Adoption Day @ Memphis Cafe'

Welcome Family and Friends of

Ken and Heidi Ballard!

Adoption Day at Memphis Café

When you enjoy your breakfast, lunch or dinner at Memphis Café on

Sunday, February 21^st, 2010

Memphis Café will donate 20% of your bill to Ken and Heidi’s adoption fund!!

Let’s bring these beautiful Ethiopian children home!

*Just mention “Ballard Family” to your server

Memphis Café at the beach (310)-545-5405

10:30am – 11:00pm

1142 Manhattan Ave,

Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Located in beautiful downtown Manhattan Beach!

www.memphiscafe.com

Visit our web site to preview our menu.

WE GOT THE CALL!!!!!!!!!!!

We got the call today!!!! We received a referral for a beautiful 4-1/2 year-old girl and her very handsome 2-1/2 year-old brother! They are absolutely amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Once we get a court date in Ethiopia and pass court, we can tell you their names and post pictures of their beautiful faces!!!!!!!!!! Thank you everyone for your love and support!!! Please continue to keep our family in your prayers!!!

Success and Blessings!!!

Through the extreme generosity of others, we have had 2 very successful fundraisers in the last 2 months! Between the "Christmas Sounds Like Brazil" event organized by our friend, Tiago, and the "Self-Defense Class" organized by our friend, Clarence Smith, we have raised over $1000!!!!! WOW!!! Ken and I are so thankful for everyone who continues to support us through prayer and donations for this long process to bring our Ethiopian beauties home. We have been truly humbled by the number of people who want to bless us in our adoption. We are so thankful that one day we will be able to show our children a VERY long list of people who worked together to bring them to their forever family!!!! Thanks everyone for your love and support! Please continue to pray for us as we are just one phone call away from finding our who our son and daughter are!!! The wait is very difficult, but we are so excited!!!!!!!

Melkam Gena!!!

It is Christmas in Ethiopia today!!! I found this great information about the holiday on another blog.

Christmas is a major holiday in Ethiopia. More than half of the population of Ethiopia is Orthodox Christian. The celebration occurs on January 7, the Feast of the Epiphany, instead of December 25...
On Christmas Eve, January 6, the city is crowded with pilgrims and tourists from all parts of the world. The people remain outdoors all night, praying and chanting. On January 7, the Ethiopian Christmas known as Ganna is celebrated. The word Ganna is used interchangeably with the word Christmas, to mean the birth of Jesus Christ (leddat). This celebration takes place in ancient churches carved from solid volcanic rock of that day and also in more modern churches that are designed in three concentric circles. Men and boys sit separately from the girls and women. People receive candles as they enter their church. After lighting the candles, everyone walks around the church three times, and then they all stand throughout the church service which may last up to three hours. After the service, the rest of the day is spent dancing, playing sports and feasting.

The preparation of the feast is an important part of the day in Ethiopia. A typical Ethiopian feast for the Christmas meal includes a main course, such as doro wat ( a spicy chicken stew), injera bread (Which is a flat round bread) and homemade wine or beer. The injera bread is used to scoop and eat the food, thereby replacing ordinary utensils.

Gift giving in an Ethiopian Christmas celebration is a very small part of this ceremony. Children, if they receive gifts, usually receive simple presents such as clothing. But, a very important part of the celebration is a sporting event called gena. This game is a form of field hockey in which sticks with hooks at one end are used. The game is played by having two opposing teams trying to outscore each other hitting a ball with their sticks. Usually, the sticks and balls are made from locally grown trees. In Ethiopia, the opposing teams often represent certain regions and the rivalry in these games can be intense. According to tradition, shepherds celebrated when they heard of Jesus’ birth by playing this such game...