International Adoption
AAI's First Child Comes Home from Ethiopia
Scott and Jennifer had adopted three children domestically, but still their family wasn’t complete. They decided to adopt again, and Scott attended an information meeting at AAI’s Jenison location. At this meeting, Kurt Ellis, the Haiti and Ethiopia program manager, presented the new Ethiopia program to the families in attendance. Scott and Jennifer decided to research the program, and after praying for several weeks, they felt that God was leading them to adopt from Ethiopia.
Adopting Internationally
Jennifer says the main reason why they chose to adopt internationally instead of domestically for their last adoption was because “there were waiting FAMILIES here, but waiting CHILDREN in these other countries.” Scott and Jennifer were also open to adopting a child of any race, and once they saw photographs of Ethiopian children, they knew that this country would be a great fit for their family.
Challenges and Blessings
Scott and Jennifer pursued the Ethiopia program, but the adoption of their daughter didn’t come without challenges. “It was hard being the first family to go through the Ethiopia program,” says Jennifer. “It would have been helpful to have had advice from others who had been down the road ahead of us.”
In spite of the challenges, adopting from Ethiopia provided their family with many blessings. They met several friends through the process, as well as other families trying to overcome the same hurdles they were dealing with. They now share a lasting bond with these families.
Falling in Love with Ethiopia
Today, the couple is “excited to talk about Ethiopia … this beautiful country that we fell in love with,” says Jennifer. They were enamored with how much the people of Ethiopia love their children and the beauty of the country. “People have this perception of Ethiopia as being dry and desert-like, with millions of pot bellied people,” says Jennifer. “It was not like that at all. The poverty was overwhelming, but … everyone we came in contact with was friendly and full of smiles. Children that had tattered, torn clothes, no shoes, and dirty faces came up to us wanting hugs, and just loved saying ‘hello.’” Scott and Jennifer were so impacted by Ethiopia that they plan to travel back in a few years with all of their children.
Travel Tips
When they return to Ethiopia, Scott and Jennifer will once again travel prepared. “We were told by another family to pack Tupperware with American food or snacks,” says Jennifer. “This prevents it from getting smashed during travel.” Jennifer says that these snacks were a “life saver” because Ethiopian food can be very spicy and hard to adjust to. The couple also packed candy and bubble gum to give to the eager children who “went crazy” over the treats. Jennifer only has one regret about the trip: “I wish I would have taken more candy. It was like gold to them,” she says.
Bringing Their Daughter Home
Scott and Jennifer returned home with their daughter, Makenzie, on Friday, December 1. Makenzie turned one on December 20 and celebrated her first Christmas with her new family a few days later.
Adjusting
Makenzie is adjusting very well to her new family and to the Michigan weather. Ethiopia had been around 85 to 90 degrees every day, and Makenzie was greeted by a snowstorm. Jennifer says, “She is a happy baby, loves to smile, and loves all the attention she is getting from everyone.”
Her siblings, Caleb, Abby, and Brayden, are also adjusting well to their new sister. “They all love to play with her and are taking turns feeding her,” says Jennifer.
Recommendations for Other Families
Scott and Jennifer enjoyed traveling to Ethiopia so much that they recommend that other adoptive families do whatever they can to travel to Ethiopia. “We would have never imagined Ethiopia to impact us the way it did,” says Jennifer. “We have so much more appreciation for the program in general because of what we saw and experienced while we were there.”
Scott and Jennifer’s caseworker, Kurt Ellis, also recommends that adoptive parents travel to their child’s country to escort them home. “This helps the parents begin the bonding process with the child,” says Kurt. “It also allows them to experience the culture that the child comes from, gives them a chance to visit the orphanage in which their child lived, and provides the opportunity for them to meet their child’s caregivers.”
Remembering Ethiopia
Scott and Jennifer are not only planning to return to Ethiopia, they are working on giving back to their daughter’s birth country. They would like to do a service project to the orphanage their daughter came from and are looking into collecting donations for the orphanage from their church. Both Scott and Jennifer’s extended families are also excited to help in any way they can.
Concluding Thoughts
“We are so grateful for Adoption Associates for bringing us together with our daughter,” says Jennifer. “We are now connected to a country that means everything to us … not just a spot on the map. We are so much more aware of our blessings and what we take for granted. We are humbled by our experience!”
There are currently 4.8 million orphans in Ethiopia. If you are interested in learning more about adopting from Ethiopia, please visit our Ethiopia adoption page.
