I am filled with frustration today as I sit down to write this post. And I am warring within myself between trusting in God’s heavenly timing and demanding action and accountability from people here on earth. So I am going to start by being thankful for the good things that happened today.

We found Frosted Flakes at the store. Real Frosted Flakes. And this is Joel’s honest reaction when he saw the boxes that we brought home for his breakfast.

We had a wonderful day today as a family. Lots of quality time together. We even got a little bit of attitude from Levi when we told him he couldn’t play with Scott’s phone anymore. Yes, right now we are thankful for attitude. Because that means he is feeling more comfortable with us. Remind me of this later when I am dealing with his mischievous nature.

And we finished our day with a stop for dessert. Our kids love being able to order anything they want when we go to a restaurant. At home, my wonderful and frugal husband has rules about not ordering soda or desserts when we go out to eat. Also, all children are required to order from the children’s menu. Here in Ethiopia, all the rules are out the window because even if our children ordered the most expensive meal possible, it would probably not cost more than $5. And dessert? Anything is fair game! Here is Hannah with her dessert. Pure joy!

Okay. Now that I have been thankful, can I be a complainer? I am so frustrated! I am trying to be very understanding of how things work here. I am trying to not think that my way is better than any other. I am trying to give lots of grace for language and cultural differences. I am trying!

But, when I am told something is going to happen and then time and time again it does not, frustration overwhelms me!

We have our court date scheduled for this Friday at 2:00pm. And barring a miraculous intervention from God, we are not going to pass court. This means that our children will not be able to move out of the Transition Home and in with us.

The needed document (also known as the stinking document and the dreaded document) IS NOT HERE! In fact, it is not even completed yet! We are told that the court in Harar still needs more information before they will issue this document. And, once it is issued, it has to be sent to the Ministry of Women, Children and Youth Affairs (MOWCYA) to be reviewed. For 10 days!!!! And only then will we pass court.

Of course, we were not told any of this last week when we were assigned our court date. So it was slightly devastating to hear it this week. I had pinned my hopes on this Friday as being the day we finally, officially become a family.

I am writing this post because I could really use some prayer. Prayer for my heart and my attitude. Prayer that God might miraculously intervene and we would pass court this Friday. Prayer for peace.

Here is an excerpt from my prayer journal entry from this morning….

Lord I pray for this week and all the unknowns. They are unknown to us but not to you! You are the author! You have only our best in mind. You have only the best planned for Naomi, Abigail, Micah and Levi. Help me to be willing to see that and not want my way. But Lord, I ask and beg that we would pass court on Friday. I plead my case in your throne room. I knock over and over again so that you would grant me that which my heart desires. Pave the way. Smooth the path. Remove the obstacles. Make us a family!

And then tonight, when I re-read that entry and flipped my prayer journal closed I saw the inscription on the front page.

Be still and know that I am God.

I am trying. Oh Lord, I am trying.

Blessings!

Natalie

PRAYER REQUESTS

*That we would pass court!

*That the document would be completed tomorrow!

*My heart

*Naomi

I have written in previous blogs about Bring Love In, the ministry we are partnering with here in Ethiopia. Levi and Jessie Benkert moved to Ethiopia 3 years ago and have been working hard to get this project up and off the ground. Here is an excerpt from their website that gives you an overview of what they do.

Bring Love In is a community (not just an organization) that exists to show the love of God by giving families to children who have none. We are based out of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where we couple orphans who are given to us by local authorities, and widows from within local Christian church communities, to create new forever families here in Ethiopia. The “we” that we speak of us not just a group of us over here in Ethiopia, but rather you as well! This work is the collaboration of people around the world who believe in using the resources they have been given to help those in need.

Levi and Jessie raise their own support, both for their family and for their ministry. A few months ago they decided to open Selah Guest House as a way of supporting themselves. The goal is to provide a sustainable income so they can spend more of their time in their ministry and less of their time raising money. This guest house is where we are staying. We are the first family to have the privilege of living here.

