Here is just a small sampling of the books I have been reading over the past year. Matt and I have been trying to educate ourselves as much as possible on all aspects of adoption, as well as Ethiopia and its culture. Some books I have already passed on to others, while some have been returned to the library. These are the ones that remain for now. One has nothing to do with adoption, but is about confronting your fears. That one has been invaluable to us. One is a novel that takes place in Ethiopia, while another is about a couple opening a women's hospital in Addis Ababa. That one is titled The Hospital by the River by Dr. Catherine Hamlin and the stories are still so fresh in my mind. This beautiful couple dedicated their lives to women suffering the catastrophic effects of obstructed labor. The degradation that these women experience tears at my heart and I can't stop thinking of them. One story that is told is of a young woman who arrived at their hospital with a sign around her neck which read, 'Dear Doctor Hamlin, Princess Tsehai Hospital.' They discovered that it had taken her 7 years to get to the hospital because that is how long it took her to beg for bus fare.
This week as I get frustrated when my computer isn't fast enough, the red light is too long, the Christmas shopping lines are too long, I think of that girl who waited all of those years at the chance to be healed from her suffering. I would love to be able to visit that hospital. Even though I have zero medical training, I would just love the chance to hold the hands of those young girls and women, and comfort them as they are waiting to be healed.
Reading about the waiting these women experience puts our difficulties of waiting for our future daughter into perspective. We long for the day when we meet her, but I know that all of this waiting is for a purpose. I am reminded of a verse that has always comforted me. I first heard it my senior year of high school when my gymnastics coach presented of us with plaques with this verse engraved on them, Isaiah 40:31 'but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings with eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.' We certainly draw strength from that hope.
As of December 9th we are currently 66th on the girls list.
