I’m excited to now be the proud owner of one of THESE beauties, and my sweet, sweet Riley bought me a lovely green bangle kind of like this one (on sale for $4) with his own money.  He totally snuck around and did it behind my back, wrote me the sweetest card, and hid it under the bed.  He was going to give it to me at Christmas, but he just couldn’t wait!  I seriously might wear it every single day.  Aside from my wedding rings, it might be the most special piece of jewelry I own!  He also bought one of these for himself with the money he had been saving.  (I had shown the boys some of the videos of the artisans making the goods, and they were SO interested in the process and the people.)

If you’re ever looking for a great organization to support, definitely check out their online store (they even have free shipping!).  Also, if you’re interested in hosting a house party like we did, I would highly recommend it!  Lindsey & Kate are actually traveling across the country doing them & we were Day 2 of an 8 week tour.

                          

Yohannes was excited and proud to wear his traditional Ethiopian outfit, and he was really happy that Mimi served himbasha with the coffee.

This was the final product . . . beautiful!

                          

The annoying photographer in me wanted a sharp, clear picture so Brad and I took turns photographing each other.  I think these are hilarious because it looks like we’re going to prom (again) or something!  All I needed was one of those lovely wrist corsages!  I’m sure the neighbors had fun watching us get our prom poses on . . .

Seriously, though, I left the banquet encouraged and inspired.  If you want to partner with an organization that is literally, realistically changing lives in East Africa, I would encourage you to check out Global Support Mission’s website.  We’ve had the privilege of meeting both Peter and Faith, two of their primary partner affiliates, and God is using them greatly in Kenya and Uganda.  I especially like the Know.Think.Act part of their ministry.  It’s an online community that connects you to specific needs.  You creatively raise the money and local people enact the change.  It’s really easy to become involved, and you can know that 100% of the funds raised goes directly to the project.  Our friend and worship leader, Josh, raised money to dig a well in a village near Kaihura, Uganda.  Even though he didn’t have to, he decided to go over and actually help dig the well.  Here are a couple of his pictures:

The picture on the left shows their drinking water before, and the picture on the right shows the well in process….

So, if you’re looking for an organization to get involved with, definitely check out Global Support Mission.  Like Josh, we can play an active role in making a difference in people’s lives around the world!

                          

To attempt to counteract this proposal, the Joint Council on International Children’s Services (JCICS) has put a “Call to Action” in place. This sort of international advocacy is what JCICS does, and they do it well.

***PLEASE TAKE A MINUTE TO SIGN THIS PETITION!***

I fully believe that everything possible must be done to make sure that adoptions in Ethiopia and around the world are conducted ethically.  I do not think that adoption is the only answer.  I have a strong desire to fight for family preservation when it’s at all possible.  I have taken steps to be involved in organizations that believe in family preservation and have ministries that enable mothers to work and have a sustainable income to provide for and keep their children.  It’s something that I’ve become very passionate about since bringing Yohannes home.

When I look at my little boy’s face, though, I also am forced to remember that he had NO family when we first heard his story and saw his face.  I can’t bear to think about him still sitting in an orphanage or transition home – even one as wonderful as Hannah’s Hope – for years because of a decision like this.  I hugged him a little tighter tonight when I put him to bed, realizing that he could be one of the many, many orphans waiting and waiting in orphanages all over Ethiopia.  The possible effects of this proposal feel different when it has a face and when that face is your son.

I also can’t get these brothers at Hannah’s Hope off my mind.  They had just arrived in September when we were in Ethiopia to bring Yohannes home.  They’re still there waiting for a family.  I can’t show you their faces for legal reasons, but I can assure you that they are super handsome, healthy, and would love nothing more than to have a permanent place to call home and parents who love them.  I cried this afternoon as I thought about them and how this decision could affect them.

I just finished reading a book called Global Soccer Mom: Changing the World is Easier Than You Think today.  Reading it confirmed that there is a lot I can do to advocate for those in need – even from my own home.  This is one of those situations where YOU can REALLY help.

***PLEASE TAKE A MINUTE TO SIGN THIS PETITION!***

                          

Sometimes it’s the little gifts in life that mean so much.  Not the gifts we gave him.  But the gift he’s giving us.

The gift of caring about someone we’ve never met face to face.  The gift of learning to store up treasures in heaven.

If you’re looking for a way to invest in the life of a child in need, consider sponsoring a child through Compassion International or another reputable organization.  Umalu was the first little boy in Africa that I loved.  We began sponsoring him in the summer 0f 2009 as God started to stir my heart up for Africa.  I dream of traveling to Uganda one day to meet him.  Until then, his picture will remain on the fridge, and this new one will sit in a frame right next to pictures of Riley, Cole & Yohannes.  I’m confident that the $38 a month to help support Umalu is money well spent, and even though it seems so small, it’s making a difference in his life!

