Questions

Each of our sponsored kids have asked us many questions. They truly don't know what it is like to live in America, just as I don't know what it's like to live in a 3rd world country. I can get a glimpse of their live through the Internet and television. They only know what I tell them, and I don't tell them that we have clean water that runs in our home. I don't tell them that we have so much food that it often spoils and gets thrown away. They don't know that we have 2 nice cars or the size of the house that the four of us live in. Today I just wanted to write down a few things that have left me speechless over the last years of writing to these kids.

The one question that sticks out the most is when Ashenafi asked me if my children were students, or if they are workers. How sad is that? Child workers are so common that he had to ask if my children worked.

Nanese has asked me if we have a lot of food in our country and if we grow corn here. I can't tell her that not only can we buy corn from farmers nearby, but we can cook it on our gas stove and add butter & seasoning to make it taste so good.

Tamasmen-Love asked if my parents were still alive. I don't know her family situation but I am lead to believe that her parents are not living.

Tadesse wanted to know what school was like here. Another question that is hard to answer as I don't want to tell him my kids ride a bus, have clean water and food at school, and every other thing that is provided for them. Vestine asked "does it rain in your country?"

So many simple questions that have weighted answers that I cannot share. I hope all of our blessings will someday be available to them!

Letter Day - Tamasmen-Love

10/7/11

Dan & Julie,
Tamasmen-Love is very glad to write this to you today. How are you? She hopes your family and you are well. Her family and she are very well thanks to our Saviour. Her church is going very well thanks to God. Pray for her because she is promoted to grade 4. The wather is very nice because God sent the rain. It usually very hot. No, she has no pet. Tamasmen-love tells you she still likes running with her younger sister and her little mates. She will soon go back to school. She wants to be as smart as her mother. She says her mother is the only one who is working.

She always does the dishes. Tamasmen-love thanks you for the photo and the stickers, and your blessings. She likes eating rice and vegetables. She likes Easter break the most. Are your mother and father still alive? Would you not like to visit her church? Pray for her to grow up in the gospel. Tamasmen-Love asks you to pray for her to grow up in the gospel. She has a verse for you; 1 Thessalonians 4:7. Pray God bless you and keep you in his love!

Written by Waldo / uncle

She drew me a very elaborate flower. Very talented little girl! :)

Letter Day & Report Card - Tadesse

10/13/11

Tadesse is our littlest sponsored child, he's only 5. With help he filled out a questionnaire.

1. Siblings: Tepest G
2. In my family I spend most time with: My mother
3. My family lives in: Town
4. My food is prepared by: my mother
5. My favorite thing to do with my family is: praying with my mother
6. My favorite way to help in my family is: Help my mother
7. My families faith background is: protestant

Prayer request/ Answers to questions/Special thing to share: Pray for his school and his health. He has one sister who is 8 years old. He attends school well. His parents are daily workers. He is so thankful for your g? letters and picture and toys and arts.

He drew me a picture of 2 round mud huts and an Ethiopian flag.


I also received his report card! He got A's and B's in Phys Ed, Play, Work, Music, and Art. He seems to be struggling in Math and English. He's doing "very good" in his local language.

What a difference 2 years makes.

Letter & updated photo from Efrata!!

On the left Efrata was waiting for a sponsor in a new Compassion project. On the right is our 2 year update! I LOVE THIS GIRL! She has my heart and I hope that I'll be able to visit her someday! If only Ethiopia was just a little bit closer!


9/1/11
Dan & Julie
How are you doing my beloved sponsor? I and my mother are fin. Thank you for supporting me and for writing to me. God bless you. I attend school and Sunday school. Merry Christmas and happy new year. I wish you peace, joy, and love. I am eagerly waiting for Ethiopian New Year celebration.

Please pray for understanding from God.

Bye!

(Her letters are written with her, by staff. They are always very similar. I hope to see one written by her someday. Maybe they will be more personal.)

Letter Day- Tadesse

I love getting letters from our kids. Even more, I love getting PICTURES from our kids!! This is a picture from Tedesse. He's the cute little 5 year old in the picture below. Next to him I venture to guess is his sister Tigist. I believe mom's name is Chalifel.  (Speaking of names, Compassion sent me a letter many months ago that his name was incorrect on my papers and it was Tadele not Tadesse, however the translator again wrote Tadesse. I'm so lost! LOL.)

For Christmas this past year I asked my parents to donate our gift money to our Compassion kids. I think that either the translation is a bit messed up, or his financial sponsor sent him money as well because they talk about 2 gifts of money that he recieved. (Letter below)

Dear Dan & Julie,

Your sponsored child Tadesse G. is greeting you with love. He said how are you all doing? He wishes you a happy Easter holiday! (Written May 20th/ Easter was April 24th.) He recieved a birthday gift of 416.11 birr and other gift of 414.81 birr that you sent him and he bought tshirt with 70 birr, cloth with 350 birr, he paid 41.45 birr for church (I plan to ask Compassion about that), he deposited 300 birr, candle and picture 24.55, the remaining 44.81 birr is on (in?) his hand. He said may God bless you all and thank you so much for everything. The project has given him food supplies, cloth detergent, educational materials, is paying his school fee, etc, because of your help.He recieved a letter that you sent him last time. He thank you so much for everything. He is learning the word of God and praying in Sunday school. He is a KG-1 student now. (Last year he wasn't in school because mom & dad couldn't afford it. This is great!) It was very hot here recently but it starts to rain now. (They have a rainy season. I hope they are getting rain as Ethiopia is in the worst drought in history. I've been worried about him.) He said how about in your country? Please pray for his family and schooling. He loves you all. Until then, he said good bye.

