Guys,

Miracles DO happen, things are moving so fast. This morning Dawn and I couldn't sleep and we were up early and talked and got ready and they picked us up at the hotel at 7:30 am. We went to Woudneh's office and got the court papers and then went to the orphanage. We pulled up and Woudneh said stay in the car and let me go in because I want a picture of you coming into get the kids. Ayalew was already there with the kids. Well the car engine was still running when little (and I do mean little) Beruk poked his head. The kids were all standing at the gate so excited when the car was shut off out came all of the kids and then hugs, kisses, hugs, kisses, hugs, kisses, oh did I mention tears, hugs and kisses. We went inside and took some pictures and then Woudneh said we needed to go because he had this appointment to get their Birth Certificates. (Let me tell Woudneh is awesome) So we had two cars and I was in one with Hanocks friend who was to drive us around and I had Fitsum and Beruk with me, the other car was Woudneh, Dawn, Mahider and the twins, (they go by Himmie and Betty) my car was following the other and we came back to the Hotel, when we got out, Woudneh said "Grandma, there has been a change in plans, we thought you and the kids could enjoy the pool for a while" I said no problem they (Dawn, Ayalew and Woudneh) got back in the car and I brought the kids up to the room and we all changed to pool attire. (All clothes are plenty big Deb & Troy especially Beruk's) then we went to the pool the only one who had experienced a pool was Mahider and she swims like a fish. Fitsum didn't want to wear a swim suit so she came down in jeans with a book to read. The twins and Beruk got in the wadding pool (Beruk has NO FEAR) Mahider convinced them to hold their breath and she gently pulled them with her under the water. I was worried that she might scar them (not a chance) within the hour Beruk was floating and kicking his feet he doesn't go anywhere but he sure tries and he can stay under water for a very long time. The twins played and had fun, Mahider would take turns with the three little ones taking them into the big pool, The Fitsum asked if she could go up to the room and change, I gave the key and she and Mahider went up and then came back down and it was like that advertisement the plays "she wore a tiny winey bakini and it was a modest swim suit but obvious she was not used to that much exposure. we played for almost two hours and Beruk was so tired and I wanted him out so we convinced that we would come back and he agreed to get out. We came back to the room and changed and started to put a moving in to the laptop and the phone rang and it was the driver, he said that he was sent to pick us up for lunch, he said that Dawn, Woudneh and Ayalew would meet us at the eating place. We had lunch, INTERESTING, but you know Dawn right into the culture. Then the Driver said I will take you and the kids back to the Hotel, OK no problem, I didn't get a change to talk to Dawn but that was OK. I felt comfortable and those people are very protective of her. When I brought the kids into the lobby a lady was standing by the elevator with two little kids, obvious adoption and she said, "Is this the 5 from the blogs" I said from sacrejourney and she said yes and I said yes but I am the grandma. The told me how beautiful the kids are (and they are) and we came back up to the room played with toys and watched "Parent Trap" the original movie. Then Dawn came and said we have to take the kids to immigration and she was out of breath and I said what she said "Mom we are almost finished, we just have to go the immigration and then the American Embassy and we are done" I said what she said they had been running a round like crazy accomplishing so much. WOW.

A few observations I have made, Betty is very quiet shy and mellow, she said for about 15 minutes and let me play with her hair and I think I have this braiding down. Hemmy is energetic, always moving, and chattery. She wanted me to do her hair also after they swam but she didn't want it to take very long. Beruck, loves his father very much, it will be hard on him, but I see Ayalew gently pushing him away, it is kind of heartbreaking. Today at lunch Beruk ran to his dad as soon as he saw him and clung to him, when the food came Beruk sat down next to Ayalew and Ayalew told him to move down by me and kept both chairs on either side of him empty. But Beruk is a smart, adorable little, he sings quietly all the time when we are walking and I am holding his hand, he likes his hand held but they all do. While the other kids were watching the moving he was taking everything out of his backpack and looking then re-packing. He spent time examing every item, including the clothes. Just to get an idea of his size, the shorts come just below his knee and are a good inch too big in the waist. Mahider, although she was having fun in the pool kept looking the entrance every few minutes and she asked at least a dozen times "when will mom be back" Mahider is all happy about her hair, the orphange had all of them looking so cute and guess what, Mahider got extensions so her hair is real long, she loves it. She is so open and loving, she is the generator of excitement for the rest of the family. Fitsum, beautiful, I think her eyes take up a forth of her face. She is protective of the whole family, I loved watching Mahider help her into the swiming and convinced her she would be ok. Then Mahider tried to teach her to swim but the didn't really work out. Fitsum is shy and quiet, but happy about all this. Woudneh told me that this family is some of the best kids he has ever seen, they are so well behaved they have been taught well. Everyone at the Hotel seems to like these kids we get positive feed back all over the place.

Dawn has not been able to get onto her blog so, Jason will you make sure Troy and Deb get this, I thought I would update you since Dawn is running around like SUPER WOMEN getting this all done. Lucky me I just have to play and get to know these kids, don't you just feel sorry for me. (ha ha) I am sure Jason, Deb and Troy would trade places with me in a heartbeat but you can't. If

things keep going this well we may be home on the 2nd, please keep praying for that. Miracles DO happen and they are happening in Ethiopia.

