Monday, June 9, 2008

SOLOMON'S FUTURE?

In my recent letter to my son Solomon at the Kolfe boys orphanage, I asked him how long he was going to be there and what he expected to do when he got out. Here is his response. I wanted to share this with you because I really believe the Lord wants us to know and understand what these orphans are really going through. How many of you know an orphan personally? As it states in James 1:27, Pure and undefiled religion is to care for the orphan.... I can't help but think about how isolated we Americans are from them. Our lives and our culture are so different than other countries. We really don't have a lot of opportunity to get involved in the lives of orphans. So, this is why I believe the Lord wants me share my relationship with Solomon. To open our eyes and hearts to the plight of the orphan!

Solomon's Letter dated 5/14/08

Mom, I like the chocolate very much. I bought trousers and shoes by the money you sent for me. Thank you for everything. Mom I will graduate next years. Then the camps will give me 4000birr and then I will leave from the campus. After that I will find rent houses. When I get the house I am very lucky when I don’t get the house I don’t know what to do. Here in Ethiopia rent houses are very expensive you don’t get rent houses easily. So for many kolfe young guys this is the main problem that faced with them. When they leaving the campus many of them going to street because they don’t get a work easily because of this they can’t afford money for rent in this time the inflation rate is the world problem. So, 40000 birr is not enough to do.(approx. $400) I don’t think that I get government work. But I am thinking that to open my own business by 4000 birr after leaving the campus I think to open computer service center. But it need more money the computers are very expensive the houses also very expensive. I don’t know how possible to open my own business.

When I am alone I always thinking this why God create me without family? What kinds of plan he has for me? He loves me? When he loves me why he did this to me? I don’t get an answer for this question just crying my life is full of sorrow. I am not happy even for one day just always come to my mind who am I? But I hope that one day I get an answer for my entire question. I always found my self.

Mom, I always love you. You are always in my heart I crying last night just think about you. I don’t crying like this even when I lost my father. I know it is not possible to live with you but my heart is not accepted this reality. I don’t know before what to love mean but know no one defined the world love. Love means that to love some one greater than your self. I love you mom greater than my self. May be one day we meet each other for talking one and the last time. Until then you are in my prayer. I love you very much. I can’t wait to hug and kiss you my mom. Thank you for everything mom.

Love your son Solomon


This young man will be let out of the orphanage with $400 and no one to love him, help him, guide him into his next season of life. He has no where to live, no relatives or friends outside of the orphanage. Can you imagine being so alone and hopeless?

This weekend we just celebrated our son Jonathan's High School graduation and his 18th birthday. He is our first graduate from Mestas Christian Academy, with six more to go. We have homeschooled for 13 years with an intentional focus on preparing him to be a God's man, a career, and to be a husband and father someday. He has been such a gift to our lives and we have been so blessed to have had all these years to spend so much time together learning, laughing and loving. He is now preparing to be a Firefighter. He has been blessed with a wonderful family and support group around him his entire life. We have been blessed with a large family who gives lots of love and support.

As I compare him to my son at Kolfe, my heart grieves for Solomon. He has had no one cheering him on, intentionally training and loving him. Helping him to be prepared for his graduation, career, to be a God's man, husband and father some day. I am on my knees begging the Lord to show us how we can help him. I am praying that somehow, we can bring him home here to live with us. This is going to take a miracle and I am asking for it. I am so humbled and honored to have Solomon in my life. He has such a sweet and kind heart. Please join me in prayer for him. He is only one year from graduation and being released from Kolfe. AND THEN WHAT? Who will be there to love him, give him a home, help him find a job, and make the important decisions, find his wife, be a husband & father? I want to be his MOM, Jerry wants to be his DAD!! All we need is the Lord to show us how? Please, please pray for the LORD to make a way where there seems to be no way!

14 comments:

Aimee said...

Thank you for sharing with us. Since I returned from ET with my daughter, my ehart has ached to find a way to help. I pray for God to reveal to me what I am to do. I applaud you in all you do.

HollyMarie said...

Eileen, this breaks my heart! I am praying for Solomon's future!

DC said...

This is so sad. I will be praying for Solomon.

Diann said...

I am going to share this post with my teen Sunday School class and ask them to join with me in prayer that the Lord will provide a way. He is Jehovah Jireh. Please know that we are crying out to the Lord for you.

These Three Kings said...

wow.. I will definitely be on my knees for this young man tonight.. Our GOD is so SOVEREIGN and GOOD & has a PERFECT PLAN in all of this.. I cant wait till the day that it unfolds before your eyes.. oh, how beautiful that will be...

Future GRace to you in all life's hardships
Nicole

Romans 8:28; Lamentations 3

Sparkz said...

All I have to say is that God will make a way EVEN when there seems to be no way- let go and let God. Trust in the Lord! HE will provide. I'll be praying for you guys and Solomon. I do belive in God and his ability to do ALL things and know it's in HIS hands! There is no better place!

Shelly Roberts said...

I hear you Sister. :) Email me soon. Have some things to ask you. PRAYING WITH YOU for our sons .... Praise God He allowed us the most amazing privilege of knowing these boys. It's not by chance, not by mistake .... He'll keep revealing what we're to do ... I know it. Much love~ Shelly

I WOULD GATHER CHILDREN said...

I sent an email a while back and wondered if you can email me? I am interested if possible to adopt like you one of these boys.
Jen in MI

I WOULD GATHER CHILDREN said...

opps, here is my email
eyesonchrist@comcast.net
jen

Anonymous said...

Wow! Thank you for sharing this personal letter. It has stirred me and I'm sure many others to pray and take action in some way.

May God be merciful and move in mighty ways upon His people and in the lives of these young men in real and practical ways. May He give us all wisdom to know His will!

Farmboy and Buttercup said...

We brought an older boy from North Africa to live with us. We were not allowed to adopt him, but we brought him on a student visa. Basically, as long as he was in school, he was able to stay in the US (including college) and then we were planning to help him get his green card and such. God's plan was different than ours, and he had to return home unexpectedly, but just wanted to let you know we went that route to bring our boy to our family.

Amber said...

Wow, that letter was very powerful, thanks for sharing. It's my fist time on your blog. I'm a fellow red letter campaign blogger so I wanted to say Hi!

Anonymous said...

Solomon's letter truly broke my heart. We must do something to help him and the other boys that will soon leave the orphanage. Maybe a trade school to prepare them to become self sufficient in their homeland. Let's brainstorm and come up with a plan. I will be praying for these young men and their futures. Love Quetita

Anonymous said...

You need to talk to this lady and see how they brought their child home (who was too old to be adopted)
http://ourukrainianjourney.blogspot.com/

Jan