Speaking English?!?!

Hello All! I just received an email from Maeza at Kechene and I thought I would include it below. Her English is improving greatly, but as you can tell she still has many many years to go! This is extremely sad that the girls at Kechene's English is so bad as all their textbooks are in English after grade 6, but have never had anyone teach them the language. This translates into many children attending school but learning nothing because they've never been given the tools to assist them in their education.

Nonetheless, it was fun and interesting to read. It seems that I will get a picture of Bamlie presenting flowers to the Presidents! And also that she is speaking English with the girls! Very big step and darling at the same time!

Well that's it for today. Wish I had more information but this will have to last for a few days :(

"Hell0 sweety!!!

How are you? How was everything? Your families are ok? I am good last week I was sick food positing now I am good my class is good I take final exam last week it was difficult but I hope I will get good points. Bamilak is great she try to speak English with us most of the time she going to Airport. I heard you by phone when you asked nesredin about Bamilak picture that she give flower for president. I asked the person photographer in our president, he say ok I will give you so I will send you when he give me also my picture by the way mesti is great she is busy at this time that is why she don’t write you she say hello also Roza say hello she miss you so much. I will write soon. I miss you so so much

Love

Meaza"

The Other AFRICAN GENOCIDE

The most horrendous genocide plaguing our earth continues to be ignored...but conflicts like this are more common than most are aware of:

The Other African GenocideA new report from the International Rescue Committee says the death toll in Congo has risen at an alarming rate: Some 45,000 people die there each month from violence and disease. In the last decade, about 5.4 million people have died—more than five times the number killed in the Darfur region of Sudan and the worst loss of life since World War II. These casualties are the result of civil war, lack of a stable government and the collision of warring factions, including Hutus from neighboring Rwanda. Why hasn’t the genocide in Congo received as much attention as the one in Darfur? “The violence-torn area of Congo is very remote,” says African-affairs expert Stephen Morrison. “With Darfur, the media and other advocates have been able to reach displaced Sudanese relatively easily.”
*The Parade

Thank You Amy Breedlove!

Hello Everyone! I just received my most recent picture of Beamluk to-date! I think she was a little surprised by the camera, but she's as beautiful as ever. I'm so grateful to Amy Breedlove who emailed me several weeks ago to tell me that she would take pictures of Beamluk if she was allowed. THANK YOU SO MUCH! They just returned from Ethiopia with their little joy Nathan Mussie, and he is seriously one of the most precious babies I have ever seen photographed. He has so much personality for such a little tike.

Below is the email she sent and the photograph. Thanks again Breedloves and welcome home!

Hi Bettina,

We just got back and I wanted to send you a picture that I got of Beamluk. I was only able to get one by being sneaky. The director really didn't want us taking any. Beamluk is the most precious little thing...which I know I don't have to tell you. She is just adorable. She sat in my lap and I told her how much you love her and miss her. She just smiled.

Amy

I really was hoping to never have to see this dress again, hoping that it may have been destroyed after their Christmas celebration. But I'm so happy to see that little face and big beautiful eyes. She must be thinking by this point, why do all these strangers tell me how much Mommy loves me?? Where is she?? But I'm trying sweetie!!! And I'm so grateful to have people in my life making this distance much less than it would be otherwise. Thank you all.

UN Report on Children and Armed Conflict

I just finished reading the Children and Armed Conflict report by the United Nations which was submitted in December 2007. I wanted to make some of the material available on my blog so people who are interested can gain a little understanding of the situation of many children living in conflict. Below are some examples that were included in the report, though there are many in the 45 page report. I ask that you learn just a little about these vulnerable children:

The reporting period is July 2006 to July 2007

Afghanistan: 295 mine and unexploded ordnance accidents involving children, which account for over 60 percent of the total number of accidents, resulted in at least 59 deaths.

There were at least 133 incidents of school attacks, particularly on girls’ schools as racialists are against girl child education.

Burundi: Rape and other sexual violence against children by members of the FNL and some members of the Security Services is of great concern. More than 30 such cases were reported during the period, 80 percent of which involved girls. On 6 January 2007, a 4-year old girl was raped by an FDN soldier in Mugongomana.

