Adopted Person Searching for Ethiopian Family of girl born 2000. She was found in a Church in Jimma as an infant and taken to the Missionaries of Charity Orphanage who named her Mariam. She was adopted to the USA in 2001 through Americans for African Adoptions via Missionaries of Charity.
Submitted by Adopted Person
Child’s Information
Gender of Child Girl
Ethnicity of Child Oromo
Year of child’s birth 2000
Ethiopian birth name of child Maria/Mariam. The nuns at the Missionaries of Charity orphanage where I was first taken called me ‘Mariam Luck’
Age of child at adoption 1 year
Year child was adopted 2001
Additional information I have a raised mark on my right shoulder from what we think is an immunization shot. We assume that I was born in a hospital because of this mark.
Relinquishment or Abandonment Information
Age when child entered care center or orphanage 0-12 months
Year child entered a care center or orphanage 2000
To the best of your knowledge, child was Abandoned
Region child(ren) found Oromia Region
Zone child(ren) found Jimma – Oromia Region
City/town child(ren) found Jimma
Details of child(ren)’s abandonment I was found in a church in Jimma and taken immediately to the Catholic Missionaries of Charity orphanage in Jimma. We do not know who found me or what I was wearing. After three weeks living in the Missionaries of Charity Orphanage, I was referred to the Ethiopian government to be registered and they assigned me to the Americans for African Adoptions (AFAA) foster home in Addis Ababa. I was brought to that foster home on 11/2/2000 by an Ethiopian government social worker. In September, I was escorted from Addis Ababa to Newark, New Jersey to my adopted parents.
Adoption Agency Information
Adoption agency through which the child was processed Americans for African Adoptions (USA)
List adoption agency workers with titles if known Ms. Cheryl Carter Shotts – Principal Officer/Founder of Americans for African Adoptions, who handled my adoption case and was in communication with my adopted parents throughout the process. Mohammed – who escorted me to Newark, New Jersey in September of 2001.
Adoptive Country USA
Orphanage/care center #1
Orphanage or care center used in the adoption Missionaries of Charity
Region of orphanage or care center Oromia Region
Zone of orphanage or care center Jimma – Oromia Region
City/Town of orphanage or care center Jimma
Orphanage/care center #2
Orphanage or care center used in the adoption Americans for African Adoptions Foster Home
Orphanage or care center workers and their titles, if known Almaz – worker at the foster home (last name unknown); Mantegbosh – worker at the foster home (last name unknown)
Region of orphanage or care center Addis Ababa Region
Zone of orphanage or care center Addis Ababa – Addis Ababa Region
City/Town of orphanage or care center Addis Ababa
Additional information about this orphanage or care center This foster home has closed since I was adopted.
