This is Garmaam.
She is Garmaam.
He is Garmaam.
They are Garmaam.
Garmaam is happy.
And do you know what?
I am Garmaam.
And you?
You can be Garmaam, too.
With $12 a month, you can become part of Garmaam’s extended village.
Training so that Garmaam can become self sufficient will be provided. Garmaam can be healthy. Garmaam can grow crops. Garmaam can clean their water.
This is Garmaam.
Will you join them in their three to six year journey towards becoming self sufficient?
To see Garmaam’s blog, which has been and will continue to be updated by GHNI-Ethiopia workers who coach the village, click here. If you want to be one of the 100 people needed to join Garmaam’s extended village, just click the join button on the blog. You’ll be led right to PayPal (where you can click “pay with credit card” if you want!) and, as soon as we get confirmation, I will put your first name and last initial at the top of this post, announcing Garmaam’s 100 newest “villagers.” Because GHNI is pioneering this online community adoption of a village, we will take only 100 sponsors right now. We are taking things slow and steady. Come this July and next winter and many times beyond, those who have adopted a village will have first dibs on trips like the one I am on right now, to visit, work with and love the very people who live in the adopted village. I will return to Garmaam and I hope you will join me, to see first hand the changes toward self sufficiency that the people there make.
Also, on Friday evening (8:00 pm Pacific, 11:00 Eastern…and yes, I know I said Thursday earlier, but we changed it!), four of the 100 of you who join with Garmaam will have the chance to be part of a live video conference call that we will rise very early and have with Garmaam at sunrise. You will be able to see and hear the villagers, and the villagers will be able to see and hear the four of you on the screen at the same time! But it won’t be just you. To help spread awareness about this amazing Ethiopian village, as well as the beauty and the needs here, please email me sometime before Tuesday evening in the States if you want to be considered for the call. Let me know how you would gather a crowd around your computer for the video experience. Would you gather your neighbors at your house to meet “your” new village? Maybe you work evenings and would bring your computer (Your computer must have a web cam!) to have your coworkers participate? Would you meet with people from your church for the evening call? Have your teenager invite a slew of friends over for an African themed sleepover? Gather your buddies around the poker table? Get creative! We’ll pick the four people with the best plans, and I’ll email them back so we’ll be squared away for the call on Friday evening, when each of the four can carry out their plan and participate in the live conference call!
I will of course attend the live video call and photograph it so I can post about how it went. Technology is amazing. But our neighbors around the globe are even moreso. To learn more about how your $12 a month will help the village, click here. For a deeper explanation of how GHNI seeks to help villages transform themselves, click here.
Are you Garmaam, too?
I am number 80 I have 3 wonderful kids two twins and an adopted child all 3 are around the same age. We are in the process of adopting 2 more from Ethiopia a boy and a girl . I think this is a great way to teach all my childern about Ethiopia.
Laura F
Just joined this village, we are excited to see what happens over the years!
Sarah T
Why do they have purposed facial scaring?
BEAUTIFUL PICS…I love sweet little kiddos missing their 2 front teeth those are the best pictures ever
These photos are breathtaking! That last one of the baby in the mom’s sling is just too cute! You are amazing!
Our family just joined this village and we are so excited to be a part of them. We adopted 2 older girls from Ethiopia(they were 7&10 at the time) and this will be a great way for them to stay connected to there birth country. Also we have always wanted to take them back there some day..so looking forward to having the opportunity to travel back there again! I am enjoying seeing there faces as they look so similiar to my girls
I’m so happy to be a part of this wonderful opportunity!!!!!
Awesome!!!!!!!
I originally came to your site through all kinds of blogrolls on photography. I immediately loved your writing and the design of your blog and all the wonderful photography lessons you have. But the reason I keep coming back (aside from your adorable children) are the inspirational and beautiful posts on your travels in Africa.
My eyes are full of tears and I am choking up proudly because I have just joined the Garmaam village. Last night I dreamed that I was surrounded my some of these faces and this morning there was no doubt in my mind that my brothers and sisters in Garmaam will touch me as much as we can touch them.
