Stephanie Gibson, Program Assistant, Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia—This afternoon the families gathered at the Holt Transitional Center in Addis one last time for a blessing ceremony for the children. The nannies took the children one last time and dressed them in traditional Ethiopian garb purchased by the staff as a gift to the children and families. All the toddlers in the center took part in the gathering. The families came in one at a time with their children. Dr. Fikru gave a brief speech about how blessed we all are and how the families are very blessed to have these beautiful children and the children are blessed to have these families for their own. There was prayer, and each of the families was given an opportunity to say something if they wanted to. All of them did. It was very touching, and hard not to be emotional. I found the hardest part for me was at the end, watching two children say goodbye who had been together in the Durame Center the longest. The adoptive family told the older girl how thankful they were that she was their child’s “sister” and thanked her for helping her and taking such good care of her. As the oldest child currently in the care center, she understood very well what was happening. She knew her friend had a family, and she was sad that it was not her turn. Dr. Fikru told her lovingly that she has a family, too, and they will be coming to receive her, it will just take time. His words were little consolation at the moment, I am sure, but I know she does have a family who is going to just love her!

After all the goodbyes were said, the families went back to the guesthouse for the evening. The power was out and so we ate together by candlelight. Cigars were passed around to the new daddies in the group for celebration. These children could not have hoped for better-suited parents. Each one is perfect for their child. This has truly been a blessing.

Stephanie Gibson Program Assistant, Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia—All our families had their visa interviews today. After entering the U.S. embassy, which felt a lot like walking into a compound, we waited for about an hour for the first family name to be called. Each family was called to a little window where they were sworn in and asked a few questions, such as: Is this the child you were referred? Did you meet your child before or after the court date? Have you met the birth parents? Was this child released to an orphanage? The whole process is really a formality and takes less than 5 minutes for each family. A signature here and a signature there, and we were done. Visas can be picked up on Thursday morning. We celebrated with a lunch at the Golf Club and dinner at the Crown Hotel, where they have a buffet featuring traditional Ethiopian food, music and dances from individual tribes/regions of Ethiopia.

Stephanie Gibson, Program Assistant, Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia—What an amazing privilege to watch our families meet their children for the first time. I found it hard not to cry. The infants attach quickly to their new families and adore the attention. While it takes a bit for the toddlers to warm up, I can tell these are the perfect families for these little ones.

I am also amazed at how warm and caring the staff has been. For each child who is going home, the nannies to whom they are closest came to speak with the families about their child, answer questions, and be a support to the children while they transition from Holt’s care to the care of their new families. Some nannies are from the Durame Intake Center and some from Bethzatha Children’s Home Association, one of our in-country partners. What a wonder it is to watch parent and child begin the process of bonding to each other. But how hard it is for them to have to leave the Transitional Center to sleep in the evenings.

The proximity of the Transitional Center and the guesthouse is such a plus. Some families have rooms with a view of the center and can hear the children playing next door. The center opens at 9 a.m.—not soon enough for anxious families, but it does give the families time to interact and bond with each other over breakfast. In the evenings parents can lull their children to sleep before returning to the guesthouse for dinner. After the visa interviews on Tuesday parents will have freedom to bring their children to the guesthouse with them.

This afternoon we will head out to see the sights around town and visit a museum, and in the evening we will have dinner at a restaurant called Top View.

Stephanie Gibson, Program Assistant Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia—I arrived in Addis on Wednesday accompanied by a Holt board member who often travels to assist with medical checkups on children in Holt’s programs. Massi, who was hired to help escort the first of our adoptive families, greeted us at the airport. Those families will begin to arrive Thursday evening. The Union Hotel (also known as the “guesthouse”) is about 35 minutes away from the airport—it takes an hour with traffic. The road is only partly paved, and along the side of the road much construction is underway. By next year, this road should be fully paved.

After briefly settling in at the guesthouse we were escorted to Holt’s new Transitional Center for children. A former private residence, this house is enormous, with multiple children’s rooms, office space, housing for the nannies, and a wonderful balcony where children can play outside. I am amazed at the convenience of the guesthouse to the Transitional Center—directly next door. The children are happy, playful and very warm and welcoming to us as guests.

During this day and the next, medical checkups will be conducted on children in care, and I will learn how document processing is completed in the Ethiopia office and share the processes completed in the Eugene office.

Everyone eagerly awaits the arrival of our first families coming to escort their children home.