Eritrean Children Adopted by Americans: Abandoned in Africa

In October 2007 math teacher Angie Johnson* received an email from a former student. Faven* had been adopted along with her two brothers from Eritrea, East Africa by a Minnesota family. In June 2007 the adoptive parents took Faven and her brothers back to Africa and abandoned them there.

"Faven emailed me to request help out of the desperate situation. George and I joined forces with a small group of advocates to work towards returning the children to Minnesota," reported Angie in her 2008 Christmas letter to friends and family.

The saga of how God put this dedicated advocacy group together is part of the true-life story told in the upcoming book, Adopted by Americans: Abandoned in Africa. Here is an except:

Quiet-spoken, conservative Angie Johnson from a farm in the Midwest and emotive, colorful Azzezza Issac* from the deserts of Africa seemed an unlikely pair to become advocates for Faven and her brothers. But over the next months the two would become bonded by their love of Christ and their hope that the Lord wanted these children back home in Minneapolis.

The duo sat together, holding hands in Azzazza's kitchen in Brooklyn Park. Neighborhood pre-school children scurried around their feet.

"What can I do, Lord?" grieved Angie. "I'm only a math teacher. Africa and Faven are worlds away. I don't know where to start on adoption or immigration issues. This seems way too big for me." Timid Angie didn't have knowledge of the system, but she did know that this was not too big a problem for her God.

"Jesus can do this," encouraged Azzezza.

"It's just that I'm not the 'action' kind of person, Azzezza. I'm a good listener. I hate talking on the telephone." Yet Angie took a deep breath, picked up the phone and began making calls to public officials.

One of her first calls was to the US Embassy in Asmara, Eritrea. It took some time -- and perseverance - to get past the front desk...

Christian writers -- and sisters -- Angie Johnson and Stacey Wittig come together as to document this true story.

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*names have been changed but will be revealed once all legalities have been satisfied.
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