How about a feel-good story this week?
Recently, I interviewed a family who is adopting a boy from Ethiopia. Meet the Page family. Mollie and her husband Scott have three adorable girls. The boy, Isaiah, they are waiting to bring home from Ethiopia is equally as cute.
Two years ago, Mollie and Scott were gathered at a friend’s house to hear a band play. The band was there to raise awareness about the orphan crisis. That night, the Pages could no longer silence the stirring in their hearts to adopt. As they prayed about their decision to adopt, “We always came back to Ethiopia. Truly, it was like Ethiopia chose us!” said Mollie.
She explained, “Even though I had never been there, African has been on my heart for many, many years. I would dream of working in an orphanage or teaching in an African school. Little did I know, our son was the main reason for my affinity toward Africa.”
The Page family waited nearly 14 months for their referral. They traveled to Ethiopia in August for their court appearance and to meet little Isaiah, who is a year old. Like many families, they had a long wait ahead of them for their Embassy appointment. To deal with the wait, they said, “We truly get our strength from the Lord. We’ve gotten great support from our friends, family, and the many adopting families in our community.”
They have learned a lot about faith and love through adoption. “At the beginning of this process, our thoughts were that we would be providing a better life for a child through adoption,” they said. “Through our love, that child would be blessed! Since then, our thoughts have changed. It’s through the life of our son that we now have a deeper understanding of God’s love for us. We are the ones that have been blessed!”
The Page family also offered the following tips for other adopting parents:
- If you know another family traveling to Ethiopia before you go, try to send a care package and include a soft photo album with pictures of your family.
- Bring humanitarian items for the care center; include diapers, wipes, blankets, bibs, and clothes.
- They brought protein bars, peanuts, crackers, and trail mix. When they were approached for money in the city, they were able to give food instead.
- Get creative with your fundraising. Have a garage sale, sell t-shirts, or partner with organizations (like Junk Posse and Just Love Coffee) that donate their profits to fund adoptions. And remember to tell your story!
- Ciprofloxacin (an antibiotic) is a must.
With an estimated 5 million orphans/homeless children in Ethiopia alone, the Page family feels a greater duty to give than ever before. “Scott and I feel that we have been blessed so that we can be a blessing to others, locally and globally,” said Mollie.
The Page family will soon be together at home with little Isaiah. They got clearance from the Embassy just before Thanksgiving.
Photo Credit: Page family
