Our son, his birthday and the future plans - part 3

This is the latest picture we have of Ephrem. He is wearing the soccer clothes we sent him.

Here he is on the top right and Tamara's son, who just graduated this last weekend (Emnatu), is in the pink shirt and tie.

Here we are at church with Tamara and her family in our Kolfe shirts that Tamara designed. They say "Forgotten no more (map of Africa w/heart on Ethiopia) The boys of Kolfe Orphanage Addis Ababa, Ethiopia" On the back is James 1:27.

Since Ephrem wanted a "J" name, we chose Jonathan or Joseph and let him choose (because our kids were arguing which one he should have). He chose Jonathan. He immediately changed his name to Ephrem Jonathan Diaz - I think because he had such a longing to belong and have a place in a family - an identity. I suggested he also keep his dad's name - Kibru, since that is an important part of him too. He just loves to hear the details of our life and our family. He always says to imagine that he is here eating with us or at the parties with us or swimming with us.

He is homesick for a home and family he barely knows. I keep telling him that here, the kids work A LOT cleaning and taking care of little ones etc and there is A LOT of noise and crying and very little soccer on tv and that mom and dad get mad sometimes and have a lot of rules (so he doesn't think it is a dreamland here). Of course he says he doesn't care - he just wants to be with his family some day. For the first time in 5 months, we skyped this last weekend with full video and sound on Javier's laptop. This meant that we could show him around. He watched some of the kids swimming, he could see Janae and her Grandpa working on her garden, he could see the table we eat meals at and the bedrooms etc. He loved it and we had a lot of good laughs. We also heard his voice for the first time - which was really fun.

July 21, was the date that we decided with him for his birthdate. We recently celebrated via skype, messages on facebook, and a video of the kids singing happy birthday to him. We also made him a cake. He pretended to eat it on skype and said it was sweet - LOL. It has been fun to see how the kids were so excited to make his cake and birthday card etc. Ministering and loving people cross culturally will always be natural for them. They know nothing different and I am thankful for that as I remember what kind of adults we aim to raise.

My friend, Tamara (also a Kolfe mama), and I hope to visit our boys soon. We still have no date, but we are waiting for some details to work out (I actually want to visit my boys' birth cities and I need to track down some important adoption paperwork to complete our readoption here in the states -errr).

Many people ask if we will bring him here. We do not know what the Lord will do. He is too old to be adopted. Maybe he could come on a student, work or visitor's visa in the future - none of which are easy to obtain. We don't know what the future holds, but we know that we are here to love and cheer him on whether we live near or far from him.

Ephrem - part 2

My sister took this picture when she visited the boys in April
This picture is of Ephrem showing us the shirt that we sent him in his first care package

Ephrem immediately was excited to hear that he had a boat load of siblings. He went from no family, to having one of the largest families on his campus! Here are parts of his second and third letters. We did send a small photo album with my sister in April that had everyone's photo with a 3x5 card with their name, birthdate and fun facts about them so he could get to know each one better. He has ALWAYS been so attentive, caring and curious about his siblings. He never misses a birthday (either emailing or skyping) and he remembers everything that is happening with them (illnesses, parties, events etc). Jordan and Jacklyn especially seem to love him a lot. They ask when he can come live with us or when they can see him. Jordan tells everyone we have 9 kids - always including Ephrem as the oldest.

"Hi mama, I am very happy because I was haven’t any brother and sister but in this time I get brother and sister. I want to know about my family more. you can do this? What is our family name? I feeling so bad by I live in the campus because there is not mother and father .there is servant but they are not just like family they assuming is so bad about us. Say hi to my brother and sister and also tell them I am very glad by I have brother and sister.

I don’t know when is my birth day date but you can choose to me. We eat in our campus day to day injera and bread but we have once a week macaroni. (no meat, fruit or vegetables except for 3 times a year) I don’t like our campus food because it is not good but we eat because we have no choice. I also like the same as you chocolate and fruit, from fruit I like to eat banana. How is my dad doing what state do you live and also how is the weather?

I pray to (for) you and to (for) my family always to God give you health and peace. All things are doing by God with out God life is nothing. God wants our heart so we must give our heart to him and he doing every thing for us if that is necessarily. God is the master key of every thing so we must believe him. I am so proud by you want to send to me a bible. This is a good idea because I will be learning what the bible says.

GOD BE WITH YOU AND MY FAMILY FOR EVER!!!!!!!!!

