it, except while we were in Ethiopia – I was very careful to journal diligently during that journey so our children can read all that we experienced.” 3.18.2011We made it safely to Ethiopia, and we did meet our sweet babies shortly after arriving. They are amazing. Gus is smiley and happy, he has awesome curly hair and bluegray eyes! He goes from smiling and playing to sleeping in a split second – while sitting up. It’s hilarious. We love him to pieces. Sweet Lula is gorgeous. She has very delicate features and is definitely girl. She is calm and sweet. Where Gus is short and pudgy, she is very long and lean. Unfortunately, much too lean. It seems that before we arrived, she had been battling pneumonia and had lost a significant amount of weight. She is heart-breakingly thin, and is still fighting off a cough and stomach bug, though a chest x-ray today showed that the pneumonia has cleared. Please send prayers our way. Otherwise, we’re hanging in there. The Ethiopian people are amazing. So kind and warm. We are being cared for in so many ways, and God has cleared many obstacles from our path. We are so thankful for the peace we have in Him in all of our concern for Lula. He is good. The first time Britt and Keith saw their babies in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, it was unexpectedly impromptu. “We had no idea that our agency had arranged to have our children brought from the orphanage to our guest house until the program coordinator mentioned it, and took us to meet them right away. We didn’t have the time we thought we would to
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compose ourselves, which made the meeting all the more emotional. We immediately fell in love with Gus and Lula. We spent an hour just holding them and loving on them. It was surreal and beautiful.” 4.01.2011 We have met many amazing, wonderful people here in Ethiopia. There's Johnny, our driver, who is a volunteer marriage counselor at his church. Shortly after we arrived and I broke down in the hallway at the hospital where our (then) very sick little girl was taken, he sat with me and comforted me. I have never appreciated having a friend as much as at that moment. There's Dr. asser, who is doing everything possible to advocate for Lula and push our case forward so she can get to the US for better medical care. When we offered to pay him for his services, he declined, but let us know about a flashlight he uses for late-night patient visits and lab tests, and how he is unable to find replacement bulbs for it. As soon as we get home, we'll be on a mission to find bulbs for this kind man. And then there's Mama Helen and Mordecai. They work at the orphanage where our children were. Mordecai went to both of our children's places of birth and brought them to Addis - not an easy trip when you consider the rough terrain, horrible roads, and the fact that there are no car seats. Mama Helen fought for our daughter when she had pneumonia and the orphanage manager hesitated to find medical care for her. I'm convinced that these two amazing people saved our children's lives. Gus and Lula were living at an orphanage in a third
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