The video link above is of one of
my favorite families. The video was made by a friend and documents this family
bringing home their newst daughters, Mebrate. I can’t watch it without crying.
Maybe it’s because I love this family, I’ve been around them through the
process of adopting her, or I want to adopt so badly. Whatever it is, I love this family a
ridiculous amount. They have a
non-profit to send formula over to two partner Ethiopian orphanages. The Hoffmans have a unique, heartbreaking,
and inspiring story. I met Laura when I signed up for a Bible study and she was
the leader. It wasn’t too long before I
knew Laura very well and I knew she was someone I wanted to be like. Laura and her husband had an adopted daughter
from Africa and were beginning the process of adopting another little girl when
I met them. Meron, their daughter, however was not the first child. After Tymm
and Laura found out they would be unable to get pregnant, they excitedly
pursued the chance to adopt. They found an adoption agency, filled out the
massive amounts of paperwork, participated in a home study, and waited
anxiously. Then one day, their whole
lives changed. They received their referral for their son, which means they got
the name and picture of their child. His
name was Brighton and he was an orphaned infant in Ethiopia. They were
ecstatic, but the joy was short-lived.
At 76 days old, Brighton passed away, most likely from malnutrition in
combination of poor living conditions.
Tragically,
infants and young children passing away is not a rare occurrence in Africa. In
fact, it happens every day. Laura and
Tymm were devastated, but they were not going to wallow in self-pity and after
spending a lot of time praying and researching, they decided on sending formula. They choose formula for several reasons.
First, the formula in Africa is very low quality, incredibly expensive for
orphanages and has few nutrients. They prefer powdered formula over liquid
because it weighs less and feeds more. Finally,
sending formula is a tangible way for people here to get involved. Individuals
can go to the store and buy the formula that an orphanage will actually
use. They named their organization
Brighton Their World (www.brightontheirworld.com)
and have sent over 40,000 bottles worth of formula since they started. To say their organization is growing is an
understatement. It began by just telling their friends, but it has since
expanded. It is not unusual to receive an email from a stranger saying, “Hey,
I’m driving through Atlanta and have a car full of formula, can we meet up so I
can give it to you?” They’ve driven to Texas and back (and other places) over
two days to pick up formula to send it over to Africa. They generally get it to
their partner orphanages by “mules” or individuals heading to the area. Laura
and Tymm will buy an old suitcase from Goodwill, pack it with formula, and pay
for the extra baggage fees of the individual. Customs can be tricky to get
through in almost every country in Africa so recently they’ve had to buy
formula in-country. While it’s not ideal, the children certainly receive more
than they would without any formula.
I’ve
had several people ask how they can get involved with helping people. This organization
is an excellent way. I personally know
this family and have been around them for two years. You can do several things.
Donate: you can donate money and they
will buy formula with it. 100% of the money goes to helping the children.
Host a party: Host a formula party.
With the holidays approaching, instead of giving gifts to one another, have
everyone bring a can of formula. You can
contact Laura and Tymm on their website to get more information or to help you.
Spread the word: Tell your friends,
family, anyone about what they are doing.
This organization has grown by word of mouth. They have a Twitter and Facebook that you can
link up to as well. They also have a blog they update daily about
their life and family (http://littlehoffman.blogspot.com/) and as you can see from the video, their daughters are
beautiful and they are just as sweet too.
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