Central African Republic: A UNICEF mission in June 2007 confirmed that there were approximately 400 to 500 children, including girls, associated with the rebel groups in the country.

According to UNICEF, 15 percent of women and girls in the northern region of the country have been raped.

Democratic Republic of the Congo: 10,831 survivors of sexual violence, 37 percent of whom are children, were identified by UN partners in the eastern region of the country; a 4 percent increase since the previous reporting period. In a one year period until June 2007, at least 1,400 children victims of rape and other violence were registered and received assistance from the UN and its partners in South Kivu alone, where the main perpetrators include elements of FARDC, the policy and armed elements of FDLR.

Haiti: There were approximately 119 cases of child abductions

According to a UN partner, approximately 100 cases of child rape were registered during the reporting period. Among these, a 3 year old girl was raped by armed men from Cite Soleil.

During the same period, it was reported that 54 children, 10 of whom were victims of gang rapes, were raped by members of armed and criminal entities.

Iraq: UNICEF estimates that at least 30 percent of Iraqi children are not currently attending school

18 June 2007, insurgent gunmen entered a secondary school in Saydiyah, where boys were taking their exams. Approximately 30 students, aged between 17 and 19 years were abducted.

Somalia: The Union of Isalmic Courts publicly declared its intention to recruit from schools, and appointed Sheikh Fu’aad Mohamed Khalaf to be in charge of training the students. An intensive recruitment campaign of boys and girls under age 18 occurred.

In Mogadishu, precise numbers of casualties among children are difficult to verify owing to insecurity and the lack of access, but estimates from UN partners indicate that in Mogadishu alone, there have been over 1,200 deaths, of which approximately 35 percent are children.

Sudan: Rape continues to be widespread in Darfur, and is used as a method of warfare, with an increasing trend to specifically target younger girls.

Chad: In 2007, 107 child victims of landmines and unexploded ordinances were documented, of whom 22 were killed and 85 injured.

During the first three months of 2007, 139 cases of sexual and gender-based violence were reported in the 12 refugee camps in the eastern region (bordering Darfur).

Uganda: To date, there are still no signs of the release of 1,128 children reported to have been mobilized into the local defense units in late 2004 in Kitgum, Pader, and parts of Teso region.

Fighting 'traps' Darfur refugees

More than two million have been displaced by the Darfur conflict

Thousands of people are trapped in Sudan's Darfur region, unable to cross into Chad, amid a government offensive, rebels and aid workers say.

Aid agencies say the civilians took refuge in the Jebel Moun mountains following government bombing of three rebel-held towns earlier this month.

The rebels say Sudanese troops are stopping civilians crossing the border.

Sudan's Foreign Ministry told the Associated Press (AP) news agency it was unaware of any stranded refugees.

But a UN spokeswoman in Sudan, Orla Clinton, told AP at least 8,000 refugees were trapped in the mountainous part of western Darfur.

Aid struggle

Sudanese forces say they have taken control of Jebel Moun and inflicted heavy casualties on the rebels of the Justice and Equality Movement (Jem).

Jem accused the government of indiscriminately bombing civilians and killing 15 people.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon earlier condemned the bombing of a camp for displaced people by Sudanese government aircraft at Jebel Moun on Tuesday.

The camp was empty at the time. Eyewitnesses and rebels said army helicopters, Antonov aircraft and state-backed militias had carried out a three-pronged offensive.

Aid agencies were already struggling to cope with a wave of around 12,000 people who fled Darfur into Chad after bombing raids earlier this month.

More than 100 people were killed in that offensive against three major towns, residents say.

At least 200,000 people have died in five years of conflict between rebels, the army and pro-government militias in Darfur.

France has urged the Sudanese authorities to ensure immediate free access to the area for humanitarian workers.

The BBC's Amber Henshaw in Darfur says Jebel Moun remains out of bounds to aid workers and the UN peacekeeping mission to Darfur, Unamid, raising major concerns about thousands of people living in the area.

Unamid began deploying in January but the force still lacks most of the 26,000 personnel planned for the mission.

"Lucy's Baby"

Please visit the following link provided to me by Yitages, who follows my blog. Thanks for forwarding it to me!

