Alem - The Legacy of a Mother

You know how there are those people that you meet that change your life and your heart forever - my son Isaiah is one of those people. If you know him you know what I mean! When we adopted him from Ethiopia at 10 years old our lives were forever changed as he is a world changer from the inside out. We knew he must have had a special mother who raised him to value all of the important things in life, even amidst hardship and sacrifice.

When we brought Isaiah into our family we got to know him and learned pretty quickly how truly amazing of a kid he was. He was selfless and cared deeply for those around him. He would go out of his way to help and encourage and support those in his life. He loved Jesus and even brought a Bible with him home from Ethiopia. He was known in the orphanage as the kid who would gather all the younger kids around him to share bible stories and read scripture. Isaiah shared with us that these deep values of caring for people and loving God came from his mom. He remembers her taking him to church and of her talking about having faith and trusting in God. We promised him when he was older we would take him back to visit his mom and his brothers. We knew we wanted to meet the selfless and brave woman that raised our son. We were blessed to be able to take a heritage trip back to Ethiopia five years ago to meet his mom and his brothers. From the first encounter with his mom, we knew exactly where he got his spark and light from.

Alem was an amazing woman who led a hard-working life. She spent her life pouring into her 5 boys and raised them to know the value of family and faith. Alem had an amazing laugh and her smile reached all the way up to her eyes. She lived a life that many would deem hard and unfair and yet she found joy and laughter in the simplest of things. Her spark and light is contagious and just being around her made you want to be better, do better, love better. Alem was Isaiah's everything and he loved her with all of his heart. Her joy and authenticity shines out through his eyes and her deep love for her faith and her family lives within his heart.

We found out last week the difficult news that Alem had been sick and is now in heaven. While we are heartbroken here for not having more time with her - we know she is singing and laughing with Jesus. Isaiah is broken-hearted and worried about his younger brother who was living with his mom. Being a world away makes it difficult for Isaiah to fully grasp her being gone. He is feeling her loss deeply but feels so distant from his brothers and Ethiopia, where he would be able to honor and remember and grieve her together with those that knew and loved her as well.

Isaiah feels the urgency to travel to Ethiopia and check on his younger brother and do what he can to make sure he has somewhere to live, plan next steps, and grieve with his brothers. Just like Alem, Isaiah's heart is deeply rooted in family and he feels strongly the need to do any, and all that he can to help his brothers now that she is gone. This unexpected trip is not something we have the financial means to take on our own - but we are trusting God to help provide the steps needed to support Isaiah and his family during this difficult time.

First - we ask you to pray with and for us as we work through the next steps of grieving and planning to travel to Ethiopia and for our time there to be just what it needs to be and that God would have his hand in all of it.

Second - if you are able, we need your help to financially make the trip. We know that we have had a village surrounding us as we have gone through our adoptions - and we are asking for our village to help us love on Isaiah and his family in this unexpected expense of this trip.

*All donations will be going toward airline tickets for Isaiah, Joshua, and Tausha, and for the guide, travel, and lodging while in country

Third - we ask that you share this post with any family and friends that you know would be willing to support or pray for us during this time. We know God will bless others through Alem's story and we trust that it will reach those who need to hear it.

To Alem - I promised you eleven years ago when we adopted your son - and again five years ago when I was able to meet and embrace you - and I promise you again today - - I will take good care of our son! Know dear Alem that you are dearly loved and deeply missed.