An Ethiopian trend

Abby Kaufman said her adopted son, Misikir, 6, fits right in with his brother and sisters, but he does notice a difference between himself and his family.

“He’ll say, ‘I have brown skin and you have peach skin,’” Kaufman said. “We’re very open about it, and we teach him to embrace it and be proud of his background.”

Misikir is Ethiopian.

Kaufman said she and her husband, Jeff, who already had four children, Ava, 7, Layne, 6, Iris, 4, and Lucy, 2, knew they wanted a fifth. Their children were all under the age of 5 at the time.

“My husband said, ‘Why have another when there are so many children without parents?’” Kaufman said. “It sounds crazy adopting with four kids under the age of 5, but God just called us to do it.”

Bart Rinkenberger agreed.

“The bible is very clear about taking care of orphans,” he said.

Rinkenbeger and his wife, Janell, parents to four boys, Carson, 9, Quinn, 7, Kade, 4, and Cole, 3, also decided to adopt from Ethiopia.

Now 1-and-a-half-year-old Jada came home and met her big brothers Sept. 4.

Rinkenberger said adopting a child from Ethiopia was an easy choice for his family.
 
“The people there realize the need and realize Americans can help,” he said.

He said the country of about 82 million people has about six million orphans.

Janell Rinkenberger said she and her husband had never really considered adoption.

“God just spoke to our hearts,” she said.

She said she and her husband did not know much about adoption, but found that at the time, Ethiopia was a cost-efficient, well-running option for adoption.

The Kaufmans and the Rinkenbergers went through different agencies to adopt, but each family went through a similar process.

Kaufman said that process began with a home study, which she said involved “lots and lots of paperwork.”

The Kaufmans requested a boy between the ages of 2 and 4. They brought Misikir home in mid-January 2009.

“He’s the sweetest little boy, and we just can’t imagine our lives without him,” Kaufman said.

Kaufman said her children were very excited and accepting when Misikir became part of the family.

“He’s just their brother,” she said. 

Kaufman said the family celebrates Misikir’s “Gotcha Date” each year. She said they have a party, just like they would for a birthday.

Janell Rinkenberger said her family began the adoption process in April 2008 with a home study. After the study was approved by the Department of Children and Family Services, they received their foster-care license.

After filling out additional paperwork, which was sent to Ethiopia, the Rinkenbergers were placed on a waiting list in August 2008.

On Feb. 10, 2009, they received pictures and a medical history of the 3-month-old girl they would eventually get to bring home.

After filling out more paperwork, the Rinkenbergers were given a court date where paperwork from the family and Jada would be reviewed in Ethiopia.

Janell Rinkenberger said that Jada legally became their daughter June 29, 2009.

After Jada passed a physical and her visa was issued, the Rinkenbergers travelled to Ethiopia and brought her home.

“Her brothers love her and treat her just like she’s their biological sister,” he said.

He said Jada is too young to understand the differences between herself and her family now, but the Rinkenbergers bought items from Ethiopia to give to her as she grows up.

“The American adoptive parents are very open with the kids about the situation,” Bart Rinkenberger said. “The heritage and their culture is very rich, and we try to honor that. The idea is to keep the curiosity alive.”

Bart Rinkenberger said he sees no challenges when it comes time for the children from Ethiopia to enter the predominately white Morton school district.

“These kids will totally fit in,” he said.

Every few months, Kaufman said, families of locally adopted children from Ethiopia get together so the kids can play. She said there are about 10 adopted Ethiopian children currently living in Morton.