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Blog: While we wait... A subject of confusion (4500 kids to be put in adoption registry)

FRIDAY, MAY 14, 2010

While we wait... A subject of confusion

I have been a little confused about the way Bulgarian children are entered into the registry and think I finally understand, so I thought I would share.

However, do not write this in stone because it might change next week. Remember things are as clear as mud in the world of international adoption!!

The MOJ plans to register 4500 kids in the next 6-8 months. What this means is that these kids will be entered in the NATIONAL registry. They must remain on this registry for six months before they can be on the INTERNATIONAL registry. In my mind this means even longer waits for the many families including ours waiting for a child. It also means that there are thousands of kids in homes that are not even "adoptable". It is heartbreaking!!!

Countries: Bulgaria

"Four-day baby" is hidden in a bag sale thousands of miles

http://translate.google.ca/translate?hl=en&sl=zh-CN&u=http://dsm.hebnews.cn/play/2010/0514/ff8080812890a33b012895cbe08023c1.html&ei=vevvS-f-I8K78gb6mfX9Cg&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CB4Q7gEwATgK&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%25E9%2580%259A%25E8%25BF%2587%25E8%25B4%25A9%25E5%258D%2596%25E5%25A9%25B4%25E5%2584%25BF%26start%3D10%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

"Four-day baby" is hidden in a bag sale thousands of miles

????: ? ? ? ????? 2010/05/14 15:51:09??? ????? Select font size: large in the small print this article 2010/05/14 15:51:09 Source: Hebei News

??????????????????????????????????????????????????? A group of frenzied men and women collude clear division of labor, they just babies as commodities, from Yunnan, the train ride back into the car Shijiazhuang trafficking. ???????????????????????????????????????????? Way afraid of being discovered, they actually hidden in the bag and the children, to leave the young lives in the dark space of hypoxia toilet. ???????????????????????????????? In their view, to reach the destination, as long as the children have bad breath child, you can exchange for a lot of money. ??11?24????????????????????????????? On November 24 last year, when the police handling the case when the child rescued a baby girl almost rotten little ass. ????????????????????“??????????????” A woman police will hold a child in his arms, tears: "What a sin ah! This wretched child!"

????????????????????????????????????????6????????1????2????????????2???????????? Yesterday, the Public Security Bureau, Xinhua Stone have announced nearly six months after police are hard work, and has a total of six suspects arrested, successfully rescued a baby girl, there are two trafficked girls are looking for in two Pursuit suspect to be online.

????2009?11?????????????????“??”? ? Left in November 2009, media attention is the second province of small hospital for treatment, "Xinhua."

??????????????????????? ? The picture shows the suspects involved in trafficking of children holding their babies.

???? ??? ? Photo reporter Zhihua

??????? Bag and possession of infants make money

???????? Buyers capture human trafficking police play

2009?11?24????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? November 24, 2009, three squadrons, Xinhua Shi police have an important clue: a group of people in Shijiazhuang, Ping Shan and other places selling infants and young children, their babies will be born four days hidden in a bag and carry. ????????????“11·24”????????????????????? After receiving the alarm, the police immediately set up a "11.24" task force, and special handling deployed female participation in rescue work of Interpol.

??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Task force believes that the age of these children are trafficked small, come from the Yunnan area, after several days of turbulence, the child's life may not be protected, traffickers will rush shots, the police decided to contact the buyer's identity and the seller, snake out of its hole, waiting for an opportunity capture and development of many sets of detailed arrest program.

11?24?14???????“??”???????5?“??”???????????? November 24 14 am, has been carefully "dressed" by the police played five "buyers" trade places at the appointed time arrived. ???????“??”??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Liu Shengli squadron leader of "inspection" as an excuse, made to look at children, defenseless human traffickers brought to the scene to a baby girl, opened a bag and saw the baby starving infant in the absence of timely change diapers, Small children have been urine to suppress submerged bottom horrendous.

???6???????“??”????????????????????“??”? After nearly six hours of sapiential, "seller" the final proposal to 17,000 yuan, and paid their dues, required hand "delivery." ??15?30?????????????????????2????????????4?????????? 15:30 the same day, Liu captain gave an order, the public came forward ????? police suspect the two control only 4 days old baby girl was born to be rescued.

??????????????????34?????????????28??????????????????????????????????????????? Interpol team, the suspect Rui (not his real name, female, 34 years old, Pingshan), the range of a (female, 28 years old, Jiangxi Fenyi County seal Town of person) truthful statement of the facts of the crime of trafficking babies, but also confession from the sale of two other babies case.

????????????“??”?????????????????????????????? According to Rui, an accountable way, their "on line" is about to take the train to leave Shijiazhuang, Shijiazhuang, handling police immediately dispatched a group of North Railway Station secrets. ??20?30??????????????????????32???????????????????30????????????????26???????????????? 8:30 p.m. that day, was about to flee the suspect in Yunnan province in Nanning Zhang (male, 32 years old, who Guangnan County of Yunnan Province), Trisha (alias, female, 30 years old, who Guangnan County of Yunnan Province) , Yang (female, 26 years old, who Guangnan County of Yunnan Province) by a police officer arrested.

