Mikiyas is a sweet, caring boy who was born in Ethiopia and lived there the first 6 years of his life, over half of it being spent in an orphanage. After being adopted into our family and living in America for the past 8 months, he still remembers what Ethiopia was like and thinks of the millions of orphans and families living in complete poverty. Mikiyas turns 7 this month, and while many young boys are excited for their birthday parties and all the presents they'll get, this is something different for him. First of all, this is his very FIRST birthday that has ever been truly celebrated with a birthday party! In Ethiopia, birthdays are not a big deal and usually are not celebrated (at least not like here in America!). He has never received a birthday present in all his life, and while preparing for his birthday party, we began asking him what he wants for his birthday. According to him, he has enough and only wants one gift from us (Mommy and Daddy) and a couple from family. But what he REALLY wants for his birthday is that instead of getting gifts from all his friends, he wants to give back to Ethiopia instead. He frequently says he has enough toys and he doesn't need more because there are lots of kids in Ethiopia with NO toys and people without food, clean water, or shoes. THAT is what is important to him... So he's requesting that instead of a birthday gift from any of his friends, followers, and supporters, he would love if you would instead help him meet a birthday goal.

After contacting a great organization called Hope Arising ( www.hopearising.org), Mikiyas picked a project he'd like to help fund...

Dera is a town in southeastern Ethiopia, located in the Arsi Zone of the Oromia Region. The population of this town is estimated at 23,000, with approximately 10,000 living in rural areas. Economic activities of the town depend on trading, service provision, and government employment. In Dera, there are 3 primary schools with approximately 6,400 students.

Education in Ethiopia is very important for their future. Children attending school improve life expectancy by decreasing child labor and child prostitution. Educated children provide healthier homes for future families. Learning and skill development provide future opportunities for the children and teens.

Each school has two 4 hour sessions per day so the thousands of kids can take turns attending. In just the elementary school alone, there are over 1000 children who cram into the school for the morning session, ready and eager to learn. The issue is that they are severely lacking in textbooks. Obviously this is a huge problem and potential delay in helping the kids to learn!

For only $1.50, you can pay for a textbook for a child! $1.50 seems like nothing to us in America. Many spend that much easily on a soda or double that on a coffee EVERY day! In Ethiopia $1.50 can sometimes be an entire day's wages, if they're lucky, so $1.50 for a text book for many families is just not feasible. Can you imagine having $1.50 being one of the only setbacks in helping you learn?

As Mikiyas says "If they go to school, they learn! If they learn, they grow up and get job! If they get job, they can pay for family. And NO more orphans, Mommy!" He understands that getting an education can make a huge difference in helping stop the cycle of orphans, because if a family is able to provide fully for their family (thanks to education), than there is NO need to have to give up their children to an orphanage! This makes Mikiyas VERY happy, as his life goal when he grows up is to be a firefighter, work with airplanes like Daddy, and to make there be NO MORE ORPHANS!

For Mikiyas' SEVENTH birthday, he would love to raise enough money to buy SEVEN HUNDRED text books. I'll admit when he first said that, I almost spoke up saying that's too big of goal, but then I thought, "Why should that be too big of goal? If he believes he can do it, why not try?" While this is a huge goal, I think we can do it! I have over 700 facebook friends and if everyone bought just one book, his goal would be matched!

What's awesome is that Hope Arising will take pictures of buying the books and handing them out to the children so Mikiyas (and all of you!) can see his birthday wish fulfilled. We will be sure to share them on our blog!

Would you be willing to help wish him a happy birthday and help meet his birthday goal? Some may be willing to buy more than just one book and that would be AWESOME!!

Here's a breakdown of book costs to make it easier for you! :)

1 book = $1.50
10 books = $15.00
20 books = $30.00
30 books = $45.00
40 books = $60.00
50 books = $75.00

Also, feel free to leave a comment on the right especially for Mikiyas, which we'll read to him whenever we get one. He will be so excited to hear them! :)