Letter Day! Vestine

Anyone want to help me figure out this translation? (click the photo to enlarge)

This is the first page of Vestine's letter. It's not easy to follow. The first letter I recieved from her was great, this one wasn't translated well I don't think.

Beloved parent, I greet you in the name of Jesus. I write to you in order to ask your views, at home we are doing well. With my family we don’t have a ??????. Courses are going well, and I pray God? good?? I use to small works at home, and I review courses.


I appreciated a letter you have sent to me, it was interesting, I am in a choir, and at home it rains. Does it rain in your country?

Give my regards



And the best part, A PHOTO!!!! She says that this is a photo taken when the family (?) was baptised. AWESOME!!!

Letter Day- Tamasmen-Love

Dan and Julie,
Tamasmen says she is happy to write and greet you in love. She says how are you and your family? Your health and your activity? Shes says everybody is fine and all her activities are going well thanks to God. She says she prayed for you on the Easter time, she played a lot with her friends. She says the weather is awful so pray for her and her family please. She says what kind of meat do you eat on Easter time? She says on May 18th she celebrated Flag Day, it was great. She says she sends big blessing and love to you. She loves you! (She drew a picture of a boat.)

A little about us

This blog is mainly just a way for me to keep track of my Compassion kids, but since I do have a few followers I thought I should start giving you a little view of my life too!

This is what "we" do every Wed night. My husband races (#145) and I take photos while my kids sit next to me cheering daddy on and fighting with eachother between laps.

This is our typical Tuesday night. BMX racing. My youngest is in red.
Hunter raced the State Games of Michigan this year & took home a Silver medal!






This is my oldest. He doesn't race but will do practice laps at BMX. He actually prefers Mountain biking but I don't have a photo that I can easily find of him on his MTB.

Another giveaway! This one is to help you write your Compassion kids!

http://compassionfamily.blogspot.com/2011/06/correspondence-kit-giveaway.html

You can win paper & stickers. It will be customized to make it super easy to write you letter & send it out. What a great idea! (Hurry! Winner will be picked tomorrow!)

Follow this link for a really cool give-away!

http://shebecomes.blogspot.com/2011/06/tanzania-women.html 
One lucky winner will recieve a beautifully hand-dyed purse, red coconut bead necklace, and handpainted Africa card. (I can only hope it's me! But good luck to you!)

One Less Adoption Video

I love the lyrics of this song!

(Turn the music off at the bottom of this page.)

Letter Day- Efrata and Nanese

I'm so far behind on this blog! I recieved 2 letters this week. Here's one from Efrata. By the way, I still haven't figured out the correct spelling for her name. It was again spelled Efrata, rather than Ephrata, by the translator.

(letter as translated)
Dan & Julie,

How are you doing? Efrata says I and my mother are fine. School fees, "teff" (crop,) oil, school uniform, cloth, shoes, socks, underwear, pencil, exercise book, pen, eraser, sharpener, bag, and medical services are given to me. With your christmas gift of 239.25 birr and birthday gift and my parents gift bedsheet, bed, cloth, water container, grains, and clothes were bought. Also for my birthday celebration.

I am happy for your letter. The school is one hour from my residence. (I asked how far she had to travel to go to school. I assume she walks.) I like to draw drawings. I attend grade 4.

I learnt from the Bible about Adam, Eve, Abel, Cain, and obedience.

What do you know about Ethiopia? What about weather in your area?

Please pray for my education to be a smart student and to be God's child.

Bye!

Efrata

------------------------------------

I was surprised to get a letter from Nanese because she aged out of the program back in September. The letter appears to have the date of 14/10/10 (10/14/10). This date makes works in regards to her leaving the program but I don't know why it took 9 months to make it to my mailbox.

Dear Dan & Julie

I am glad to write this letter but sad to tell you that I must leave the program as I reach the top age that the program required. How are you and your family? Here I am going well thanks to God. We will not be able to write letters anymore. Thank you for your help and support to me and my family that made me progress in different things. I learnt to love God and keep a better relationship with others. I learnt macrame, so now I can make belt, sandals. I thank you for being so patient with me. Please pray for me and my school that God be our protection. I will be praying for you and your family. I love you!

Nanese

Awaka Give-away

Check out this great blog (and a give-away!)

"'Awaka' is exactly what we are striving to provide, for the children in Uganda that are without."

Letter Day (Tadele)

(Recieved yesterday 4/11/11)

Dear Dan & Julie,

Hare are you doing? He and his family are fine.