Selah Guest House

While the Benkerts have done a wonderful job of providing the basic necessities for Selah Guest House, there are many things that are still needed before they will be ready to open it permanently. Scott and I are making it our goal to finish furnishing this home before we leave. What a blessing it would be to this family and to Bring Love In! But, we can not do it ourselves. We would like to ask you to partner with us. Would you be willing to help? There are several ways that you can get involved.

This is a list of what we need…..

2 couches @ $300 each

6 bedside tables @ $20 each

24 sets of twin sheets @ $30 each

6 sets of queen sheets @ $40 each

Water tank $300

6 outdoor lawn chairs @ $20 each

Printer $200

TV $300

DVD player $100

3 re-chargeable battery powered lanterns $30-$50 each

Now, obviously, we can’t purchase all of these things in the States and have them shipped over. We are going to spend much of our time in the upcoming weeks searching Addis for these items. Those items that we can’t find here, we will arrange to have brought over with adoptive families who are traveling soon. If you would like to help us purchase any of these items, you can make a donation through the PayPal link on our blog.

Another way we are raising money for this venture is by selling bracelets. These bracelets are made here locally by a ministry called Entoto Beth. It is a group of about 100 HIV+ women who without this ministry would have no hope. No hope of income. No hope of health. No hope of life. Instead, they live here in Addis and spend their days making jewelry which they sell to support themselves. All of the jewelry is made from either coffee beans or re-purposed bullets that they melt down and form into beads.

Two of the Entoto women

The ladies making coffee jewelery

Painting every bead by hand

Bracelet #1 - The Cuff

Bracelet #2 - 5 Strands

Bracelet #2 - 5 Strands (the clasp)

By purchasing one of these bracelets, you are helping to support 2 ministries. Part of the purchase price goes to support the Entoto Women, the other part will go to furnish the Selah Guest House. If you would like to buy a bracelet, please click on the Donate link. Each bracelet is $20. In the comments section, please tell me which style (bracelet #1 or bracelet #2) and how many bracelets you would like. When we come home, our bags will be filled with the jewelery that you have purchased to help fund these important ministries.

I have been thinking a lot lately about the privilege of being here in Ethiopia, of serving these people, of being God’s hands and feet. Acts 17:24 says, “The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn’t……need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn’t take care of himself.” I realize more than ever that God doesn’t NEED me. But He ALLOWS me to be a part of His work. And for this I am grateful. Won’t you let God allow you to join us?

Blessings!

Natalie

Something wonderful and unexpected happened today!

First, we had a meeting with the birth mother. We hired a translator and prepared a list of questions. Then we had someone come to video tape our entire conversation. Our purpose for this meeting was two-fold. We wanted to hear her story first-hand – what had happened in her life to bring her to the point of having to relinquish her children to the government orphanage. And secondly, we wanted a video for our children to watch as they grow. Something tangible to keep of their mother. Her words and gestures and smiles and tears forever saved for them. We asked many questions that we thought they might want to hear the answers to someday.

“What is a special memory you have of your children?”

“What do you hope for their future?”

“What is one thing you would want them to know about you?”

But my favorite answer was to a question that we had to ask for our legal proceedings. We asked….

“What circumstances caused you to give up your children?”

And her response, full of grace and love, was something that I needed to hear.

“I did not give up my children. I will never give up my children. They will always be my children. But now they are your children too. And I want to give them the chance to have a better life with you. I pray that you will now be my brother and sister and we can all love these children together.”

Talk about making me take a step back and reassess my perception of the whole situation. Oh what a selfish American I can be! How can I even think that I understand how this woman feels?

We finished our meeting with photographs. We took many, many pictures of the children with their mother.

And that wonderful, unexpected thing? We walked into the Transition Home to visit and Abigail grabs my hand and pulls me over to a young girl. “Sister, Mama! This is my sister!”