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/09/060920-lucy-baby-video.html

Wealth 'may not lead to health'

By David Loyn International development correspondent

Malnutrition is a major cause of childhood death in parts of Africa

Economic growth does not necessarily translate into improvements in child mortality, major new research suggests.

Ten million children still die every year before their fifth birthday, 99% of them in the developing world, according to Save the Children.

A study comparing economic performance with child mortality reveals that some countries have not translated wealth into improvements across society.

Survival is too often just a "lottery", said Save the Children's David Mepham.

He said that even the poorest countries can cut child mortality by following simple policies, but at the moment "a child's chance of making it to its fifth birthday depends on the country or community it is born into".

Lagging behind

Angola comes at the bottom of a new "Wealth and Survival" league table drawn up by the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

The figures for child mortality in India are shocking Shireen Miller Save the children India

There are few countries in the world where there are such stark wealth contrasts as there are between the wealth of oil-rich coastal strip around the Angolan capital Luanda, and the war-ravaged interior.

UNDP statisticians calculate that more than half of the babies who die in Angola could be saved were the country to spread its wealth more fairly.

Some of the poorest countries in the world - Nepal, Malawi, Tanzania and Bangladesh - are among the top ten performers in this index, showing success in cutting mortality.

But India, the fastest growing economy in South Asia, lags well behind its poorer neighbours.

Some states in India, including Orissa, Rajasthan and Bihar, have child and maternal mortality rates that are among the worst in the world.

Limited bonuses

On a visit to rural Orissa, it was not difficult to see why child survival is a matter of chance.

It can take days for villagers to reach medical help, and travel may involve boats or auto-rickshaws.

Dr Baharudat Mishra said that although the government did give a bonus to doctors to work in the outlying regions, it is not enough to entice many, especially compared to the salaries that can be earned in the new technology sector.

"If a doctor does not have a residence with water supply or electricity, and there is no vehicle to reach the affected villages, then naturally obstructions will come up," he said.

"The figures for child mortality in India are shocking," said Shireen Miller, from Save the Children India.

"They are close to sub-Saharan Africa, and one does ask that if we can make such rapid development economically then why can we not do the same socially?

"And in fact are we actually a developed country if we still have hundreds of thousands of babies dying and starving?"

'Wake-up call'

But government health officials in Orissa blamed ancient customs and practices in the villages, such as starving babies at birth and giving them cold baths, for the poor mortality rates.

They said that where they have been able to train traditional birth attendants, many more babies and mothers do survive.

Without significant improvements, the world will not be able to fulfil one of the key Millennium Development Goals of improving child mortality in time for the target date of 2015.

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the Save the Children report is a development "wake-up call", and that the world "can and must do more".

Thank Goodness for this Article

I've been meaning to write about this topic and thanks to Adoptive Family magazine, I don't have to! I've attended several transracial family groups as of late, mostly focused on African American children being raised by White Americans. I've come across this difficulty in knowing that I wouldn't raise her as an African American (which she is not) but teach her the history of America as any child should be taught and also knowing that she will be perceived by wider society as an African American. So please read... to understand a little bit of what I am talking writing about here...

My Ethiopian Daughters

By Rita Radostitz

My daughters have caramel brown skin, dark brown eyes, and tightly curled black hair. They are African by birth, American by citizenship, but have always self-identified as Habesha (the Amharic word for Ethiopian). Two-and-a-half years ago, these eight-year-old twins left everything familiar and came to America to learn a new language, a new culture, a new family’s ways. Because of their history—and the long history of their people—they fit in differently in our society. Even though they have brown skin, and were adopted, they have little in common with the other African-American girl in their class, a native English speaker adopted by white parents as an infant.

My daughters’ biggest trauma stems from grieving their mother’s death. They watched as she became sick and died. They remember her, how she cherished them, and how sad they were (and are) that she was not able to raise them. Her picture holds a place of honor on our wall of family photos. When I parent them differently, they are quick to point it out. Every day, I try to respect our cultural differences and incorporate what they’ve lost into our lives.

