Ethiopia Blog

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On November 20, 2009 the Convention on the Rights of the Child will celebrate its 20^th anniversary advocating for children everywhere. While for some a child having the right to an education and the simplicity of childhood is normal, others still view children as property. This is seen on a wide scale around the world where child labor laws are in place, but not enforced; where children are coerced and manipulated into being agents of war; and where children are tried and convicted as adults. The CRC called upon the human race to step up and take action against the injustices children face. The CRC is a voice for the abused and neglected children around the world. To read further about this, please visit www.unicef.org.

Posted by Sara E. Ruiter At 10:33:08 AM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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A long awaited study on adoption identity formation was recently published by the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute.  A New York Times article about the study can be found here. A full study summary can be found on the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute website by clicking here.  We encourage every adoptive parent to check out this excellent study.  Also, adoption workers are encouraged to study the findings and consider how best to prepare families for the unique issues of identity formation their adopted child will face.  We greatly appreciate the time and effort spent on this wonderful resource.

Posted by Sara E. Ruiter At 12:59:36 PM Location | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

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Did you know that NOVEMBER is "National Adoption Month" in the United States?

The History of Adoption Month (taken from "NACAC:" North American Council on Adoptable Children) Formalized, time-specific adoption awareness campaigns originated more than 20 years ago. In May 1976, Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis issued the first state Adoption Week proclamation, and President Ford then officially proclaimed the week in a letter to the North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) conference held later that year. As years went on, Adoption Week came to be observed during the week of Thanksgiving in November.

In 1986, NACAC helped coordinate a national "Calling Out" event based on an idea from Larry Gellerstein, then president of the Adoptive Parent Committee of New York. That year groups across North America braved late November weather and simultaneously assembled on state and provincial capitol steps to read statements about waiting children, and call out the names of waiting children in their state or province.

In 1990, NACAC decided to expand opportunities for raising awareness, and began advertising Adoption Week as National Adoption Awareness Month (November). The idea has quickly caught on, and Adoption Month has celebrated ever since.

In 2005, a Presidential Proclamation of November 19 marked "National Adoption Day" where thousands of children across the United States have their adoption finalized in court!  

CELEBRATE ADOPTION !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As an adoptive family, what can you do to celebrate National Adoption Month?  

-contact your local schools and help them celebrate too!  
-contact your local child care facilities and ask them to celebrate adoption too!
-connect with your employer/HR and start an adoption benefit!
 -start an adoptive family support group in your area!
-plan a community gathering with your local adoptive families support groups!
-write a letter (and send a photo) to your congress person to help encourage their support!
-write a letter to your child's birth/first parents, expressing your emotions!
-write a letter to your child telling them how much you love them!
-work on or look at your child's  Lifebook!
-plan a family outing!
-sponsor an orphan in your child's birth-country
-start an adoption ministry at your church
-have a fundraiser/garage sale/bake-off/silent auction at church... to benefit your child's orphanage/adoption expenses!
-have siblings in the home write about "what adoption means to them"!
-look into culture camps and homeland tours for your family!
-learn something fun about your child's birth-country or birth-culture!
-go out to eat or cook ethnic food!
-make a tradition of having a family photo taken every November... then send it out with Christmas cards!
-write a letter/story to your local newspaper educating about adoption!
-pray for birth/first families, foster families, orphanage caretakers, adoptive families, and orphaned children around the world... that they may celebrate the Blessings of adoption too!

CELEBRATE ADOPTION !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by Tendai Masiriri At 12:11:20 PM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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On August 28, 2009, the courts in Ethiopia closed for recess. They were initially scheduled to re-open on September 28, 2009. However, after a two-week delay, the courts are finally set to re-open on October 12, 2009. Bethany Christian Services had five families affected by the delay.  However, all the five affected families have their court dates re-scheduled for later this month.

Our Director for International Services, Pamela Harrington is traveling to Ethiopia to assist one of our partners (Yezelalem Minch) in capacity building and the management of a USAID grant. The grant is intended to develop community based support and care for orphans, vulnerable children and people living with HIV. We pray for Pam’s safe travel. We also pray that she has the energy that she definitely need, as she labors in this very important work.

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Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash) will be celebrated on Friday, September 11,  which is according to the Julian Calendar.  For an interesting take on the New Year, check out this article from Reuters, incorporating technology and HIV/Aids awareness in Ethiopia - "New Year, New Life".  

Two additional religious holidays coming up in Ethiopia are Sunday September 20 & 27.  Id Al Fetir  is celebrated on the 20th, and is an Islamic holiday celebrating the end of Ramadan (a month of fasting).   On September 27 Meskel  is celebrated, which is a Christian holiday celebrating the "discovery of the true cross" on which Jesus was crucified.  Click this link (religious festivals) for more information on these festivals and other celebrations throughout the year.

