going to Ethiopia to see thee most beautiful angel on earth

Hey.....This is finally it....The big month...what a blessed Christmas and Hanukkah present for all of us.  We will be traveling to Addis on the 28th (arrival)  and will be staying for our court date (30th) and leaving Addis on the 3rd.  I can tell you my mind is racing with all of the imaginations and anticipations that are in front of us as a family.  Adoption is so very different than natural birth...(although I said I felt pregnant in the past).....This is way different....The thoughts of another child calling me "mommy" is more than I can bare.  The hugs  and love .I love Rahwa with a deep maternal love....an ache for her....THIS IS THE FATHER!!!....I am really thankful to the Lord for his abundant showers of blessings that  have been poured down for Rahwa......We will get to meet her brother on this trip(19).  It said in the video that we saw of her recently that he is in University there....I am hopeful that I get to meet anyone who was and is special to her....and that I can share my love with them as well....What a beautiful people Ethiopians are..on the inside.....I can tell you before this experience that I knew very little about Africa......I am embarrassed to say, I never thought about it....and the Lord has been so faithful to bring me into a whole new revelation of his love for the land of Africa as well as the salvation of the people. Becoming involved with the ministry WITH OPEN EYES has been such a blessing in my life....and  I am humbled that he hass called me to pray for Africa.....so intimate.... So all I can say  is WOW...I look forward to sharing all that the Lord shows me and does  my heart as Jim and I make our pilgrammage to our daughters land....Bless it !!!!

waiting for Rahwa

Hello Friends....It has been some time since I posted on the blog but I wanted to share what has been going on in our lives as we have waited for Rahwa Shalom....I would say that they key word in life for us right now is WAITING....Since courts closed in Aug and Sept we were told to "hold tight" for a long summer....with no action....We had missed the court date cut off because they had to research Rahwa's date of birth and they had trouble getting it.......We finally were told that it is Dec 15...so she will be 11 this year.....But just waiting for her birthday took a few months......As Oct approached we expected to hear about our court date to travel...we were told to look at late Nov, early Dec.....so we have been preparing...In the meantime, the Lord allowed 6 of the families that are adopting from Rahwa's orphanage to meet and start a support/prayer group on line....We have seen pix of eachothers kids and they are all together at Operation Rescue Ethiopia..What a blessing......such strong believers all praying for one another and encouraging eachother as we wait......What is so exciting is that although all of us live far from eachother, our kids can keep in contact, if they want to by Skype and by meeting for mini vacations.......God is faithful......Well, yesterday I found out that all of Rahwa's paperwork is STILL NOT COMPLETE......This was surprising to me and Jim and depressinng.....It means we are not even at the point of "court date" and since courts have slowed down we have no idea when travel will be......I am sad but am still trusting God for his appointed times......In the meantime, I have been blessed to be involved in a ministry here in Charlotte that helps encourage beleivers in Africa and spread the Gospel through Moblity(motor bikes)...It is called With Open Eyes...www.withopeneyes.net.......I have been busy with Jewish Ministry and with Prayer Ministry at WOE so I feel full of the Lord and very complete in walking in his timing.......Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement.....For all of the FUNDS!!!! and for being a part of Rahwa's life through prayer and love......we love you  and I will keep you all updated as I hear things..........!!!!  Love, Traci