It’s true that my daughters deal with racism, but they find it more baffling than upsetting. Their perspective of who they are is steeped in pride at being Ethiopian, from one of the oldest cultures in the world, in one of the few African nations never to have been colonized. Theirs is not the history of slavery and segregation experienced by African Americans. This distinction—that my daughters were born in Ethiopia and are citizens of America, rather than African-American—is a hot-button issue for many people. We make the distinction not to distance ourselves from African-Americans, but because my daughters’ culture is as distinct from that of their African-American friends as it is from that of their Korean-American friends. For them, being Ethiopian-American is about nationality, about culture, and only tangentially about race.

They know about slavery, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Oprah Winfrey. But their history is the reign of Emperor Selassie, the majesty of the Queen of Sheba, and the speed of Olympic champion Haile Gebre-Selassie. "Soul food" is as foreign to them as injera and doro wat are to their classmates.

"My challenge is to balance my daughters’ pride in their heritage with learning about the history of Africans in America."

As a mother, I have to learn to balance this. I teach them the history of Africans in America, not simply because they are perceived as African-American, but because that history is a part of my history, part of American culture. I must teach them to honor their Ethiopian pride without letting them act like Ethiopian princesses. And I must help them to cherish what they left behind, while appreciating all that they have to look forward to.

Where do I go for help? There is no book on "parenting an adopted Ethiopian child," nor is there an Ethiopian-American museum. But we have books about Ethiopian history and Ethiopian folktales on our bookshelves, Ethiopian art on our walls, and Ethiopian spices in our kitchen. We also have friends: the Ethiopian college students who have become "big sisters," other families with Ethiopian children, who live close by.

We talk together about race, and I struggle with fixing their hair. We live our crazy, mixed-up culture every day, eating berbere on scrambled eggs for breakfast, and potatoes with ketchup for dinner. And we do our best to be a family: an interracial, intercultural family, but, most importantly, just a family.

Rita Radostitz is the director of fundraising and communication for Adoption Advocates International. Her 11-year-old daughters joined her family in June 2005.

Bettina presents THE SLIDESHOW

Well, I've taken my blog off all browsing sites, so I'm hopeful that it will be okay to post photos, because unless someone knows the site, they can't visit! So here it is... a little montage of photos from the past year of Beamluk!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Women Fuelwood Carriers of Ethiopia

He is a video about the Women Fuelwood Carriers in Ethiopia. To learn more about how to support the cause, visit the website provided at the end of the video.

A Dream Come True

Okay, so there has been no progress on the adoption front, but nonetheless, I wanted to post some photos that I never had the chance to on my old blog due to lack of space.

In March of last year while in Kampala, Uganda attending the conference: "HIV/AIDS and Children: The challenges of care for and protection of children in Africa." I decided to take a little side trip outside the city and venture into the town of Jiinga to go white water rafting down the NILE! Yeah the Nile! Anyone who has known me for years knows that I've had a fasination with ancient history, particularly ancient Egyptian and Kushite dynasties so visiting the Nile sometime in my life was a dream of mine. Though someday I hope to make a trip from the beginning of the Blue Nile in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia to the end in Alexandria, Egypt, (which is not legally possible currently due to the fact that you have to travel from Ethiopia into Sudan and then Egypt) it was an amazing experience. And I certainly didn't think I would have the guts to go all the way to the Nile by myself and then end up asking, "Is it possible to do this by kayak?" Reviewing the pictures now, it must have just been the adrenaline rush that had me talking rubbish! But that would be great to do someday too!

Here are just a few photos I've been wanting to share! I just can't recommend the trip enough.

Oh I think we're going to tip! Yeah that's me in the peach helmet, in the water.

Yep! We tipped! And I didn't think I was going to survive. I was literally sucked underwater 3 or 4 times. What is that they say, "Don't panic?" Yeah right!

Oh where is Bettina...That would be STILL UNDERWATER!

This little guy was swimming across the river. Brave little iguana.

Yeah..this picture looks crazy. If I had had this view, I wouldn't have gone!

And we're going over!

And we're on our way down

I like this picture because there are local people in it!

I'm so glad I can enjoy the scenery after the fact

And the final view of the Nile, safe on shore.

Update from Kechene!!

Thanks to Nesredin, my dear assistant in Ethiopia I was finally able to speak with Beamluk! It's been a while since I have spoken with her, but she's doing well!

