Ethiopia Videos
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Christians
November 12th was an important day in the life of our family and most especially in the lives of our sons. It was the day they made a choice which will effect their life for all of eternity. Without any pressure from Mom or Dad, in fact we had put this off a few times when they asked, giving them more information and telling them to think it over, several times before....... they boys asked God to give them the Holy Spirit in their lives making them a Christian. Yes, they understand the sacrifice of Jesus and the need for forgiveness of sins, etc..... you know, as much as a 4 year old and almost 5 year old understands, which for our guys is rather a lot more than expected. But, these boys knew all this long before we knew them. I think even before Sele Enat they knew the precious promises of the Bible, the love of Jesus and the faith in God. At Sele Enat these truths were taught to them more and more. They know the stories, they know prayer, they know God. Here in America it has been translated in their minds and now they know all this in their heart of hearts, in their spirit where God now dwells with them. Praise be to God for His perfect way and his perfect answer to the prayers of birth parents, to prayers of "foster" parents and nannies and to our prayers for our boys. So, now they join the rest of our family in the family of Christ. For this we give praise to God.
Bubby and Hana
Friday, November 13, 2009
Hapy Birthday Phoebe
Happy Birthday to my sweet 12 year old Phoebe.
When you were a tiny baby you were so fussy with all the have too's like eating and sleeping. All you wanted was to see the world, all the people and what was going on. You rolled around starting at 2 months old and quickly went to walking and running. All over, to see the world, explore. You were a good sport and a good companion in Bolivia.... mommy's dolly. Oh the things your brain has seen, if only you could remember them. Ethiopia last year and all the places in between.
You are my gem. My bright shining star. I can not believe you are already 12. Soon to me and maybe not soon enough to you, you will be on your own, exploring this big world. I know you won't forget the way home. And more than that I know you won't forget to always follow your Lord. Where ever he leads is the best place to be, whether far or near.
I love your sweet and tender heart, your sense of justice, right and wrong. You are helpful and kind, compassionate and thoughtful. You are a true and faithful friend, anyone who finds in you friendship will have a friend for life. You are my precious one, my Sunshine Angel. I love you.
Happy Birthday,
Love,
Mama
When you were a tiny baby you were so fussy with all the have too's like eating and sleeping. All you wanted was to see the world, all the people and what was going on. You rolled around starting at 2 months old and quickly went to walking and running. All over, to see the world, explore. You were a good sport and a good companion in Bolivia.... mommy's dolly. Oh the things your brain has seen, if only you could remember them. Ethiopia last year and all the places in between.
I love your sweet and tender heart, your sense of justice, right and wrong. You are helpful and kind, compassionate and thoughtful. You are a true and faithful friend, anyone who finds in you friendship will have a friend for life. You are my precious one, my Sunshine Angel. I love you.
Happy Birthday,
Love,
Mama
What to expect in Ethiopia
I just want to give you a little tip for travel preparation.
I have lived in the third world before and so for me Ethiopia was not a big shock, but for the vast majority of families who will travel there to adopt, whether they have done so before in China, Guatemala, Vietnam, etc..... Ethiopia will be a shock.
You all know what I am talking about on the socio-economic scale, the poverty is huge, the starvation, the disease, the lack of everything. You have seen videos, you have seen other families photos, you have read news reports, etc. You might even have an idea about the dirt, the mud, the trash, the smells, the filth that is everywhere. The bumpy, unmaintained roads, the lack of road signs and street names making navigation difficult, the millions of metal shacks that many call home. The idea of time and schedules, the difference in climate, cultural norms. Be careful of the water and the food, etc. We all do the best we can to prepare ourselves for those things.
But, what you may not be prepared for is that in no way does America go with you to Ethiopia. No matter where you stay Ethiopia is not America and your standards will be assaulted. Unless you stay at the Hilton or Sheraton and do not get to have your child with you........ things will be on Ethiopian standard.
