Outreach Africa

Jen and I were watching the news last night and heard about a organization in Iowa called Outreach Africa. Outreach was created to supplement the work currently being undertaken by the Iambi Hospital Project, Inc. a non-profit organization. Iambi Hospital project is a five-year program to rebuild Iambi Hospital and expand its function to include certified nurses, training programs, and AIDS / HIV hospices services. Another program they are involved in is called "Kids Against Hunger." Each food package they produce provides six nutritionally complete servings to feed the starving children around the world and the hungry here at home. All for the low cost of 25 cents per serving. I am including a link, please take a look.

The first of Jen's three pregnant sisters had her baby on Sunday. Elizabeth and Zach welcomed Benjamin David into the world at 5:00a. Mom and son are doing well. I am pretty sure I saw some more grey hair on dad.

Finally lots of activity on the adoption front. We have moved up to 15th on the "unofficial" list. So far in April there have been 15 referrals we know of so our hopes of a May, early June referral seem good. Now we are trying to make sure we get all the vaccinations we need, we have talked with our doctor to make sure he can look over the medical report when it comes in, and figuring out possible names.

EXCITING TIMES!!!!!!

http://www.outreachafrica.org/index.php

$20 or your child

I didn't even know how to title this post.
I read this article from another blog and am brought to tears. Little Mark Kwadwo. His picture, look at that face. That could be any little boy or girl. The story is about child slavery in Africa.
http://www.wehaitians.com/africa%20world%20of%20forced%20labor%20in%20a%206%20year%20old%20eyes.html

A couple months ago a friend had told me about an Oprah episode she had seen that sounded like the same story. I had meant to try to find more information on the story, and I am just sure this is it.

This story is about the same little boy. http://www.thevillageofhope.com/former_slaves.htm

This little guy, Mark, has been saved. But it is just so awful to think what he and so many, many, many more are going through. I don't understand why this has to happen, why there has to be injustice this great in a world. A world where I have too much food and worry about getting new clothes or a better car or house or whatever. It makes me sick and sad.

Quick programming note

A documentary on Ethiopia coffee farmers called "Black Gold" is being shown on PBS. If you check local listings you can find out when it will air in your area. It will be shown here in Iowa on April 22nd at 10:30pm.

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/blackgold/

Alittle excitement

OK, I am in a reeeeaallly greeeaaat mood tonight!!!! There have been 9 referrals this week!! That is really high!
As you may or may not remember, our adoption agency has a website with forums for each country they have programs with. The Ethiopia board is HIGHLY active, seriously can't keep up with everything that happens each day. They estimate 50 to 60% of the people using CHSFS for Ethiopia adoptions are active on the forum. So, of the people on the forum - 9 got referrals this week and we are now 20th on the list! The babies this week have been fairly young - 2 months, 3 mo, a couple 4 mo, a couple 6 mo, 7 mo, and 17 mo old. And more girls than boys, interestingly enough.
That still puts us alittle behind my first guess or hope. Our dossier was approved Jan 11th. When we started the process last fall, the wait time for a baby boy was 0-4 months, but then around November or December it changed to 4-6 months. Still I was hoping for less than 4 months - I don't know why. So, I was hoping for a referral by the end of April. Now, I am hoping for one by the end of May.
After that we wait 2-3 months to travel. My guess is we will be traveling in August, maybe September.
Wow - now that seems like a long ways off. We have lots to keep us busy, but we would love to go get our son NOW! I think about him alot and wonder where is he and what he looks like. I think he is probably already born and with a loving mother, but a mother that is not going to be able to take care of him for some reason. I don't like to think about what they are going through or why she will have to let him go. I cannot imagine making that decision. I tell myself I would never be able to leave my child, but I also know that I have no idea what their lives are like and what they suffer through every single day. So, as much as I DO NOT want any woman to be forced to let their babies go, I want to have my son now. I want to get him and make him safe and healthy and happy.

OK, on to another topic, because my mood went from really good to kinda sad.

My baby girl - Annalise Lucille - is 2 years old!! Let me count them 1 - 2!!! Holy smokeroos. I cannot believe two years have passed since that little darling was born. She had a fun birthday! Well a couple of them - one with her cousin Holden who is 5 and all my family. Then on her birthday - just cupcakes at 8:00PM, because we had swim lessons and Katie had religious ed and we weren't all home together until that time. And finally another with the real cake and presents the following night. She is getting real good at singing Happy Birthday to herself and blowing out candles. She is a very expressive little one - big wide open eyes and mouth about everything - it was fun watching her open her presents. My mom gave her a beautiful dress with a very fluffy skirt. She tried that one and ran around twirling and fluffing it. Just makes me smile thinking about her.

So this is Easter weekend - it will be awesome to see all my sisters with their bulging bellies. I think we will be skipping the egg hunt at the high school Saturday morning, since it is supposed to be 22 degrees with a wind chill making it feel like 7 degrees. (You know, it was 80 degrees two weeks ago!) Thanks for reading!
Happy Easter!