As I boarded the plane in Washington D.C. and headed to Addis Ababa, I wondered if going to a country that symbolizes poverty and hunger is a smart decision. Upon arriving, I knew that this country was not far from my expectations. As we drove through the city I saw houses that looked like boxes made out of rusted metal. I paid very close attention to the people we passed. They wore nothing but dirty pieces of material. A little boy came to the car and asked for some money. I closed my eyes and wondered if I am going to make it through this trip. It took me only 3 days to call my trip to Ethiopia the best trip of my life.
Addis Ababa (or Addis) is a city with a unique international sprit. The capital of the African Union, Addis offers visitors a cosmopolitan atmosphere and a feeling of unity among people with different economical status, religious beliefs and cultures. Attending one of the religious ceremonies can be a highlight of your trip. One of the most amazing experiences was to wake up to the sound of Christian mass, performed by a street singer, which undoubtedly was taken from some Muslim song. Ethiopia is mentioned 33 times in the bible and was the first African country that accepted Christianity (orthodox). The Ethiopian calendar is 7 years and 7 month behind ours (it is the year 2000 now) because, according to believe, that is how long it took the news of Jesus birth to reach Ethiopia . Muslims live peacefully next door to Christians and Catholicism is gaining popularity. I visited a Catholic school outside Mekki and it amazed me that some kids will walk 7 km to go to such a good school. It cost $150 per year to sponsor one more child to go to school in Mekki and Adoption ARK is accepting donations to help sponsor tuition and purchase school supplies.
There are many choices for accommodations in Addis. I really enjoyed my stay in Hilton. Although rooms were not up to 4 star standards, the Hilton has a beautiful pool, tennis court, and playground for kids and several great restaurants that made my stay very comfortable. If you prefer, private homes can also be rented.
I also recommend attending a coffee ceremony and I can promises that any coffee lover will be impressed with the quality of coffee in Addis. Not that many people know that coffee originated in Ethiopia in a province Kaffa sometime in 3rd century. The Ethiopian name for coffee is actually Buna and there is a special way of grinding coffee, making it and drinking it.
Food is another cultural experience worth mentioning. If you are picky eater you may want to eat a European variation of Ethiopian food served at the hotel. However, if you are adventurous, you can get a beautiful meal for just $4 in one of the well maintained, Ethiopian restaurants. The traditional way of eating food is with your hands and for a moment you can forget everything your mother told you about licking your fingers at the table.
I hope you are intrigued with Ethiopia and will consider this country if planning to adopt. In the past few years adoptions from Ethiopia have tripled. However, the country is still in need of adoptive families for the many, many orphaned children. Since returning to the United States, the sad and beautiful faces of the children I met have haunted me. There are many children in Ethiopia who are taken to orphanages because one or both parents have died or because their parents are unable to support them. All children are tested for diseases in an internationally accredited lab prior to referral and families will get detailed blood tests results along with regular medical information during the course of their adoption. There are many advantages to adopting from Ethiopia:
The Travel. One short trip, of about 7 days, is required to adopt from Ethiopia.
The adoption process is finalized before parent’s arrival and leaves little room for beurocratic delays.
Only one parent is required to travel, however we highly recommend for both parents travel to see the country of your child birth.
The kids are available at birth but US consulate allows for 2 month search and document preparation before the child can be offered for adoption.
Children are available from government and private orphanages. Although some government orphanages may lack provisions (some kids did not have blankets, others did not have shoes) the kids are being loved and well cared for.
The paperwork for Ethiopia adoption is very easy compare to other programs
Adoption fees for Ethiopia and less than those of Eastern Europe
This program is the best suited for young families ages 25-45 who wish to adopt an infant as young as possible. An older family will most likely be asked to take an older child. Although you may request a boy or a girl the Ethiopian government believes that ether gender deserves equal opportunity for finding a home. We advise families who apply for this program to be open for ether gender. The girls may be slightly more available due to preference of Ethiopian families toward a boy. Single women may also apply. Please click here to receive more information.
Adoption Ark, along with our partner agency, plans to open a private orphanage for approximately 40 children. The average monthly budget for an orphanage is about $2500 per month. That is only about $65 per child each month. This cost includes monthly rate, caretakers (ratio of 1:5 kids), a nurse, daily nutritious meals, clothing, diapers and toys. Please consider making a donation to Adoption ARK to help us in our humanitarian efforts.
Our very own little Russian girl from the photo on our Russia adoption page, Yana, met with US Olympic coaches Bela and Marta Karolyi. Yana is a team gymnast in Illinois. With her parents, she visited the Karolyi Camp in New Waverly Texas during a vacation this summer. Bela and Marta were very nice and friendly and as you can see by the pictures Yana also enjoyed the meeting. She eagerly showed off her muscles to Bela and he said …wow you are strong. Who knows, maybe one day Yana will be in the Olympics herself! This Olympics there is one special girl in Illinois watching gymnastics with a big smile on her face.
