it is official...we are adopting from Ethiopia!

Why you ask? Here's why. After Vietnam closed Joey and I committed to pray and pray and pray. Asking God to lead us where He wanted us. Where was the greatest need? We want to give a child a home, unconditional love, a family, and just a chance at life.

Here is what I found one day. Here is why I cried and said this is the place. This is where we are needed...

Why Adopt From Ethiopia You Ask?
One in ten children die before their first birthday• One in six children die before their fifth birthday• 44% of the population of Ethiopia is under 15 years old• 60% of children in Ethiopia are stunted because of malnutrition• The median age in Ethiopia is 17.8 years• 1.5 million people are infected with AIDS (6th highest in the world)• 720,000 children have been orphaned by AIDS alone, and there are 4.6 million orphans in Ethiopia.• Per capita, Ethiopia receives less aid than any country in Africa• In the 90s the population (3%) grew faster than food production (2.2%)• Drought struck the country from 2000-2002 (first year no crops, second year no seeds, third year no animals)• Half the children in Ethiopia will never attend school. 88% will never attend secondary school.• Coffee prices (Ethiopia’s only major export) fell 40-60% from 1998-2002.• Ethiopia’s doctor to children ratio is 1 to 24,000.

I told Joey- if this were happening in a place closer to home. I'd never stand back and let little children suffer. I'd take in 2,3,4...Just because it is across the ocean is no excuse. Just because their skin is a different color is no excuse. God has called us to "look after orphans" James 1:27. He has called us to "not shut our ears to the cry of the poor" Proverbs 21:13. He has called us to "love our neighbor as ourself" Matthew 22:39. And I must say the Lord is loudly calling Joey and I on this amazing journey to our daughter. I can only imagine what God has in store for us on this adventure.

Please keep us in your prayers as Adoption is a long, hard road!

We are in the paper chase process right now! Gathering documents we need. Completing adoption education courses. Updating our home study. Filing a change of country with the USCIS. Wow! It is a monstrous mountain of work that I can't wait to conquer! Then, it is the wait! My guess is that by early 2010 our baby girl will be home with us!