Family Reunion in Texas

Our family spent Spring Break 2014 in Lubbock and Brownwood, Texas.  That’s right - very popular spring break destinations.  It was a major deviation from our normal beach filled, relaxing Spring Breaks of year's past.  Thankfully we were able to fight off the college students and find rooms.  All kidding aside it was an incredible experience – one we will never forget.

Gideon, Sofani, Jackson, Atsede, Anna, Avery and Deborah

We flew into DFW, rented a mini-van and traversed west Texas on a journey through wind farms, Dairy Queens and oil fields to Lubbock.   Lubbock is the temporary home to Sofani’s cousin Atsede and her family.  Atsede’s husband, Girmay, is getting his PhD at Texas Tech.  Their children, Deborah and Gideon, were excited to see Sofani for the first time in 2 years and meet the rest of the Buck family face-to-face.

The word hospitality is often used but rarely experienced on the level that we did during our time in Lubbock.  We were welcomed with a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony and spent the next three days in fellowship and stuffing our bellies with more Ethiopian food than any of us were ready to handle (Sofani included).  When Atsede wasn’t cooking, she was teaching Staci how to make injera, braiding Avery and Anna’s hair and washing Staci’s feet.  Yeah, that’s right.  How biblical is that?  I can’t say that I was surprised at all.  This is the same woman that gave up every bed in her house to accommodate three strange American men in Mekelle, Ethiopia over two years ago.  I attribute so many changes in my life – from meeting and adopting Sofani to changes in me as a husband, father and as a Christian – to Atsede’s incredible hospitality and her willingness to serve others as Jesus instructed.

Atsede's Coffee Ceremony

After our stay in Lubbock, we hit the road with Girmay, Atsede and their children on the next leg of our journey to Brownwood, Texas.  Brownwood is a small town in central Texas that is the home to the Hull family.

The Hull family played an important part in our adoption of Sofani.  When we were navigating the adoption process and planning our trip to court in Addis Ababa, the judge that was working Sofani’s case brought it to a halt when she learned that Sofani had a younger sister that was adopted by a family in the US just one year earlier.  At the time we knew that Sofani’s sister was in the US but didn’t have much hope that we would ever find her with all of the confidentiality that exists in the adoption process.  The judge insisted that Liya’s parents were given the opportunity to adopt Sofani in an effort to keep the two of them together.  As much as we understood this it was still heartbreaking.  Sofani essentially checked himself into an orphanage for 5 months in order to meet the country’s adoption requirements.  Our flight was booked.  Our house was prepared.  Our hearts were ready for Sofani to become part of our family and one judge had the ability to change all of that.  We prayed that this family would allow us to adopt Sofani.  They did and, as much as it was a nerve-racking few days, it enabled us to find Liya and the Hull family.  We knew that when the time was right we would reunite Sofani and Liya on American soil.

The reunion was a culmination of so many things that God orchestrated to have all of us standing in the same room.  Liya, Sofani, Atsede, Girmay, Deborah, Gideon, the Hull’s and the Buck’s were all together.  Only God could have orchestrated such a meeting.  As Sofani and Liya hugged and the tears filled their eyes my heart was full of joy.  There was a sense of accomplishment that all of us collectively allowed God to work through us to allow a brother and sister to be reunited.  I thought of the angels rejoicing as I considered the celebration taking place in heaven between their birth parents. 

Sofani and Liya and their biological parents

The time in Brownwood was brief but filled with fellowship.  It was filled with answers.  It was a new starting point for Sofani and Liya along with the rest of us.  

Girmay put together so many pieces for all of us.  He and Atsede connected so many dots for us related to the history of these two kids and their family members back in Ethiopia. 

As Americans, we get caught up in genealogy and allow that to define family.  Through this process I have learned to define family in a different way.  While all of the members of my biological family will always be important and unique, I have learned that “family” shouldn’t be limited to a family tree.  We are all God’s children that are a part of a much larger plan when we allow Him to work through us and weave it together.