What?!?!

With no warning – no one had mentioned that she would be here today – I got to meet my other daughter.

Naomi

Tears immediately filled my eyes as she reached up and hugged me, kissed my cheeks, and excitedly starting calling me Mama.

Our kids spent the next hour running around and playing. All 6 of our kids. Laughing, playing squirt guns, blowing up long balloons and using them as swords. I was so overwhelmed with the unexpectedness of the situation, that I didn’t even take a family picture! Oh, how I wish I had. All too soon, it was time for us to leave. Naomi was going back to her hometown with her mother. And then the heartbreak.

As we were hugging and kissing everyone and saying goodbye, Naomi pulls me aside and asks, “I go home with you? Today, Mama?”

Can you physically feel a pain in your heart? I think so.

We had to explain to her that we wanted to take her home. We want her to be a part of our family. But as of right now, the courts won’t allow it. We told her that we were trying our best to convince the courts to let us keep her forever.

We told her, “We will come back for you.”

We will come back for you Naomi.

I promised.

Blessings!

Natalie

PRAYER REQUESTS

*Our court date this Friday

*Our petition for Naomi

*That God would watch over, protect and love on Naomi while we wait

Every time we go to the Transition Home to visit our children, we take along a little something to try to share with the other kids living there. Sometimes we just bring a jump rope and play games with everyone, sometimes we pass out little things like lollipops or pipe cleaner rings. This weekend we had the privilege of passing out hats to EVERY SINGLE child!

A friend of mine from Idaho has a mother who loves to knit. When her mother heard about our trip to Ethiopia, she wanted to do something to help. She started knitting hats. This grandmother spent her time lovingly knitting over 100 hats to send with us! Do you know how many hours of knitting that is? Neither do I. But you can bet those hats represent many days of her time and effort.

Oh my goodness! You would have thought it was Christmas! Those kids were pushing up around us, reaching out of the crowd, trading with their friends and trying on hat after hat. I wish I could post some of the pictures of their smiling faces. Their grins reached from ear to ear! I have a little video of one boy, about 5 years old, who when he gets his hat and puts it on his head, starts jumping up and down and doing this little dance of joy. Here are just a few pictures that I am allowed to share.

Abigail and Micah

Some of the "big" boys

 

Can you find Scott in this picture?

When the kids were done choosing their hats, I had about 20 or 25 left in our bag. We put the bag away and started visiting with our children. Then, one of the nannies shyly comes over and asks if she can have some hats. She said she has 3 children at home. Could she maybe have 3 for her children? Of course! We let her go through the bag and pick out 3 hats.

A few minutes later, 2 of the other nannies come over and pantomime asking for some hats for their children. And then suddenly, we were surrounded by nannies. They were laughing and jabbering away in Amharic as they went through our bag. Then they started teasingly pulling away the hats that they wanted from the other nannies. Within one minute, our bag was empty. Every single nanny stopped to say thank you and then they disappeared back inside with their newfound treasure. And the last nanny? She asked if she could take our bag. Just the plain, large plastic bag that we had delivered the hats in. She was so thankful to be able to keep it.

It was a good day! Every person at that Transition Home was blessed today. And all because of a grandma in Idaho who lovingly gave of her time and talent. Do you think that you have nothing of worth to offer to our God? Do you ever wonder how God can use you if you are not rich? If you are not important? If you are not (fill in the blank)? Well, God can use anyone. All you have to be is willing.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

Do you think that little grandma in Idaho could ever travel over to Ethiopia to work in an orphanage? Probably not. Do you think that I could ever knit 100 hats? Definitely not! But together, by allowing God to use us in the ways that He deems best, we can be God’s hands and feet.

Blessings!

Natalie

PRAYER REQUESTS

*The birth mother interview which is scheduled for Monday

*Our children’s hearts as many emotions will be stirred up when seeing their mother for the first time in about a year

I recently finished reading the book The Same Kind of Different As Me. It is a story about the unlikely friendship between a white millionaire and a black homeless man. And how God uses that friendship to change both of their lives. And in the end, they both realize that they have more in common than they first thought.

