Since 2010 - Our Foster Son, "Ef"
Ef joined our family in 2010, when he was just eleven years old.
His school reached out to us, knowing he had nowhere safe to stay.
His father was in prison, his mother absent — and he had no support, security, or a decent place to call home.
Ef had already visited us several times as Cop’s friend, so when the request came, I turned to Cop and asked him what he thought.
He didn’t hesitate even for a second — “Let’s bring him home,” he said.
And so we did.
When he arrived, he owned almost nothing — just a worn T-shirt, an old pair of shoes, and a torn school bag.
But he arrived with a smile, and a heart full of hope.
The very first Christmas photo you see above was taken soon after he moved in; his happiness speaks for itself.
Even though we were also struggling at that time, it felt impossible not to help.
Looking at those early images of Ef — so small beside Cop, yet full of joy — it still moves me deeply.
From those early days, Ef flourished.
He grew tall, quickly catching up with Cop, both in height and in confidence.
He worked hard at school, learned to navigate life with discipline and humor, and became a young man we are deeply proud of.
The video clip below, filmed much later at our fish pond at home, shows Ef with his fiancée — relaxed, playful, and laughing.
His English is normally better than in this clip, but perhaps love can make anyone a bit shy in front of a camera!
Ef completed his education at Techno Asia, where he studied technical fields and graduated with dignity and pride.
Today, he works with heavy machinery on water and dam projects for the local government — a role of responsibility and trust.
He and his fiancée still live with us, contributing to our home and remaining a beloved part of our family.
Ef did not come to us by chance — he came into our lives at exactly the moment we could help him, and in return, he has given us loyalty, kindness, and quiet strength.
Families are not only formed by blood.
Sometimes, they are formed by the simple act of opening a door — and a heart.
Before scrolling further, please spend a few minutes on this short video - though it is painful to watch:
It was filmed on the day our family went to bring Ef home from the place where he had been living.
The scenes show a small, eleven-year-old boy surrounded by filth and neglect, with no adults to care for him — but they explain everything.
At that time, our own situation was financially uncertain, and we were still struggling to rebuild our lives.
Yet when the school asked for help, we knew in our hearts that we could not turn away.
The day we brought Ef home, leaving behind the place where he had lived, and began a new chapter of hope. A short Norwegian note at the start explains that the first scenes were filmed that day. The final scenes, filmed three weeks later, show Ef in his new school uniform as we return to bring milk to his younger brother, six years old, the same age as Peter.