Liya, Avery, Anna, Jackson, Sofani and Finn

For those of you following the progress of the Bible Training Center that we’re working on in Mekelle, Ethiopia, please check out www.harvestinethiopia.com for more information.  We’re making huge progress with the formation of a temporary training facility and fundraising for a permanent location. The website was launched last week and will keep you up-to-date on all the happenings with this initiative.

Spring Break in Texas

December 8, 2011 was a full day. 

The day began with breakfast at the luxurious Sheraton Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  Then there was a 2 car accident involving the taxi I was riding in on the way to the airport.  We arrived in Mekelle, Ethiopia only to learn that our hotel reservation was cancelled with the government coming to town.  Next, the three of us traveling together along with our driver/guide were in a massive car accident in a busy intersection.  The SUV was totaled and, after some time waiting, we found a ride to take us to a Guest House.  Upon arriving at the Guest House we learn that our reservations were made for the following day.  We had no place to go.

The locals surround our SUV after a memorable crash (note: no stop signs or lights)

The lovely woman that ran the guest house motioned for the three of us to throw our suitcases in the trunk of her car.  We had no other options and she seemed very trustworthy.  So we did.  We hopped into her car and headed down a bumpy road to a gated home.

As we pulled up to the gate, a small service door swung open and a little boy popped out with a big smile on his face.  He helped us with our luggage and ushered us into the home.

We were greeted with incredible hospitality.  Sheets were changed and the woman that had taken us in insisted that we sleep in their beds.  She and her two children were going to sleep downstairs for the time we were in town.  As we later discovered, her husband was out of town on business. It’s hard to imagine any woman in an America home alone with her kids would willingly take in three strangers. 

A pretty young girl walked in from a day at school and spoke perfect English.  She became our interpreter and communication improved instantly.  She told us that she learned English in grade school in Texas. Her father, an architect, left Ethiopia briefly to study abroad at Texas Tech University in Lubbock.  She told us how everyone that we met at her house fit together.

Her mother, the wonderful woman that ran the guest house, was named Atsede.

Her father, the architect that was out of town on business, was named Girmay.

The little boy running around the house was her little brother.  His name was Gideon.

Her name was Deborah.

The boy that met us with the big smile was a cousin.  Deborah told us that he lost his parents when he was younger and lived on the other side of town.  He was at their home that day because he missed the gate closing on his orphanage school.  He had a younger sister, Liya, that was adopted to a family in the US the year before.  His name was Sofani.

Gideon and Sofani checking out pictures on my laptop

That brings us to today.

Girmay, Atsede, Deborah and Gideon are currently living in Lubbock, Texas temporarily while Girmay finishes his PhD at Texas Tech.   They will return to Mekelle this summer.

Liya, Sofani’s biological sister, lives with her new family in Brownwood, Texas.  She's been with them over 2 years.  We were connected to her parents during the adoption process with Sofani.  This was an amazing turn of events.  We had no idea how we were ever going to help Sofani reconnect with Liya.  Sofani’s adoption enabled us to find Liya’s family and form a very special, lifelong connection with them.

Why am I writing this?  Good question.

Tonight, Staci and I are jumping on a plane to Dallas/Ft Worth with our four kids on Spring Break.  We will be driving tomorrow morning to Lubbock to spend a couple of days with Girmay, Atsede and their family.

On Sunday, we jump in the car and head to Brownwood for what should be an amazing reunion between Liya and Sofani.  When Liya left Ethiopia and was adopted to a family in the US, the chance of them ever seeing each other – much less having an opportunity to forge a relationship – was an incredible longshot.

This should be an awesome week for reunions in Texas.  What a thrill to be a part of it.  I'm sure there will be some pictures in the next post!

BIBLE COLLEGE UPDATE:

The site for the temporary Bible Training Center (2nd and 3rd Floor)

Funds continue to flow!  We are awaiting a check that will put us near the $7500 mark to solidify the furnishing of the temporary school.

The website is nearing completion and should be ready to roll within the next week.  I’m very excited to get this out as it will be a much better place to explain the initiative than my blog.

Keep praying, researching, sharing, following and donating.

More updates very soon!