At a guest house: the floors are all tile, sound travels. The walls are mostly plaster, the sound travels. The windows are not insulated, sound travels. It is not quiet there, ever. The beds are not comfortable, they are ET standard great, not American. The kitchen is half outside and looks nothing like any kitchen in the US. The plumbing is more than likely to leak, it just does. The shower is a 2'x2' square pan with open sides and a not so adequate curtain. I have seen several, they are all the same. The shower head is either too low or out of reach... sometimes it has to be held to use, not fixed to the wall. If you have a tub it may or may not have a shower head, but some of those are great, in comparison. The water, if heated on site, is on an individual electric water heater IN the shower. You have to turn it on prior to use. They sometimes don't work. It takes a long time to get things fixed. If it is not heated on site then the hot is variable and you never know when you will have it or not. The water sometimes goes out, in the middle of the shower, for a few hours. The pressure is variable and not predictable. More often than not you share a bath with other guests. Ours was accessed outside on a balcony, and shared with two rooms. The electricity goes out regularly and at random times. There is not a plentiful supply of internet connection, DSL is hard to find, dial up is unstable and you may or may not be able to get on. You really can's send photos. The computer for use is public, so your time is short. You can not access blogs, but you can access facebook. Oh, the electricity goes out too, sometimes when you are in the middle of the second or third email you have been working on and re doing after other outages. In most guest houses there is no adequate place for children to play. There are lots of others there. It is nice to be with other families and other kids too, but lack of family time and privacy can get to you after a while. And all that dirt outside, well, there is no way to keep it out, even the cleanest guest house will not be to an American standard of clean. It just is not possible. The food you will be served will be "American". But nothing like anything you have ever tasted. Ethiopian food is their specialty. There is no Walmart, no Target, no McDonald's, picking up something you have forgotten or find would make your stay more comfortable is a large task. Some guest houses cater to the adoptive family and will go out of their way to help you, others don't. I over heard a discussion between two Ethiopian women when we were there. They were discussing the excessive needs of these Americans. Ok, the standard is different. You and I think it is no big deal to ask for new towels every day or every other day. You may not get new towels but once a week. But, this is a big deal to them. They have to be hand washed and air dried. In the winter it takes days to dry. It takes a lot of time. Everything is time intensive, washing the floor and cooking and shopping and laundry. It takes a lot of work. I'm not saying don't ask, I am saying expect the standards to be Ethiopian- not anything like what you are used to. And, it is often difficult to find someone to help you out. If your guest house is not helpful, that is that. Most agencies do not have staff there to do things for you. They only do the stuff directly related to the adoption. That is enough work in itself. Some agencies do have courtesy staff for families, but those are few. Hopefully you are staying at a guest house which can help you, like The New Flower. Helen is great. In general if you think about a motel, like Motel 8 for example, the standards in Ethiopia will be a significantly lower. Like poor bed quality and the bathroom will be much less nice and the privacy will also be less. It is just not even as clean as that. The dirt and grime from outside just does not stay there. It creeps in at every opportunity and the staff work hard keeping it out, but it is never a winning battle. The service at most guest houses will be more like a cheap B&B. You are not catered to in any way the same as in America (they feel they are catering to you, and they are very helpful). This is all considered very good in Ethiopia. The Hilton, for royalty. The guest house, like for an ambassador, a wealthy person, but not royalty. You get the picture.
I know we think about this but I am not sure the reality or the extent of it really hits us until we are actually there. I know that if we focus on the fact we are there for our children then it is all manageable and the discomfort for us is thankfully temporary. You can do anything for a week! Just hoping to let you know a bit more of what to expect.
Once you are home you will look back and remember the beautiful, sincere people. The amazing culture that has withstood so much. The strong people, the beautiful country. You will long for it in your soul. Which is good, you can give your son or daughter a sense of history from your heart.
Happy travels.
Jill
I have lived in the third world before and so for me Ethiopia was not a big shock, but for the vast majority of families who will travel there to adopt, whether they have done so before in China, Guatemala, Vietnam, etc..... Ethiopia will be a shock.
You all know what I am talking about on the socio-economic scale, the poverty is huge, the starvation, the disease, the lack of everything. You have seen videos, you have seen other families photos, you have read news reports, etc. You might even have an idea about the dirt, the mud, the trash, the smells, the filth that is everywhere. The bumpy, unmaintained roads, the lack of road signs and street names making navigation difficult, the millions of metal shacks that many call home. The idea of time and schedules, the difference in climate, cultural norms. Be careful of the water and the food, etc. We all do the best we can to prepare ourselves for those things.
But, what you may not be prepared for is that in no way does America go with you to Ethiopia. No matter where you stay Ethiopia is not America and your standards will be assaulted. Unless you stay at the Hilton or Sheraton and do not get to have your child with you........ things will be on Ethiopian standard.
