Join Me in Uganda 7/21/12

I'm leading a mission trip back to Uganda, to love on the many many orphans I met this past summer.  I would LOVE for you to join me!  Head on over to Visiting Orphans and scroll down to the July 21-August 1, 2012 trip, and get signed up!

Click HERE to learn more about who we will be serving and loving on and to see the video I made of last summers trip!

Amaye

On my way home from Uganda this past summer, I decided to stay a few days in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Addis Ababa was a lay over city on our flight back to the states and it is also very near to the birth place of our daughter.  There was no way that I could just sit there in the airport without getting out and exploring…and search for my daughter's birthmother.  

The last time I had been in Ethiopia, Brandon and I were busy with our Embassy appointment and getting to know our six month old baby.  We had created a long list of questions a letter and a photo album for the woman who brought our baby into this world.  We drove the almost hour drive to a village outside of Addis Ababa.  We didn't speak a word to each other because we were both overwhelmed at the opportunity to get to meet Marley's Amaye (Amharic for mother).  All I wanted was a picture of us together so that Marley would have a picture of both of her mothers.  When we entered the little orphanage where she was taken at 12 days old, there seemed to be confusion.  As if they had no idea that we were coming.  Our agencies staff argued with the orphanage staff for a few minutes and then looked at us and said, "Sorry, no here."  

What?!  What do you mean she's not here!  "Sorry,  no here" is all she could say in her broken English.  We toured and video taped every room in the orphanage, but all I wanted to do was get back to the guesthouse and cry.  How would I get answered questions for my daughter?  Would the woman that gave her life know how much I loved her?  And I don't have the picture that I've dreamed of for years!  

After being back in the states for a few months, a friend of mine recommended an investigator.  We hired a man in Ethiopia to locate her and translate a letter we wrote and answers some questions.   It was amazing seeing her face for the first time…what a resemblance!  She answered all the questions we had and received all of the letter and pictures.  But I still didn't have a picture of us together!  

When I finished serving with my mission team and we got off the the plane in Addis Ababa, I went through immigration, picked up my luggage and found a man holding a sign with my name on it.  Melke, a driver many American friends of mine had used, waited with a huge grin.  He knew many of my adoptive family friends and that set me at ease. It was night time and he drove me to Melkam Guesthouse, where Brandon and I stayed when we picked up Marley.  I gave him the phone number the investigator had given me for Marley's birthmother and he dialed it.  My heart was pounding out of my chest!  Disconnected!  Oh no!  He dropped me off and said we would try again in the morning.  All night I feared that I had made this trip for no reason.  Would I ever get to take a picture with her?  

The next morning, he drove up and told me, "Elisa, I have good news!  She wants to meet you!"  Ahhhhhh!  Really?!  Was this really going to happen?  Well yes, it did!  I got to meet the woman who carried my child in her womb.  The woman who loved her so much that she realized that she could not provide for her and allowed her to be adopted.  The woman that gave me so much! 

Melke talked to her on the phone and she told us to meet her by a bank.  We sat there for about 30 minutes. It felt like hours.  We were waiting for a woman to walk up and find an Ethiopian man and Ferengi (white person) together.  I had seen a picture of her, but would I really recognize her?  Melke got out of the car and went up to ask a woman if she was the one.  She nodded yes and I jumped out of the car and into her arms!  What an amazing experience!  We held each other and cried.  There was this unspoken bond we shared, like we had been long lost sisters!   She marveled over Marley's pictures, kissing each one, all while hugging my neck with her free arm.  And guess what?  I finally got that picture!

An Awesome way to Fundraise!

Visiting Orphans is excited to announce our Go. Be. Love t-shirts for sale now  www.visitingorphans.org/store !

ALSO, our Store Merchandise can now be used for fundraising for your adoption or mission trip!!!  We want to make every way possible for you to easily raise your money for your mission trip to visit orphans or for completing an adoption to help bring an orphan home to their forever family.

It’s easy! All your donors have to do is:

1.        Visit our online store (www.visitingorphans.org/store - please make this a live link so that if you click on Store it takes you there), featuring shirts, belts, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and passport covers.

2.       Select an item for purchase.

3.       Designate the name of who they’d like a portion of their donation to benefit. 

If you are an adoptive parent or a missionary with another agency and would like to take advantage of this opportunity, or if you have any additional questions, please just let us know at store@visitingorphans.org. We can fill you in on the details! 

Big News!

After my recent trip to Uganda this past June, I felt an enormous calling to mission work.  I've prayed and felt that over the next six years that leading short term mission trips would be the best way to prepare our family for long term missionary work.  I say six years because Brandon has six years left in the Navy until retirement.
A few weeks ago, Brandon and I attended Visiting Orphans leader training.  What a powerful weekend that was!  Just this week, I was asked to lead a trip to Uganda next summer!  I'm sure you know I said YES!  If you have ever had a desire to serve and love on the orphans in Uganda, PLEASE join me!
My team will be traveling from July 21-August 1, 2012.  We will be working with Sixty Feet, Canaan's Children's Home, Return Ministries and Amazima Ministries.
This is going to be an amazing trip and an unforgetable experience!  If this trip sounds like it's for you, go get signed up to join our team HERE!  I'd love to have you join our team!

Live from Financial Peace Plaza

Brandon and I recently traveled to Nashville for Visiting Orphans Leader training.  It was                      A M A Z I N G!   I hope to start leading teams sometime next year! More on that a little later.  

While in the area, we visited Dave Ramsey's Studio!  What a neat place, and what an awesome opportunity!  It was the weekend, so there was no Dave, but still amazing!