Firstly, Nesredin gave me an update yesterday, as I had to call him regarding our work-related progress, which there has been!!! in several African nations to start humanitarian aid programs for orphaned and abandoned children! I wish I could give more details but unfortunately I cannot at this point. Anyways, back on topic, as you are all aware Beamluk was busy last Wednesday presenting flowers to the African Heads of State. Well, it was captured on ET (Ethiopian Television)!! Nesredin is now working on getting a copy of the tape aired two nights ago. He's pulling a few strings in the government-owned company and hopefully it will payoff! Kari, who has been diligently searching for photos on-line of the event may finally be able to rest in peace :)

This morning I spoke to my little princess and she's doing well. Unfortunately, due to a long delay in the phone lines it was difficult for her to communicate but she said over and over eweadeshallo, betum nafa kush (I love you, I miss you)! She's such a doll. She's healthy and still having fun! She's loving school and her favorite subjects are Amharic and English, this means I'm really going to be working hard to find a tutor for her in Amharic upon her arrival. It's so very important to me that she keeps her language, as she is quite the proud Ethiopian and I'm the proud Momma-to-be!

She says she's in need of more clothes and shoes, which has me wondering where all the clothes I just sent her disappeared to, but I'll eagerly grant her request. I just wish one time she would ask for something fun, not what she needs, but something she wants... or perhaps she'll be a fashionesta?? Hmm....

In other related news... Lukas is now walking!!!! Nesredin relayed the message over the phone and I must admit I was a proud "momma!" He was on the verge of walking when I left in October and unfortunately, it has taken him a while to make those first steps, but he's doing well and is healthy. I may have to pay the caretakers a little visit and insist that they let him out of the crib more often. He was doing so well before I had left.

But, I must say I'm on cloud nine and being able to communicate makes this process a little more real, that there still is that little girl all the way over in Ethiopia still waiting for my arrival. How lucky am I??? I must admit, I feel as though I am the luckiest woman alive.

A Little Gurage Music

The first video is of Gurage children dancing!!

Also here are YouTube videos of Abonesh, a famous Gurage singer who now lives in the U.S. The second video is of her singing a traditional Gurage song, that I've even learned the dancing to! For the third, if you're patient you'll see a little everyday life and some great Guragigna dancing!! And I really have to find out how to use my video camera, I have a great clip of Beamluk dancing Guragigna! She's quite the dancer!!

TRAVEL IN ETHIOPIA: South through Butajurato to Sodo

The following article is from the Addis Tribune and it is about the Gurage, the tribe of which Beamluk's birth mother belongs. It is also believed that her birth father is from Hadiya, also mentioned in the article.

*I added some photos at the bottom of the article.

By John Graham

The area South of Addis has an interesting mixture of peoples and cultures which gives clues to the ancient history of Ethiopia.

Down the road to Butajira, which cuts off from the Jimma road about 20 km from the centre of Addis at Alem Gena, the farmers in the fields are Oromo. About 50 km south, the area begins to be mixed, Oromo and Gurage. By 100 kilometers South you are fully in Gurage territory.

Addis itself is in Oromo country, the Oromo name for Addis is Finfinne. Although the majority in the city are Amhara people, the countryside is mostly Oromo. The Oromo northern migrations of the 17^th and 18^th centuries brought them from the Southeast of present day Ethiopia into the centre and north. They filled a vacuum left by the rapid rise and fall of the Harar leader Mohammed Gran in the 1500’s. An Oromo dynasty even took over the Emperorship in the Northern Highlands.

Gurage Territory

One group closely related to the Amhara of the northern highlands was seemingly cut off from the Empire, and developed independently until they were re-integrated in the 19^th century. These are the Gurage, the fifth largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, living almost directly South of Addis. To the North, West and East are Oromo, and in the South are other southern peoples, none of whom speak a Semitic (Middle Eastern) based language like the Gurage and Amharas.

Many Gurage are Moslem, but there are also Orthodox Christian, retained from the time before they were separated from the Northern Highlands. The ancient rock hewn church of Adadi Maryam is also a remnant of early Christianity, probably associated with the Gurage’s ancestors, although it is now in Oromo territory. The church is probably 600 or 700 years old, but was only rediscovered in the 19^th century when Emperor Menelik brought the area back into the Ethiopian Empire.