At a guest house: the floors are all tile, sound travels. The walls are mostly plaster, the sound travels. The windows are not insulated, sound travels. It is not quiet there, ever. The beds are not comfortable, they are ET standard great, not American. The kitchen is half outside and looks nothing like any kitchen in the US. The plumbing is more than likely to leak, it just does. The shower is a 2'x2' square pan with open sides and a not so adequate curtain. I have seen several, they are all the same. The shower head is either too low or out of reach... sometimes it has to be held to use, not fixed to the wall. If you have a tub it may or may not have a shower head, but some of those are great, in comparison. The water, if heated on site, is on an individual electric water heater IN the shower. You have to turn it on prior to use. They sometimes don't work. It takes a long time to get things fixed. If it is not heated on site then the hot is variable and you never know when you will have it or not. The water sometimes goes out, in the middle of the shower, for a few hours. The pressure is variable and not predictable. More often than not you share a bath with other guests. Ours was accessed outside on a balcony, and shared with two rooms. The electricity goes out regularly and at random times. There is not a plentiful supply of internet connection, DSL is hard to find, dial up is unstable and you may or may not be able to get on. You really can's send photos. The computer for use is public, so your time is short. You can not access blogs, but you can access facebook. Oh, the electricity goes out too, sometimes when you are in the middle of the second or third email you have been working on and re doing after other outages. In most guest houses there is no adequate place for children to play. There are lots of others there. It is nice to be with other families and other kids too, but lack of family time and privacy can get to you after a while. And all that dirt outside, well, there is no way to keep it out, even the cleanest guest house will not be to an American standard of clean. It just is not possible. The food you will be served will be "American". But nothing like anything you have ever tasted. Ethiopian food is their specialty. There is no Walmart, no Target, no McDonald's, picking up something you have forgotten or find would make your stay more comfortable is a large task. Some guest houses cater to the adoptive family and will go out of their way to help you, others don't. I over heard a discussion between two Ethiopian women when we were there. They were discussing the excessive needs of these Americans. Ok, the standard is different. You and I think it is no big deal to ask for new towels every day or every other day. You may not get new towels but once a week. But, this is a big deal to them. They have to be hand washed and air dried. In the winter it takes days to dry. It takes a lot of time. Everything is time intensive, washing the floor and cooking and shopping and laundry. It takes a lot of work. I'm not saying don't ask, I am saying expect the standards to be Ethiopian- not anything like what you are used to. And, it is often difficult to find someone to help you out. If your guest house is not helpful, that is that. Most agencies do not have staff there to do things for you. They only do the stuff directly related to the adoption. That is enough work in itself. Some agencies do have courtesy staff for families, but those are few. Hopefully you are staying at a guest house which can help you, like The New Flower. Helen is great. In general if you think about a motel, like Motel 8 for example, the standards in Ethiopia will be a significantly lower. Like poor bed quality and the bathroom will be much less nice and the privacy will also be less. It is just not even as clean as that. The dirt and grime from outside just does not stay there. It creeps in at every opportunity and the staff work hard keeping it out, but it is never a winning battle. The service at most guest houses will be more like a cheap B&B. You are not catered to in any way the same as in America (they feel they are catering to you, and they are very helpful). This is all considered very good in Ethiopia. The Hilton, for royalty. The guest house, like for an ambassador, a wealthy person, but not royalty. You get the picture.
I know we think about this but I am not sure the reality or the extent of it really hits us until we are actually there. I know that if we focus on the fact we are there for our children then it is all manageable and the discomfort for us is thankfully temporary. You can do anything for a week! Just hoping to let you know a bit more of what to expect.
Once you are home you will look back and remember the beautiful, sincere people. The amazing culture that has withstood so much. The strong people, the beautiful country. You will long for it in your soul. Which is good, you can give your son or daughter a sense of history from your heart.
Happy travels.
Jill
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Dave's work
This article is about a grant that the CSTEME program partnered with in Eagle, CO. Of course they quote someone who is not with CTEME, the program Dave is the director of. Dave helped to write this and his oganization is the one that co-sponsored this and will do a ton of training and such with Eagle, they have already done much there. It is a replication program to take CSTEME to other regions, as mentioned at the very end of the article, the program here is Dave's. That is SUCCESS, in the world of Non-profits anyway. :) Good job Dave!
