Why not let an orphan break touch your heart?
David Held has the daunting task of getting 130 older boys who live at Kolfe Boys Home sponsored. I don’t envy David. I know from coordinating the sponsorship effort at my church that the cute little girls go first. Even in the adoption world, girls are adopted far more often than boys. It just be like that.
The other challenging aspect of David’s job is that the Kolfe boys are…well…old…some of them really old, like in their twenties. ..and trust me, there is no surplus of people out there banging down doors to sponsor 20 year old boys.
However, one of the best kept secrets is that these boys are the real gems. They’re old enough to articulate their feelings, their vulnerability, their need for you to show them what it’s like to have the love of a family. One 18 year old boy recently wrote, “I don’t know what it’s like to have mama love, can you teach me this?” [heart = mush].
So if you are interested in finding out about a different kind of love this Valentine’s Day, I would urge you to contact David. My own experience with sponsoring an older boy from Kolfe has been incredibly fulfilling. If you know me, you know how much our son Biruk is a part of our family and our lives.
Both of these boys (and 48 more) at Kolfe Youth Orphanage need families to step up to sponsor them! Sponsorship means $34/month and the ability to have a relationship that will rock your world. Email kolfesponsor@gmail.com or click here to learn more.
ET2105075 Robel Tesfaye Male Age 16 Eighth Grade
ET2105101 Yohanes Fsiha Male Age 22 Graduate
One of my favorite things about checking e-mail is when I get to open things like this. This note came from Children’s HopeChest, regarding the fundraising dollars we raised at an event we attended on December 5th for Kechene school:
Erin,
Yesterday, Peter gave the money for the desks and textbooks to Nicodemus, director at IEICA/Kechene School. Nicodemus’s response was that “it’s money coming down from heaven”. Nicodemus is extremely thankful, and as Peter says, he’s SOOOO Happy. I will get you pictures of the desk and text books as soon as they are purchased.
I just wanted you to know how grateful they are at IEICA/Kechene School.
Thanks again,
Ginia
An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.
-Martin Luther King Jr
…This may sound mushy, but as I reflect on MLK’s life today and browse through many of his amazing speeches and quotes, I’m reminded of all the incredible people we have met this past year who live out these sentiments and how I aspire to be more like them.
I recently asked a friend of mine to write down a few words regarding her sponsorship experience to share with those at my church who have recently signed up to be sponsors through Children’s HopeChest. Lindsey is an attorney in Oklahoma, she began sponsoring a child through CHC last spring, here are her “few words”:
I signed up to be a sponsor through Children’s HopeChest in May 2009. I did it because I felt better about myself. Daydreams of my small financial inconvenience changing the life of a child made feel proud. I had done a good deed for the month, I could go buy those sandals I’d been eyeing at the mall. I deserved it. Right?
When Kaleab’s profile came in the mail, I was sincerely moved, but honestly, not any further moved than I had been previously by watching a Sally Struthers’ telethon on television. He wore a ragged t-shirt that slumped off his tiny frame like a napkin. His lifeless eyes rimmed in sadness and he grimaced instead of smiled. But he was just another sad face on a continent I would probably never visit anyway. I hung his picture on our refrigerator and started writing letters, never expecting a reply.
Months of no response only increased my cynicism. “He’s never going to write back”, “he’s probably not a real orphan”, and “what have I done?”, were all circling my thoughts. But every time I opened our fridge, I was haunted by knowing somewhere there was a child who had not eaten, while I grabbed a piece of chocolate cake.
Kaleab’s face stuck with me so often that his picture made his way to my desk at work. Every time I looked left from my keyboard, I had a piercing reminder to pray. Not only for him, but for myself. I began to pray that God would begin to break my heart for the things that broke His. My husband and I started the process to adopt from Ethiopia and we were learning more and more about Africa, Children’s HopeChest and what it meant to be an orphan and Kaleab was stealing my heart. I prayed for him several times a day and began planning a trip to meet him.
In September 2009, we received our first update from the home in Ethiopia where Kaleab was staying. The kids were eating once a day, regularly attending school and although I still hadn’t heard from Kaleab, I was a proud mama showing everyone the boy who graced my desk.
