CWA in Ethiopia: The Acacia Village Vision
Christian World Foundation has recently acquired land outside the Ethiopian capitol city of Addis Ababa. On this 10,000 square meter property located 20 minutes west of Addis, CWF is constructing the Acacia Village.
The Acacia Village is named after the acacia tree which is found all over Africa. It is known as a tree that shelters and protects. Now, with the Acacia Village, CWA will be a sheltering and protecting presence for children in Ethiopia.
The Acacia Village will encompass a variety of buildings including a crisis pregnancy clinic, housing, classrooms and medical facilities for orphans. In addition, the Acacia Village will have rooms for CWA families who travel to Ethiopia to complete their adoptions. We will also house groups from the US visiting for mission trips.
This project is part of Christian World Adoption’s vision to provide food, clothing, medical care and education to women and children in Ethiopia. While it is hard for us to imagine, millions of women and children in Ethiopia face the daily challenge of survival. They are do not have access to basic dietary needs like fruits, vegetables and dairy products and have little prospect of learning life skills. Many Ethiopian mothers report feeling that abortion is their only option when they are pregnant. Christian World Foundation is in Ethiopia to provide an infinitely better option: adoption of children into loving homes. We anticipate facilitating hundreds of adoptions from Ethiopia each year. Read More »
Our Gift From Heaven: The deGuzman Family
 When we were asked to write this story for the newsletter, we were so thrilled to be able to share our story. Going through the adoption process we have read many wonderful stories that made us smile, cry, laugh, and especially long for the day for us to share ours. We pray that our story brings peace to those struggling with making the decision to adopt; hope to those that are in the middle of all the paperwork; faith to those who are waiting for a referral or to travel; and love to all of the families that CWA has brought together.
Like most couples, shortly after being married we wanted to start a family. After about a year of trying to conceive we were told that it would be very difficult for us to conceive a child without medical intervention. We spoke with all of the medical experts and, in the end, we were left with the decision of whether or not to move forward with fertility treatment. We prayed for guidance and the Lord definitely laid His desire heavy on our hearts. We knew that He had a child planned for us, but she was to come to us in a very special way.
Prior to finding CWA, we were pursuing an adoption from China with another agency. We were just about a year into the process when we decided to investigate adopting from another country. One night while doing a web search on international adoption for the millionth time, CWA’s website popped up. The next morning I called CWA and we felt at home immediately. When asked why we chose Ethiopia, we always have a hard time answering this question. It’s easier for us to say that we chose Ethiopia because a close family friend is Ethiopian. However, the real reason is that it just felt right in our hearts.
 On April 18, 2007 that feeling prove to be true. We awoke to the phone ringing at 7:30am and immediately started screaming with joy when we saw the caller id. The sweet sound of Sue Kramer’s voice telling us we received a 5 month old baby girl is a conversation we will never forget. We immediately ran to the computer and opened an email with 3 pictures attached of a chubby beautiful baby girl named Jesmina. We had 10 days to decide. Well, we called back in less than 10 minutes! We were in love and knew immediately she was going to be our daughter. We spent the next 2 months praying that she was warm, healthy, and safe. We would talk for hours wondering what she was going to feel like, sound like, smell like, and where did her beautiful name come from. We longed for the day to hold her in our arms.
That day came two months later. July 2, 2007 little Jesmina was placed tenderly in our arms. She didn’t cry, just sucked her thumb and looked at us with her soft big brown eyes as if she always knew who we were and that she had been waiting patiently for us to come get her. Immediately we knew our prayers were answers and that she was our special gift sent from heaven. She was everything and more that we ever dreamed of and prayed for.
The next few days were spent getting to know Jesmina and as much as we could about her story and her culture. Everyone at CWA in Ethiopia went above and beyond to assure that our needs and desires were being met. It was so moving for us to watch the Lord’s work truly being done through the entire staff at the foster home. We felt that the words “thank you” were just not enough. We were so in awe of the love and care that each child received. All of the workers—from the women that cooked, the security guard, the nannies, the nurses, the drivers, and the administrators—each one had a special and valuable job in the Lords grand plan. It brought peace to our hearts knowing how well cared for and loved Jesmina had been prior to us come. For this we are forever grateful.
Finding CWA and adopting Jesmina has changed our life forever, both as a family and most importantly spiritually. We truly believe that it was through CWA and Jesmina that we were taught to be patient and trust in the Lord, for it is His will that will be done in His time. Adoption can be a long, stressful, and sometimes lonely process. However, we learned that when you leave it in the hands of Lord—it becomes a joyful, spiritually enlightening, and wonderful process. So, when people ask us if Jesmina is adopted and from where did she come—we respond with a big smile and say, “She is the answer to our prayers, a gift from heaven, we just had to go to Ethiopia to get her!”
 Interview with Sue Kramer
Sue Kramer works in CWA’s Flat Rock, NC office as Case Manager for Ethiopia. She has been with CWA since 2002 and has worked in the Eastern European program before joining the Ethiopia team.
What was your background before CWA?
I worked in community mental health helping adults with mental illnesses and mental retardation. For the most part I worked with people who needed to be reintegrated into the community after treatment.
What led you to CWA?
It’s a God story. I worked with Denise Hunter (also before she came to CWA). I didn’t know her that well, but when I heard she was leaving to go to work for CWA, I wished her well and saw how excited she was. The agency I was working for was closing its doors and I wasn’t sure what the future held. I prayed and prayed and God kept telling me to be patient and wait. But I found myself getting anxious. So I kept praying and out of the blue Denise called me and presented the opportunity to come work for CWA. I went for a first interview that day and was hired within the week! God has answered my prayers in amazing ways through my work at CWA.
What is your favorite part of working for CWA?
Working with Christians here in the office on a daily basis makes a tremendous difference for me. I also love that I can be free to share faith and prayer with families I help. Sometimes it’s hard for families in the middle of the adoption process and it helps to be able to talk about God’s providence and His ability to be in control of the process. CWA is such a great agency and I’m constantly inspired by the hard work put in by everyone here.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
Working with the cultural differences between our country and other nations is very challenging. We are used to set procedures and having access to a lot of information, whereas other cultures do not have the same view of time and information we have. It’s always a challenge to communicate so that we are being clear about what is needed for families in the middle of the process. At the same time, these challenges really help me appreciate how good life is in America.
How has international travel with CWA shaped your view of the world?
Well, I really haven’t been surprised by what I've seen when traveling. I have felt the lack of God’s presence in some places but then felt His incredible presence in other places. The hopelessness many people face in other countries is deeply troubling and helps me to be thankful for our many blessings. People who live in oppressive poverty have a hard time looking into the future because all they can think about is surviving today. Thank God we can help some of these people – especially the children.
Tell us about your family?
I have a very close knit family and long term friends whom I love to spend time with including my "old" college roommate who I see just about every week. I spend a lot of time with my nieces and nephews as well. There is something going on just about every weekend.
What is your favorite free time activity?
I love to read books I find at the Christian bookstore – either Christian fiction and non-fiction. When the weather is nice I love being outside in my garden working with my flowers and occasionally vegetables. I used to play tennis and racquetball a lot and now I play tennis when I can. I love to watch both college and professional football – my favorite teams are South Carolina (go gamecocks!) and the University of Miami (go canes!). But the great joy this year was my alma mater, Appalachian State, pulling off the big upset over Michigan. I also follow the Carolina Panthers.
What is your prayer for CWA?
That we remain faithful to God and where He is leading us. It’s hard to setup new programs and go into new countries to facilitate adoptions. Sometimes the more faithful you are, the more the devil attacks. So I pray God will give us patience and perseverance as we continue to do His work.
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