As I read this book I kept thinking about what a wonderful thing it is to be a part of God’s family. How diverse and widespread we are! How creative is our God in making us all so unique! But do you know that our similarities are so much greater than our differences? We are all sinners. We are all saved by grace. We are all children of the one true God. And we are all family.

This week we had the privilege of sharing the Guest House with a mission team. These young people are traveling around Africa, spending one or two weeks in every country, spreading God’s love. Their goal is to support the local missionaries in any way possible. They have been spending their days here fixing electrical problems, painting murals in the bedrooms of Bring Love In, climbing into water tanks to repair leaky parts, moving furniture, and basically serving in any capacity they are needed.

Tonight was their last night at the guest house. We shared a wonderful meal together.

And then they shared a special worship time with us. As I looked around the room I realized that there were 6 different languages and 4 different countries represented in our small gathering. We were diverse in age, gender and color. But we were similar in that we love the same God. They are all the same kind of different as me.

How thankful I am to be a daughter of the King! How thankful I am to be a part of His diverse family.

Blessings!

Natalie

Today at 2:00 was the date and time that everyone had been praying for. Scott and I were going to meet with the judge and our in-country director about our case. We had gotten an email this morning that the needed document had not arrived. So we knew going in to our meeting that the judge could either make us keep waiting for this document, or proceed without it. We left our kids with Levi and Jessie and headed into town. It was like a date! Our first time out in 3 weeks with no kiddos!

We were so anxious to get to the courthouse, and so worried about getting stuck in traffic, that we actually arrived almost an hour early!

So we went down the block and had a cup of “Ethiopian Starbucks” coffee.

And Scott got his shoes shined.

And we prayed! And we felt bathed in prayer from all of you back home. Once again we settled into the waiting room. Once again we waited for our names to be called. Our meeting took less than 20 minutes. The outcome was this…

We will proceed without the needed document. However, there are a couple of things that need to happen. First, the judge wants to interview the birthmother. She scheduled this interview for next Tuesday. The birthmother lives about a 10 hour drive from here. And that 10 hours is not freeway driving! It is often on rutted, muddy roads. So our agency is going to fly her to Addis for this interview. Secondly, the judge wants us to continue pursuing this needed document. So, our in-country director is going to fly to the local courts on Monday or Tuesday to try to obtain this document. And she invited us to come along.

This local court is located in Harar, the town where our children were born and lived the first years of their lives. One of our goals when we came to Ethiopia was to visit that area. This seems like it might the perfect opportunity to visit Harar and see where our children lived. We will be looking into travel options in the coming days.

This morning while I was spending time with God I read the same verse that I had posted earlier this week.

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up, do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and springs in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19

But this time when I read it, I felt it as a promise to my soul. A promise from God. It was as if He was saying, “My child, I AM in control here. I AM doing a new thing. I AM making a way in the desert. Leave this all in my capable hands and trust me.”

Isn’t it amazing how the word of God is a living thing? We can read the same passage over and over again, and each time God can use it to speak to us in different ways. To teach us. To give us hope. To discipline us. To love us.

So we have our court date!!!!! Next Friday, June 15 at 2:00pm. (That is Friday at 4:00am for all of you in California). This is what we have been praying and waiting on for 16 weeks! A huge milestone! Hallelujah and thank you Jesus!

But keep praying! There are still things that need to fall into place to have the outcome of our court date be a Putnam Family of 7. And there are many more things that need to happen to eventually become a Putnam Family of 8. But for now, we are just praising the Lord for the work that He did today. And I am continually praising Him for the opportunity to love on these children…..

Blessings!

Natalie

PRAYER REQUESTS – AND PRAISES!!!!!

*Thank you Jesus for our court date!