I am very excited to share this journey with the other 98 kind people who are becoming villagers today too! Looking forward to showing my 13 month old the photos of all the beautiful faces and stories about Garmaam through this incredible time. Thank you for sharing this opportunity with us!
The first picture, the one of the grinning girl with what look like books, and the last one of the baby melted my heart. So precious and perfect. All of these people are so gorgeous. <3
Alright Jennifer, we are in. So excited to be doing this. I have always had a heart for Ethiopia. I just felt like this time I needed to step up and do something. I hope my small donation each month will actually make a difference in their lives. Thank you for giving my family this opportunity. I also didn’t post in comments where we are from. We live in a small northern community in BC, Canada. Just south of Alaska. I have been married for 15 1/2 years and have 2 children. Girl 12 yrs old and a son who is 8. God bless you and your family. Lani
The first and the last pictures just pierced our hearts..the Smallwood family just signed up to be part of Garmaam. Thanks for bringing this to our attention Jennifer!
Hooray!! Thank you, Melissa! Now you know why my heart is melted, too!!
Thank you for leaving your family behind ( only in body ) i know they are with you…and introducing me to some new family in Garmaam!
I joined this village and forgot to post in the comments where i’m from and all that. Long time follower. Love you blog but more, I love what you do with your love from God. Spreading it world wide.
Brandi
McKinney, Tx
Oh my gosh, the last picture could not be any more precious! Glad all prayers are being answered and your travels have gone well.
Our family just signed up and we are very excited. I was just talking about helping others to our children, so this will be a great experience for them too.
Thank you!
I’m also a breastfeeding babywearing mama and I hope one day to travel to Africa to meet these amazing people in these villages! I hope that it’s ok for us to partner with both villages.
We are the Range family in McKinney, TX. 
Beautiful photos! The little girl with the braids in her hair is especially stunning. Her eyes are so bright. Also the first little boy reminds me of Big Mac- their eyes and smiles look similar. Lovely.
I’m noticing that a lot of the people there have scars on their faces, often between their eyes. What is the reason for them? It seems more than just a coincidence, so I’m wondering if they have to do with a certain ritual or custom.
Never mind, someone asked the same question and I saw the reply. So curious that they think it more beautiful to have scars.
Just signed up! I am so excited to be apart of Garmaam! Thank you so much for the opportunity. I was showing my MSC (3,2&6m) the pictures you’ve posted and can’t wait to show them more. They are all so beautiful! And as a babywearing, breastfeeding mom, I already feel a kinship to the women I saw.
Motherhood truly is a universal language.
BTW, you’ll see our sponsorship come through as Zarik B. That’s MY Prince Charming.
I’m so happy to be a part of the extended village and had every intention since I read your post this morning!
But even if I wasn’t going to sign up…that last picture would have sucked me right in anyways!
I’m so excited!
Ditto On that last photo! I just want to love on that baby! So precious.
The people are so beautiful!
Hello MckMama,
I am wondering if a spot can be held? I just signed up, but have to wait for my confirmation number to come through PayPal. We had issues in the past with someone trying to get money from us for things that someone else purchased on our account. So, I had to get another account and need to wait for the 4 digit code. Me and my family want to be a part of this wonderful opportunity. I am guessing the code should come through tomorrow. Please let me know if there is a way to be included and be part of this village.
Okay, so have you submitted a payment for the Garmaam village? If you have and that confirmation is waiting approval, that’s probably okay…but also, did you know you don’t even have to use PayPal? On the main PayPal page, you can click “pay with credit card” and you can skip PayPal altogether!
We tried that as well. It made us go through paypal for some reason. We tried a different card and email address. Not sure why it didn’t work just as a credit card transaction. I am waiting for our card to approve the paypal account and give us a 4 digit number. Thank you so much for giving us all an opportunitity to help. I just am not sure how long it will take with the card. I sure hope I will be able to get in before it is to late.
Although this is my first time posting, I have been following your blog since hearing of Stellan’s (former)
medical issues. I am excited to be a part of the adopt a village family. Thanks to your trip to Kenya last year, I was also inspired to sponsor a child through Compassion. Thank you for bringing to light the stories of these wonderful people! God Bless and safe travels!
