Staff Spotlight: Ethiopia Referral and Medical Director – Furtuna
Furtuna is our
Ethiopia Referral and Medical Director, and we are so glad to have her as part
of the team at America World! She is a major agent in running the program in
Ethiopia and managing in-country logistics. Furtuna began working for America
World as a nurse and the Transitional Home director in 2007, and transitioned
to her current role in 2009. In this role, Furtuna coordinates
children’s labs, x-rays, referral medical reports, and collaborates with our
Transition Home pediatrician and the referral medical doctor. Furtuna
also works with orphanages and America World corporate staff on the paperwork
pertaining to children that have been referred to America World, overseeing
that process from start to finish.
Furtuna remembers
back to 2007 when she was praying for God to give her confirmation that He
wanted her to work for America World, “It was the little new cribs in AWAA’s
new Transitional home, ready for babies, which took my breath away…those
little cribs were my confirmation. Since then I have been honored to serve many
little beings and showered with their amazing love. Just a hug and smile
from one little boy or girl is fuel for me to keep going during busy or
stressful times.â€
In Furtuna’s
first role as a nurse, her favorite moments were caring for malnourished babies
and seeing them thrive each day. “There were many babies who it seemed were
dying when we received them, but they survived with God’s power and proper
care. This has caused me to always have a strong faith in God for the survival
of a child, even if the condition may not seem so. I’m honored to be a witness
of God’s work though these childrens’ lives, making the impossible possibleâ€.
One of Furtuna’s
favorite parts of her current role is seeing special needs or older children
matched with a family. “It is difficult and often a long wait, until an
older child is matched with a family. They often ask me if they have been
matched with a family who can adopt them. It is sad for me to tell the children
to wait and so I feel very happy for an older child when I see him/her filled
with joy whenever they hear the news of being matched with a family. I thank
God for such an opportunity to participate in His great work in the lives of
many children and I have been blessed working for America World.â€
We are so
thankful for the work Furtuna does and her heart for the children she serves!