Hi Everyone, Just received an email this morning from Andrea & Pete with some details about their first visit to Adama and wanted to share it with you.
Mel,
I don't even know where to begin.....Adama/Look was AMAZING!!!!! I can't wait for you and everyone else to go experience the love, the action, the Holy Spirit that exudes from this place. The children were incredible....singing and clapping as we eneterd. They had been waiting for 6 hours for us! All smiles and wanted to touch and shake each of our hands. They wanted to be SEEN and felt. Recogning their face from the profiles immediately brought me to tears. They look SOOOOO much better. They are dirty and are in rags, but they look fuller and more fed. Praise God for our sponsor community feedingthese kids.
We got to go and spend individual time with each of the first 40 (sponsor names A-M). Words can barely do justice to the excitment and joy as they saw the pictures of their familes and learned that they are loved and prayed for every day. They lit up like nothinhg I have ever seen. THEN, handing them their treat bags.......truly faces of shock and disbelief. They did not understand it could all be for them. Had to teach many about lotion and hair care, as they had never seen it before. We wanted to make sure they didn't eat it. They were in heaven. Some of their care givers were there, and came to hug us and thank us. they are SOOOOOOO grateful and sooooooo need our help. They are the happiest kids despite their obvious need. I can't get their smiling faces out of my head as they ran after our bus when we left.
I want every family to know that these kids were seen out in the courtyard KISSING the pictures of their sponsor families. You all mean the world to these children. We have special one-on-one pictures and video of each child gettingtheir things, we will breakingthis up and givingto each family to treasure and these children treasure you!
A story of a NEED: We kept hearing about 2 girls who were very sad, they had lost their last family member to AIDS, and were all alone. It turns out the younger girl, is our sponsor child (isabelle's girl, her age). The older sister is also sponsored by a family, but I have not looked her up yet. Anyway, she came in and we learneds the story/. A 10 and 13 yearl old sisters, who just lost their mom and are living ALL alopne!!!! The 13 yr. old is taking care ofthe house and the 10 yr. old. They just wanted to be held and hugged. We gave them all the food we had brought and are going to see where they live next Tuesday....oh my. They are being given extra care by Look, and are now in legal custody of Look Development. But there is nowhere for Look to have kids stay, so they go home all alone at night. Too much to take, they are so beauitioful and so sweet, but so broken and so in need. We continue to ask God how we can help these girls make it. PLEASE pray with us as we learn more next week. The younger one is Selam.
I will update more, we miss you and appreciate your prayers daily!
Andrea
Please keep these two little girls in your prayers. Can you imagine going home alone each night at 10 & 13? The thought of it breaks my heart.. these little girls having no Mommy & Daddy to tuck them in and tell them they are loved! Yet it is going on all over Ethiopia due to ADIS. I don't think the older girl is currently being sponsored but will confirm with Andrea. I will continue to keep the updates coming. Thank you for your generosity and desire to help these children!
Blessings.. Melodie
