On my way!

I arrived in DC a little after 9pm. It was heartwrenching to say goodbye to Teketel (even though he was doing his best to make it easier by being in a horribly sour mood). We leave for Ethiopia at 12pm tomorrow. A long flight, we arrive in Ethiopia at 8:30 in the morning (their time.) I should have access to internet through out the three weeks and will try my best to post as we go.

Talk to you soon!

My heart belongs to Ethiopia...

I just finished the fall semester (thank God!) so I should have a bit more time on my hands. But while I am playing catch up on housework, shopping for Christmas gifts, and catching up at work, I thought I could use this post to give a clear understanding of why my heart truly begins to Ethiopia. I wrote an essay a couple years ago for an English class about my experience meeting Teketel's birthmother. I would like to share that essay with you now. Please keep in mind that I had to write it a specific way, (certain topic, certain style) but I was pleased that I was able to tell the story of my experience in a condensed way. (VERY rare for me!) So please read on of my amazing experience in Ethiopia, I will never forget this day and I am proud to share it with you.

The scenery was captivating; rolling hills spotted with thatched huts and beautiful acacia trees that stood above them as giants looking over the village. We drove past villagers caring for their livestock; the weight of the recent drought was reflected in their tired faces and in the emaciated bodies of the animals. Children left their huts to watch as we drove in our Land Rovers along the newly paved road. The children smiled and waved, asking us to stop so that they could practice their few words of English. They were dirty and their clothes torn, flies circled their faces, and they made no effort to swat them away. However, the dirt and flies could not hide the luminous smiles and piercing eyes that every child seemed to own. It was just two days prior that my husband and I had met our son, Teketel, for the first time in the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Abba. At seven months old he had already laid claim to those Ethiopian eyes that had captured my attention instantly. After only a couple days of spending time with our son, the adoption agency organized a trip for the seven American adoptive families to meet the birth parents of their children. On that warm Sunday in June of 2008, we left our children in the capital as we made the journey to the town of Hosanna in southern Ethiopia to meet the mother of our son. Nothing could have prepared me for that meeting; I could never have predicted the amount of admiration I would have for this woman and the amazing strength she possessed.

We arrived at the adoption agency’s compound after four long hours. The social workers ushered the adoptive parents into one room. The room was fairly bare except for a couch and chairs lining the walls. We sat down next to our spouses and waited in silence. The only sound was the Ethiopian woman roasting coffee beans that would be used later as a part of a traditional Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony. The aroma of the coffee filled the room, and the anxiety of the adoptive parents was nearly palpable. I could feel the air escape as all of the parents held their breath in anticipation, waiting for the social worker to enter and call out their child’s name. It wasn’t until the fifth time that a social worker entered and asked for the parents of Teketel. At the sound of my son’s name I felt for the first time the magnitude of this meeting rest heavily on my heart. My husband placed his hand on my back as if to say he felt the same way as we followed the social worker.

The room where we met my son’s birthmother, Amsalech, was very small and had only three chairs. As we entered, she immediately stood to greet us. Her frame was small, and her disposition was very reserved. She stood no taller than five foot four, and she was dressed in a t-shirt and long skirt. She was young, a few years my junior, much too young to have three children and the burden of raising them. I extended my arms to her, and we embraced. We both began to weep. As I stood there and held the woman that had forever changed my life, emotions that I cannot attempt to describe overwhelmed me. At that moment, as we held one another, it was as if two souls became irreversibly connected. Two women with nothing in common from completely different cultures and backgrounds stood clinging to one another, mourning the same thing: her agonizing loss.

After a few moments had passed, we sat across from each other, and with the help of two interpreters, we began to learn about one another. Each sentence of conversation took time to translate since Amsalech spoke a dialect called Tembarssa which is spoken in the Tembaro district. It is a rare dialect and our interpreter was unable to translate it, making it necessary for two interpreters to be present. First, an interpreter would translate from Tembarssa to Amharic, and then our interpreter would translate from Amharic to English. This process was so time consuming that we had to carefully select the questions we had for her to make the most of our short time together. We first asked about Teketel’s siblings. She replied that her eldest child’s, Adame, health was poor and that she was very concerned for her. She said her son, Teshale, was a very energetic boy. She said both of her children adored their little brother, Teketel. She spoke about the time they had with Teketel and how he was a happy and content baby, only crying when he was hungry. We handed her a gift of a double hinged frame. In the frame were two pictures, a picture of us and a picture of Teketel at the age of six months. She held the frame close to her. It was not an expensive frame but it was more costly than anything she owned. She studied the picture of Teketel, rarely glancing away. She had not seen him since the day she took him to the care center when he was just two and a half months old. I watched as she stared at the picture and never once did I see the strength of her decision waiver. Her face never displayed an ounce of regret. We handed her a large map that had a star marking Savannah, Georgia, and one marking her home in Ethiopia. She stared in amazement at the map; she had never laid eyes on anything like it.

