Last year, at this time, my boys surprised me with a new Iphone. At that point in our adoption journey, we were almost done with our paperwork with our old adoption agency. We weren't even on the wait list then. We could only dream about our little one - faceless, nameless, genderless, without an age, without any information. We were only connected by God's rising passion in our hearts to accept this litte one, whenever that would be, whoever that would be. I remember the kids coming to me, after they had time to mess around on my phone, exclaiming that they could pull up Addis Ababa's daily weather and time to save to my phone - that was our connection to Ashagre then... Daily weather and time for where he was. Not much to go on, but we felt attached even then. Oh, what an amazing year it has been...
Our year in review... we completed our paperwork with our old adoption agency and got on their wait list in July of 2012; we waited for 3 months on that waitlist before God nudged us to go in another directionand we received news that our 2 year wait would increase to at least 3-4 years; we got on our new agency's waitlist on March 20, 2013 and had our dossier touch down in Ethiopia on March 27. We accepted the referral for little Ashagre last month - April 24 - and, we have been overwhelmed by God's timing yet again with a, sooner than expected, birth parent court date for May 22 - that is less than a month since we accepted his referral - wow! AHHHHHHHH! That is only 10 days from now!! What an amazing Mother's Day gift. This court date will determine our time to travel to Ethiopia to meet our son for the first time. Our adoption agency was not expecting this date to be until June some time. Now, we will get the opportunity to be able to travel any time between June 3-June 30 to meet Ashagre and see his home for the last 2 months... Jane's House in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Ashagre, once nameless and faceless to us, will be an orphan no more!!!!!!
We are crazy excited, in awe of the Lord's humbling grace and mighty power to not only speed up this process for us but also for Ashagre. For me, to be honest, because I am such a planner - oh, God is working on me every day - LOL, this excitement is tempered with a bit of anxiety over the speed of all of this, as we have to pack, get our kiddos squared away with coverage from family to watch them and their busy schedules, get immunizations, make quicker than expected travel plans, etc. etc, but, we focus on the fact that we are that much closer to hugging, kissing, holding, and hearing Ashagre's laughter. Oh, how I have longed to hear his laughter :)
When May 22 rolls around, we have to be prepared to possibly go less than 2 weeks later. When we go to Africa for our court date and pass court NEXT MONTH, Ashagre will officially be ours... but, then we have to leave him in Addis. When we leave him, even though in the eyes of Ethiopia he is ours, our paperwork has to go to the American Embassy to clear Ashagre to be an American citizen to come home. This could take weeks, so that is why we don't stay there. When we clear embassy, we will get to make travel plans again to go back to Africa to bring Ashagre home :) As this process has happened so very quickly so far, we are hoping that we won't even have to wait a month, before we go back.
We could bring Ashagre home before school starts and have a great deal of family time together before the busyness of a new school year sets in. I am daring to think that way, as things have gone so well. I am allowing myself the untempered joy to think that!! The boys want to teach him to swim, of all things, because, since Ashagre is from a dessert tribe, they think it is so amazing that he has never seen a pool before :) Oh, there is so very much Ashagre hasn't ever seen or experienced before! How amazing to get the opportunity to see things we take for granted every day around us be fresh and new through his eyes!!!!!!!!!!!
We are still fundraising, if you feel led to give financially in any way. We are so close to our traveling expense goal of $10,000, so very humbling that so many are helping us to get our son home!!!!!!!
There are numerous ways in which to help...
1.) You can send a check to our church (tax-deductible), which will be earmarked for our travel to Africa... Make checks payable to Haven Church - memo Holwerda Adoption to:
Haven Church
541 Alice ST
Zeeland, MI 49464
2.) You can make a donation to our on-line charity, via secure paypal credit card payament @
www.acharityproject.com/c/tentotravel
3.) You can donate diapers (up to size 2), baby formula small toys for all ages (matchbox cars, coloring books and crayons, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, beanie babies, etc), and/or clothes and shoes for children 0-7 years old. to bless the orphanage with. We are hoping to take at least 2-3 suitcases full of donations to leave with the orphange. There is a great need!!!
As always, your prayers are coveted for our family, little Ashagre and the nealry 160 million orphans that need forever families!! Prayer has moved mountains - we are testimony to that :)
Thank you so much :)
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