We heard about a family that the mother had just died from aids and the father wanted to put the baby up for adoption because he could not care for his young boy who was HIV positive. Immediately I remembered what one of my precious friends had told me. She was being lead to be an advocate and adopt a baby with HIV. We sent her an email and told her about the baby and asked her to pray about it. A few days later we received a message back saying that this was not her baby and it wasn’t time for her to adopt yet. I thought nothing of it and just assumed there was another family that would adopt him out there. Then I began to think about this little guy. Wondering what his life would be like if he stayed in the orphanage. I wondered what he looked like, what his name meant just little tiny thoughts that really could have meant nothing.
Trent and I were riding down the road inhaling gobs of smoke from the diesel truck in front of us when I just turned and looked at him and quietly asked him. “Do you think we should try again to have another biological child or just adopt the rest?” Just a week after we arrived to Addis I found out I had, had a miscarriage. It was time to start talking about what our plan would be. His big baby blue eyes looked at me and said well I have been thinking about the HIV baby. My mouth dropped and I quickly said oh my, me too. We laughed and giggled a bit at our FATHER because only HE could do this to us.
Not being our plan at all; we started talking about when we could go see the baby. His dad put him in an orphanage so that he could be taken care of because he had been to the hospital and had ammonia. We planned to go the next day and see this baby boy that had been separately placed on each of our hearts. Oh when we saw his newborn size body and his extra long fingers for his body size we fell for him. As we gazed into his big brown eyes we saw hope and purpose. Could it be our son??
The next day we went to meet with the biological father to just let him know that we were willing to adopt his son if that were the route he chose but we wanted no response at the time because we wanted him to pray about it. After all he had just lost the one he loved to a deadly disease. We found out that he actually brought in Yodsera’s mom off the streets about 5 years ago. He loved her so much. They had a fun life together. He had just lost his best friend.
After a few days Beaza spoke with the father and said that he would be okay if we adopted his son but only if he could see him every week and he could take him to see the grandma. We could not agree to those terms and so we felt that God may have been closing the door for us. I understood this dads plan. Even though he had not been to see the boy since he put him in the orphanage he still had control, this was HER son. He still has a piece of her.
We had started to talk about trying to get pregnant when a week or so later we hear that he wants us to adopt and would be grateful to see him a few times a year. We were like REALLY GOD??? But we kept our original agreement with the LORD; that being if it’s your will LORD we will.
Today we went to the Ministry of Womens Affairs to see what our options were. In order for a foreigner to adopt in Ethiopia while living in Ethiopia you have to reside here for 2 years. Since we don’t quite have 2 years we were told that we could be foster parents and have guardianship over the baby until we hit our 2 year mark then we could legally adopt him. So we are taking the steps which I am sure will be many and long to become foster parents to Yodsera so that in the appropriate time we can make it legal.
With that being said we have no idea what we are doing but HE does and we trust HIM wholeheartedly. Please pray with us along this journey. Pray that HE goes before us with each and every tiny step we take to loving on this boy and helping him to be loved and healthy. Pray that HE would prepare our family and friends hearts for this journey. We all know when you say HIV people get a little freaked out. Pray that we are able to become foster parents to Yodsera and are able to get him a visitation visa next summer when we come to the states to visit. Above all else pray that HIS will be done and that HE would lead us there.
We are so grateful for your love, support, prayers, friendships without your support we would not be right here, right now on this journey so thank you for the part you have played in it.
All-OUT for HIS children of the world,
carmen