November brought my first letter from Ethiopia and I burst into tears as I read this boy call us his family and tell me how much he prayed for Le and I. How could he possibly ask God to bless me? Why would he ask God to bless me? Did he not know he was the one with nothing? When a friend of mine visited his carepoint in December, I begged her to check in on Kaleab. Her texts home to me are saved in my phone. I never want to lose them. She said when Kaleab found out she knew me, he popped into EVERY one of her pictures, he wanted to be for sure that I saw him.
Seven months later, pictures show Kaleab a well fed , happy ten year old. But they also show hope and love emitting from his eyes. He is loved and his smile can’t hide that. We are in the works of trying to adopt Kaleab and bring him home to his “Oklahoma mama.” But if he never lives in my house or sleeps under my roof, he has taken permanent residence in my heart. Kaleab is not my sponsor child, he is my son. I wish I could tell you that sponsorship has changed Kaleab’s life, but I can’t. Sponsoring him has been the most selfish thing I have ever done. I will never be convinced that he receives more from me than I ever have from him.
Kaleab's Profile picture 4/09
My Precious Son, Kaleab, 12/09
I am speechless.
I might be addicted to skyping with Solomon and Biruk. Seriously, I’m hooked. But I’m never satiated, at the end of each call I immediately want to hop on the next plane headed to Ethiopia. I don’t know how to describe these interactions…they’re interesting. What did we talk about? Nothing and everything. The same thing you talk about with your kids.
I learned that Biruk bites his nails (a Moore-family habit). That put a smile on my face.
I also learned that the boys at Kolfe are fed three times per day – bread and tea for breakfast, injera and shiro (bean dish) for lunch and the same for dinner. They are rarely given fruit and only get meat 2-3 times per year. Solomon said that in the eight years he has lived at Kolfe, he has never seen an egg.
So I had this idea to interview Solomon via Skype so that you all could see what it’s like to talk to these sweet boys. Solomon was game. So…what do you want to know? Leave a comment and I’ll ask the question. I’ll post a video of the discussion here within the next week.
I am ashamed of this, but in all honesty, I had no interest in going to such a place.
When the trip to Kolfe got pinched off our busy agenda I was secretly happy.
But God had a different plan.
At the last minute, Tom decided that we were going to go to Kolfe. I happened to have been sitting next to him on the bus and mentioned how I really didn’t want to go. He replied, “Oh, you’ll love Kolfe! …these boys are amazing…everyone loves Kolfe”.
Nine months later, on Christmas day, I am skyping with a Kolfe orphan who I call son and who means the world to me.
I left Kolfe that day with a piece of a child planted in my heart. And every day since I have been trying to find a way to get back to him.
I checked the computer throughout the day, waiting for an opportunity to Skype. Then it happened! I heard Solomon’s voice before I saw his face, I couldn’t believe I was talking live with someone at Kolfe! Then the video flicked on. It was dark and difficult to see at first. 2pm here is 9pm there. Solomon was the perfect host, I just adore Solomon. We chatted and he told me that someone was getting Biruk, who was sleeping. There was a huge audience of Kolfe boys behind him, all watching and listening in.
And then I heard “here’s Biruk” and there was a shadow of a boy blending in with the night. Shy. Groggy. I think some boys had to literally push him in front of the computer.
I am perched with all three kids in front of our computer and we say “Hi” with big smiles. He says “Hi” back. Then we talk through Solomon. Biruk understands us, but is not confident in his English, so Solomon translates. For the next hour and half, no one really knows what to say…but no one wants to hang up either. I ask a lot of questions about life at Kolfe and Biruk is content to give one word answers. He’s twelve. Solomon, who is older, fills in many of the blanks. After Biruk warms up, he says things like “Mom, what is your favorite movie?”, and “When are you coming to visit?”.
I tell him that I will let him know when I have an exact date (my heart tells me to jump on the next flight out of Boston).
We show him our Christmas tree and his Christmas present: an astronomy book. Then I see the smile that melts me.
