Ethiopia or Bust

Ethiopian Orphans from Simon Scionka on Vimeo.

I have recently gotten back in touch with my friend Tanya. Tanya and her husband Tony are an amazing couple. They were high school sweethearts who married out of school. They both attended KU and Tony went on to medical school and is now a pediatric physician. Tanya and I grew up together in Bartlesville and as little girls we took ballet together. Later God wove our path together at KU as we both worked toward our OT degrees at KU medical center. After Jim and I were married, we spent a lot of time with Tony and Tanya as newlywed couples at Heartland Community Church in Kansas City. As God has moved our families to different parts of the country, it is really fun to reconnect and see how God is working in their lives. Currently, they are on a journey to adopt and bring home a child from Ethiopia. The Pruitt's journey is amazing and I wanted to include a link to her blog http://sixpruitts.blogspot.com/ named A Long Obedience. Take some time and check it out. Grab your kleenex box and be ready for God to move in your heart.

Scared - A Novel on the Edge of the World from Children's HopeChest on Vimeo.

Here are some unknown facts about Ethiopia.

* Did you know in Ethiopia
* * There is approx. 1 doctor for every 24,000 children
* * Ethiopia has approx. 4.3 million orphans and the country is twice the size of Texas
* * Half the children in Ethiopia will never attend school. 88% will never attend secondary school
* * The median age in Ethiopia is 18
* * 1 in 6 children die before their fifth birthday
* * 1 in 10 children die before their first birthday

If you are called to make a difference, check out these websites:
http://www.adoptionsbygladney.com
http://www.compassion.com/
http://www.shoesfororphansouls.org/
http://www.ahopeforchildren.org/
http://www.mochaclub.org/
http://www.5for50.com/
http://www.wheelchairfoundation.org/
http://www.charitywater.org/
http://www.worldorphans.com/