Love,

Mom, (Lecia)

-------------- Forwarded Message: --------------
From: mccollum84074@comcast.net
To: mccollum84074@comcast.net
Subject: Going to Koka today
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2006 04:23:27 +0000

John,

 

    That is great that you forwarded the email, thanks.  Today is going to be a pretty big day.  1st off Dawn is taking Mahider in for her AIDS test, we are all nervouse about that because if she is positive (and the majority of the people here are) then everything is off.  I really feel good that she is positive she is very healthy and is a clean child.  Dawn explained to Mahider what would happen today and she was excited because she understands that the test is the only thing between her and going to Utah right now.  Then after that we leave for Koka and will not be back until Tuesday night so we will be out of touch for a couple of days. 

 

    Yesterday we went to church, there are 3 branches in all of Ethiopia and two of them are in Addis Ababa.  The branch we go to is about 10 minutes from here and it was beautiful.  The road right up to the compound is mostly rocks like every thing else except Bally Road and that is paved.  Then the compound has a concrete yellow wall around it, that is very different because the other walls around compounds are made out of coricated steel and they have make shift gates out of the same materials.  Some walls have like spears tips around the top and if the call is stone then it has concrete with broken bottles in it around the top.  The very rich have razor wire and the chapel has razor wire.  The guards let us in and the parking lot is stone and marble, everything around here is stone or marble.  The chapel is two story nice size, I tried to take a picture but my camera isn't working.  There was a man who was confirmed ye sterday, he is a refuge from the Congo and all he has is the name John.  It was strange to have them confirm him with just one name.  He probably lives on the street and has nothing.  I noticed that one of the things that they need at the church is music books, only a few people had them and they were mostly the little pocket versions, so after church I gave John mine, I wished that I would have had a Book of Mormon to give him.  He cried when we gave it to him.  All the meetings were in Amaric and translated to English, they only had a Gospel Principles class and no Gospel Doctrine.   The missionaries taught the Sunday School class, they have 4 missionaries and 3 were from South Africa and one was from Rigby Idaho.  The first councilor in the Relief Society was a beautiful young lady who had just submitted her paperwork to go on a mission.  I enjoyed being at church, it had grass and flowers and trees, that is a rar i ty around here.

 

     After church we had a party here with the Mesgana Dancers and Messeret Defar and her husband and they have adopted a 5 year old orphan, and a couple of other sponsored girls that live on the street,  Hannock (that is Norm's right hand man) goes around and picks up the girls.  We made tacos and the girls danced for us, Mahider is such a beautiful dancer, and then we watched a movie called "Akeelah and the bee" it was a good movie.  All the girls but one left around 5 pm and the one girl is a girl about 12 years old that Norm found 4 years ago selling klennex on the street, they call it 'soft'.  (hard to believe I am exsisting in a place were Klennex is a thing that is hard to come by)  She told us about her live when Norm met her, she had a very hard life, she had been kicked out of school because they couldn't pay for it, and the day she meet Norm she had been sent out by her mother to sell Soft and did n't sell much and she was hungry and tired so she went home and her mother sent her back out again.  She went outside a place called "Hannah's Gifts" and the guard came up and hit her with a stick and made her cry (that is what they do) and she went to the priest and the priest told her that she was a good girl and that things would be ok for her.  She went back out and Norm was there and she asked him if he would buy some soft and he gave her 20 bir (about 16 cents) for 4 packs, they usually sell them for 2 bir a pack.  Norm said when he and Hannock were walking away from her he couldn't stop thinking of her, he was touched by her.  Norm couldn't stop thinking about her and later that day he went back and gave her 50 bir for one more package of soft. (the packages of soft are the little pocket size ones that have about 5 klennex in them).  She told us that Norm got her a sponsor and now she i s in school and her life has changed so much. 

 

      Hannock told me last night that it will be hard on Mahider when we leave, I know it will be because we have had her here with us the whole time we have been here and she runs around this house and laughs and plays like a normal child, when we leave she will go back to being that sad child that we saw last Monday night, living with who knows how many other people and in a small dwelling that wouldn't even fit into the definition of a home.  But with all our prayers it will only be a short time and she can be coming to Utah for good.  She said she never wants to come back here and you know I don't blame her at all. 

 

     Well we will be off for another adventure today and I will email you Tuesday night.

 

  Love and miss you all

 

     Lecia, Mom whatever!!!!  

Well for those of you that do not know, Mom and Dawn are in Africa as of today. They are there to finish making  making arrangements for Dawn to adopt Mahadir Ayalew. Mahadir has been being sponsored by the McCollum clan for several years through COEEF, a foundation that educates young girls in Ethiopia. During August and September a few of the girls from the schools got the opportunity to travel to the US and France to perform. Mahadir was one of the young ladies that got to come. Dawn and Jason fell in love with her and knew that she was supposed to live with them. So Dawn started the process to adopt her.

Unfortunately they will not be able to bring her home with them this trip and will have to go again shortly after the first of the year.

For anyone who is not familiar with COEEF, Children of Ethiopia Education Fund, you should take a look at their website. It is truly a great program run by people who are doing it to help the children of Ethiopia to have better lives.