*So thankful that Joel felt healthy ALL day today!

*That the birthmother will be able to make it for her interview

*That we can get that stinking document!

Joel has always been my “sickly” boy. He seems to catch everything first and always ends up worse than everyone else in our family. Being in Ethiopia has been hard on his system. Last week he was sick for 3 days. Really sick. Then he seemed to rally and has been doing much better. But, every day, he seems to have periods of stomach issues. Sometimes manageable. Sometimes horrible. My poor boy! He has spent a lot of time here lying in bed.

Yesterday morning he woke up throwing up again. He felt miserable until mid-afternoon. Then he got up out of bed and had a great evening. This morning, he woke up sick again! We have just started keeping a bucket next to his bed. We ended up calling a doctor here. The doctor was wonderful and told us to go down to the pharmacy and get an antibiotic that should kill whatever bug Joel has in his gut. He told us the dose and how often to administer it and said that the pharmacy should just give it to us. Then, as I was leaving the house, Jessie mentioned to me that if the pharmacist happens to ask if I am a doctor, just say yes! I went to the pharmacy and asked for my antibiotic. The pharmacist says with a huge grin on his face, “Where is your prescription? I need a legal prescription to give you this.” I just smiled, shook my finger at him and said, “No you don’t!” He started laughing. Then he said, “Well, you must be a medical professional yourself, then. What are you – a doctor or a nurse?” I decided to just go with nurse. I didn’t want to oversell myself too much! And one of my best friends is a nurse, so that kind of counts, right? The pharmacist then reaches into his rather well-stocked medicine cabinet and pulls out what I needed. We visited for a while. He asked where I was from and what I was doing here in Addis. His name is Itafa. He told me to come back if I need anything else. I was just glad he didn’t ask me any medical questions!

After the pharmacy, I went searching for an ATM. There are ATMs every few blocks, but finding one that is not out of service or out of money is the tricky part. And since no one takes VISA here and instead expects payments in cash, finding a working ATM is something we do every few days. Today, we only had to go to 6 machines before I found one where I could withdraw my money.

One more stop on our way home – Starbucks! Well, it is actually called Kaldi’s Coffee, but it tastes just like Starbucks. We went through the drive-through. This means we pulled into the parking lot and backed into a parking spot. One of the employees then comes out to take our order and brings us our coffee. 5 caramel mochas for a total of $6. Hmmmm….it might just be better than Starbucks at that price!

Of course, we also visited our kids today. A few days ago, through a translator, we asked them about changing their names. We told them the names we had picked out for them and asked what they thought. It was unanimous! They all want to have “American” names and have since been calling themselves Abigail, Micah and Levi. Here they are practicing their alphabet and writing their names.

Tonight as you sleep, we will be heading to court. We have an appointment at 2:00pm Wednesday which will be 4:00am your time. Please be praying that either the paper that we have been waiting on will be there, or that the judge will decide to give us a court date without that paper. Also, that our court date would be SOON! We are hoping to get more information about our petition for Naomi during our meeting with the judge, too. Lots to pray about!

Blessings!

Natalie

PRAYER REQUESTS

*Joel’s health

*That we would find favor with the judge during our meeting

*That we will get our court date assigned

*Our petition for Naomi

I had the wonderful experience of shopping at Shola this week. Shola is a large outdoor market area here in the middle of Addis. I am just guessing, but I would estimate the market covers about 4 square blocks. It is row upon row of tents and make-shift shops selling almost anything you can imagine. Cookware, kitchen goods, fabric, rugs, cleaning supplies, spices, jewelry. People and donkeys are everywhere! You have to weave your way in and out of the tiny storefronts, all the while carefully watching where you step. Jessie took me to experience Shola because she said it was the smaller of the two marketplaces here. I can’t imagine how large the other one is!