If you have a moment, please check out Eileen Mestas’ blog to learn more about her son Solomon. If you have 8 minutes, check out this video, I’d highly recommend listening to her tell her story. It’s awesome.
“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags.
And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before.
And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before.
What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”
- Dr. Seuss
is LOVE.
This is what it’s like for an orphan to receive a Christmas gift.
A few months ago I put a package together for my far away son, Biruk. Here he is, opening his package.
The boy in the white coat, to his left is his BFF. These boys will share everything…that is their culture. Notice how my boy is in short sleeves and a sleeveless sweater while his BFF is in a winter parka?
…opening…
…sharing…
gumballs for everyone!
This is almost too much for me to bare…this is what my “son” was wearing for shoes! Would you ever let your child walk around like this?
Sam & Wendi to the rescue! ..they brought Biruk some sneakers. And, as you can see,he is now wearing one of Avery’s shirts!
According to Biruk’s email, these shoes are “so big” – that’s okay, I have some brand new Air Jordans, size 6, on the way down to him in January, WITH SOCKS. (I have learned not to assume anything!).
Looks like Sam and Wendi took them out for dinner, perhaps? …can’t wait to get the full scoop when they return in a few weeks. Look at my precious son’s smile!!! He lights up the world with that smile!
I’m done. Or maybe all undone.
Merry Christmas.
Remember the party we attended on December 5th? …well the final total is in….can I get a drumroll please?
Justine and her family and friends raised $2065.75 !!!! …in one night…hanging with friends.
How does this happen?
$1647 in checks, $415 in cash, $3.75 in coins
Just kidding, I know that’s not what you wanted to know…it happens because people like to shop for cool things that help others. We sold necklaces, gift tags, gift cards, fingerpuppets, wreaths, t-shirts, kid crafts, cookies, you name it – I almost accidentally sold Wendy. (it was for the children!)
It continues to amaze me – how an evening spent with friends can have such a HUGE impact half way across the world. Because of this night, orphans will be fed and educated.
Justine decided to help Kechene school. You might remember us telling you about Kechene a while back…they needed $1550 ($1100 for textbooks and $450 for desks) – they lack these basic school supplies because they spend whatever little money they have on feeding their students (mostly orphans).
Justine’s party raised over $500 more than what was needed, so she decided to fund yet another educational project – she’s going to build a classroom at Hannah’s Homes Orphanage. You might remember Hannah from our trip. We love Hannah. She is AH-MAY-ZING. We’re going to fund this Children’s HopeChest project through www.hopemongers.org so we can keep tabs on it. What? You haven’t checked out Hopemongers. Go, do so now. Seriously. I’ll wait.
Find a project, give ten bucks. We LOVE Hopemongers.
Oh, and you might be wondering where the last $15.75 went? That money went to Children’s Hopechest’s Emergency Food Fund, so that we can fulfill our “gifttag promise” to use the $.14 cents per tag to feed a child a meal. ….that $15.75 equals 112 meals!
You have got to be part of this, the intrinsic rewards are immeasurable. Seriously, it feels so good to help orphans…I can’t even explain it. I love those little stinkers.
I just read this excellent article that Greg Mortenson put out on Twitter. I *Heart* Greg Mortenson. This is a man who builds schools for children (with an emphasis on girls) in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Long story short, he was an extreme mountain climber who, in 1993, was set to scale Pakistan’s K2 when sickness overtook him half way up. He was making this trip as a dedication to his sister who had recently passed away. While recovering from the climb in a remote village, his life changed forever. In his healing, he saw children doing school work in the dirt – children who wanted an education more than anything. And so began his odyssey into building schools in remote mountain villages. You really should read his book, “Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace*.” Really. Like now.
Anyway, the article Greg mention was written by a man named Nicholas Kristof. Please click on the link to read it (it’s three pages , but SO worth the read):
Nicholas Kristof’s Advice for Saving the World
*Three Cups of Tea is required reading for U.S. senior military commanders, for officers in the Norwegian War College, Forsvarsnett, for U.S. Special Forces deploying to Afghanistan, Pentagon officers in counter-insurgency training, and Canadian Defense Ministry members.