???????????? Little girl was rescued by well-treated

??11?25?????????????????????????????????????????? On November 25 last year, the reporter with the police handling the case went to provinces and two homes were rescued baby baby placed in a special ward, and has been well-treated. ???????????????????????“??”? Xinhua police during her hospitalization in children from a pleasant name of "Xinhua." ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????? We can see, this poor little girl looked pale and matte finish, his head stuck in the IV, wide open black eyes, and the mouth, holding a small fist look, very sympathy and affection. ????????????????? Doctors said the baby's little butt sores can be cured.

??????????12?????????“??”????? Reporters afterwards learned, early in December last year, with treatment, "Xinhua" discharged from injury. ???????????????????“??”???????? Since the parents can not find, the police had to small "Xinhua" sent to the Stone City orphanage. ??????“??”???????? Up to now, little "Xinhua" is still welfare managed.

????????? Baby trafficking suspects into making money

??11?25???????????????????????????????????????????????????????? On November 25 last year, several suspects involved in the trafficking of babies who were temporarily detained at the Xinhua Interpol three squadrons of a room, they all face expressionless, talking people do not understand the dialect. ?????????????????????????????????????? Among them, the arms of a woman clutching a child home, although she has a mother, but still involved in selling other people's children.

?????????????????????????? Police Questioning revealed that this is a well-organized, clear division of labor gangs. ???????????????????2000??3000????????????????14000???????????? Generally suspect Zhang, Trisha in Yunnan, to 2000-3000 yuan price buy newborn, and then sell the baby to 14,000 yuan Li Jui-Ping Shan, Cheng certain. ???????23000??????????????????? Rui Cheng a price of 23,000 yuan then sell the baby, two thousand dollars profit.

??????????????????????????????????????????????????????? According to the suspect account, Trisha man originally followed a special sale of children in Yunnan province, and later, she felt this was a way to make money, then come out to their own businesses. ?????????????????????“??”????????????????????????????????????? The Hermit Lee Shui-Ping Cheng a, who, before the traffickers in Yunnan is the "client", Trisha, after going it alone, contacted by phone Rui, a process, so they buy Hirayama and other places children gather information. ?“??”????????????????40?????8000????? Small "Xinhua" is by their traffickers from Yunnan, Yang, Yang (male, 40 years old) in the hands spend 8,000 yuan bought.

????? ???????? Deeply case, two of the suspects was the case of online Pursuit

????????????????????“??”???????????????????????????? Suspect also confessed, before there is a baby girl by a man named "2 Ya" who sold the Ping Shan, Chang Division by another baby (not his real name) sold the Jinju. 2010?2?25????????????????????????????????? February 25, 2010, police rushed to Jinju for clues, but ultimately failed arrest, Chang Division Police Cyber Pursuit.

4?28??????????????????“??”? April 28, police rushed to the handling Hirayama looking for another suspect, "2 Ah." ??????????????????????42??????“??”??????? In coordination with local police, a suspected arms trafficking in children (female, 42 years old, the city people, "two Ah," his wife) was arrested. ??????????????2009?11?????????????????“??”??????????? After trial, a military statement, she and her husband in early November 2009, from the way a, Rui Department to a baby girl to find the "next home", but do not know the whereabouts of the baby. ???????????????????????????????????????????????? The case is being further dig deep, the police are actively looking for the whereabouts of the two girls have been trafficked, and the other two suspects Cyber Pursuit.

???? Yunnan trip

?????? Returned, police sad

??12?5????????????????“??”??? December 5 last year, police went to Yunnan, Xinhua three squadrons to find small "Xinhua" parents. ??????????????????10?????????????? Police have rented a pickup truck, the mountain road bumps more than 10 hours to reach Yunnan black fruit branch township. ????????????????????????????????? Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau is located here, most people rely on farming for a living, the economy is developed, information relative occlusion. ?????????????????????? Police handling the case took a lot of trouble, to find the child's birth parents. ???????“??”??????????????????? But the couple said small "Xinhua" is their fourth child born, it can not afford maintenance. “???????????????????????????????????”?“??”??????????????????? "We are considering the future of the children, the children find a good home, than stay in the mountains starve strong ah!" Small "Xinhua" so the parents to explain to the police, so we unexpectedly. ?????“??”????????1000????????????? It is understood that small "Xinhua" is gifted with the parents of newly hatched was sold for 1,000 yuan Yunnan Yang, Yang. ?“??”???????????????????????????????? Small "Xinhua" and parents have suspected of selling babies, but in view of the actual situation in their home, by the local police. ???????????????????? Currently, suspected of selling babies Yang, Yang online police pursuit.

?????????????????“??”???????????????????????????????????????????????? Yunnan trip, make the most sad is that some police, small "Xinhua" attitude was cold on the parents, although aware of the whereabouts of his own children, but not required to hold a child back on the grounds that not make a living. ????????????????????“??”???????????? According to police introduced a similar situation is common ground has a small "Xinhua" can only stay in the Stone City Social Welfare Institute. ???? ??? ??? ??? Reporter Dong Shijie Xie Ling Ling Correspondent

?????????????? Source: Shijiazhuang News Editor: Lisa

Countries: China

Tics common in orphanages, disappear in foster care

EthiopianReview.com | May 13th, 2010 at 8:04 am

The earlier the children were removed from the orphanage and the longer they lived with their foster family, the larger the reduction in tics. Such tics are common in children with autism, but it is unclear whether they are related to brain damage, the authors note.

