A Miracle In The Making

I'm sitting here next to my 10 year old brother, Minte.

....Did you catch that?

Let me repeat that real quick: I'm siting here, next to my 10 year old brother from Ethiopia, Minte.

Isn't that such a miracle?!?!? How amazing is that?!? A year ago right now this precious little boy was sitting in an orphanage by himself, and now he's sitting in his family's living room. This is a little boy who has been through the unthinkable yet is the cutest, most joyful, and happiest human I know. Isn't God amazing?? Seriously, if I had been through just one of the things he has I'm pretty sure I would be in a mental institution right now. God has preserved this boy's heart for something special.. I can feel it.

Reality Check

It's interesting having an Ethiopian as a brother. Interesting in a good way, of course. There have been so many things to see Minte experience in his new lifestyle. Things that we sometimes take for granted- things like the pulley on the window blinds, escalators, elevators, practically an endless amount of food, and so much more. What has been probably the most interesting though, is seeing him realize how rich and spoiled America, as a country, truly is. This child came from a poverty stricken, famine ridden nation where everything he wore and played with were things others had donated.

One night we had been out to eat with a group of family friends after church, and after the kids had eaten they all got out their cell phones and iPod touches or whatever other technology they had and were playing games and taking pictures. When we got home that night Minte told my Mom, (And realize I'm writing this how he talks!)

"Mommy, in Ethiopia, children no have phones. Mommies and Daddies say, 'Oh my goodness!!!!!!! Look!! I have phone!!!! Wow!!! Thank you!!!!' but children no phones. America, children say, 'Yeah, I have phone. It's no good.' "

Isn't that the truth?? We live in the land where 8 year olds are getting iPhones, and he's coming from a lang where an 8 year old is lucky to have 3 shirts to call their own.

Or one day he said, "In Ethiopia, children have very little toys. One or two toys, no many. In America, everybody many many toys.. too much."

Very very true.

Another time (And I'm sure my Mom won't mind me telling this. ;D ) the sink was piled high in dishes and my Mom was getting ready to put them in the dish washer. She opened it up and realized it still had clean dishes in it. Sighing, she realized she would have to put those away first- this mean't another several minutes until the clean dishes were put away and the dirty dishes were being washed. About that time Minte walked by and said matter-of-factly, "In Ethiopia when mommies wash... ( he bends over, demonstrating washing dishes and riging clothes out) Mommies arms very very hurt.. work hard, make very tired. No have this. (points to the dish washer)"

Yet another thing America takes for granted- appliances! America's excess and all that we are spoiled with is crazy.

Memories

It was Friday, the last day we would go to Minte's orphanage in Ethiopia. We had spent a couple of full days playing with the kids, and I cannot even begin to tell you how incredibly precious they were. I wish I could post pictures or tell you their names, but for safety reasons I can't on the internet- but I can in person, if you're interested. Minte's baby home was a new, growing orphanage, and there were only about 12 kids (mostly babies) living there when we came to get him. Minte's best friend and his best friend's little sister had been referred to a family, but there were (and still are) 3 older boys waiting. "Y", age 6, and "C" and "A", age 7 going on 8. These children are precious beyond words, and at this very *moment* they are sitting in an Ethiopian Orphanage waiting-- waiting for a family, spending Christmas by themselves. I cannot describe how much I fell in love with them, and how much I do still love them. I wish everyone could spend time with them and witness their sweet spirits.

But back on subject- it was our last day to spend at the baby home, and I was already a partial mess. We were throwing the kids a goodbye party, complete with a puppet show, silly string, and pizza. They were thrilled, and loved every minute of it. Before my family had left for ET we had purchased an inexpensive portable iPod dock to play puppet and party music on, and after the show was over I switched it to the Steven Curtis Chapman playlist while we were eating pizza.

I knew I would cry that day, telling the children goodbye. I had already cried a couple of times, then pretended to mess with something in my camera bag behind the puppet stage. I had recovered though, and thought I'd be ok the rest of the time.

