Waiting Children

While in Ethiopia at the orphanage I was so taken by the waiting children. I just can't stand the thought that there are precious, smiling, joyous children who have a destiny and a future that lay before them and they just can't reach it yet because they have not been chosen into a family. I can't imagine what it is like for the children who are old enough to know what it is like to wait.

I guess why my heart is stirred so much in this direction is because my son was an older waiting child. He sat in his orphanage for two years waiting to be chosen. I now know that it was God holding him for us but at the same time I can't imagine what it was like for him. He has told us the stories of being scared and crying himself to sleep at night. And let me tell you.....when we showed up to finally pick up our 4 yr old, he was ready and waiting. They said he had asked all day when his mommy and daddy was going to be there. He came right to our arms and not one time ever looked back. He knew he was finally where he was supposed to be and he was surrounded by love to prove it. It is what these kids dream of and it is called FAMILY. They dream of a world they have never seen and opportunities they have only been able to imagine.....and then it finally comes true for them, or at least some of them.

My heart breaks for these kids and I know that it is only a matter of time before they are brought into families. God has been preparing a place for them and the time is drawing near. Besides that, they are just so stinkin cute I can't stand it.

Let me introduce them to you...kinda. I can't post their pics in order to protect them so I have come up with some glimpses for you to take a peek.

The above pic and the couple of pics below are of two of the most precious brothers. I am so glad I got to meet these kids first hand and experience their little personalities and that goes for all of them. These two are the approximate ages of 3 and 7, maybe a bit older. Their mother died from HIV/Aids in 2006 and the father is dying from HIV now. The older boy is in 3rd grade and loves school. My experience with these two is that they both have very sweet spirits. They stick out because of their smiles and the way they seemed to enjoy the other kids and play together. The younger one was always in the middle of what ever we were doing and loved me taking his picture. The older one seemed to look after the younger brother as well as interact with the other younger children kind of like he was watching over them. He was very sweet. They both have the best, biggest smiles ever with great big soft curls all over their heads. They seem to love each other and be very close. I can only imagine what they have had to endure in their short years with losing their mother and then watching their father take on the same illness when they know the end result. They are then put in the orphanage because their father knows he is going to die and wants his children to have a chance in life. Both children have been tested and are HIV negative. I got some of the cutest pics of them. I had them cracking up with my bodily function sound effects. It doesn't matter what language you speak....every kid knows that sound. It works like a charm every time. I can't say enough about them.....they were simply precious and are going to be such blessings to some family out there.
To inquire about them, their # on the site is B060.





The next waiting children I'd like to introduce you to are a set of sibling girls. OMG these girls are just absolutely precious to the core!!! Seriously, I have not been able to quit thinking about them. They are the approximate ages of 12 and 6. They are absolute beauty queens and have the sweetest spirits to match. I was so saddened by their story. They do not live at the orphanage yet. They still live with their mother who is dying of AIDS and I don't think has much time left. Their mother made a special trip to the orphanage with her darling girls just so that I could take some pictures of them to come back and advocate. She said her biggest fear is that her girls are going to be left with no one. She desperately wants the peace of knowing that her girls have loving, christian homes before she dies. Their names even have special meanings that the mother deliberately chose for them to have significance in accordance to her faith. As I knew their story, it was so sad to watch this mother as she smiled and gazed at her daughters who were kicking around the soccer ball for me to take their pictures. You could just tell how much she loves them and is proud of them. I can't imagine what these two have seen in their lifetime as well. They knew that Mom got them all dressed up in their best and made that long walk with them to the orphanage to then have their pictures taken. I just wonder what they talked about on the walk there and then on the walk home. It just has to be so surreal for them all, while knowing the fate that lay before all of them and then all of the uncertainty that comes with it.

These two are healthy young girls. The older sibling has what is called hip dysplasia where one leg is shorter than the other and she walks with a slight limp. I just stared at that leg that didn't meet up with the other and soooo badly wanted to just add an extra heal to her shoe or something and then let her experience walking normal for the first time. I can't wait for her to experience that. It seems to be something that could be so easily fixed once in America. She still got out there and had no problems kicking the soccer ball and running around after it. It was amazing. She is also said to love to read and draw in the 8th grade and the younger is in 1st grade and knows her English abc's. They have both tested negative to HIV/AIDS. All I can say is these beautiful girls are sweet, sweet, sweet...inside and out. They will be an answer to prayer for some family out there AND YOU WILL BE AN ANSWER FOR THEM.
To inquire about them their number on the site is B054.




These next two brothers are the sweetest things....and cutest little boys ever. Honestly, every time I looked at them...especially the older one, they just always were smiling at me. VERY sweet, mild spirits and they seemed very close to one another. They are said to be around the approximate age of 3 and 4 years old, maybe a bit older. Both boys are in school there in the orphanage and can say the Amharic and English alphabet. Sadly, both of their parents have passed away which makes them full fledged orphans, not half orphans. They were relinquished by their grandmother who could not care for them any longer. Oh, I can't even hardly stand looking at those little faces and knowing that they have no one in the world left for them.
I got some adorable pics of them. The younger one has the cutest, roundest little face...you just want to squeeze those cheeks, while the smile of the older one will melt your heart through and through. They are in perfect health. They loved playing with the soccer ball and swinging and all the things that boys love to do. They will be a priceless treasure to a family out there and that family will be one to them. I can't say enough about them...they are precious.
To inquire about them, thier # on the site is B063.


I will now introduce you to this next little guy. He is up for adoption by himself. He is anywhere from around 5-7 years old. I would guess on the older end. Both of his parents passed away when he was 4 years old. He has been cared for by his uncles who now can't care for him anymore due to the economic situation. He is in perfect health. He now lives at the orphanage while he waits to be chosen by a forever family. I just look at him and think that he is no different than my son who sat and waited by himself for his family to come along. I can't imagine what he has experienced with losing both of his parents. From what I gather it has seemed to make him strong in spirit and very loving and full of life. Some kids who have seen a lot in their short years have an inner strength about them. This little guy seems to have that.
He LOVED having his picture taken. Once he warmed up he never wanted to stop. He did every trick and every pose he could think of. He was adorable and quite funny and always had that smile on his face ready for me to snap away. He seems full of life and eager for a family to call his own. I just know he will fit perfectly in the family that God has picked out for him. Now it is just a matter of getting them together.
To inquire about this child on the site, his # is B059
To inquire about these children and read more CLICK HERE to go to the website. Then scroll down and click on 'Africa' and look for thier #'s.

To be able to see their pictures and to inquire about adopting any of these children contact
Mindy Anderson. Her email is manderson@allgodschildren.org or her # is 971.244.1474 to talk to her directly about them.

Let me know if you contact her and I can then send my pictures by email if interested.

I also encourage you to look at the other waiting children on the list that I did not have the priviledge of meeting. The director had a heartfelt story for each of them. They all need families.

And most importantly.....something we can all do.....PRAY FOR THESE CHILDREN.

Pray that their forever families will find them very soon and pray for their peace in the meantime. God will connect the dots as he always does.