“These results underscore the need for early placement in home-based care for abandoned children,” they write in the May issue of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

Dr. Charles Nelson, of Children’s Hospital in Boston, and colleagues turned to data from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, a study conducted at the invitation of the Romanian government by American investigators of 187 current and formerly institutionalized children.

Organizations: Bucharest Early Intervention Project

Persons: Charles A. Nelson, Ph.D.

Children have right to live within family - minister

Thursday, 13th May 2010 - 09:32CET

Children have right to live within family - minister

Cynthia Busuttil

Video: Mark Zammit Cordina

Children who had no hope of ever being reunited with their natural parents should be given up for adoption because they had the sacrosanct right to live within a family, Family Minister Dolores Cristina said yesterday.

Ms Cristina said she wanted to see the courts exercise more often their right to remove parental rights and give the children up for adoption.

“I would like to see this happening more because I believe that children have the right to live in a family and we have many families who would like to adopt,” she said.

In a report published on Tuesday, outgoing Children’s Commissioner Carmen Zammit said incompetent mothers and fathers who refused to reform should have their parental rights permanently removed.

She echoed the words of the former CEO of the Foundation for Social Welfare Services, Joe Gerada, who, in October 2008, insisted that failed parents should be forced to give their children up for adoption rather than condemn them to an institute for years.

Mrs Cristina said the law allowed for children to be permanently taken from their parents and given up for adoption. “Children should have the sacrosanct right to live within a family,” she insisted.

Ms Cristina said that, although fostering was a very good alternative to a natural family, there should also be other alternatives to children who spent many years living in an institution, never knowing what it meant to live in a family.

Time is also of the essence when taking such decisions. “I am not a social worker, a psychologist or an expert on children but they say that, even at a young age, by the time they are a year or 18 months, children would already have felt the absence of living in a family,” Mrs Cristina said.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100513/local/children-have-right-to-live-within-family-minister

Countries: Malta

Orphanage preparing for influx of children

12 May 2010 by Tamara Neely - Staff Reporter No Comments 127 views

A Haitian orphanage founded by an Okotoks charity is pushing to construct a new building to accommodate the pending influx of children left homeless by the earthquake that devastated the island in January.

God’s Littlest Angels vice-president Jeff Ryan estimated there are approximately 500,000 orphans currently living in the tent city being managed by the Red Cross. It takes time to determine whether a child has any living relatives, he said.

There are two fundraisers taking place this month to help generate funds needed to expand the existing orphanage sitting on 4.8 acres of land purchased in 2006.

The orphanage directors had been fundraising for the new building prior to the devastating earthquake on Jan. 12. After the earthquake their daily operating costs skyrocketed, including food and water. They also took on the burial and funeral costs for staff and even members of the community. Every one of the 172 orphans and all staff at the facility survived the earthquake, however, staff in their homes perished and others lost family members.

“We didn’t have enough money for our everyday needs, so we put the building on hold,” said Ryan. “You can’t take money from the building fund to buy groceries, but we decided that we need to build this new orphanage and build it quickly while looking after everyday needs.”

Every child who was at the orphanage prior to the earthquake has since been adopted and delivered to their new families in Canada, Belgium, France and the Netherlands.

Now the staff is caring for 69 children from another orphanage destroyed by the earthquake and 11 children who were dropped off.

“Kids are coming all the time,” said Ryan. “We are finding out if there are no living relatives, then we take them in. We’re preparing for an influx of kids.”

Many of the children are suffering malnourishment, in addition to suffering from a lack of human touch and care.

“We took in a boy last week who is a year old and he was five pounds,” said Ryan. “I thought there was a mistake. I thought it was 15 pounds. But he was five pounds. He didn’t have enough strength to eat.”

Four containers of essential goods, including food, tents and medical supplies, were finally released by the Haitian government. After taking four weeks to arrive from Canada the government held onto the containers for another three weeks according to Ryan.

Ryan said the donated tarps, medical supplies, rice and beans will help the whole mountain community where the orphanage is situated, not just the 80 orphans.

“The orphanage is in Peition Ville in the mountains and we’re not getting any aid from Red Cross ourselves, we are the aid,” said Ryan. “So not only is the stuff we’re bringing in the containers for the orphanage, it’s also for the whole community. It’s bad enough that we had the earthquake, but it’s hurricane season next.”

Residents of Okotoks and other foothills communities can help God’s Littlest Angels by supporting the orphanage’s fundraising events this month.

The Deb Grey Ride of Hope for Haiti takes place on Saturday, May 15. The convoy of motorcycles will leave Okotoks at 9:30 a.m. and arrive in Sylvan Lake for lunch at 1 p.m. Entry is $25 and riders are asked to collect $100 in donations.

