Julie Gumm - Author

Where this journey has led us

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It was almost a year ago that Mark and I first began discussing adoption. Since embarking on this journey our lives have changed forever… and we don’t even have the kids home yet.

Quite honestly we view everything in a completely different light. When you soak in the true need of others and the plight of so many in this world I find it hard to believe that anyone can be the same. While Mark has gotten to see it first hand during his trip to Africa last Spring, I have immersed myself in it in other ways.

There are times when the needs seem overwhelming and it is so easy to say “I can’t change anything”. But that is a lie from Satan himself. One person can make a difference. One person can change one life, or many. It is a choice we must each make for ourselves. Will we surrender all and let God use us?

For us, the care of orphans has become a passion, including spreading the message of caring for orphans as we are commanded by scripture. For some that will mean adoption, for others it will mean sponsorship, or mission trips.

Several months ago we joined forces with several other Christian adoptive families to form The Grafted Tree. Our vision is to:

  • Present people with the truth of God’s word and challenge them to meet the call to care for orphans.
  • Advocate for orphans by educating others about the needs and presenting opportunities for sponsorship, foster care and adoption.
  • Equip others to create a culture of caring for orphans in their church or community group.

One of the ways we are doing this is by creating a presentation team that would be available to talk to church groups, MOPS groups or any other gathering about the great need to care for children both locally and globally.

Not long after our group had formed, God crossed our paths with Pastor Surafel – an Ethiopian national who pastors an evangelical Ethopian church here in Phoenix and who also runs an ministry in Ethiopia called Hope for the Hopeless.

Hope for the Hopeless is in the progress of building two new dormitories on a 7 acre piece of land in Ethiopia. These homes will provide for 72 orphans. An additional $25,000 is needed to complete the buildings – windows, doors, furniture, etc. The need is urgent because until the children are moved in and the land is being used it can be seized by the government and all Hope’s work would be lost. (Read more.)

Several Phoenix churches are joining together to host a night of worship for Hope for the Hopeless. If you live in the Phoenix area we would love to have you attend.

Windows and Doors Worship Event

Friday, September 26th

6:30-8:30 p.m.

Free – Love offering will be taken

The Salvation Army Citadel

628 N. 3rd Avenue, Phoenix, AZ

Adoption is not the solution

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I don’t think anyone who is adopting, especially from a poverty-striken country like Ethiopia, will argue that adoption is going to solve the problems of this country.

Less than 1,300 children were adopted out of Ethiopia last year. The number of orphans in Ethiopia is estimated at about 4.6 million.

Adoption will not solve the very real problems of HIV/AIDS, hunger and poverty.

I came across (via Tom Davis’ blog) a great article that talks about this – Adopting Ethiopian Orphans May Not be the Best Solution

While we are drawn to the idea of helping those who are less fortunate than us – the least of these as Matthew 25 refers to them – then there are thousands of ways to go about that.

For us it became as much about adding to our family – the only way it makes sense. So many people say to us “They are so lucky to have you.” That may be true, but even though we haven’t met them they, and this journey, have already changed us in so many ways that WE are the truly lucky ones.

Shower of Blessings

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The adoption shower last night was so much fun and we are so blessed by the friends and family that came. A HUGE thank you to Stacey for doing this for us. This is the second time she’s done such a shindig for me – she threw me a surprise shower when I was pregnant for Natalie. She’s had a crazy week with sick kids, dr. appts, and getting ready to go on the high school mission trip but she still found time to put this together. Her mom opened up their beautiful home for the night and we had a blast.

We ate yummy food and then quizzed all the ladies on their Ethiopian Trivia Knowledge. I was pretty impressed that both Grandmas got 6 out of 8 questions right! (Although MeeMaw cheated and asked Natalie the answer to one of them. Lucky for her Natalie is a good guesser.) 🙂

Jen’s surprise was AWESOME! There is an African tradition called Blessing Cards. She handed each of the ladies rwo 4×6 sized card w/ a hole punched in one corner and they each wrote a special prayer or verse or blessing – one for W-boy and one for B-girl. Then, for each child, they chose two matching beads. One bead is attached to the card and then the other bead is strung on a string for the child. How cool is that? There’s a picture in the video below.

The cake was beautiful and yummy as I knew it would be. I asked for chocolate and said “Can you work peanut butter in there somehow?” So Michelle did a peanut butter mousse in the middle and some peanut butter in the frosting. It was delicious! (Hm, I’m thinking I’ll head to the refrigerator for some leftovers after this.)

We were totally blessed by all the gifts we received – bikes, scooters and helmets for both kids, clothes, pajamas, socks, sheets, games and coloring stuff to do on the plane, books, CD players, hair stuff (yeah!), a Frog Pod, wallets for the boys and purses for the girls and tons of gift cards. I am amazed and forever grateful.

So here’s some pictures from our fun night.


Song “Swept Away” by Geoff Moore