Just Awesome

Green Bay South Academy you just blow me away!!!!
I returned from my trip to Nova Scotia yesterday and I heard such a rumour that there were animals running rampant at the South Bay Green Academy...

I took a little walk in the school (really... Abel forgot his lunch so I had to bring it to him) and all I could see were little hoof prints and goats all around the hallways. These pictures are but a few that I saw.

I really believe the "Roots of Empathy" are strong in these children.

Fund Raising for Food

Well, today was a great day! The children in Abel's school have decided to raise enough money to buy sheep and/or goats for Abel to give out in Ethiopia. Abel would like to buy goats and sheep for his family, the Faya Orphanage as well as the orphanage that he was in. The cost is $45 US each. So far, Pops Clarke has given Abel enough money to buy two of them. This is very exciting!
We will keep you posted as to how many sheep or goats Abel is able to purchase.
Way to go Green Bay South Academy!!!!!

A Mother's Love

I just had to post ths picture of my friend Satu who finally, after more than a year, held her daughter, Maija-Sitota in her arms. Absolutely beautiful...Love...

Busy Time

Oh My Glory! Now doesn't that sound like Zelalem!?! It has been a busy time around here and posting has not even come to mind.
I was packing a suitcase last night just full of clothing, some purchased and some donated by the local Riff's store, and I had no means to weigh it. So, Kerry took an evening drive to his brother's house, who was stuck in Goose Bay due to the stormy weather, and absconded with their scales. I wish I could see the perplexed looks on their faces when they go to step on their scales. Anyway, the suitcase came in .8 of a pound under the weight allowance. Whew! One down and many more to go.
The Director of the Faya Orphanage has asked us to take some supplies over for them as well. So, hopefully they will arrive shortly so that I can get them packed as well.
Abel's school is going to be doing a fundraiser for him. Abel had mentioned that he wanted to be able to buy some sheep or goats for his family as well as the orphanage that he was in. So, next Thursday I will be making a presentation to the whole school and then they will begin to raise enough funds to purchase these animals. Isn't that great!!! The Lord is amazing! He will provide.
Well, I have to go for now and get ready for a sewing date with a few ladies from the church...uhm...I'll post about that soon.

Decisions, Decisions!

Well, Kerry and I have decided to take Abel with us to Ethiopia. He is just sooo excited! I told him that he would have to do an hour of school work a day and that got me a groan or two. LOL
We believe that it will be a positive experience for him to go back at this time in his life. We know that he dearly misses his brothers and his sister who still live in Addis. Tonight he, Abel, was actually telling me how to get to the house where he use to live. I must say that life is good. The Lord has sure blessed us with All of our children.

I received a phone call from Justin today...he is going to Qatar next month to the College of the North Atlantic Campus there. The second year students are having a Business Competition and he was chosen to observe. He is really excited. I am really excited for him too! What a great opportunity for him. I always told him that travel is an education in and of itself.

So...what a great day it is!

Yessss!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blessings!!! Mestewat,( another spelling for her name), is legally our daughter!!!!!

Soon, there will be no more sad faces only smiles!

Our court date was yesterday and it was successful. If only you could feel the joy in my heart and hear the song of praise on my lips.

This means we will be on our way to Ethiopia next month. Oh my...the time will fly now. If anyone would like to donate airmiles or Club Z or HBC rewards (which would be turned into airmiles), now would be the time to say so. I am hoping to book our flights in the next couple of days. The sooner we can book the less the cost.

We are not called to feel sorry for the children...we are called to love them!

You know how the Lord has put this passion on my heart for the widows and orphans. This little video is no work of genius but it does express the need for us to love through actions.

Remember... We are not called to feel sorry for the children...we are called to love them!

Unethical and repressive law in Ethiopia

"Amnesty International called the Charities and Societies Proclamation law (CSO law), adopted on January 6, 2009 by the Ethiopian parliament, a repressive law designed to strictly control and monitor civil society in an atmosphere of increasing intolerance of the work of human rights defenders and civil society organisations. Previous drafts of the CSO law imposed strict government controls and harsh criminal penalties on non-governmental organisations. "

This is the long and short of it: "The CSO law will: -criminalise human rights activities undertaken by Ethiopian organisations that receive more than ten percent of their funding from abroad; -criminalise human rights activities by foreign NGOs, including campaigning for gender equality, children's rights, disabled persons' rights and conflict resolution; -impose disproportionate and criminal penalties for even minor administrative breaches of the law; -establish a Charities and Societies Agency with broad discretionary power over civil society organizations, and allow government surveillance of and interference in the operation and management of civil society organisations. "

WHAT ARE THEY THINKING??? Power and control!

For more information, please go to one of these sites:
Amnesty International
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aylmLqrcJpck
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=82223

The Tizzard Children

I forgot to add this picture in the last post. From left to right... Rebecca, Zelalem, Justin and Abel.

Update

Hi Everyone!

Time seems to be moving just sooo slowly with this adoption. We were speaking to a representative with our agency, CAFAC, and she has suggested that if the court session is a positive one, we will be able to travel to Ethiopia the last week of March. It is nice to have a date in mind. That having been said, I want to do some fundraising for the children at the Faya HIV Orphanage.


Mestowat has been doing well since she has been in our foster home. The update we received states she has put on 3 kg since last June and has grown 4 cm. Once we get her home I am sure she will grow a lot faster.


Zelalem is getting excited about her new sister. Every so often she asks me when we will be bringing her home. I am praying they will be the best of friends. Notice the front teeth or should I say...lack of teeth!

Abel, well... Abel is a typical teenager and he is just thinking about having another girl in the house. I guess he will have to find a nice quiet spot to hide. :)

Monday, January 26th, 2009

Hi Everyone!
I just heard that friends of ours will soon be leaving for Ethiopia and I wish I was joining them! Everyday I try not to think of the impending court date and the fact that our daughter will soon be ours.

Good Morning!

Once again, I thought I would blog just to keep everyone informed on what is happening with our newest adoption.

Another year has begun and we are closer to bringing our daughter home. Mestowat is her name and she is six years old. The spelling of her name is not clear as we have had correspondence with three different spellings.

We recently received an e-mail from our agency stating that we will be represented in court on February 8TH...less than a month away. Wow! That is the first time I thought of it that way...less than a month away! Once we are successful at court, we will be preparing for our journey. Kerry and I are hoping to be able to travel either at the end of February or early in March.