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Amanda!
My husband and I just signed up on behalf of our second child, due in June. We’re really excited about being able to participate in this progam, and can’t wait to see more from Garmaam!
Please list us as Natasha K, Dave C and “Knut” (our current name for Baby #2!) from Canada.
Did it come from your husband’s PayPal? David C.? Guessing that’s you!!
Yes! We see that he’s already listed
This is my first time posting, though I’ve followed your blog for quite some time. I wanted to thank you for bringing light and hope to Ethiopia. The country has held a special place in my heart ever since my first trip there in 2006. I went back in 2008 and am planning on returning after finishing medical school. I so wish I could donate and help this village, but living on school loans makes that impossible at this time. But thank you. Thank you for using the platform that God has given you to help such wonderful and deserving people. I’ll be praying for Garmaam and the work that the Lord is going to do there.
Hey Jennifer, I signed up, I believe! I tried the steps for PayPal.. I’m praying for you and your family back home. You have a beautiful family and a loving heart..
We haven’t seen it come in yet!!
I put my CC in…
That’s no problem! We will get confirmation from PayPal still…it just takes a bit longer!!! No worries. Thank you!!!
I guess it is waiting for my bank to give them a code to approve it .. will I still be in?!
Man……..I am tearing up….These pictures, are so Ethiopia. I am happy to be a part of this project. Ethiopians have such fine features. I love Ethiopia…..awwwwwwh. I miss Ethiopia.
Is there any way to sponsor without using paypal? I’ve been trying to sign up with paypal for the last 20 minutes and about ready to give up…. but our family would very much like to participate. Is there a way to send a check or to donate via credit card?
Thanks! Praying for you all…
YES! There is a link on the PayPal page (it’s smaller, because PayPal wants you to use PayPal) that says “use your credit card”…you can use that! Hopefully you see it! Let me know if you can, Kari! Love your heart.
Yep… found it and signed up. Had to use a different email address. So excited to see what God will do. Looking forward to all that our family will learn and excited to see the village grow and change.
Enjoy the rest of your time there!
Yes, we got you and you are on the list!!! Thank you, Kari!!!
Question… those are beautiful pictures, but it seems that most of the people have scars on their faces. I was wondering if there was some sort of ceremonial stuff or anything that makes those small vertical scars.
Yes, I asked and was told that the scars are beauty marks! They think they look more beautiful with them, and so many (children, men and women) have them. Fascinating.
I wondered the same thing.
Yes, it is considered true beauty to have the marks. The more the more or bigger the more beautiful. Our daughters caregiver had so many on her face, but in her tribe, it meant true beauty. Each different tribe may have a different “type” of beauty marks. Some are black ink tattoo, some are the “scars” which I understood are like tattoo needles, just no ink. Many variations.
I too was wondering.
So they are ”do it yourself” scars or is the some form of cermony or elder that does it.
They certainly add caracter.
So excited about this opportunity to help! Just signed up to sponsor Garmaam and can’t wait to begin teaching my children about the area and the people…. and boy do I have a lot they can teach me about babywearing!
We have friends headed to Ethiopia to serve for two years beginning in August… being able to be a part of those who sponsor Garmaam is a great link to them!
And I pray someday we can visit them and Garmaam… with our whole lot of littles!
Sooo excited. I got in on the last one. Something small that might help. Our son has been sick for a long time. Our family and friends have stepped in an helped us survive. I hope I am doing something in a small way to bring good to our terrible situation. Thank you. Kate.
Oh, nice collection of “smiles’. Love the top picture.
Done, and DONE!!!!
My 11 year old daughter and I are very thankful to be a part of this journey!!!
WE are Garmaam!
I was finally able to find some information about the area you are. Was shocked to read this is an area where an illegal and dangerous narcotic drug (khat) is grown and then sent worldwide. Perhaps that explains the guns and machetes? I sure hope you all have security to protect you!
THANK YOU for the opportunity to help!!!!