Juxtaposition

Rural Ethiopia

Rural Illinois

Rural Ethiopia

Rural Illinois

Rural Ethiopia

Rural Illinois

Last week, we were driving home and I was gazing out the window thinking about the country of our daughter's birth.  I grabbed my camera and shot a few pictures just to compare to the ones that I shot as we were driving toward our daughter's orphanage all those months ago.  These pictures give no indication of the extreme economic differences that exist between the two locations - they depict a simple beauty of the countryside.  John and I have been pondering and discussing our lifestyle and the excesses of living in America, in general, and what we are supposed to be doing differently than we are now.  We are both unsettled - Ethiopia forever changed the way we view material things.  We continue to come across opportunities to make a tangible difference in someone's life.  You can read about a wonderful opportunity here:  http://thatwemightbeadopted.blogspot.com/2011/06/new-partnership-adoption-ministry-127.html

As an adoptive parent, I did not fully anticipate the extent to which I would be impacted by the losses in my daughter's life.  Now that she is with us and we know her, we hurt for the circumstances that necessitated an adoption plan.  There was no other option in her particular case, but in many cases, with a little bit of help, it is possible for children to stay with their family of origin and be raised in the country of their birth.  That is the best case scenario.  Knowing that we can help make that happen for another child thrills me and that is why I am so excited about this new ministry that has been launched.  Not everyone can adopt, but we can all do something.  $40.00 a month can help a child stay with family or with a foster family and be raised in a country that may not be rich materially, but is rich in faith, love, and beauty.