We parked on the street and payed a “parking attendant” to watch the van while we shopped. As soon as we stepped between the tents, a young boy of about 11 or 12 materialized by our side. Petros was smiling and insistent that he would follow us around while we shopped, carry all of our bags, help us find what we needed, and expect very little payment at the end of the trip. He was such a sweet boy! With such a sweet smile!

We started in the spice section of the marketplace. Oh my, the air was pungent! Almost immediately, my eyes started watering and I started sneezing. All of the spices are in large burlap bags, just waiting to be scooped out and weighed.

There were also piles of dried peppers, onions, garlic, and something we couldn’t quite identify all piled high on top of large tarps.

I bought some spices to bring home with me so I can attempt to make some Ethiopian food for my children. Something to make them feel a little less homesick!

After the spices, we moved to the fabric/clothing section. The shopkeepers have cleverly hung the dresses to form a sort of wall between the shops. There is a small “doorway” between the dresses into each store. I literally had to turn sideways to squeeze inside. When we entered the store, the shopkeeper immediately produced two padded stools and insisted that Jessie and I sit down and make ourselves comfortable. He offered us coffee and tea and then proceeded to pull out one beautiful thing after another. This shop had an array of colorful scarves to choose from. I had to buy one or two.

Our next stop was the tailor’s. He had an upscale, permanent shop as compared to others in this marketplace.

For less than a dollar he can alter anything you need altered. He also had several clothing items displayed. You could choose your dress style, choose your fabric, he would take your measurements, and within days you have a custom-made outfit. I thought I should probably go ahead and do that.

And then, one last stop on our way out of Shola. Levi and Jessie have a cat. But there is no cat litter here. So Jessie brought along a large bucket which she filled up with a special kind of oat. They use this oat in place of the cat litter.

All along the way, Petros patiently carried our bags. Anytime I turned around to check his progress, he smiled sweetly at me. He insisted on carrying Jessie’s full (and very heavy) bucket of oats to the car. And he was so thankful for the small payment we gave him as we left. Can you imagine? A 12 year old boy who spends his days wandering the marketplace, hoping to be able to make some money by carrying bags for people. And yet, he has a grateful heart and a sweet spirit.

If Petros can find it in his heart to be content, then so must we all.

“…I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.” Phillipians 4:11-12

Blessings!

Natalie

It rained here this morning. The lovely kind of rain that seems to wash the air clean and bring a cool breeze with it. Not the heavy downpour that will turn our streets into lakes and our neighborhood into a mud puddle. We opened our windows and enjoyed the sound of raindrops on the rooftop.

We went to church this morning and spent time in fellowship and worship. I cried. I am feeling homesick today. I love being here. I am so thankful for this opportunity we have before us. I count it as great joy to be able to spend time with my kids every afternoon. But today, my heart was yearning for home. I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss reliable electricity. I miss peanut butter. I know I have only been gone 2 weeks, but when I think about the 10 or so weeks still left in front of me, sometimes my homesickness gets the better of me.

And I think about my children. They are leaving behind everything they have ever known. Yes, they are gaining a family and stability and a future. But for them, at first, they will be homesick. They will miss their friends. And their language. And injera (which they say is their favorite food). They will miss being surrounded by people who look like them.

Not only will they be homesick, but they will also be mourning. Their old life will be dead to them. My children are coming to me with wounds that need to be healed. And only love, patience and God can do the work of healing them. He promises us “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19. I am clinging to this promise for my children.

As I watched the rain this morning I though of this song….

Healing rain is coming down

It’s coming nearer to this old town

Rich and poor, weak and strong

It’s bringing mercy, it won’t be long

Healing rain is coming down

It’s coming closer to the lost and found

Tears of joy, and tears of shame

Are washed forever in Jesus’ name

Please join me in praying that the healing in my children’s hearts will be starting even now. That their hearts will be washed forever in Jesus’ name.

Blessings!

Natalie

PRAYER REQUESTS

*My children’s hearts

*My homesickness

*This coming Wednesday @ 2:00