A fundraiser featuring music by Nashville band High Valley and live and silent auctions takes place in Cochrane on May 28 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10.

Organizations: God's Littlest Angels (Haiti, orphanage)

Countries: Haiti, Canada

UAE woman helps expats adopt children

For Menon, who is a mother of two with four grandchildren, each of the 1,600-plus stories is a silent feat in itself

By Sharmila Dhal, Senior Reporter Published: 00:00 May 13, 2010Reader comments (0)

Omana Menon says a single home study report can take at least 15 days to complete and involves a lot of paperwork Image Credit: Xpress/ Abdel-Krim Kallouche

Dubai: Omana Menon still recalls the first couple who approached her in 1986. They needed her help in adopting a child.

Persons: Clifford Phillips

Organizations: Synergy Integrated Medical Centre, Omana Menon

Familia Clubului Lions Moldova a crescut

Petru Done

- 13 Mai 2010 -

311 citiri

Familia Clubului Lions Moldova, din Bacau, s-a marit, marti seara, 11 mai, cu inca patru membri. Ei sint Stefan Silochi, Vasile Eftimie, Romel Gutu si Ioan Florin Dimitriu. La ceremonia condusa de presedintele in exercitiu al clubului, Sorin Brasoveanu, au participat, alaturi de membrii organizatiei, Ionel Lupu, viceguvernator II al Districtului 124 Romania, care este si membru al Lions Club Moldova, Nicolae Miclaus, presedinte, si Dorel Tataru, secretar, ai Lions Club “Sf. Gheorghe” Bacau. Au mai fost prezenti si cel care va fi presedinte, de la 1 iulie, al clubului “Sf. Gheorghe”, Marius Nemteanu, impreuna cu decanul de virsta al acestui club, Ioan Micu (Tata Pac), dar si reprezentantii Clubului Leo Phoenix (tinerii de pe linga “veteranii” lions din Clubul Moldova) si ziaristi.

Bataia clopotului Clubului Moldova i-a chemat, marti seara, la supunere pe toti cei prezenti, care au ascultat, pret de citeva minute, imnurile Romaniei, al miscarii internationale lioniste si al celei nationale. Cu sobrietatea ceruta de o asemenea oficiere, Sorin Brasoveanu a facut, mai intii, un scurt excurs in istoria miscarii lioniste internationale si a celei din tara noastra si a amintit citeva dintre realizarile clubului bacauan, infiintat in 1992. “Ii felicit pe noii membri pentru ca au avut curajul sa faca acest pas, pentru ca la nivel international numarul membrilor cluburilor lioniste este in scadere – a spus si Ionel Lupu. Le urez sa-si poarte insignele cu cinste si sa nu uite ca ei fac parte dintr-o elita”. Dupa care, viceguvernatorul a transmis salutul guvernatoarei (asa se pronunta numele functiei supreme in club, la lionezi, in cazul unei femei!) Districtului 124 Romania, Adriana Cazan.
Noii membri au iesit in fata asistentei impreuna cu nasii lor – cei care i-au recomandat pentru a intra in club si care ii vor urmari in activitate permanent. Iar nasii au fost chiar Ionel Lupu si Sorin Brasoveanu. Stefan Silochi are cea mai cunoscuta imagine publica dintre aspiranti, pentru ca a fost primar si viceprimar in Tirgu Ocna, timp de mai multe mandate. Este economist si licientiat in administratie publica, este casatorit, are doi copii si trei nepoti. Romel Gutu este bacauan, este inginer, dar profeseaza ca lichidator la Societatea de Insolventa ca asociat coordonator. Fotografia este principalul sau hobby. Si Ioan Florin Dimitriu este bacauan, economist, revizor contabil, iar in prezent administratorul unei societati de confectii. Este casatorit si are trei fete. Vasile Eftimie (Lalu) este, insa, figura carismatica a clubului. Prezentat de nasul sau, Ionel Lupu, ne-a aparut ca un om de mare sensibilitate, un mare iubitor de arta, antrenant in relatiile cu prietenii si colegii sai. Cum cronicarii l-au portretizat, pe vremuri, pe insusi Stefan cel Mare, si despre Vasile Lupu se poate spune, pastrind proportiile, desigur, ca este un om mic la stat, dar mare fapt si, de ce nu, si ghizdav la faptura.
Noilor membri le-au fost reamintite, in final, scopurile si obiectivele Lions, dar si Codul etic al clubului. Lor li s-a citit Angajamentul de onoare al membrilor Clubului Lions, cel care are ca deviza “We serve” (Noi servim), pe care l-au acceptat public. Astfel, li s-au inminat insignele de membri, iar finii si nasii au primit, depotriva, diplome pentru noile loc calitati intre membrii clubului Moldova. Si Sorin Brasoveanu a primit, la finalul ceremonialului, din partea guvernatoarei Adriana Cazan, un fanion si urarile de bine, pentru ca se asfla la final de mandat in fruntea clubului. Cel care il va urma, pentru un nou an lionistic, va fi Ioan Mocanu.