Posted by Alison M. Adema At 12:00:00 AM Location | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

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This summer, I had the opportunity to spend 2 ½ months in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with Bethany Christian Services. My time in Ethiopia was spent interning as a social services worker and helping assist families when they arrived in Addis. The summer went by very quickly as each day was full with activities and work to complete, such as:

completing assessments on waiting children, preparing schedules for traveling families, going to court to finalize paperwork, going to the US Embassy, getting passport pictures taken, blood work for the children and VISA paperwork to complete, as well as many other opportunities. I learned a tremendous amount about the entire adoption process, from the Ethiopian perspective and that was very beneficial to my experience with BCS. It was such a joy to be able to witness the entire process of a family arriving and meeting their children for the first time! There were a lot of emotions filled with excitement and anticipation in those moments. Each family that came to Addis brought a beautiful story of how the Lord has brought them on this process and I felt honored to share in that part of their lives. Our weeks were full, as we traveled throughout the city and oriented the families with Bethany in Ethiopia. It was a unique experience to be able to help guide families in this process of finalizing their adoption and deal with many unforeseen obstacles that a third world country may bring!  Each family dealt with these situations with such grace and flexibility, which made for great adventures! For example, I learned to adjust to circumstances where you cannot always depend on luxuries like having electricity everyday or eating certain foods that won’t make you sick and traveling throughout the city in the rainy season and getting acquainted with mud  There are a lot of “unknowns” in Ethiopia and each day taught me how to be flexible and have grace in each situation. Besides assisting the families while they were in-country, I also worked with the Bethany social workers in completing assessments and initial paperwork that needed to be completed on waiting children. Getting to know the children at each orphanage just sparked my heart with love for them, as I got to know their personalities and see their likes and dislikes. Those children became a part of my heart and my love for them grew each day. It was such a unique experience to pray for children to receive families and then see the fruit of that, with them getting matched! What an awesome opportunity to be able to tell a child that he/she was matched with a family and allow them to see the pictures of their family that is soon coming for them. It is hard to put into words… their joy was contagious and evident. There is a lot of work to be done in Ethiopia with Bethany Christian Services. There are many waiting children and the work is endless. I feel so honored to have been able to get to know the staff and see them labor for these children in Ethiopia. My heart continues to pray for the work going on there and for the staff as they work tirelessly to bring these children to families and provide for their needs. There is so much to say about the entire experience, but overall I am so grateful to have made many wonderful memories and cherished friendships that were formed there. The Lord is at work in Ethiopia and I feel privileged to have witnessed His provision and grace in the lives of these children. Please continue to pray for the children and staff in Ethiopia!  Thank you for sharing in this journey with me. If you would like to here more or learn more about the work being done in Ethiopia, you can visit my blog at: www.katepadden.wordpress.com God Bless, Kate Padden

Posted by Alison M. Adema At 12:51:16 PM Location | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

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Despite the variety of rumors regarding the Ethiopian courts, it seems confirmed that the courts are closed from now until the end of September.  If you hear differently, please let us know so we can explore the information further.  Thanks!  

This week, nine children were matched with eight families!!  We currently see a need for families open to children over age five, of either gender, that are not part of a sibling group.  Families open to this older age range have received referrals rather quickly after their dossier is submitted.  Bethany has many families with dossiers in Ethiopia who waiting for younger children and many families waiting for sibling groups of various age ranges.  We ask for families to prayerfully consider this older age range.  If your family is open to this, please talk with your social worker.  

Have a great weekend!

Posted by Alison M. Adema At 12:00:00 AM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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BCS currently has seven families in Ethiopia awaiting the issuance of their children's visas!  

We have also received court dates later in August, and in October.  It is yet unclear if the courts will be closed in September.  We'll keep you updated with any information that we learn.  

Tendai Masiriri, our International Services Manager for Africa, is on his way back to Ethiopia.  We pray for his travels, along with the families and children who will soon be coming home.

Posted by Alison M. Adema At 10:34:45 AM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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I have been to Ethiopia twice since I started working for Bethany Christian Services in March 2009 as International Service Manager. The two trips were quite productive and fulfilling. I am pleased to report that our program in Ethiopia has been revamped to meet the opportunities and challenges that come with anticipated growth. To read more on this article please follow this link: http://www.bethany.org/pdfs/EthiopiaUpdate_0709.pdf

Posted by Tendai Masiriri At 03:54:52 PM Location | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

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As released by USAID July 8, Thomas  H Staal is the new Mission Director for Ethiopia.  Follow this link for the full press release:  . If you want to learn more about USAID and their services and projects worldwide click here.

Speaking of global services and projects, did you see the Bethany News Blog on July 1?  BCS and our local partner in Ethiopia, Yezelalem Minch, received a 1-year grant expanding care for orphans and vulnerable children in Ethiopia.  We hope you will take the time to read more about this exciting project starting in Ethiopia! Bethany is blessed by our local partners in Ethiopia and blessed with the opportunity to work on this project serving more children and families.  

Posted by Alison M. Adema At 02:32:32 PM Location | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)