Welllllllllll.... my iPod gets to the end of the playlist, and I had forgotten which song was last. Now keep in mind, I'm sitting here staring at these three older boys who have yet to be referred, or even had families inquire about them, and I was thinking how they were just going to be sitting there after we left, spending Christmas by themselves, and how truly orphaned and in need of a family they were. THIS song turns on:

All I Really Want for Christmas: By Steven Curtis Chapman

THAT was just about enough to have me in a melted mess of tears on the floor! I'm sitting here with these precious, amazing children who will not have a home for Christmas and that song comes on! Seriously?! I quickly changed the song, taking a deep breath.

"Ok Bethany.. C'mon.. If you spend the rest of the party crying you're going to miss time with the kids.. Get a grip."

My self counseling didn't last long. I got up from my chair making my way to the nearest bathroom. I had no choice but to let my tears flow-- and that they did. I tried what I could to stifle them, but not much worked. These kids needed homes! So many people are nervous to adopt older children, especially older boys- if only they knew. I wished that everyone could see these kids. If people could just spend an ounce of time with these 3 boys I was sure that any nervousness or fears would melt away and that they'd be ready to snatch them up and bring them home. I know I was.

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We talked to Minte's former care giver, Tigist, over the phone a couple of days ago. She runs the orphanage where he lived, and is the sweetest woman imaginable. I love her. We call her every now and then so that Minte can talk with her in his native language and we can check up on her. Mom was chatting with her, and Tigist started talking about the older boys. She told mom that they're really sad right now.. They're seeing babies come and go, wondering why they themselves are not being adopted. They've watched two of their friends be referred, and one of them (Minte) already go to the States. They're asking when they will get a family, when they will go to America, and when they will be loved. They're hurting orphans, in need of loving families. Will you pray for them with me?

Why is it...

.....that I don't write on my blog for 3 months and then the day of a final I have the sudden urge to re-do the whole thing?? Hmmm. Beats me. But-- even though I have the feeling that nobody is reading this right now, I want to get it started back up and start writing on it again.

A new brother... and a new destination!

Well, I think all of you who are reading this know, but we passed our adoption court date, and our little boy (well, he's 9) in Ethiopia is ours now!! We are so incredibly happy, and cannot wait to go get him. We are not sure when we can go to get him, but we may find out this coming week! But as for now, here is a picture of my precious new brother..

A few pics

In Hong Kong!! Our plane to my city.

After 3 plane rides totaling 20 hours, we finally made it!

This was the night after we got there. I prayed with the guy in gray, left of me. He is a new brother!

Me in front of my amazing city, filled with so many amazing people.


Friends on the beach.

China Part I - Han

Hello blog!

Well, I have not posted on here in a while--a long while. I have had intentions to though!! I have gotten complaints from people because I say "I'll post again soon" and don't.. So, sorry about that! But for now I want to share a story from my trip.
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Now first off, from the moment I step in the airport, I think about my mission to wherever my destination may be. I pray about the people I will minister there, for God to prepare their hearts and minds to our message. I know that we are supposed to be on mission all the time, and I am a strong believer in that, but for some reason when I'm on a mission trip I think and pray about the ministering I will be doing at my destination -the plane ride is just a means to get me there, and It never occurred to me to pray for who God would have me minister to on the plane, or on the way to my destination. But from now on I will be, thanks to an encounter with a 19 year old Chinese exchange student named Han.

As I walked down the isle to my plane seat on the first flight, I came to my row. I saw that I would be seated in the middle, between a woman at the window and a young Chinese guy on the isle. I did the usual, shoving my backpack into the tiny space they give you under the seat in front of you and wondering why I packed so dang much in my carry on. As the plane got into the air, the guy to my right, Han, started a conversation. I was glad, and we started to talk. I found out that he attends an American university in the north, but that he is from China and was returning to his family's city very close to the city I was going to. We talked for a while, then there was a little bit of silence. Then I had that feeling-that feeling that you know God is going to ask you to do something, and that you will feel extremely guilty by not following through. God was asking me to evangelize to Han-- to figure out his "status" on what he believed. I knew I had to. I knew if I didn't at least figure out if he was a Christian or not I would feel like crud later, so, I took a deep breath (wondering what I was getting into) and opened up the door..