Persons: Sorin Brasoveanu

More Than Just A Number: Harry and Bertha Holt’s Adopted Children

Every time I read an article about the history of Korean adoption I am reminded of Harry and Bertha Holt’s role in jump-starting adoptions from Korea. Articles often reference the fact that they adopted eight children, but never have I come across any more information about who they are and what they did.

I’ve often wondered what their lives were like growing up being adopted. What were the family dynamics like in such a large household, and what insights can they share seeing the Korean adoptee community grow through organized non-profits, conferences and the blogosphere?

A few years ago when I first visited Korea, I was told that one of the Holt children committed suicide. It was something that consumed me for a long time after my trip. But it had somehow faded away until I was reading another article and it dawned on me that I had never attempted to find out anything about the circumstances of his death, or the other adoptees in the family.

Let’s start with what I’ve been able to find on the Holt KADs.

Harry and Bertha did indeed adopt eight children from Korea. Here are their names:

Countries: South Korea

Organizations: Holt Korea - Holt Children's Services Inc

Persons: Bertha Holt, Harry Holt

Sintayehu - Lost Little Sister

Sintayehu - (One who has experienced many things)

This blog page is dedicated to my daughters' sister, Sintayehu who was lost in the adoption shuffle in Ethiopia. Posted here are memories my oldest daughter relates and information on Sintayehu. Hopefully someone out there will be able to help locate this lost sister.

Sintayehu's Information

Year of birth: End of 2007 or beginning of 2008
Place of birth: Wonji, Ethiopia
Date of Adoption:Spring/Summer 2009.
Orphanage of Origin:Holy Saviour Orphanage

Page Links

Lost Sister

This is the only picture of Sintayehu and her Adoptive mother we have.

Sintayehu's Sisters

$Sintayehu\$
An old photo of Sintayehu's sisers

The Church Dress and The baby

Dressed for Church -- but it's not Sunday.

Sintayehu's Parents

$Sintayehu\$
Our only link to Sintayehu's family is through this picture.

Followers

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 2010

Birthday

Mete’s arm and leg lay across Tedu’s back like they had fell asleep in the middle of a game of piggy back. A slight groan from the other side of the room woke Tedu from her sleep and she looked across through sleep crusted eyes towards he mother who sat by the fire. Mother’s face was just easing out of a grimace as she looked up at Tedu. She slowly freed herself from her sister’s embrace and walked over to her mother and took her hand. It was damp with sweat and was trembling slightly but Tedu’s mother squeezed her hand and gave her a weak little smile. The sun was up outside and she knew her father was already hard at work in the sugar cane fields, having left well before the sun breached the horizon.

“What’s wrong mother?” Asked Tedu as she wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck and gave her a kiss on her cheek.

“The baby will be coming today,” her mother said. She stood up and grabbed a jug from the table and poured some water into one of the cups. She took a long slow drink and handed the cup to Tedu. “Take some injera and go to Meron’s house. Tell her the baby is coming and I need her help.”

“Yes mother,” Tedu whispered. Tedu grabbed a roll of injera from the table, it was still slightly warm and the sour aroma pleasantly pinched her nose. She jammed a fist sized piece into her mouth and ran out the door and down the road.

It was a long run to Meron’s house down the rough road. Tedu stayed in the center of the road running in the well-worn tracks. She could not run very quickly on the shoulder of the road, the sharp rocks bit at her feet, but the car tracks were smooth and mostly free of rocks. She only slowed to shove more injera into her mouth. A little more than half way there she stopped on the side of the road, the running and injera combining to make the morning call of her biology urgent. She preferred going out here. There was no one around to watch. There was no foul smelling hole smeared with others feces just inches away from her. Lately, she had started to hold it in until she could get away from the community toilets and relieve herself in some bushes or tall grasses. Her mother got angry when she did this because she had no water to wash afterwards but Tedu was willing to take the punishment. When she finished, she ran with renewed vigor relishing the feeling of the air filling her lungs, the pounding of her heart and the rhythmic slap, slap, slap of her feet against the hardened clay.

Meron was an older woman who had many children, most of whom were now having children of their own. Although she was always friendly to Tedu and Mete, Tedu was wary of the woman who was the closest thing to a nurse they had. Meron’s house was one of the largest in their village with a proper stone fence and large iron gates. Her husband has served in the army and had become a soldier of some status, being rewarded with a sizable pension and giving his wife a sizable ego. Inside the yard was an old green truck whose trail of blue smoke could be seen lingering above the roads as Meron tended to the women of the village. She was a woman who believed that she knew more than those around her and carried herself with a slight condescending arrogance, dealing with everyone as if they were children.

“Hello! Hello?” Tedu called as she ran into the yard and up to the open front door.

A teenage girl came to the door, dressed in a white dress and wearing soft leather sandals. “What do you want?” She asked Tedu with scorn.

“My Mother said to come here. She says that the baby is coming,” said Tedu.

“Wait here,” she said and disappeared back into the house.

