Last full day in Ethiopia

Our time in Ethiopia was nearing its end, but one full day remained and it was dedicated to Solomon.  We wanted him to experience something special that would reconnect him to his roots and the people who helped him on his journey.  We decided to head to Entoto Park for the day, which is perched atop Entoto Mountain with a beautiful view of the city.  

On the way to the mountain we picked up several special people who played pivotal roles in Solomon's life.  First was Elizabeth, the kindest soul, who works with Compassion International.  

She spotted Solomon's potential and secured him a place in their sponsorship program when he was just 3 years old. To those supporting Compassion International back home, know this; your generosity makes a world of difference.  Solomon's story is living proof of the impact you create through Compassion International.

Next was a reunion with the family who cared for Solomon after his mother's passing.  Their reunion was filled with smiles and tears, with gratitude for a shared history.  They brought a picture of Solomon and his friend Kassahun from when they lived together.  The picture was precious and their bond was evident even then.

Entoto Park was the perfect playground of joy for the day, with trampolines, ziplines, and go-karts.  It was fun to watch those we were with jump on a trampoline for the first time in their life.  And several of them mustered up the courage to zipline as well!

Saying goodbye was tough once again, but with social media Solomon promised to stay in touch.  We are forever grateful for the special friends that we met today and the important roles that they played in Solomon's life.  

We ended the day with the familiar comfort of injera and traditional dancing.  One of the best parts of the trip is that the boys have been able to eat injera at every meal!!  They are loving it.  The traditional restaurant allowed the boys to indulge once again while enjoying traditional dancing and singing.  Since it was Solomon's day, we thought it was most appropriate to trick him into going up on stage to dance.  He did not think this was funny, but we certainly did!!

Tomorrow we depart from Ethiopia, but the memories will linger.  Adoption is a journey of joy and sorrow, loss and discovery and a journey that is often complex.  We are grateful for this trip that allowed our boys to experience the raw and beautiful reconnection with family and friends.  These are the memories that we will carry home.  We leave Ethiopia with a heart of gratitude, knowing that one day we will again return with more love to share.

Thanks to all of you for your prayers and support during our journey this week.  We pray that you and your loved ones have a Merry Christmas this year.