Adoption, trip to Ethiopia change family's outlook

Jamie and Michelle Outman of Cape Girardeau recently adopted twin boys from Ethiopia.

With two children already -- Parker, 12, and Paeton, 10 -- they thought their family was complete. That is, until Michelle began feeling like God had more in mind for their family. Michelle brought it up to Jamie, and after praying about it, he agreed.

"I thought it would be too hard until attending a church service about the orphans in Africa," Jamie said. The Outmans attend La Croix United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau, which has a "Room For One More" ministry that supports families in the adoption process.

"We started feeling comfortable, but we aren't supposed to be comfortable in life," Michelle said.

The adoption process took about 10 months before the Outmans were able to bring Phelix and Phisher home at the age of 5 months. Phelix had been hospitalized in Ethiopia for two months with pneumonia. When the Outmans arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Phelix weighed 8 pounds and Phisher weighed 10 pounds. Now the boys are 9 months old and weigh 18 and 21 pounds, respectively. The Outmans were open to adopting more than one child but not expecting twins because they were not on the list requesting siblings.

The Outman family are, from left, Jamie, Paeton, Chip the dog, Michelle, twins Phelix and Phisher, and Parker. (LAURA SIMON)

In the months before the trip, Parker and Paeton held a Build-A-Bear sale in which they sold bears out of their collection. The children raised $1,000 for the orphanage in Ethiopia. Parker and Paeton made the journey to Ethiopia, giving them the chance to hand-deliver the donation, something they say they will never forget.

During the 10-day stay in Africa, the family saw many things they said changed their views on life. The daily drive to the orphanage took them past a trash dump where mud and rock huts housed children who lived together. Every day when the garbage was dumped. The children would run out and begin rummaging for food alongside the goats and dogs.

"After seeing the country [the twins] are from, there is so much to be grateful for," Michelle said.

"Some family members asked why we would go all the way to Africa to adopt a child, but look what we would have missed," Michelle said.

Jaime said he is happy with their decision.

"There were a lot of times I thought 'Should we do this?'" he said. "It would be easier to say no, but now it's hard to imagine what it would have been like if we didn't adopt Phelix and Phisher."