                          

It’s Christmas today in Ethiopia, and we went to our favorite Ethiopian restaurant, Gojo, for lunch to celebrate!  Yesterday I told Yohannes we were going, and the first thing he said to me this morning was, “Mom, go eat injera today?”  It was fun to see him so excited, and he thoroughly enjoyed his lunch.  Brad and I also ordered their delicious Shai (hot tea), which I had been looking forward to all morning.  I took my camera but didn’t take any pictures because we were too busy eating!  Here is a video I took last time we ate there, though.  I love watching Yohannes tear pieces of injera and eat . . . some things you just don’t forget – no matter how drastically life changes.  This afternoon I’m going to try to make some himbasha.  He really likes it and remembers eating it in Ethiopia.  I’ll take some pictures and let you know how it goes . . . wish me well!

                          

February: Riley celebrated his 9th birthday, we met with our social worker several times to get our homestudy done & we had the Show Love Benefit Concert to help with adoption expenses.

March: Brad spent a week in Haiti & I worked on {more} adoption paperwork.

April:  We went camping, Cole lost his top two front teeth, I started teaching ESL classes, and we went to Atlanta where Brad performed Barry & Leslie’s wedding.

May: We survived the Flood of the Century in Nashville & helped with cleanup, the long-awaited FBI fingerprint results finally arrived, Cole was baptized, we submitted our dossier (for the first of many times . . . ugh!), and Brad and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary.

June:  We went to the beach with family for a much needed vacation (and brokenhearted because our dossier didn’t get approved AGAIN).  Four days after we got back home, our dossier was approved AND we got a surprise referral call!  What a month!

July: Brad and I prepared to travel to Ethiopia & left on the 30th to fly across the ocean to meet Yohannes.  Riley and Cole had LOTS of fun with their neighbor friends & even made a little money!

August: Brad and I spent the first week in Ethiopia getting to know Yohannes and attending court, Riley and Cole started back to school, and I celebrated my 32nd birthday.

September: We brought Yohannes home, Green Hills Church started a 2nd Sunday service, and Brad celebrated his 34th birthday.

October: We enjoyed the great Autumn weather together, Brad ran his sixth half marathon, and the boys dressed up for Halloween.

November: Yohannes celebrated his 4th birthday & we traveled to Alabama for Thanksgiving.

December: We spent our first Christmas with Yohannes, and he saw snow for the first time.

WOW!  What a year 2010 was for our family!  It definitely went by much faster than any other year I can remember.  HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of our blog friends!

                          

First up is Noonday Collection.  If you visit their site, you can read all about the founder, Jessica Honegger, as well as the artisans who receive a fair, living wage for their beautiful work.  Items can be purchased online, or you can inquire about hosting a trunk show, which sounds like lots of fun!

fashionABLE scarves are the rage here in Nashville this season.  You can purchase them online, at Posh in Green Hills, or at Nashville Clothing Company in both the Gulch & Cool Springs locations.  I bought a couple at Posh and a few online, and they’re great!  They’re soft and stylish AND they enable women in Ethiopia to leave a life of prostitution and instead have a safe job they can be proud of.  I love it!

Come Together Trading Company offers a wide variety of handmade clothing, gifts & crafts made by artisans from developing countries around the world including Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Ghana, South Africa, Peru, Guatemala, El Salvador, Ecuador, Indonesia, The Philippines, India and many more.  I saw this shirt that I really like while perusing through their site.  They also have great baskets and even Christmas ornaments and nativity sets.

The folks over at Raven + Lily are committed to empowering marginalized women through design partnerships and micro-enterprise opportunities.  They literally help women from India to Burundi to Los Angeles.  Their items can be ordered online, and they also offer trunk shows.  I did notice that Christmas orders must be placed by 5 pm TODAY!

Our friends at Global Support Mission have started a direct trade organization called Red Earth Trading Company.  I really like the video on their website, and you can see some of the goods they provide on their Facebook page.  They will actually be at our church Sunday, December 12, so if you’re local, come on out and do some Christmas shopping!  They have some great items from East Africa and Nepal like these . . .

According to their website, the mission of International Sanctuary is to advocate for exploited people of the world, to educate the public about human trafficking and its prevention, and to be instrumental in providing survivors the means to be reintegrated as valued members of a community. Proceeds from their online boutique offer rescued girls vocational training, education, and monetary savings upon their transition from the aftercare home.  Their website contains some great information as well as some beautiful products.  I especially like their earrings and necklaces, and they’re very affordable, too.

NightLight’s vision is to offer intervention to sexually exploited women and children, to enable them to discover their dignity, and to provide a program of holistic transformation, empowering them to live and work in their community. They operate in Bangkok, Atlanta, and Los Angeles, and their jewelry is beautiful (as you can see below).

If you’re looking for something other than jewelry, scarves and such, THIS COOKBOOK would make a great Christmas gift, and the proceeds go to support widows & orphans in Zambia.  Wiphan is a wonderful ministry that provides biblical teaching, skills training and education to widows and orphans in Zambia, Africa who have been devastated by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.  They have set up two school campuses that serve 400 orphans and vulnerable children as well as 100 widows.  The schools also double as churches on Sundays.  My friend, Andrea, and her husband are on their American Support Board, and I’m confident that God is using this ministry to impact struggling, hurting, amazing women and children.  There are great recipes in the cookbook, as well as personal stories from Zambia – and it’s such a great looking book that you’ll want to proudly display it in your kitchen!

There are MANY more great organizations that I could feature, but these are some of my favorites.  Feel free to leave others that you know of in the comments section of this post, and together we can really make a difference this Christmas season!