Tedu could hear the murmur of conversation somewhere near the back of the house then the scraping of a chair on the floor and the shuffling of feet. Meron came to the door; she was tall and heavy-set with wide hips and broad shoulders. She wore a green button-up shirt with a lace trimmed collar, its colour having faded slightly, tucked into a long flowing skirt which had stylized zebra, lions and giraffe chasing zigzag ribbons of orange and red. “You are Tedu. I remember bringing you into the world. So, the baby is ready to come out?” Meron said.

“Yes. My mother told me to come and find you. She said she needs your help,” replied Tedu.

“Very well. Go. Run home and tell your mother I will be there shortly,” she said. “Your Father is still working in the sugar cane fields?”

“Yes,” replied Tedu.

“Behtee! Behtee!”

The teenage girl who came to the door when Tedu first arrived came back to the door. “Yes mother?”

“Go to the Sugar Cane mill and have them find Addago. Tell them that his baby is coming and he needs to come home,” Meron said. The girl said nothing and walked out the front door and down the road towards the sugar mill. “You,” she said looking at Tedu. “Why are you still here? Go! Quickly!”

Tedu turned and ran for home. Part of her was hoping that Meron would let her ride in the truck back to their home. The run home seemed faster than the trip to Meron’s. She ran inside, and stopped in the doorway. Her mother was sitting in the chair next to the table, Mete was sitting on the bed mat playing with a pretend doll. “Mother, I am back”

“Was Meron there?” Her mother asked.

“Yes, she said she will be here shortly. She sent her daughter to get father.”

Mother’s face seemed to relax a little bit. “You are a good daughter. Please take Mete and go to the well. We will need fresh water when the baby comes.

Tedu and Mete grabbed the large water pail which had a thick leather handle on it and started out for the communal well. It was a long walk there, longer back carrying the heavy pail of water, needing to stop often to rest. When they finally got home, Meron had already arrived, her green truck parked in the center of the yard. They both walked inside, half carrying, half dragging the bucket of water.

Mother was lying flat on her back with her knees in the air. There were clean white sheets were underneath her and covering the sleeping mat. Tedu put the bucket by the water and stood very quietly behind Meron, looking at their mother. Mother’s face was sweaty but she looked calm and relaxed.

“It is coming fast,” said Meron. “Are you in much pain?”

“I am fine,” said mother.

“There is no holding this one back. I can already see the top of its head. Push hard!”

Mother grunted hard, her face wrinkled with effort. Tedu and Mete looked closely as the baby’s head came out. Mete was silent but Tedu started to cry at the sight of the blood. It quickly turned to a wail as she ran backwards and crouched in the corner, behind the kitchen table and chairs. Mete’s looked at Tedu and started to cry in harmonic sympathy with her sister.

“Quiet you two! Get outside!” Meron shouted at the two sisters. “The first ting the baby hears should not be your insufferable wailing.”

“Tedu, Mete. Please don’t cry. There is no need. I am fine. The baby is fine. Go outside and wait for your father,” said mother.

Tedu stifled her tears until they were hollow sobs, and she took metes hand. Mete quieted quickly with her touch and they walked outside. The sat on the ground beside the door listening to the sounds from inside still sobbing, their faces now stained with tears. They looked up and saw father running up the road. He was unmistakable, very tall and lean, his arms taught with strong muscles made from heavy work. Tedu and Mete jumped up and ran towards their father, Tedu shouting. “Father! The baby is here!”

He bent down and they wrapped their arms round his neck. He scooped them both up in his arms and stood up, looking at their dirty, tear streaked faces. He laughed his deep hearty laugh. He was always laughing and the sound calmed the girls down immediately and said in his deep calm voice, “Well, well, well. You two look the worse for wear. You can stop crying now there is no reason for tears. This is a happy time – we have a new baby. Come, let’s go inside and see if you have a new sister or brother.”

“But there is red everywhere,” Tedu sobbed.

“Red,” echoed Mete.

“Coming into the world is messy work. They will both be fine,” Said father.

They walked inside. Mother was sitting up on the sleeping mat, with her back against the wall. Suckling at her breast was a naked little baby. Meron was washing her hands and tending a kettle over the fire. “Come in,” said mother looking at the tree of them. “Tedu, Mete, come meet your new sister.” Father set them down on the floor and walked towards mother. She held up the baby girl for them to see. The baby let out two little squeaks as she was removed from her mother’s breast. She cooed as she was held up for the family to see.

“She is beautiful,” said father.

“Husband, she did not cry – Just a little cough and a couple of squeaks like she was a mouse. What shall we name her?” Asked mother.

“This year has been the hardest we have seen for a very long time my wife. This little one has already seen many trials and tribulations. She is Sintayehu.”

Posted by Nehebkau at 11:56 AM 1 comments

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FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2010

The Taxi ride

The small white and blue car seemed cramped even to Tedu and her tiny frame. With her two sisters, Mother , the driver and a large woman and her male companion whom Tedu had never met before inside the car the air became quickly laden with hot moisture. Sintayehu slept on Tedu’s chest and Mete quickly started dozing but Tedu couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.

“Where are we going mother” Tedu asked as they were getting into the car? They were wearing their church clothing but today was not the day to go to church.

