When Meheret Kidane, a Seattle resident and U.S. Citizen, married Kiflow Kidanmariam of Ethiopia, she never anticipated so many obstacles in beginning their new life together. After their marriage ceremony in July 2003, Kidane traveled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to obtain their official marriage certificate. At the U.S. Embassy, officers mistrusted her motives and accused Kidane of attempting fraud by being paid to marry Kiflow, subsequently throwing her out of the embassy office. Determined, Kidane flew back and forth until she was able to officially document their marriage, however, ran into another obstacle when she tried to bring her husband to the U.S. With no other recourse, Kidane contacted NWIRP's Seattle Family Services Unit in December of 2003 and was assigned a legal advocate to help her with the case.

"I was pregnant and did not want to be a single mother raising my baby alone with my husband far away," Kidane said. Kidane, a nursing student with another young child from a former marriage, persistently filed papers in hopes of reuniting with her husband. Meheret Kidane gave birth to her daughter, alone, without the loving support of her husband. After recovering from the birth, Kidane traveled to Addis Ababa to once again bring official proof of the couples' relationship via their newborn daughter's birth certificate. Yet again, the U.S. Embassy considered the official proof invalid.

After a year of delay NWIRP legal advocate Miriam Cervantes tried one final effort to reunite the family, referring the case to the office of Congressman McDermott (D – WA). A staff assistant, Rita Stewart, took the case into her hands and after several letters to the Embassy in Addis Ababa, Kidanmariam was finally given an appointment in October of 2004. Kidanmariam was denied him entrance by the officials at the Embassy and, it took a call from Ms. Stewart to again secure an appointment. After more than 18 months, Kiflow Kidanmariam, was finally reunited with his wife Meheret Kidane, and was able to see his 9 month-old daughter for the first time in December, 2004. When asked how the transition to the United States has been, Kiflow and Meheret looked at each other lovingly and Kiflow said, "I am so happy, I couldn't be happier."