Hello from Ethiopia!!

    The first thing I’d like to do is set the scene for where I am writing this post.  Jenn and I are perched high atop the transition house on a sundeck we did not know existed until Early this morning.  5 stories up is a really good vantage point in a town where there are not many 5 story buildings.  We are sitting on Route 4 which connects the northern border, and the only access to a port, to the southern part of the country.  This is entertainment at its finest.  To say that Ethiopia’s traffic laws are fluid is an understatement.  Just in the last hour this road, which has no markings, lights, or stop signs has been among other things:

·        - Three laned expressway headed South

·         -Three laned Expressway headed North

·        - Four laned Expressway heading in both directions

·       -  Complete standstill traffic

·       -  Deserted

·        - Oh and I forgot to mention the cow that stopped traffic for about a minute

I have no idea how a country with ZERO traffic laws has no accidents…..Lots of close calls….. but no accidents.  And we, with our bazillion traffic laws, rules, and regulations are overrun with fender binders. But I digress….

    Micah is precious.   We met him about 8:00 Saturday morning and spent about 45 minutes with him.  After we got settled in, our Ethiopian coordinator for our agency, Lesley, who lives in Ky, has been here at the transition house for a week and Jennifer got to meet her for the first time.  Later we got to eat lunch with Woudneh, the director here at the transition home, and then go eat the traditional dinner complete with tribal dances from all across the country.  Both Jenn and I got up on stage and showed them that we could hang with them in some of the dances but only Jenn got called back up for a 8-10 minute encore.  They loved it…… and so did she.

    The past two days, we have been in the transition home the entire day and can I just say, what a difference a couple of days makes in the life of an orphan.  His personality has come alive and he is cooing, laughing, crying, burping, passing gas, and all the other wonderful things babies do with their parents.    He is pushing up on his belly and trying to roll over, which is a huge improvement from Saturday and we were able to show him the picture book we made him and he was studying the pics of JT and Rhett very intently.  He now recognizes Jenn when she walks into the room and lights up when he sees her.  He is big and healthy with a head full of hair.  It has truly been a fantastic couple of days.

   Can’t wait to see what’s in store for the rest of the week.  Please continue to pray for the nannies and caregivers here at West Sands and Woudneh who is truly a remarkable man.  Pray for his wife Betty who is off to Washington DC with 3 of their kids for 5 weeks while Woudneh holds down the fort.  Pray for Jenn and I as we go sight-seeing tomorrow and for our court date to go well Friday.  Lots more to do.  We’ll keep you posted.

P.S.  we have absolutely loved getting to spend time with the kids here at the transition home. The older ones take such good care of them and nannies are always on top of everything.  Love you guys continue to join us in prayer and we will see you soon.