It was the strange woman who knelt down and answered, “We are going to my friend’s home. There are lots of children there for you to play with.” She stood back up and pulled at the sides of her brown skirt and then straightened her blue shirt. Tedu thought the shirt was a very pretty but it was a young colour that looked out of place on the middle aged woman.

Tedu hid herself slightly behind her mother and looked at the woman with a mix of suspicion and fear. Mete piped up, “Mommy, Mete stay. Play Tedu outside.” Mete was still not speaking in full sentences yet, resisting growing out of babyhood.

“Are you hungry?” The woman asked turning towards Mete.

“Yes” responded Mete.

“When we get to my friend’s house you can have some ambasha. Would you like that?”

“Mete likes ambasha” mete said, her eyes grew wide with excitement. As she contemplated getting the slightly sweet spiced bread she began to dance in a circle and started singing in her squeaky voice “Dabbo! Ambasha! Dabbo! Ambasha!”

Mother slightly shifted to the side and quietly put her hand on Tedu’s shoulder and looked down at her. Mother gave her the sad little smile that had become her quiet reassurance lately and she guided Tedu toward the car door. Tedu climbed into the rear seat and sat in the center and Mete hopped in next to her still quietly singing “Dabbo. Ambasha.” Mother handed Tedu Sintayhu and climbed in next to them. The door next to Tedu opened and one of the men climbed in and the woman sat in the passenger seat in the front and the driver started the car. They pulled out of the alley way with a shudder and a puff of thick blue smoke.

Now, Tedu strained to try to find any breeze coming from the open windows but very little air is making it past the adults who are leaning up against the windows trying to cool themselves. It doesn’t help that the car can only go slightly faster than a walking pace, slowing down often for one of the thousands of ruts and pits that are in the road. The driver is swerving left and right trying to avoid the largest of the craters in the road making Tedu feel sick to her stomach with every lurch. They hit one particularly large hole that sent a jolt through everyone in the car snapping Mete out of her stupor and causing Sintayehu to squirm slightly. Tedu gently rocked her as best as she could in the confined space and cooed her baby sister back to sleep.

“Dabbo?” Mete asked looking around wildly too see if they had reached their destination.

“Wait” responded Tedu with a mix of anxiety and impatience in her voice. She could feel the tension in the car increase as they came closer to their destination. Tedu tried to straighten her dress which was getting wrinkled in the cramped car and gave up with a frustrated sigh. She loved her pretty white dress and the thought of how winkled it was getting because of the humid crush of the cramped car was making her angry. If Sintayehu wasn’t sleeping on her shoulder, she would have tried to push Mete over or try to stand up to fix her dress but being stuck in the seat simply added to her frustration.

Tedu could not see where they were going. She was glad her mother was there because she knew she would not be able to find her way home if the car broke and they had to walk back. It seemed like she had been sitting in the car for the whole day when it finally stopped and the driver honked the horn on the car twice. A few seconds later, in answer to the horn, she heard the rusty squeak of a steel gate being opened and the car pulled ahead and stopped. The driver shut the engine and the passenger got out of the car. Tedu stirred in anticipation of getting out of the cramped space but no one in the back seat moved for several minutes. Tedu shifted in her seat and used her body to shove Mete so she could have more room. Mete awoke and sat up, looking at Tedu with sleepy eyes.

The woman in the blue shirt came to her mother’s door and leaned down. “It’s time,” she said and opened Mother’s door. Mother slowly climbed out exerting herself far more than someone who is only twenty five years old should need to for such a simple movement.

“Come Tedu,” her mother said. “Mete, come.” Her mother reached out and took the baby from Tedu and passed her to the woman in the blue shirt then helped the two sisters out of the car. The man who had been sitting next to Mete remained seated, saying nothing but took a slightly dry leaf from a bag in his pocket and put it in his mouth and started to chew. As Tedu climbed out she saw two more women dressed in white skirts and shirts waiting behind the woman in blue.

“Ambasha?” Asked Mete as she climbed out.

“Yes dear, you can have some ambasha. You must first give your mother a hug, she must go and then you can have some ambasha,” said the blue woman.

Mete jumped up on her mother and wrapped her arms around her and Mother picked her up giving her a big hug and a kiss on the forehead before setting her back down.

Tedu stood stiff as a board and looked at her mother and the back at the woman in blue as the meaning of what the woman in the blue shirt had said. She didn’t know what was going on but knew that something was not right. Her mother should not be leaving them here. The anxiety and frustration began to boil to the surface fueled by the incomprehension of what was happening and tears began to stream from her eyes. “Mommy don’t go!” “Mommy,” she wailed! She began to sob and cry uncontrollably and ran towards her mother. One of the young women who were standing behind the blue woman stood in front of her and grabbed her in a big hug. “Mommy! No! Don’t go Mommy!”

Mete’s face, which had, just seconds before, been filled with anticipation of having her favorite food drained into a sullen pout at the sight of her sister. She started to cry and wail for no reason than in response to the distress of her sister.

Tedu kept sobbing, “Mommy don’t go.” As her mother climbed back into the white and blue car and it drove out of the compound, the steel gates clanging closed behind them. As Tedu was carried inside the house her cries ceased to be pleading and begging and devolved to a hollow wail.

