The First Time I Saw Your Face

The first time I saw your face was one year ago today. At 4:30pm on Monday the 17th of November, 2008. I was sitting at my desk, wrapping things up at the end of the day. It was already dark outside, really dark. The day was done. And then it wasn't, because I met you. I saw this face for the very first time.You can read about it here, because who doesn't love a referral story?

This is the first photo ever taken of Ashenafi, in September (quite possibly the 5th, when he arrived at Hannah's Hope). Almost 11 months old and all skinny legged. Wasn't he a cutie pie? Such a tiny little thing.

He was one tough little dude, from the day he was born. His Dad told me that, and I know it's true. In the photo above, that tiny little malnourished baby has hepatitis, tuberculosis, anemia and an infected eye that just barely opens. Within a few weeks, after a tube of ointment, a vitamin A shot, and some TLC he looked like this.

This one is also in September, his eye is starting to look better and his legs are filling out already! They do such an awesome job getting those kiddos healthy fast at Hannah's Hope.

These photos are from October, right around his first birthday. Only 17lbs, and most of that in the belly :) You might remember those sad looking slippers. They were passed along to a little girl after Ashi, and his little bear slippers that I sent stayed behind to keep another set of toes cozy.

Look at that face! And look at the little guy peeking out from behind the bushes in the background. That cracks me up, such a typical scene from HH. Kids crawling everywhere, with their mischevious grins.

November, 13 months old- happily bonding with Genet and finally bearing some weight on his legs.

January, 15 months old- Goodness, he still didn't really have any hair. And still not walking yet either, but almost. Autumn Gossett was the first to report Ashi walking in February, at 16 months.

And finally, March 2009! 17 months old, and getting ready to come home. I couldn't resist the buddy boys on the potty photo, aren't they adorable?

That little guy is home now, along with his siblings. All of the kids that were at Hannah's Hope with Ashi are home now. It's pretty crazy to think that there is an entirely new batch of 65 kiddos there now, waiting for families. And when they leave, there will be 65 more to take their place. 6 MILLION children in Ethiopia are orphans. Can you even fathom that number? 6 million faces just like these two.

Now one whole year later- he hardly looks like the same kid!