He celebrated Christmas well with his family and friends having with bread, pop-corn, bread at home. He enjoyed it.
He is so thankful for your letter and picture. He is so happy. He is 4 years old. (Today is actually his birthday! He's 5! Happy birthday buddy!)

Hi is so thankful for your Christmas gift of $239.15 birr. He bought sports wear with 130.00, shoes with 100, and coffee with 9.15 for his mom.  Awwww!! He thanks you for your provision of food supplies.

Do you have a cow, dog, or cat?

Pray for him to be a smart student. (Last I knew he wasn't in school because his parents couldn't afford to send him. I wonder if he's going now?)

His fingerprint is on the signature line.

By the way, I recieved a letter recently that his name was incorrectly spelled on his Compassion paperwork. It's Tadele, not Tadesse.

A video of a little boy meeting his sponsor.

Heartbreaking hearing why the boy likes to attend church.

A great mail day!

As of this past January I hadn't heard what Efrata had purchased with her family gift (sent 6 months + prior.) I called Compassion concerned that I hadn't heard anything yet and I wanted to be sure that she did in fact get that money. Compassion notified the country office and this is the reply I recieved today.

First there is a photo from Efrata's birthday gift. I did receive a note from her about what she recieved but I did not get a picture. With her birthday money she bought a new sweater, shoes, and a party.

She is wearing the bookmark I made her around her neck. I guess next time I should make a necklace. The tree on the left is filled with stickers that I have sent her.

She looks so happy!

This is a photo of the items Efrata bought with her "family gift" money.

Translated letter I recieved with both photo's (some is a bit confusing.)

Dear Dan & Julie,

How are you? She is very fine except for longing for you. She is learning in the Sunday School in good way. She is now in grade four. She has recieved your letter and gifts. She has recieved your family gift and says sorry for says that nothing is done for her with your support in her previous letter. With her family gift money she bought food, bedsheets, mattress cover, a quilt cover, a small water tanker, teff (a local crop), a traditional stove. She wants God to bless you abundantly for your gift.

On the letter written in her native language there is a line in English. It appears to be written by Efrata.

It says:

I lovu SmaH Tnk Uo ?

Under this is the Ethiopian version and with a little searching I'm convinced it says "I love you so much. Thank you."

Lastly the translator spelled her name Ephrata rather than Efrata. I think the 'ph' might actually be the correct translation. Interesting.

Thought Provoking

In case you were getting to comfortable

http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/2010/08/just-in-case-you-were-getting-too.html

Read this blog.

New Sponsorship

Tamasmen-love lives in Haiti with her stepfather. She's Seven & reportedly in a US equivalent of 3rd grade(?). I'm curious to start getting letters from her as her information is quite confusing. It says she has a mother & a father in one place and then says she has no mother in another place.

What do you think? Cutie patootie isn't she? :)

Letter Day! From Tadesse

Tadesse is only 4 years old so I didn't expect much of a letter from him, but I'm happy to get a tiny glimpse inside his life regardless!

Date: 11/29/2010 (They actually used our calendar. Usually I see letters dated in the Ethiopian calendar. On our calendar November 29, 2010 was 3/20/2003 Ethiopia. If I save these letters for a long time, as I plan to, this will get confusing trying to remember which dates are which.

On to his letter (written by a translator or church member):

Dear Dan & Julie
How do you do? He and his family are fine.
Parents names: Chalitu B & Gezahegn T
Sibling: Tigist
Best friends: Barla?wgn, Binyam, Dawit

My favorite things:
Game: Soccer
Food: egg
School subject: English
Pets: Hen
Color: White
Song: God is love
Holiday: Christmas

I live in a town.

I want to be a doctor.

(His fingerprint.)

He is thankful and happy for your willingness to be his sponsor. He is ICGI student. (What's a ICGI student?)
What is school around you? He likes learning.

Pray for his school, him to be a smart student.

Compassion International: Wolisso Kale Heywet Church (Ethiopia)

I found a blog today about my compassion child, Tadesse's church.

http://markgumm.wordpress.com/2009/03/14/exciting-things-in-ethiopia/

Our Ethiopia team spent the last 2 days visiting Woliso Kale Heywet Church. The church of 1500, located 2 hours outside the capitol of Addis, is doing amazing things in their community to care for the physical and spiritual needs of the people surrounding them. In addition to their span of church ministries, including sending and supporting 8 missionaries and 5 church plants, they also sponsor 18 children through Compassion Intl, and another 29 children/families in their community that are either double orphans, or have parents terminally ill with HIV/AIDS, in order to delay the onset of orphaning these children so they can spend as much time as possible with their parents before they pass away.



We had a wonderful time on Friday playing with the kids through our sports outreach program, and spent time with the pastors and leaders of the church today, hearing their vision and speaking about the future partnership with World Orphans. We are excited to pray and think about what God will do in the future, not only in the lives of the people at Woliso church and their community, but also the impact they will have on short term missions teams that may have a chance to serve alongside them in the future.

The miracle of adoption