After thanking us for the gifts, we asked her if there was anything she wanted for Teketel. She said that she wanted him to remain true to his heritage and asked that we always celebrate Meskel and Easter, two important Ethiopian holidays. We promised we would and told her we would keep the name that she gave him so that he would carry a part of her with him. The expression on her face showed gratitude that her limited words would not convey. It was the next part of our conversation that showed me the true depth of her strength. She explained the circumstances that led to her decision for adoption. We had already been told the story by our social workers, but it was completely different to see and hear her speak of it. I saw shame and hurt in her eyes, but more than anything I saw an unyielding determination. I could see that it was her belief in the rightness of her decision that sustained her. We finished our time together with her sharing her dream for Teketel. She said that her hope for him was that he was able to grow to be anything he desired.

We left her that day after more embraces and tears. We took a picture of us with Amsalech to hang in Teketel’s room so he would see his birth mother every day. She had proven to be a pillar of strength. She watched us leave to return to her son and take him to the other side of the world, knowing that she will never see him again, and yet she remained steadfast. The gifts of the pictures and map seemed so insignificant in comparison to the gift that she gave us. I am forever indebted to this woman and to her unshakeable strength. As my son grows, I see more and more of her features in him. When I look at him I am constantly reminded of her sacrifice, and of the courage that sacrifice required. Even today I still mourn her loss and pray for her strength to continue. I hope that I can emulate that strength as a mother. I hope and pray that my son will inherit more than just her physical features; I hope that he will inherit the strength that embodies her. I know that with strength like hers he will accomplish her dream for him, to grow to be anything he desires.

Why Ethiopia? Why now?

Explaining why I am taking this trip seems to be the best topic for my next blog post. The answer is a fairly complicated one, but I will do my best to explain simply my reasons for this trip.

Let’s handle the most obvious reason first. Part of my heart belongs to the beautiful country of Ethiopia. As many of you know or have learned by reading my blog, my son is from Ethiopia. Teketel is the most amazing kid in the world. Granted, I may be a little bias. But seriously I’ve never met a kid so cool. J Andy and I will be eternally grateful to the country of Ethiopia and Teketel’s birth family for the opportunity to raise this captivating little boy. Our trip to Ethiopia in May 2007 to pick up our son was a life changing experience. Not only because we became parents for the first time but because we fell in love with the country. The warmness of the people we encountered and the strength and joy they possess, despite their heart wrenching poverty, has taught me lifelong lessons. When I have those “woe is me” days, you know the ones, when work is taxing or relationships are difficult. It is when the self-pitying begins and you are stuck in a rut. It is in those moments, I remind myself of the people I have encountered and how even in the most hopeless situations, they find hope and joy. All Americans could learn a thing or two from them. Poor customer service at a restaurant, frustrating driving tourists in downtown Savannah, or unfair treatment at our workplace would likely not get us so angry so quickly, if we lived life in the shoes of the Ethiopians I encountered on our trip. As the organization I am traveling with has so eloquently put it, it is for this very reason, “We need Africa more than Africa needs us.”

The second reason I am traveling to Ethiopia with Mocha Club is because I feel that it is our responsibility as Americans to make a difference in this world. We are so incredibly blessed to be born into this country. I did absolutely nothing to earn being born into a middle class family in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio. I did nothing to deserve the food on my table every day, the warm clothes on my back, the education I received, or the loving family I was given. God blessed me. And I believe the reason he chose to bless me, was so that I may in turn bless others. The girl in the developing country, who was sold into prostitution because she had no other foreseeable value, did nothing to deserve that life. She was simply born into it. Now we could argue all day about her government’s role in all of this or how her family may have squandered money or how the history of that country caused the current situation… but when it comes down to it… she is a girl, a human being, a person if in America we would believe deserves “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” She is a person just like anyone else that deserves more than the hand she was dealt. And I believe it is my responsibility to use the gifts given me (and they truly are gifts) to help her.

Many of you may say if that is the case, then why not just raise the money and donate it? That would do far more than anything you could possibly accomplish in three weeks. And I agree with that statement wholeheartedly. And my family practices that principle in our own finances, giving to organizations such as Mocha Club, Oxfam, World Vision, Children International, Ahope, Ethiopia Reads, etc. But there are undeniable values of individuals going on trips such as this one. First, trips such as this raise awareness. Not only will the traveler see firsthand what individuals in developing countries have to overcome, but also family and friends back home are impacted by the trip. Hearing another person’s experience and passion is an incredibly powerful thing. My blog will be one of the ways I share my experience and I hope that through my trip others will be encouraged to do the same. Second, these trips engage a person to become a lifelong giver. A person that sees firsthand what their dollars can do, are far more likely to give more in their lifetime. Third, trips such as mine will continue to keep organizations accountable. Non-profits will always be better stewards of their resources if contributors are able to see their dollars in action. I encourage every individual to be educated on where your dollars are going and to take any opportunity to witness your impact.

