Our Other Child... Tadiwos Alemu

Back in April, I took my annual pilgrimage to Columbus, Ohio to attend the Women of Faith Conference. I hate leaving my children. I hate it for even a few hours. As much as my life can become hectic and chaotic... I have learned to love the chaos. As a matter of fact - when my children are not home... it's entirely too calm... too quiet... and much too lonely. So leaving them, even for one night, is really hard for me. When I left for Women of Faith - they all promised to be good, promised to miss me, promised to help Daddy... and then said - "Bring us a prize!" Now - they could care less if they got something that was $25... or the hotel lotions and soaps... they just like the THRILL OF THE PRIZE. And every time... I try to find something that will really thrill them, WOW them... and bring to their faces a SMILE.

This year, I started out with PEZ candies. (I found the cutest ones...while shopping for long sleeved shirts and sweat pants at the WalMart next to our hotel. I had packed all my usual Capri Pants and cute shirts... and this year it was 40 - 50 degrees in Columbus for WOF. Brrrrrr!) When I arrived at the Conference... I was not immediately "wowed" by anything. Usually I spend the entire first day trying to decide what I want to get the kids... but this year... I was having a hard time choosing. On DAY TWO... I had a migraine. It started out small...so I did what I usually do when I am getting one of these. I began to eat... and take medicine. The last thing I wanted to do... was MOVE. So during one of their Intermissions... I stayed in the auditorium. They showed a video for WORLD VISION. Every year, I sit there and watch these videos... listen to the stories... and think what a good idea that is. I would look around at all those women and think of how many lives could be changed... how we should all think more globally... and how reaching out is so important. And every year - I walk out after doing NOTHING. This year though, was different. As I walked around with Carolyn, I kept finding myself drawn to the World Vision Table. This year, I stopped. It hit me finally what I could take home to the kids that would mean more to them than a T-Shirt or video. Tim and I have tried to raise children that are aware of the world around them. Not just the "world" of Paris, Kentucky... but the whole world. We also hope that they grow up to be "color-blind" and see people for more than just the clor of their skin. What better way to share that with them than to become a World Vision sponsor? It was a great plan... I only wished I had known how hard it would be to CHOOSE A CHILD. As we approached the table, I told Carolyn my plan. I would select a child - and take that child home to the children as their "prize". It would be our new family project... and something that we could all participate in.

Selecting a child was the most difficult thing I have ever done...I walked to the table and could not make that choice. Every child I selected laid next to 2 dozen others that I would leave laying there... little faces with sad eyes looking back at me. I asked which need was the greatest - male or female...hoping that would help me narrow down my choice. I even asked which ages were most crucial. I was told that the boys around the ages 8 - 10 were at the most risk of being taken to use as Guerrilla fighters. Still - I ended up with a handful of children and tears in my eyes. Finally - seeing the difficulty that I was having, one of the workers came over and took all the pamphlets from my hands. She said - pick a birth date. I chose Tim's birthday - March 16th. She asked me which sex I had selected... and I told her MALE. She went to the box of March birthdays, went to March 16th and came back with the ONLY CHILD with that birthday. Tadiwos Alemu from Ethipoia. He is 10 years old. I fell in love with him the moment I saw his face. He lives in a village called Leini which is about 365 kilometers south of the Capital Addis Ababa. His father is a farmer, his mother a homemaker and he is the oldest of 4 children. They live in a hut built of wood, mud and covered by grass. They get their light from a lamp - and they fetch water from the nearby river. As I read a letter to the children from Tadiwos' father (that was written by his case worker) I was reminded once again of the many blessings that we have - and take for granted each and every day. The kids and I spent a week or more selecting small items to send to Tadiwos - things that might be fun for him and might bring him and his siblings some joy. We are limited to a 6x9 envelope - so we needed to be creative... but the kids really took great care to think of things that he might enjoy. This weekend, we received another update of Tadiwos. It even included a "progress report" of his schoolwork.

I can't tell you how much it has meant to me - and to our family to be World Vision Sponsors. We talk about and pray for Tadiwos each day... especially at bedtime. The kids have asked questions about where Tadiwos lives and what we can learn about him and his family. We have already received so many blessings from Tadiwos...and are so honored at the opportunity to be a part of his life. Sponsoring a child is not for everyone. But if you've ever thought of giving your family a more global vision of the WORLD... I would encourage you to look at World Vision. The cost is about $1 a day. Even with the many expenses that we have been saving for to bring Sara home... we have gladly made the sacrifices to continue sponsoring Tadiwos... a child that might not have the opportunity to hear the message of God's Love, or to know that there are families out there that care about him and his family. I can promise you the BLESSINGS have all been OURS.