I LOVE YOU MILLION TIMES AND I MISS YOU VERY MUCH!!!!!!!

your son"

Our Son - Ephrem Jonathan Kibru Diaz - and the email that changed our lives

This post seems overwhelming for me to write. There is so much to say and share, but it is hard to convey in words. Most people think Ephrem is like our sponsor child. But that isn't accurate at all. He has truly become our son and brother in our hearts and lives, although not legally. But the Lord has seen fit to bless us with this boy and God is not confined by legal adoption.

Originally, we were assigned a different boy, but never heard back from him after trying to contact him, so we requested the boy in this picture. We took this picture back in November 2008 when we visited Kolfe orphanage. I don't remember talking to him, but he was one that followed behind quietly. He seemed reserved, but friendly and he was not trying to get all the attention - I liked that. Well, in March 2010 we got our first email response from our son Ephrem Kibru (Kibru was his dad's first name) and the rest is history.

We heard the amazing testimony about how having a mom, completely changed the life of Solomon Mestas. You can see their story here. After following his story and hearing that many more boys longed for a mama and family, we knew that this was one more way that we could care for the orphans. We knew this was a long committment and was something much more than "sponsorship". This was adopting him in our hearts. Jordan has always desperately wanted a big brother, and now he has one. We email him 1-4 times a week and skype him every once in a while. We send him care packages and chose a birthday for him and recently celebrated his first birthday ever. He also noticed that we all have "J" names and said he would like us to give him a "J" name to be part of our family. We share scripture with him, pray with him and dream about the future with him - all things he didn't have parents or anyone to do with him before.


Oh, amazingly his English is very good. Some of the boys can not speak English, others are in between. Those that can speak English just help translate for the ones need help.


Over time I will share some of his emails with you. He has given me permission. Here is the first one we ever received. Do you see how hungry he was for a family?



"Hello mama, how are you doing?I am so fine to hear. I am very happy by you are my mama I was haven't a family but in this time I born again by you
I haven't any family.my father died when I was a little boy he was a solger and he died by war but I don't know by what war he daid my mother also diad I think when I was a 8 years old. she was sick but I don't know by what disease is she but it like TB.I am 16 years old and I live in kolfe for 8 years.Iam a grade 11 student and I like maths and english but my languge is not perfect but I always try to become a perfect in my languge and I am a medium student and also I like a soccer I like a club of Arsenal it is an england club.
mama I miss that day to see you again in Ethiopia and in our campus. I hope one day it become true and I see you in our campus and Ethiopia.
I don't know how to you pray for me but pray every day for me and I pray every day for you and my family at when I sleep and I weak up. say hi to my family.
GOD BE WITH YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU
I MISS YOU AND I LOVE YOU
your son Ephrem"

Wow - this first letter really surprised me at how open he was and how he immediately called me mama. Stay tuned for some other special posts about our son.

Flying High

This is our entertainment whenever Daddy or Uncle John are in the pool. We just roar laughing as we watch all of the funny expressions and poses in the air. Jeremiah and Elizabeth can really fly because they are so tiny.

PS- Check back the next few days for Part 1, 2 and 3 about our son Ephrem in Ethiopia.

You Too Can Care For The Orphans

Want to help us show love to the boys of Kolfe in Ethiopia??
My friend Tamara (another Kolfe mama)and I would love to fill our suitcases with some practical love for these boys. 130+ orphan boys who need what our kids never even think about having to go without.

We are collecting:

SOCKS, UNDIES, BOXERS, SHIRTS, PANTS/SHORTS
sizes kids' 8 - men's medium

AND

DEODORANT, BAR SOAP and TOOTHPASTE

They would also LOVE any soccer jerseys. Do your kids have extra jerseys in nice shape that they could donate to these boys?

We know God's call to care for the orphans is not optional. Is God calling you to tangibly care for these 130 of the 147 MILLION orphans? Will you show them that God HAS NOT FORGOTTEN them?!

Would you be willing just to check the clearance boys and mens sections each time you are out at Target, Walmart or wherever you shop? You will be amazed how often you can find packs of undies, shirts and shorts for $3 or less. Also, many of you do Coupon Sense or similar - could you start collecting soap, toothpaste and deodorant from those deals even if you are stocked up for your family?

If you gather things for us to take, you can drop it off at homes in Chandler, Gilbert and Queen Creek, or we can arrange a time to swing by and pick it up!

