Yes, we use her name. =-)

Hi all,

Two more days until I leave for Ghana. I talked to one of our adoptive parents who is over there now. She said that the children are doing well, but our staff are just going through the motions. Esther is still very much "out of it" and is being kept safe by another auntie nearby.

I want to address concerns that some have had about me using Esther's name. Some feel like this is an invasion of her privacy, which is a valid concern but I do not feel the same way. Esther is an extremely common name in Ghana. No last name has been posted. No photo showing her face has been shared. To me, not sharing her name feels incredibly impersonal. If you know AAI at all, you know that we are a very personal agency--like a family. She isn't just some Auntie at our home. She is Auntie Esther, whom many of our families and children know and love. I also share her first name because a fund has been established in her name, in order to help her heal in the coming months.

I know Esther. She is a Christian woman of strong faith that appreciates all of the thoughts and prayers being sent up for her. She doesn't know about the fund yet, but I know that it will make a difference in her life. Nothing can come close to making up for what she has lost, but maybe this can help her pick up the pieces.

So when you pray for her, pray for her by name. She would want it that way.

Anita
P.S. Just so there is no confusion, this is my personal blog, not an AAI-owned/operated blog. I work for a wonderful secular organization. As a coordinator I am privileged to work with people of all faiths. When I blog here, I blog as who I fully am--a Christian.