that they had no kids.  At first it was disappointing and a little bit confusing, but after some questions for him, we learned that he shipped 79 babies and infants to another transition home in Addis to be adopted out to American families.  I certainly can’t be disappointed about that. 

He was kind enough to take us to another transition home located nearby to see their kids.  It was comprised of all babies and it was a very nice facility.  Every baby had their own bed and everything was very clean.  I would estimate that there were 4-5 babies for each caregiver, on average.  It was nice to hold some babies as we had not seen any babies along our trip (even though I got puked on twice and peed on once).  I wore the markings proudly. 

I struggled a little bit emotionally because I kept looking at every child I held wondering if I am holding my next child.  The ladies that we spoke with did not know specifically what agencies they worked with to know if by chance we were looking at Holt kids.

It was then time to pile back into the vans for the 5 hour ride back to Addis.  It was brutally rough, but overall the trip was worth it.  Once back in Addis, we showered and put on the best clothes that we had left to go out for a nice meal, Ethiopian style.  We went to a high end restaurant that served traditional Ethiopian food and had singers and dancers performing for us.  After dinner, we hit a small café for desert and it was off to bed.  Overall, another good day was had by all.