Surprise!

Due Nov. 1 . We are 1/2 way done - 20 weeks to go until we see the face of our next sweet baby. All things looked great on our ultrasound - praising God as the almighty creator of all things - including this little one coming soon.


















Here I am 16 wks pregnant and done throwing up - yahoo!

Our Sons at Kolfe and a Fundraiser

I really need to fill you all in on our beloved son at Kolfe. There is so much to say, so I will write a separate post about him. My sister and brother in law were able to meet our sons and bring them love and care packages from us. They also brought us back gifts from them and pictures.

Well, Tamara and I are hoping to make a trip to Addis soon to visit and minister to our sons and the other +/-130 boys living at this government orphanage. She is having a garage sale to raise money for the trip. If you have any garage sale items that you can donate, please let me know. You can check out her link and get more info here.

Father/Son trip to Dominican- May (the first of many new posts - I just caught up so scroll down)

It had been 3 years since Javier and I last went to his home country, the Dominican Republic. He was missing family and he had saved up enough frequent flier miles for 2 tickets, so he decided to take Jordan so they could spend some time together and because he wanted to see all of the tons of boy cousins he has over there. Jameson also went along, since his family hasn't met him and he was free as a "lap child". I got to stay home with the other 6 for 10 days :).
Here they are at 5 am ready to take off for the airport.















Junior and Philipe - Tio Mario's sons




















Tio Mario, Javier's oldest brother



















J.J.'s favorite toy - the mop


















Stefanie, "La Negra" Tia Francia's daughter

















Aneudis, Tia Francia's son


















Brian, Tia Francia's son


















Jordan in his element playing baseball in the campo just like his daddy grew up doing.






























Tia Ana, Javier's oldest sister and her husband, Fermin - loving on my boy or should I say he is loving on her?


















Ana is a great mom and cook - look at the size of these pots and how do you like her stove?


















One day they all went on a boat to a private island to enjoy a day on the beach and a buffet.


















Ana told Javi to leave JJ there for her. Maybe he should have because she did a great job with her 3 boys and Jameson is a tornado of trouble and messes :)


















Daryl, Ines' son

















Gabriel, "Chiquilo" -Ines's younger son


















Ana's oldest son, Jose Luis - Javi said it rained EVERY day



































Ines with her son Daryl.




















Ana, Gabriel, and Jorgito



















Ana's other son, Jose Rafael, Daryl, and Javi w/Jameson

































Gotta love those buns!


















See what I mean about tornado of trouble? Here his sister is trying to wash clothes and JJ is putting the dirty broom in the clean water buckets that the clothes are soaking in.

Playa Boca Chica - look at the clean water and calm sea

This is at the house we helped build for Javi's mom and sister. Jameson is going up the stairs where on top of her house, we built 2 small apartments we rent. They rent for very little, but Javi was able to get that rent $ out of the bank once he arrived and use it on the trip and to give to his family, so the trip cost him $0 - nada.

Javi's spunky grandma "Catin"

Jameson happy to be at his Grandma and Tia's house

Saying goodbye to Tia Ines and Abuela at the airport

They were supposed to get home Saturday night, but their flight out of Miami to Dallas was delayed a couple of hours, so they missed the last flight out of Dallas. Thankfully American Airlines put them up in a hotel and gave them $30 for food - thus the little piggy with the pizza
in his hand :)

Welcome home X 2

2 special families in our life brought their children home from Ethiopia in May and it is such a joy to hear the God stories surrounding their adoptions and to see and hear the stories of how the kids are now thriving.



Above you can see all the little cousins after a swim on Mother's day. Biruk, on the far right, is their new 5, almost 6 yr old.






















My friend Andrea also brought her 2 newest kids home, Misrak in the pink and Micah, the little guy in daddy's arms. We have been friends since starting our failed adoption in Zambia, then we both adopted our kids from Ethiopia in 2008 and went through that process together. Her little Micah sounds like a long lost twin of Jeremiah. Their personalities, actions and size are just identical. I even think they look similar, except that Micah is lighter and older. I am so thankful and amazed by this family who has taken on 4 young children with special medical needs, even though they are caring for their adult daughter and their other daughter is off to college. So many people in this stage of life have excuses and are looking forward to some peace and quiet and being "empty nesters". I thank God for families like this that are willing to start over again and trade in the "easier" life, for the more "tiring", but far more rewarding life of following Christ's heart when it is less convenient and much more costly.