There is another theory that the Ethiopian civilization migrated from the south to the north, rather than the other way around. Perhaps there was an ancient, pre-Axumite kingdom based in the centre or south of present day Ethiopia, which has now been lost to historical memory. All we can do is speculate!

Perhaps because of their proximity to Addis, there are many Gurage in the city, and in other parts of the country as well. They have a reputation for industry, business acumen, and also academic success. The shoe shine boys, or listros, are considered to be mostly Gurage. Around the time of the Meskal festival, September 27^th this year, the listros disappear from the streets of Addis to go back to Gurage for this important celebration. You have to get your shoes shined before they leave!

The Meskal festival in Gurage is something that people save for year round, then celebrate with their raw kitfo (ground beef) and butter for several days. Families and friends will group together to buy and slaughter a heifer, and share the feast.

Butajira, 175 km South of Addis, is in the heart of Gurage territory. There is a turn here which takes you 50 km to Ziway, near Lake Langano.

Further South – Hadiya and Wolayta

South are the Hadiya people. Despite the very big linguistic difference with the Gurage, culturally they are very similar. Both share the same house design, along with the Wolaytans further south, a gorgeous bee hive shaped thatch.

Another common characteristic is the complicated agricultural system that keep the dense population of these highland areas alive. Enset, or false banana, is a staple here, made from the inside of the trunk of the tree, which is meticulously prepared into a kind of grey bread. People also grow maize and other grains, as well as potatoes and vegetables, all of which ripen at different times. Even though the area is lush and fertile, the high population means that if any of these crops fails, there can be hunger and starvation. This is called the ‘green famine’.

The quiet and unassuming looking area of Hadiya is actually a hotbed of politics. In the elections of 2000, the area was swept by the opposition, while most of the rest of the country returned government representatives.

Further south, on the okay but increasingly rough road, you come into the territory of the Wolayta. From Hosaina south the area is Wolaytan. These are very gentle and dignified people. They are mostly Protestant - they have a custom of having graves with crosses on them in front of their houses or in nearby graveyards. Traditional animist beliefs are also strong here.

Although Protestants don’t celebrate the Ethiopian festival of Meskal much, the Orthodox Christians are joined by the animists in a lively celebration that lasts for several weeks. During this time a spirit representing the ancestors is said to come into the house and stay, so a place setting of food is put out for the spirit. At the end of the festival, the spirits are accompanied from the house with a wild night of celebrations, including throwing lit torches into the air to show the spirits the way out.

Ajora Falls

About 65 kms south of Hosaina, a few kilometers north of the town of Areka, is the turn off to the Ajora Falls. The road is not great, but is passable for the 25 kilometer trip, even during the rainy season.

Ajora Falls are spectacular because they are two very high parallel waterfalls, falling off a steep precipice into a lush valley. The Soki and Ajacho Rivers both conveniently and picturesquely fall off the same cliff a few dozen meters apart. Neither of the falls is very wide, so the combination of the two really makes the site unique and interesting.

Below the two rivers join together near the bottom of the falls, shortly joining the Omo River. You can view them from the top of a steep cliff, which has manageable paths down a short way. Further down it gets very steep and slippery. Local people climb down, and the occasional Ferengi who is braver or more foolish than I am. There were plenty of stories about people falling and getting killed, 5 in one banner year. Even the sure-footed livestock of the area sometimes plunge off. I decided to be very careful.

The view from the cliff edge is breath taking. The mists rise towards you, as the thundering waters of the two falls disappear into the foliage far below. These falls are very high, probably about 100 meters. The valley below is thick and mysterious, mostly covering the routes of the rivers that wander off below.

At the top it is an easy walk to the bank of the Ajacho River, which was gratifyingly wild, if not too large. It is heavily enclosed by jungle, so I didn’t attempt to walk to the cliff edge by the river, I’d had enough vertigo already.

The cluster of homes at the top where you stop also provide a good opportunity to see Wolayta life up close. The houses are pleasantly attractive, with a layered beehive look. These gentle people were curious, and eager to show the falls, but they didn’t hassle us unduly.

One warning, it is generally pretty misty in the morning, especially during the rainy season, which makes it impossible to see the falls. Go in the afternoon if you can.