UCCS shares in $1 million grant to hype math in Eagle County
Comments 0 | Recommend 0November 02, 2009 5:25 PM
THE GAZETTE
A $1 million grant the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs will share with two other educational entities will teach 90 secondary school math teachers in Eagle County how to instruct kids how numbers can be fun.
UCCS’ Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Education will share the money with the Eagle County School District and the Consortium on Reading Excellence in Berkeley, Calif. The Colorado Department of Education provided the award using funds from the U.S. Department of Education.
The UCCS center focuses on enhancing the workforce of scientists and engineers through programs that target elementary through college students.
The three-year professional development program in Eagle County will be monitored by looking at student achievement and assessing how confident teachers are in using specific problem-solving strategies.
UCCS spokesman Tom Hutton said the Eagle County work is another step in the center’s effort to expand the model throughout Colorado. A similar program has been going on in the Pikes Peak region for several years, he said.
UCCS’ Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Education will share the money with the Eagle County School District and the Consortium on Reading Excellence in Berkeley, Calif. The Colorado Department of Education provided the award using funds from the U.S. Department of Education.
The UCCS center focuses on enhancing the workforce of scientists and engineers through programs that target elementary through college students.
The three-year professional development program in Eagle County will be monitored by looking at student achievement and assessing how confident teachers are in using specific problem-solving strategies.
UCCS spokesman Tom Hutton said the Eagle County work is another step in the center’s effort to expand the model throughout Colorado. A similar program has been going on in the Pikes Peak region for several years, he said.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Happy Reformation
Happy Reformation! Oh, I know you don't get that much do you. Today we celebrate the historic and important event of Martin Luther nailing the 95 theses of Christian faith on the door of the Wittenburg church. The next day, All Saint's Day, would be a significant Mass and everyone would see his posting. Significant event for those of us in the protestant denominations of Christendom. We celebrated tonight by going to a local church and "going around the world" to peek into the lives and sacrifices of early reformers. Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Huss, William Tyndale, Wycliffe...... Fun time for all and educational too. :)
Oh, and the wearin' of the ORANGE. Yep, that too is reformation. William of Orange of Scottland the champion of the protestant faith in Ireland.
Well, I can't really help it. Dave is descended from French Huguenots (persecuted protestants) and I am descended from early English, German and Irish Protestants. It's sort of in the blood.
But, religion is not the aim, nor is it the primary focus here. While it holds my world view, it starts much deeper than that. The first reformer Jesus Christ is the author of it all and the base of my world view and faith. It's not about doing - it is about being, being God's. The great story of Redemption.
The basic tenants of the Protestant Reformation:
Scripture Alone- Sola Scriptura, Faith Alone-Sola Fide, Christ Alone-Sola Christus, Grace Alone-Sola Gratsia, Glory to God Alone-Soli Deo Gloria
In case you ever wondered, the 95 Theses of Martin Luther, ushering the Protestant Reformation can be read at this link.
Happy Reformation and Reformation Sunday or All Saint's Day.
Oh, and the wearin' of the ORANGE. Yep, that too is reformation. William of Orange of Scottland the champion of the protestant faith in Ireland.
Well, I can't really help it. Dave is descended from French Huguenots (persecuted protestants) and I am descended from early English, German and Irish Protestants. It's sort of in the blood.
But, religion is not the aim, nor is it the primary focus here. While it holds my world view, it starts much deeper than that. The first reformer Jesus Christ is the author of it all and the base of my world view and faith. It's not about doing - it is about being, being God's. The great story of Redemption.
The basic tenants of the Protestant Reformation:
Scripture Alone- Sola Scriptura, Faith Alone-Sola Fide, Christ Alone-Sola Christus, Grace Alone-Sola Gratsia, Glory to God Alone-Soli Deo Gloria
In case you ever wondered, the 95 Theses of Martin Luther, ushering the Protestant Reformation can be read at this link.
Happy Reformation and Reformation Sunday or All Saint's Day.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Salad Bowl of America
The Beauty of Diversity
by Chief MSgt. Ret. Bob Vasquez
When most people think of October they think of Fall and Halloween. They are forgetting something very important about this month: Hispanic Heritage. The following article was written by my father who teaches Character at the Air Force Academy. Take a moment to read and enjoy the diversity that surrounds us every day. - Elyse White
Every year around this time I'm approached by people with the same question. "Hey, Chief," they say, "why do we have to have Hispanic Heritage Month? Aren't we all Americans?"
