WHY ADOPT?

There are so many of you that have had questions about the why’s of our choice to adopt. I thought it might be helpful to take this opportunity to share some reasons as well as some basic facts that we have uncovered along the way.

Why Adoption?

• There are millions of children that have no family and will never know what it would be like to have one.
• There are children dying every day due t malnutrition and lack of medical care.
• These children have often suffered severe abuse, physical, sexual or emotional.
• All of these children have been neglected in some area.
• We have the ability and heart to love and bring such children into our home.
• We can provide a loving, safe, full home to children that would otherwise, never know what a home can be.
• We believe that God has planned our family just like he has any other. Our children simply develop and grow in someone else’s womb.
• We believe that our children are as destined to be ours as they would be if they came from our own flesh.

Why Ethiopia?

THE FACTS:

• One out of every 20 children born alive die in their first month of life
• One out of ten die before reaching their first birthday
• One out of four die before reaching their fifth birthday
• One in Fourteen women will die during childbirth.
• Ethiopia has the largest HIV/AIDS infected population in the world.
• Ethiopia has more orphans than the entire populations of many African countries.
• Children working and living on the street are vulnerable to disease and acute and chronic health problems. Girls are even at a greater risk, they are exposed to rape, sexual assault, pregnancy and prostitution
• Children are victims of harmful practices such as circumcision, abduction and early marriage, physical punishment and labor exploitation.
• Access to basic education is generally low. Female enrollment/attendance compared to male is low. This hinders the development and life style of the child and the youth in particular, the family and the society at large forming a vicious circle of ignorance and stagnation. Only 31 per cent of female adult aged 15 and over can read and write.
• Children in Ethiopia die from childhood diseases that could easily be prevented through immunization and basic health services.
• Only 24 per cent of households have access to safe drinking water.
• Malnutrition affects a large portion of the population. Forty per cent of children are severely and moderately underweight, 52 per cent are stunted and 11 per cent are wasted.
• Children in Ethiopia are orphaned for many reasons, one HIV and or AIDS. This has increased the number of child to household numbers. The burden falls on the elderly, particularly the elders in the community.

FACTS ABOUT DISEASE
The major diseases affecting children under-five, such as acute respiratory infection, diarrhoeal diseases, measles, malaria and malnutrition are responsible for 70 per cent of childhood morbidity and mortality.
Diarrhoeal disease that could be treated with simple solution accounts to about 46 per cent and acute respiratory infections to 24 per cent of under-five mortality.
Measles is one of the major childhood illnesses. Measles-related cases fatality rates range from 3-5 per cent in normal circumstances and 15-20 per cent during outbreaks
Malaria prevalent in 75 per cent of the country represents another important threat to children’s rights to survival and health. It accounts for seven per cent of diagnoses for under-ones visiting outpatient departments. It is also estimated that only 20 per cent of under-fives who experience malaria episodes come into contact with the existing clinics. Malnutrition is associated with poverty, household food insecurity and inadequate care of children.
Malnutrition weakens children's ability to resist attacks of the infectious diseases. It also has a negative impact on children's cognitive development. Fifty two per cent of children in Ethiopia are stunted, 11 per cent suffers from wasting, and 47 per cent suffer from severe and moderate underweight. 15 per cent of infants are with low birth weight. Low birth weight closely associated with maternal nutrition.
The early life of children in Ethiopia is mostly rural-based. Only16 per cent of the population live in urban area.

Why now?

Many of you know that there is a tremendous amount of change going on in our lives. It is a time of anxiety and uncertainty. It is a time in our lives when the pursuit of any more change would have to be by the direction of God alone. Well there have been few times in my life when I have been as certain of a direction, as certain of a very deliberate action, as certain of Gods voice. God knows far better than I how and what miracles will take place as we travel this path. It is He that has put the calling on our hearts, at this time, for His own purpose. Our children are out there and it is our time to go and get them. It is a drive that I can only imagine to be the love and desire any parent would feel to have their children in their arms.