Preparing for Rahwa

Just thought I would share this morning...First of all ,the word that comes to mind during this stage of adoption is PREPARE....All through the Bible God calls Israel to prepare their hearts for the appointed times (Feasts and Festivals)...Get rid of the sin that so easily ensnares!!!...In the New Covenant God also encourages us as believers to Prepare ye the Way.....Be ready....sober....discerning...prayerful and thankful.....In preparing for Rahwa, Jim and I have had to take a very somber look at ourselves and our household....How are we living?  How are we all connecting as a family?...In watching videos of Ethiopian culture and their faith in Messiah, we felt the Lord open our hearts to repentence and correction.....so without all of the gorey details, we have asked the Lord to help us be a closer family, to take away the things that distract us all from interacting with one another....to PREPARE US AND OUR HOUSEHOLD for Rahwa......Kim posted a good post on her facebook...."I need Africa more than Africa needs me".....This is true.......When I look at Africa...and the poverty,the humilty and the LOVE, I know that American culture has little to offer me in my spirit....I must always be looking at heavenly things....and I NEED ETHIOPIA MORE THAN ETHIOPIA NEEDS ME!.....On another note, we are in need of financial support since this is the last leg of our journey.....If you know anyone who would like to send support to our family please share this need with them.....They can send  personal check to us made out to James Slusarski 9005 Tenby Lane Matthews NC 28104......or if the donation needs to run through a tax deductible organization it can be sent to : Lifesong for Orphans ...202 N Ford Street  Gridley Il 61744....Write in the memo : Slusarski 1860........every little bit is a blessing and helps more than you know......The money that is sent to lifesong will be then sent to our account at WACAP for Orphans.....Thank you friends and God bless us all.....

Pictures of our daughter

 Rahwa (our daughter)

Her silly side:)

Her praying

Her eating

Her smile:)

Rahwa is the one in the dark jacket

Rahwa doing a dance with the other girls.

Posing with the other girls in the orphanage.

Our new addition:) Rahwa Slusarski

WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED!!!! LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT RAHWA

Hello Friends,
Sorry I haven't written more on our blog, but to be honest it has been a time of waiting and "fulfilling our paperwork duty".  A few months ago, when Ethiopia had a slowdown in court dates we started looking at pictures of waiting children. WAITING CHILDREN are older children (over 3 or 4yrs old) that either have physical special needs, neurological issues, other disorders or are older.  We had planned on looking for a "healthy young child/baby with a sibling, initially.  Sometimes these can take a year or longer to match after you finish all of your paperwork.  Anyway, we started looking at pictures of older special needs children and the picture of a beautiful little girl caught my eye.  I had asked the Lord to stir a feeling (leap) in my belly when I saw the child that he had handpicked for us.  I saw these beautiful brown eyes and I inquire about the child.  A few days later a few pictures came to me with medical reports and facts about Rahwa Akeba...She was a full orphan, 10 years old (they really don't know the age there, they approximate), both of her parents died of AIDS in 02,03...She was living in a home in Mekelle Ethiopia, a Christian Home for orphans.  I instantly fell in LOVE....She did have a special need that I needed to research so I spent some time on the computer and asking questions to my social worker.  I told Jim about her and then time ticked on.......we weren't planning on an older child....The issues of language and culture are more primary when adopting a child who is not a baby.  Plus their past trauma.....watching both parents get sick and die.....Some time went by and the slowdown in Ethiopia became less of scare...So, I started thinking about babies and toddlers again and started on with MORE PAPERWORK...(you can't really explain the paperwork...it is unbareable and never ending....or so it feels..)Anyway, in March/April a DVD came in the mail marked "RAHWA"...I wasn't expecting it and might not have prioritized watching it......don't know why except to say time had gone by and I was having "my own plans, again"...Jim was home and so I said, pop it into the computer......Well, that was it...20 picture and a small video of this precious , sweet little girl came up....She introduced herself in English "Hi, my name is Rahwa....and I am 10 years old....as she waved her little hand"....I lost it!!!!!  Fell in complete eternal LOVE.....I knew at that moment that she was ours.....My baby girl .....I am crying even now.....Her medical report was included and with her condition she is in great health......I looked at Jim and I said the lines of a classic Christian wife "What do you think, BABE??????"  Jim needs to digest things...not super spontaneous..the opposite of me.....We kept all of this in prayer "pondered in our heart, little Rahwa"....Within a few days I knew my honey was in it!!!!!!!!!  I wrote to WACAP and inquired more seriously about Rahwa....They gave me the # of a missionary in Kansas that has this orphange in Ethiopia.  Her name  was Pam....I called Pam and said, "My name is Traci, I am calling becuase my family is planning to adopt Rahwa"....she got QUIET.....her answer shocked me "Well, Traci, I do not know who you are but there are a few other people who also are intrested in Rahwa so I do not know how much information I can freely give out.......and now TRACI, THE, WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO GET MY GIRL...stepped in....I said, Pam, tell me all about her......Pam visits the orphanage 4 times a year and knows the children....she said that these kids are with a housemother that is a native Ethiopian Christian....that they are being loved so beautifully.....being fed and cared for....being medicated and taught about Jesus.....I couldn't believe that even though I used a secular agency, the Lord had a plan for me to adopt from a Christian orphanage.....she said that they would only adopt her out to a Christian with a confession of faith and pastorial recommendation....I was like.....OKEE DOKEE!!!!  I got off the phone and immediately called my caseworker.....I said "I just talked to Pam and she said there were other families interested in Rahwa.....what can we do to go forward.....IT ALL HAPPENED SO FAST...ON THE PHONE ON THE WAY TO MEG'S LAST SOCCER GAME...."  God has sense of humor!  She called me back and told me they had a meeting at WACAP and they looked at the families considering RAHWA and that we were the closest family to finish the LONG PAPERWORK (called dossier) so they would allow us to me the first family to adopt her.....we needed to change or homestudy.....our homeland security paperwork and add more info regarding how to care for older children (they do require you to do webinars and get all your ducks in a row regarding how you will care for older children)......IN CONCLUSION.......we got out e-mail yesterday confirming that we have accepted RAHWA's referral and now we will go forward with our court date....According to WACAP our file will go to the Ethiopian systemand we could get a court date as soon as AUGUST (AHHHHHHHHHH!)....so, we are in "high gear"....planning to bring our Rahwa Shalom Slusarski home.....We are so thankful for the prayer and love and support from all of our friends.....this has been a rollercoaster.....and this is just the beginning of the ride........Please pray for our connection with her....for her to attach to us as her parents.....for her to feel the love of God through this process....and for God to be glorified in his great love for Orphans.....One last not....I am embarrased to say that I was very uinformed about the AIDS/HIV crisis in Ethiopia....and as I have read and studied about it, I weep......for the poor....and for those who cannot enjoy the abundant blessing of simple medical help that we so feeling have in America......a wonderful summer book I could suggest to learn more about this crisis is "There is no me without You", by Melissa Green........if you want to look up the orphange that Rahwa is in it is http://www.fieldof/ promise.org......Blessings.....I will post pictures as soon as Meg gets up...I am horrible at computers!!!!