"Soooo... do you go to a Church near your school?"

"Oh-ah, no, I don't do Church." He said, being caught a little off gaurd.

"OK. Well, what do you believe about God?"

He went on to tell me that in his mind there is no God, and that he believes strongly in evolution; he is a science major, so he basically believes everything he learns about evolution from his textbooks at his secular school. I told him I was a Christian.

Me: "Hmmm, ok. I tell you what, how about you tell me your beliefs and then I get to tell you my Christian beliefs?"

He said ok, and told me his beliefs. From the Big Bang, to us coming from monkeys, to there being no God, he believes it all, along with some weird mystical beliefs his Grandmother taught him. Well, that set it off for me. I literally dropped an Evange-Bomb right on his brain. (You can always carry those bombs on the plane, right? :P) Poor guy. He had no idea what kind of Creationist-God loving-always-open-to-sharing-my-faith- (especially with Chinese students!) kind of chick he was sitting next to. I took him %100 through creation to salvation. It was incredible, and as I talked with him I found myself getting more and more energized and into it with every word I was saying. I loved every minute of it. It started to be more of a God ad creation vs. evolution discussion/debate and I made big points on how,

"You're a smart guy, Han. I mean, you're a science major, you know about all of the intricate tiny cells in our body, and how detailed science is. These kind of things can't come from some random chance of chemicals blowing up out of no where- there had to be, and there is an Intelligent Designer behind all of this. And He loves you, and He sent his Son to die for you, and..............."

And on I went. He would try and tell me how evolution just had to be the way, but I was the only one with proof that creation was the way. His main issue was faith in the unseen, but I told him how evolution is totally faith in unseen things, and that it is just a theory with barely any true evidence. It was amazing, and I really encouraged him to find and get a Bible and start reading through the gospels. I would have loved to have had a Bible to give him. He said he would try to get one, and that he was interested in what I was saying. I gave him a salvation bracelet a team member sitting on the row behind me had, and he loved it. I got his e-mail address, and I am going to e-mail him soon. I would love to get his address in America and send him a copy of the movie "Expelled," ( I haven't seen it, but heard it is awesome and amazing how the evolution theory is busted and creation points to God.) or maybe some of the books or DVDs called "Incredible Creatures That Defy Evolution". I told him about those resources and he was interested. He also told me, though, that "I don't think I could really be a Christian since there aren't very many at my university." I told him that I'm sure that there is a church near his university and Christian groups within his school. Another funny thing he said was "Yeah, my friend has a Bible in Chinese, and I was reading it one time, but I think I want to get an English Bible because the Chinese one was boring." LOL. Hmmm. Well.. OK then! Good luck to ya! Ha, I can just imagine the poor guy starting and reading through Leviticus or Numbers imagining how on earth Christians read that. I told him that the Gospels were a great place to start. =)

Another cool thing was that we were on the same following flight from LA to Hong Kong as well. We were not near each other, but since he was by himself, he came along with the college team and I. It was so neat because he knew that we were all Christians and from the same church, and when I introduced him to our team they were so inclusive and awesome to him, so I think that really gave him a great impression of what being a Christian is about. One guy on our team who brought his guitar got it out while we were waiting at the airport and played a few things, then he even let Han do some stuff on it since Han played guitar too! I think he really liked the team.

Please pray for Han. Please pray that God would be tugging at his heart from the words he heard on that plane ride, and that I would be able to reach out to him more via e-mail.

Well, it you've stuck with my long post 'till now I commend you. =) I learned that even an hour into a mission trip God will be moving in big ways, and that we are on mission to everyone we meet not only at our destination, but to the people sitting next to us on the plane, to the airport workers and the flight attendants. Even if it is a simple smile and thank you, and something to make them wonder what is different about you, we are on mission. We are on mission no matter where we go.