Ethiopia Adoption Program: Our Families

The Ethiopian government has few restrictions for adoptive families. Applications for couples married at least two years and single women are accepted. Applicants should be between 25 and 55 years of age, depending on the age of the child requested. No limitations on the number of children in the family exist at the present time.

Family Stories

A Mother's Sacrifice
by Francis D
My wife and I had heard about the difficulties in meeting with the birth families of adopted children; what to expect, the emotional highs and lows, the benefits and the concerns.

An Unpaved Journey
by Cynthia K
An unpaved, narrow, dirt road was before us. It almost appeared a walking path in the middle of a wooded forest.

Eli's Family
by Pamela S
Holding the envelope tight in my hand and my seven-month-old son Eli on my hip, I made my way from the mailbox to the kitchen table.

Mahalet's Story
by Paul and Jenine S
One of the great things about the Ethiopia program is the effort the workers there make to connect adopting families with birth relatives.

Meeting Mesay
by Kathryn R
In June of 2004, with a wide smile, my husband handed me my requested birthday gift - the signed Registration Form for WHFC.

My Journey to Ethiopia
by Laurie S
As with so many journeys this one started almost 18 months prior to the actual travel. The decision to adopt is one filled with so many emotions, from excitement to fear and everything in between.

Our "Best Day"
by Beth G
As deliriously happy a couple as we were before we found our daughter, we both feel like our lives truly began when we held our 3 yr. old Kalkidan in our arms.

Our Leap of Faith
by Ellie G and Gabriel C
Yared is the perfect addition to our family. He's a joy to be around and his smile lights up every room he enters.

Smiles and Laughter From Ethiopia
by Chad and Lisa C
It was all the smiles and laughter that surprised me the most. All of these beautiful children had lost their parents to the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Ethiopia, yet they all smile.

Tamirat
by Lauren S
Our adoptee, two-year-old Tamirat, fell asleep at the airport in Addis Ababa at about 8 p.m. Ethiopian time, May 15.

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