Elizabeth comes to America!!!

I am still in awe of how God orchestrates our lives and our stories if we allow Him to be in charge (which I am 100% guilty of NOT doing.) From our adoption of Abi (which was a total God story) to now supporting Elizabeth and Abenezer Orphanage thru Chesed Missions it just amazes me how God has worked. Until Bill and I went to Ethiopia in March, we had no idea Elizabeth had dual citizenship in Canada and would be allowed to travel to the USA with her Canadian passport. What some of you don’t realize is, Ethiopians can’t come here with an Ethiopian passport. The US does not allow them to even travel here. So gaining that knowledge opened up a whole other level for Chesed Missions because actually having Elizabeth here, in our home, telling her story, doing life with us was something we never saw coming. To say it was an amazing trip is not giving it enough credit. We enjoyed her here so much. Her spirit is that of a truly loving human that has sacrificed her ENTIRE life to follow Jesus and in doing that, she has saved over 400 children. I can’t even imagine this life she has chosen because it has been HARD so to have her in our presence for almost two weeks was a gift. She wanted my grandkids here as much as possible as our home was too quiet 🙂 (since she is currently raising 12 children……6 of which are under the age of 3!!!!) she NEEDED noise to feel as if her world wasn’t falling apart. HA!! But seeing her with my grandchildren was also a blessing. Her love for children is like none I have ever seen before and they feel it from the beginning. My Kaz (who is 1.5 years old) couldn’t get enough of “Elsa.” She was truly born for loving children.

Something Elsa was amazed with here was our church. She said the churches in Canada are very small now (which she hasn’t been back to in over 7 years due to Covid and adoptions being shut down) and to see how many people were worshiping on Sunday was amazing to her. She just kept saying “I am just so happy. I didn’t expect this.” Then she was present for a baptism Sunday and was again so joyful of all the love for Jesus that our church has. It made my heart so happy that she could see Jesus so alive at Pathway Church.

Elsa was more than ready to get back to her children. She LOVED her trip but was missing them dearly and them her. She was able to take FOUR bags that almost each weighed 70 POUNDS EACH due to all your donations and love. The kids were awake when she arrived back to their home at midnight and it was like Christmas to them. I truly can’t thank all of you enough for coming to our home, pouring love into Elsa and truly showing her that WE ARE and will continue to fight for her and the children. God is doing amazing things thru Chesed missions and I am believing and proclaiming that in 2026, we will be able to start on the home we want built for Elsa and the children that they can live in, thrive in, serve Jesus in and truly know they are safe and loved unconditionally by a man named Jesus who would never leave them nor forsake them. EVER! Thanks for being a part of our journey. We couldn’t do what we are doing without you!!!!!