Posted by Nehebkau at 4:30 PM 0 comments

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THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2010

Ethiopia Memories

“Tedu. Tedu. Tedu.” Mete quietly calls out. “I am hungry.”
“Oosh Mete. Mother and baby are sleeping. The potatoes are almost done and then we can eat.” Tedu turns the potatoes over in the hearth. They are small, too small for there to be enough for everyone to eat. Just like the day before Mother will not eat and Tedu will eat what the baby won’t finish. Mete will get the small potato to herself.

Mete squirms in anticipation of eating the potato and says, “Tedu can I have some bread too?”

“Bread. Bread. Bread. All you ever ask about is bread! I give you bread and you eat like a hungry hyena then ask for more! We have no bread and if we did, the baby would eat before you,” said Tedu.

She can barely keep her eyes open and catches herself nodding off several times as she stares into the hypnotic dance of the flames. Her exertions during heat of the day and her constant companion, hunger, have wrung the energy from her wire frame. When the morning sun rose she had tied the baby around her back and carried the laundry down to the river. Washing the laundry was hard work and the water was cool and inviting. She could not resist the child borne urge for splashing in the cool refreshment and soon they were all laughing and squealing with delight as their existence condensed into a child’s simple enjoyment of life. Had the know that the water was contaminated with all manner of refuse and filth it would not have stayed their play – even the snake swimming next to Tedu’s leg only caused a momentary pause in their childhood revelry. For the moment, this brief moment they were just children, without care or context, wrapped in the divine veil of play.

The sun was now high in the clear sky, almost strong enough to burn shadows into the ground. Tedu left Mete and the baby to play in the hut while she went out to gather firewood for the night hearth, hopefully it would be a cooking fire. While Mete and the baby played nearby she dug in the dusty and dry garden looking for potatoes to cook for dinner. The ground had been turned before and the easiest and choicest had already been eaten some night in the past. Undaunted by handfuls of empty dirt she was finally rewarded by a small misshapen potato It would be enough for one of them. She kept digging and at the point where she was resigned to not eating that night her hands felt the smooth roundness of a large, round potato. She started bouncing on her knees as she carefully dug out the potato. It would be enough for her and the baby and maybe even some for mother.

This has been how it has been for more nights than Tedu can remember. Their mother spent the day laying on her sleeping mat the sickness preventing her from attending to the needs of her children and the home. The Baby has eaten her fill of potato, less than she should and Tedu finishes off the remaining pieces chewing slowly and occasionally falling asleep mid chew. Mete is curled up next to their mother and the baby sleeps between them.

Her mother stirs and looks at her and Tedu looks back both sharing a sad smile; Mother’s eyes are full of an intensity that makes Tedu shift slightly. Her mother knows she is sick and knows what ails her. Tomorrow the doctor will come with medicine but it won’t be enough to make everything right. She is now an outcast in her village and even if the medicine helps her physically, her opportunity to provide a decent life for her children has died. She knows it is time to think of her children – women in the village have told her stories of childless white-skinned Ferenge who would raise her children as their own. The more she dreamed of it the more she realized that her children best hope was to leave all that they knew and to seek a new life far away from her. The thought makes her eyes tear up as she looks at her beautiful daughter. In response, Tedu places some potato in her mother’s mouth and as the heat quickly flees in the night they both fall asleep

Posted by Nehebkau at 8:49 AM 0 comments

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2010

The Jouney for a Lost sister

The three sisters sit outside the open door of their house, skin has turned dark black by the relentless summer sun beating down on the village of Wonji. Their father used work in the cane fields on days like this but the only activity they can muster the energy for is throwing small stones at the dried up body of a snake. The unlucky snake had entered their house the day before and the oldest of the sisters had killed the snake with their father's machete. The rusty machete with a sweat stained wooden handle sat propped up just inside the door. Sintayehucooed at her older sister who was more like a mother to the little girl and her sister smiled back tickling here under the arms.

A few minutes earlier an old car had pulled up in the alley behind their home and a short, well dressed, man went inside to speak with their mother.

"Its time to go," their mother said in a quiet voice. "Please get into the car, we have a long ride today."

The two older sisters didn't realize that this would be the last ride they would take with their little baby sister and the beginning of a whole new life for them all. The baby would end up being left at the Holy Savior orphanage, and the two older sisters would be sent from that orphanage to a different orphanage never knowing what would become of their sister nor why they were seperated.

This is the true story of three girls who were adopted out of Ethiopia by two different families. The two oldest girls remained together and the youngest adopted by an American family in the spring of 2009. I will be posting the information that I have on Sintayehu and the family who adopted her with the hope of finding them so that the two older sisters, who cared for her and carried her on their backs while they did chores can know what has become of "their baby."

Posted by Nehebkau at 3:33 PM 4 comments

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Countries: Ethiopia

Das zweite Leben des Geheimdienst-Informanten

11. Mai 2010, 03:06 Uhr

Kießling-Affäre

Das zweite Leben des Geheimdienst-Informanten

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Persons: Udo Erlenhard aka Pater Don Demidoff