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Early in our adoption process I found a book named, There Is No Me Without You by Melissa Fay Greene. While we had already chosen Ethiopia to be where we were adopting from, this book really helped us feel Ethiopia’s need for help with AIDS orphans. I immediately bought it to keep forever and to re-read again someday.
Greene is an adoptive mother herself, from Ethiopia and other countries, as well as a writer by profession. She did an amazing job researching, interviewing and then sharing what she had learned. The book is full of facts and theories, but is told in a story form that keeps my eyes from rolling back in my head. I really need to feel the story as well as read facts.
A large book (427 pages) it covers a woman named Haregewoin Teferra and her journey to helping children touched by HIV/AIDS after it has affected her family. Greene discusses theories of how the virus got started, then spread endemically throughout Africa and how social and spiritual tabus caused the continuation of the virus and delayed treatment for many.
The author’s descriptions of the kids brings names and faces to the “millions” number we often read about. I cried, Hubby cried, my mom cried while reading it. I didn’t know who Mita and Enu were when I read this story two and a half years ago, but I did feel pain for my future children and wanted to hold them close.
What impacted me the most were the pictures. One child is shown with a now and a before picture. Before he was dying of AIDS, now he appears to be a healthy boy. The transformation after having access to medications is amazing and worth seeing.
I have started this review many times, and never get it finished. Yesterday, however, I found it on AmharicKids.com at an amazing price and I had to share it with everyone. If you have never read it, or have read it but don’t own it, this is a great opportunity to purchase it.
My hope is that when Mita and Enu are much older that they will read this book and it may shed some light on what happened to their home, family and country.
If you have read There is No Me Without You before I would love to hear from you about your favorite part or how it impacted you view on Ethiopia.
Photo Credit Mandy W 2009
Greetings: I’m an Ethiopian church pastor here in Denver/Aurora. We are planning to give an Amharic class for adoptive parents. Please let us know if you want to take the class. my email is pastorermias@yahoo.com
Thanks