World Vision Visit...

An experience like no other. That is how i would describe our visit with Habtamu, our World Vision sponsor child. He was so shy. I think the entire day the only word i ever heard him say and only because I forced him to say it was "slinky". We brought one for each of the kids in his family and I know he has never seen one of those before. I think that day for him may have been more amazing than it even was for me. 

Imagine if you lived in a small village your entire life. You never left it and cities with stores etc. are something you had only learned about in school. That was what Habtamu's life was like. Until April 10th, 2009 that is. He and his father were brought on a 2 days journey to the city of Addis Ababa to meet Eric, Juli, and I. World Vision paid for all of this journey. It was so wonderful of them. We were able to spend the whole day with him. First we helped him open his gifts that we had brought. These included clothes, a soccer ball, lots of candy, a few slinkys, a kite, tons of school supplies, and of course a Yankees hat. Then we went outside to play a little soccer. Juli got hit once pretty hard by a ball he kicked. LOL She took it like a bog girl though.

Oh how funny she was with him. She could get close enough to him. Constantly wanting to sit by him or jumping into a picture with him. They could not even speak the same language yet they had little ways of communicating. It was so beautiful to me. To see my daughter love that boy as i did. We talked about him for so long i think she really felt she already knew him.

We also took he and his father shopping for some things for the family. We purchased for them... some pants, a coat for dad, material for mom so she could have some traditional clothes made, a backpack for Habtamu for school, and blankets for their home (i so wonder what that looks like). Then we took them out for lunch and to an arcade. You should have seen him and his dad trying to play the game were you pretend to drive the car in a car race. It was hilarious. And after the game was over, they just sat there still pretending to play. So cute. What a great day! 

We were also told that the family's ox died in December so as soon as we got home we called World Vision to purchase and ox for them and to sponsor the two other siblings in the family that are not sponsored yet. 

Saying goodbye was the hardest. Though we could not speak with each other, before we left Eric went up to Habtamu and his dad and took his cross off of his neck and put it around Habtamu's. Then he tried to tell him in the best way he could that Jesus loves him and to keep him in his heart. And when he said the name Jesus, they all knew exactly what he was talking about. And Eric said that Habtamu was crying a little when he gave him that necklace.

Then, we waved good bye and that was it...one of the days we had waited for for so long was over. And I miss that little boy. I love him as if he were my own child. I wish he were :) He was just so cute and sweet. Below are some pictures of that day. Don't mind the way I look, it was my first day in Africa. LOL Enjoy!