Early in our marriage, we paid about $60,000 in debt over the course of about three years.  We love Dave Ramsey and live by his principles!  

This is the Good Life!

During the past year, I prayed and fundraised more than I ever have, to accomplish a calling.  I had felt God tugging on my heart for missions for a very long time.  I took a leap of faith and God came through and so did you!  My friends and family supported my mission trip in huge ways.  I was blown away by the amount of support, and I am forever thankful for it!

I want you to know that by supporting my mission trip to Uganda, you have had a piece in something much larger than a trip to love on orphans.  First, every ministry we served at, received a monetary donation.  I was even able to give above and beyond, which was a huge blessing, as many ministries work with so little.  We also were able to bring hundreds of pounds of requested donations, such as medical supplies, clothes, shoes, sports and game equipment and much more.  Because you all gave so generously, I was able to as well.  There were a few times I slipped very very poor mothers money and they bowed down at my feet.  It broke me.  I wasn't so great to be bowed down to. God made it happen, thru you!

I have been home for two months now.  The experience I had was unforgettable, in fact it has given me much more than I was able to give.  It gave me my calling, something I have been searching for for a long time.  The feeling I had, to finally know what I was put on this earth to do, is undescribable!

Brandon and I will be attending the Visiting Orphan's Leader Training this fall and plan to attend or lead one mission trip a year for the next six years.  By that time, Brandon will be retiring from the Navy, and we hope to go into missions full time.  We don't know what that will look like yet, we just know that this trip confirmed a lot for us.  I could see my family living there.  I could see my children growing up with the children there.  I could see my husband and me serving together…there.

If you have ever felt the desire to go on a mission trip…GO!  If  you have no desire, that's okay…GIVE, and help others go!   I would love for everyone of you to join me on a trip someday!  I look forward to seeing what God leads me to next!

Again, thank you for the prayers and financial support!

This is the Good Life! from elisa hyman on Vimeo.

Miles - First Grade

Miles was a bit nervous last night when thinking about starting first grade.  He told me that he would be shy to meet his new class.  Shy?  My child?

This morning he woke up at 6:30 a.m. and was fully dressed with his backpack on!  An hour and a half early!  I don't think he is nervous now!  I can't wait to hear how it went!  My baby is growing up so fast!

Family Reunion

Brandon's side of the family has a reunion about every other year.  This was Marley's first one!

 It was so much fun showing her off!  The kids had a great time playing with thier cousins!

I also have the most amazing and beautiful mother in law ever!  I'm so proud to call her my friend!  And she did give me the most amazing man in my life, my sweet Brandon!

Dads, Do The Little Things

This is Brandon again, I hope all is well.  I have a public service announcement for the dads!  First of all, I am very thankful for my family, and I absolutely enjoy being a father.  One thing I don't want to forget as a father is my role as a husband.  In my opinion, I think that an important part of fatherhood is how our children perceive us in our role as husbands to their mothers.  I know talked a little about this a little in the past, but now I want to drive it home.  This is for the FELLAS.  Back when Elisa and I were engaged,  a very wise man I know once told me that "The little things I did to get her, I had to do to keep her".  To me, I thought it was simple and great advice.  It made sense.  I have tried to ensure I follow this direction as best as possible, and after more than 10 years of marriage I think it has been well worth the effort.  My wife is happy, our marriage is healthy, and my kids do take notice.

Guys, this is just a friendly reminder to tell you to not get lazy in your marriage or relationships.  If you opened doors, brought her flowers, wrote her little love notes, and held her hand back when you were courting her (yes I said courting), then continue doing those things.  If you have gotten too comfortable and it has been awhile since you have done those types of things, then I want to encourage you to start again.  She may look at you funny at first, but do it anyway.  These little things help make her happy, these little things help make her feel secure.  These little things can help keep marriages healthy.

If you have not taken her on a date in awhile, then YOU need to call the babysitter yourself and schedule a date.  Take her somewhere new, or at least different than the norm…….don't go to the same place you always go to, make an adventure of it.  The point is to get you out of your comfort zone.  Elisa and I have kind of made it a point to try a new place every time we go on a date, and it is fun.  We can't afford to go on dates as often as we'd like (babysitters can get expensive!), but when have yet to run out of new places to go.  Try doing something with her that SHE likes to do.  Take her to a play, or to a movie/concert that she would enjoy.  If you show that you are willing to compromise, it should result in a win-win for all.  Remember, it is the little things.

Also, help in the house.  Wash dishes, or clothes, or both once in awhile.  Help with the kids evening routine, give her a break.  As a father, I am happy that my kids see me doing these types of things and helping my wife.  As they grow older, I want them to see that being a team is healthy for a relationship, and that "compromise" is one of the magic words of marriage.  So later on, if my son or daughter decides to marry, they will have a good template to follow and hopefully not become selfish, lazy or stagnate in their own marriages.  As a father, wouldn't you want the same thing for your kids?  So let's get back to doing the little things, because no matter how little they seem to you it can indeed make a difference.

A Special Day for Miles

Miles had been talking to us for over a year about asking Jesus into his heart.  The bible tells us that when we ask Jesus into our lives and accept that He was the only Son of God and died for our sins, that He saves us.  Miles knew this story very well.  We promised to raise him in a Christian home, and at his baby dedication, I dreamed of the day Miles would make the decision himself.

He did that about two months ago.  Brandon prayed the prayer with him…and I got out the camera!  With proud Mama tears, I hugged and kissed him and told him this was the best decision he would ever make!

Today, Miles was baptized, just as all believers were in the bible. He was dunked!  I cried happy tears today!

MILES BAPTISM from elisa hyman on Vimeo.