Ethiopian children mark Christmas in new land

Six Colfax children had an entirely new experience last weekend, celebrating their first Christmas. All six children were adopted from Ethiopia by three Colfax families in the past year.

“I can’t tell you how much more special this Christmas was,” said Caylene Knox, who along with husband Craig celebrated the holiday with newly adopted Landon, 5, and Rosa, 4, added to their family.

“They just ate it up,” Knox said of her children’s Christmas celebration.

While everyday items like vacuums, ice cubes and domesticated dogs have thrown the children into culture shock, they had no problem with Christmas.

“It really is something special to see all these kids together and loving Christmas,” Matt Ross said as the children played dodgeball and basketball with their adopted siblings Monday in the Colfax LDS church.

Whether it was the joy of unwrapping a pair of binoculars or, for five-year-old Landon, singing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” the children’s first Christmas in Colfax was filled with unbridled joy.

“Landon has been singing Rudolph all month,” said Knox. “He just absolutely loves that song.”

Matt, and wife Jill, adopted two children from Ethiopia this year, Andrew, 7, and Lillie, 4, to join the Knoxes and Jeff and Michele Campbell and their children Jordan, 6, and Amete, 2, in adding a touch of east Africa to their holiday celebration. The Rosses previously adopted a daughter, Ellie, who is 3.

Kenneth and Betina Workman joined in the festivities with their daughter, Ivy, who they adopted from Ethiopia four years ago.

“It’s so great we have this network of families here,” said Jill Ross. “It really helps the kids stay connected to their culture.”

In addition to connecting the children to Ethiopian culture, the parents now gather to share their affinity for the Horn of Africa.

“What really jumps out to me is how everyone has this love for Ethiopia now,” said Ross. “You can’t help but come out of that country a different person.”

Bordered on either side by war-torn Sudan and Somalia, Ethiopian children are often left to fend for themselves, said Ross. The mother of their recently adopted daughters, Ellie and Lillie, supported her family on $9 a month, with $6 spent on rent. Their father died of starvation, Ross said.

Knox said she was struck by the warmth and openness of the Ethiopians she interacted with while adopting Landon and Rosa.

Knox spent eight weeks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, winding through court hearings attached to the adoption process.

After feeling stir crazy waiting, she decided to take Landon to find his father in his home village of Wanjii.

“One of the nannies in the orphanage said ‘I know your kids’ dad very well,’” she said and they were pointed on the way.

After a 20-minute cab ride and a few questions from local residents, a woman pulled back a sheet that was acting as a door to reveal his grandmother. They spent some time with Landon’s family before heading back to Addis.

Caylene was accompanied for the first two weeks of her trip by Craig and Jill Ross.

The Rosses run No Longer Orphans, a non-profit they set up to aid families looking to adopt children from overseas.

“We’ll do whatever it takes to help families through the adoption process. Whether that’s counseling, prayer, financial,” said Matt Ross. “Mainly, we’re here to help take away the hurdles for international adoption.”

The process can take up to two years of wrangling with foreign governments and cost more than $40,000.

No Longer Orphans set up a number of fundraising events to help the Knoxes with their adoption, including charity dinners, a fun run and garage sales.

“We have a heart for kids and a heart for helping make people’s lives better,” said Matt. “I like to call it a God victory.”