The last value of this trip is a little more specific to my individual goals. I plan to meet with organizations with whom our church and community can partner. Partnerships that communities, workplaces, schools, or churches make with non-profit organizations are shown to accomplish far more than individual giving. When a group of people are able to take ownership of a project and work together in a likeminded fashion, it is amazing how much more they are able to accomplish. I hope to return with plans and ideas (not to mention names and contact information) to implement here in Savannah. I believe Savannah is very strong in giving back to their community. The United Way and other organizations in Savannah have a strong following and accomplish more and more each year. I am constantly blown away by the time and resources that individuals and groups dedicate to such organizations. I do not want to take away from that, only expand it. I hope to inspire people in Savannah to expand their compassion and dedication to outside their own community and into the world. I believe that our community can make a difference in the world, and I hope to assist in making that happen. As Gandhi said “Be the change you want to see in the world.” I want to see Americans take an interest in speaking and acting on the behalves of those in the world who cannot. Therefore, I will begin with me and I will be that change.

Its good to be back!

I am back into the world of blogging. I'm not exactly sure how well I will fit this into my schedule or how often I will blog. But I promise it will be, at the very least, weekly. The reason for my re-entry in to the blogging world is similar to the reason I initially entered. We started this blog a few years ago to include our family and friends in our journey of adoption. We adopted our beautiful son, Teketel Blair from Ethiopia in May, 2008. We kept everyone in the know as we processed paperwork, got our referral, and then eventually traveled. We continued to blog as we experienced parenthood for the first time. Then life got insanely busy! Being a mom, a part-time student, a full-time admin, and a pastor's wife, not to mention being a woman with an incessant desire to be constantly planning some kind of event, eventually it all consumed my time and the blog went by the waste side. I have to say, I have definitely missed it. And I miss my family in Ohio not being able to see pictures of the cutest kid ever whenever they so desire. But more than that, what has brought me back to blogging is my second trip to Ethiopia. I am so excited about this upcoming adventure. I will be leaving December 29th for a three week trip to Ethiopia with my sister and an organization called Mocha Club. Three weeks is a long time (it is beginning to set in how long I will be without my little man!) but I feel very strongly that this trip is right for me. I know I will miss my family but I know that I will be better for them when I return.

Instead of going into detail about my trip in this blog post, I would like to share the email I have sent to my family and friends. I will go into more detail on future posts.


Family & Friends:

I want to share with you my excitement for an upcoming adventure! After much thought and discussion, I have decided (with the blessing of my husband and son) to participate in a trip to Ethiopia this winter. I will be joining the organization, Mocha Club* www.mochaclub.org to work with two of their supported projects:

1. Women At Risk - This is a project in Nazaret that rescues women from the growing world of prostitution and offers them a 10-month rehabilitation program. Within the program, they are offered rehabilitation in many aspects including social, personal, and spiritual as well as job training.
2. Ambo School & Street Boys - We’ll travel to another small town in Ethiopia to visit a church that operates a school for 250 children as well as another project to support the large local street boy population. Our team will organize English lessons as well as games/activities to further relationships with these children.

I will be leaving on December 29th. The trip will be 11 days, but I am choosing to extend my trip for a few days to meet with organizations in the capital of Addis Ababa to become potential partners with our church.

The cost of the trip is $3,200. I will be doing a series of fundraisers (with the help of some amazing friends here in Savannah) but it’s still a fairly large number to raise. I am asking that you please consider making a donation to my trip. Any amount would be helpful and greatly appreciated. All donations are tax-deductible.

Three ways to donate:
1. www.mochaclub.org/africa-trips
a. Click on the icon to “make a donation”
b. Fill out the next page with necessary information (be sure to include my name.)
2. www.tapestrysavannah.com (Select link at bottom of page that says Donate. It will take you to PayPal site. NOTE: This link is a work-in-progress and should be ready to use on Friday.)
3. By check: make payable to Tapestry Church (please include a note with Kate-Ethiopia Trip.)
a. You may mail your check to Kate Blair, 421 E. Jones St. Savannah, GA 31401
b. If you attend Tapestry, you may drop in the offering box as well.

I believe this trip is an opportunity of a lifetime and am excited to see all the work the Mocha Club (an organization we financially support) is currently doing. I am thrilled to see more of and give back to this beautiful country that gave me the most wonderful gift, my son. I plan to blog (savannahblairs.blogspot.com) about my trip so that all of you may share this experience this with me.

Thank you in advance for any support you can offer. Feel free forward to anyone you think may be interested in helping.


With love,
Kate Blair

* Mocha Club is an online community of people giving up the cost of 2 mochas a month – or $7 – to fund relief and development projects in Africa. Mocha Club works in five main project areas: Clean Water, Education, Child Mothers + Women At Risk, Orphan Care + Vulnerable Children, and HIV/AIDS + Healthcare. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Mocha Club's vision is to provide a way for people who don’t have hundreds or thousands of dollars to make a difference in Africa. The community-based website allows members to start a team and invite friends to join them in giving up the cost of 2 mochas a month to support their chosen project. Mocha Club understands that today's tech-savvy generation can have a huge impact by using the viral nature of the web. So the organization equips Mocha Club members themselves to grow awareness and support for Africa by inviting friends. Mocha Club provides its members with monthly updates to show how their $7 is helping the people of Africa and to keep them connected to the projects they are supporting.