Back at Areka, it is 28 kilometer drive down to the major centre of Sodo. Sodo is connected to the paved Southern road, which comes from Addis to Debre Zeit, then south through Shashamene. This is an easier and generally faster road than the direct route south through Butajira and Hosaina. It is probably easier to visit Ajora Falls by coming the Sodo route and heading north, rather than the other way around.

Gurage head rest

Gurage "tukul"

More Tukuls

Close up of a Tukul

Gurage Meskal (cross)

Mahmoud Ahmed, a famous Gurage singer

Another Guarage head rest

Believe in Ethiopia

I’ve been meaning to write for a few days now but I just couldn’t force myself to sit down and write. I was finally pressed to sit down and type when I went to change my calendar to February. My calendar is made up of African women’s photographs; I had purchased it because it featured a lot of Ethiopian women. I went to flip my calendar and came across my “Believe” ornament which hangs from the tack holding the calendar. It was given to me by Michele, a colleague and friend of mine who has allowed me to vent about my adoption process…poor Michele, I’m eternally grateful. As I flipped the page I soon realized that it was a Toposa Ethiopian woman who adorned the February page. This small sign, as minute as it may seem was just what I needed.

Believe in Ethiopia.

This week marks the one year anniversary since meeting Beamluk. I met her January 27, 2007. It’s difficult to think that one year ago I was just starting on this journey toward my adoption. Though it would be months before I made the decision to move forward, it was day one when I knew she would play a special role in my life, even if I couldn’t be her mother. I was just starting out my career. I began my first “real-life” job just 3 weeks earlier and it was a LARGE one to say the least. I was a one man team assembled to create orphan welfare programs not only in Ethiopia, but in Africa. I would be traveling to different nations, assessing their needs, and creating sustainable programs. I was to write the first ever situational analysis on Ethiopian orphaned and abandoned children and their alternative care options. At 50 it would be a great task, but I was a mere 23 year old idealist with goals as high as the sky.

Beamluk was my driving force. My life began to revolve around her. I tried to stop myself from spending so much time at Kechene, but one way or another I almost always found myself on a mini-bus, making the 45 minute to one hour commute to Sidist Kilo and then walking the rest of the way to Kechene after work. Saturdays were the best… it was my one full day to spend at Kechene and I forced myself to rest on Sundays – though that didn’t always work either J I’d be lying if I said it was only for Beamluk that I visited Kechene, I absolutely adored the children. There was nothing that was going to keep me from visiting these amazing children that day in and day out were the brightest stars in my sky; nothing except the fear of losing them.

Sometimes I had to force myself away. I was getting too close and I knew that at some point I may lose them. At any point, I felt I would lose Beamluk, that someone from somewhere would take her away from me and I from her. After the death of Yabsira, I was afraid I would lose more children. I feared that someone may not be there the next time I went to visit. It was a battle and I began bringing infants (particularly) to the clinic afraid that if another day passed, they too would be placed in an unmarked grave.

Additionally, I knew that the children at Kechene had experienced a life I couldn’t ever imagine now matter how much time I spent there. They had been orphaned, abandoned and left with no family but those bonds made at Kechene. I didn’t want to become just another figure of their imagination and leave without a trace. Just another visitor never to be seen again. I didn’t want Beamluk to become too attached, because what if the courts wouldn’t approve my adoption?

Now that I am in a far away place and unable to control anything that occurs in Kechene, my vulnerability is at an all-time high. My worst fears have become realized and Beamluk and the other children now wonder where I have gone.

I suppose I may sound a bit hopeless and melodramatic and quite frankly that’s not who I am. But it may be difficult to understand why sometimes I just can’t talk about Beamluk, Kechene, Ethiopia with a never-ending smile on my face. My eternal optimism has been overridden with a fear of losing her. Not just what that means for me, certainly not, but what it would mean for her. What it would mean to lose another mother at 6 years old. What it would mean to her educational possibilities. To finding a permanent, loving home. To her psychologically.

I look back on January 27, 2007 with an endearing smile and laughter in fact. And in the end I know I will find a way to bring Beamluk home. But the road to that place is frightening, disheartening, and sometimes tragic to think about. I just have to keep reminding myself to Believe in Ethiopia. Things do happen for a reason.

Believe in Ethiopia