I never argue that a bit, but there's more to it. I'm sure you know we celebrate African-American/Black History Month in February, Women's History Month in March, Asian-Pacific Month in May, Hispanic Heritage Month in September and October, and Native American Month in November. The purpose of those observances is to educate those of us who don't know a lot about those cultures and to acknowledge the contributions that those groups of people have made to our own American heritage.
When you ask yourself what it is that makes America great, you'll find the answer is diversity. If you'll look around you (go ahead, no one's watching) you'll notice that what we call America is made up of people from all kinds of cultures, from different parts of the country or the world.
We're all different, yet we're all the same. We share the same basic values that make us Americans. We're invested in making our country and the world a better place for all of us to live. We believe in a democratic system of government where the people have a say in what and how we live.
What makes America great is that although we have different and diverse needs and desires, we've been able to combine all those differences to form one very diverse, but unified, family that allows us to be ourselves and expects us to accept each other.
We used to talk about the American melting pot. An honorable idea, but I'm not sure it's attainable. Why? Because there is very little, if any, chance that we'll all "melt", that we'll all assimilate, that we'll all be the same, and I'm not so sure we all want to be the same. I think it was Gen. George Patton who said, "If two of us are thinking the same thing, we don't need one of us." There's a marked difference between thinking the same thing and thinking with the same purpose in mind.
The concept of the American Salad Bowl comes closer to describing the culture we live in. The illustration of the salad bowl describes a dish that, as a whole, is its own entity, delicious and healthy. What gives that dish its flavor and wholesomeness is all of the different ingredients that make it one. Each ingredient adds its own contribution to the whole. Any part of it that's missing will affect the end result.
Dr. Stephen Covey has said, "Unity is not sameness, it's complementariness." If we are to be united, we have to be willing to accept, appreciate and celebrate one another's differences.
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, join the fun. Get involved. You don't have to be of or know a lot about, the culture. You'll learn a lot and you'll find a kind of gratification you can't find elsewhere. The education you gain and the relationships you develop will make you better and they'll make America better.
Together, we can go forward.
I never argue that a bit, but there's more to it. I'm sure you know we celebrate African-American/Black History Month in February, Women's History Month in March, Asian-Pacific Month in May, Hispanic Heritage Month in September and October, and Native American Month in November. The purpose of those observances is to educate those of us who don't know a lot about those cultures and to acknowledge the contributions that those groups of people have made to our own American heritage.
When you ask yourself what it is that makes America great, you'll find the answer is diversity. If you'll look around you (go ahead, no one's watching) you'll notice that what we call America is made up of people from all kinds of cultures, from different parts of the country or the world.
We're all different, yet we're all the same. We share the same basic values that make us Americans. We're invested in making our country and the world a better place for all of us to live. We believe in a democratic system of government where the people have a say in what and how we live.
What makes America great is that although we have different and diverse needs and desires, we've been able to combine all those differences to form one very diverse, but unified, family that allows us to be ourselves and expects us to accept each other.
We used to talk about the American melting pot. An honorable idea, but I'm not sure it's attainable. Why? Because there is very little, if any, chance that we'll all "melt", that we'll all assimilate, that we'll all be the same, and I'm not so sure we all want to be the same. I think it was Gen. George Patton who said, "If two of us are thinking the same thing, we don't need one of us." There's a marked difference between thinking the same thing and thinking with the same purpose in mind.
The concept of the American Salad Bowl comes closer to describing the culture we live in. The illustration of the salad bowl describes a dish that, as a whole, is its own entity, delicious and healthy. What gives that dish its flavor and wholesomeness is all of the different ingredients that make it one. Each ingredient adds its own contribution to the whole. Any part of it that's missing will affect the end result.
Dr. Stephen Covey has said, "Unity is not sameness, it's complementariness." If we are to be united, we have to be willing to accept, appreciate and celebrate one another's differences.
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, join the fun. Get involved. You don't have to be of or know a lot about, the culture. You'll learn a lot and you'll find a kind of gratification you can't find elsewhere. The education you gain and the relationships you develop will make you better and they'll make America better.
Together, we can go forward.
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