an update from the Slu's.....prayer request

Today was a very good day......Kim Ward and I had the opportunity, with our sister in the Lord Ellen Scisciani, to do a presentation at Central Academy Lake Park for the elementary kids....we have already done one for the highschool and middleschoolers....What a blessing to be able to stand before these little ones and teach them eternal truth about God and his love for them.....to share with them about their adoptions into the Messiah and how now they can call God "daddy'...ABBA FATHER....Ellen did a wonderful job making the presentation age appropriate and fun..all the while sharing the beauty of what is the Gospel of God.....Caring for Orphans in their distress......Kim shared about how God laid his love for Orphans on her heart and then I led them in a prayer for those who need a parents love......It is such an honor to be God's messanger in these forums.....Children are powerful in prayer.....My son and daughter have always come home from their chapel services at school with story after story of what they learned from the speakers personal testimony......They would pray for a sick person that they heard about or a missions ministry they learned about.....It is my prayer that this school, Central Academy, will partner with us to help Orphans....what a legacy.......Now on a personal note....please be praying for us and for the Wards.....Ethiopia has had a sudden issue with adoption court cases slowing down by 90% in the last day...This is devastating news for those caught in the system...It means that people who have already accepted their child and are waiting to go over there to the courts are on major hold......The children could be on hold for long periods of time(possibly years...so sad).....this is truly devastating for the families and especially the children who are stuck in orphanages.....We are personally in the very beginning stages so this has effected us, and it could prevent us from adopting from that country......we will definantely be adopting...that is not our issue.....we are asking God to direction us at this point and would appreciate your prayers with agencies (if we need to change) and countries (if we need to change)..Our heart is set on Ethiopia and God can still open the door to work out the courts issues....but only time will tell......Today, we are trusting God for his leading and going forward.........by faith.........When I talked to our Pastor Greg Baker...his comment was "welcome to the wonderful world of adoption"........

PureReligion: What is an Orphan?

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