Selamnesh's Story: Ethiopian Summer Picnic

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Ethiopian Summer Picnic

June 28th

I can't praise CHSFS enough!!! I absolutely love my agency!!! We traveled Friday to the twin cities, shopped at the mall of America, stayed at Northwestern College. The picnic took place on the campus of Northwestern College. What a great campus!!

It started at 11am with the Markato(market). Lots of great things to buy. Lifebooks, hair beads, coffee, clothing........... They had a petting zoo with African animals. they had blow up games and Tristan played soccer.

We watched hair braiding, and we listened to a panel on Racism. We went on fundraising walk, Walk for Water. Which is to raise enough money to build a well in Hossana.

I met Jan the Ethiopian program director, and Alexa the woman who placed Sahara with our family. I will forever be greatful!!! It was wonderful to see so many white parents with Ethiopian children. But it was sad also. I spent most of the day behind sunglasses, with eyes brimming with tears. I miss my baby girl!!! Seeing all the families with there children made it harder for me to deal with her thousands of miles away. I just want her home!!!!

1 comment:

Christy O said...: Glad you had such a good time. We will have to visit more about hair care and all of that when we all have the time! You have such a great agency and are being well prepared for what is to come!; July 4, 2008 at 9:55 AM

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Why Selamnesh?? Why not Sahara??

So often we go into a situation with our minds made up. We did!! We chose the name Sahara in a Walmart store. Lauren came up with it months before we ever sent in our first application. She was going to be Sahara!!

And she was Sahara...... until we met her, her nannies and her beloved birthmother Bizunesh. I could barely pronounce her name Selamnesh. But after hearing everyone call her by her birth name. How could we change it?? How selfesh would that be?? Her name is the only thing her birthmother can give her, how could I be so cruel as to take that away from her??

Bizunesh and I sat for 30 minutes with 2 translators exchanging our dreams for her beloved baby girl. I could only understand 1 word she would speak.......Selamnesh. The way she said it will ring in my ears for the rest of my life. God changed my heart that day on the bus ride home.

A legal name is just that. How many Henry's, Richard's, Barbra's or Catherine's do you know that use their legal names?? My daughter's name is Selamnesh. Most of the time I call her sweatheart.

About the process

They tell us that the process to adopt a child from Ethiopia is about a year. A referral is when they match you to a child. They get a grouping of children, and then try to match a family to the child's needs and the families requests. They take a lot of care in this process. What a wonderful blessing they are giving both us as families and to the children. The dossier is the file that you collect information and recommendations about your family and submit them to the agency. The time frame from submitting the dossier to referral is about 6-9 months. Our process took 5 months. Then you wait for a court date. Then you wait for a birth certificate. Then after the birth certificate comes in correctly, you get a travel date. With our agency, you stay a week. They show you around the area, possibly meet the birth parent or relative. And spend time getting to know your child. You stay at a guest house with a full time cook, and driver. I couldn't ask for a more wonderful agency. Alexa, I owe you so much thanks!

Selamnesh's Story

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Ethiopian Summer Picnic

1 comment:

The Family

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Why Selamnesh?? Why not Sahara??

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