The truth & bananas

Early today I read a blog where a family spoke about the conditions of orphanages and the orphans that remain to die.  Sad but true, I wanted to post under her blog this is not all new.  This has been going on as long as I can remember my first trip to visit our first orphanage back in the 90's.  The smell you never seem to forget, the children and the caregivers who watched them.  Years later there new children, new graves behind the orphanages and some of the same caregivers walk the halls.

At the beginning of our journey we decide to take a leap and follow our hearts and faith.  Knowing that out there was a child who needed that chance and one that had been waiting for some time.  I remember when I first met Makayla she sat by herself.  One day she had her small hand through the fence trying to touch a small  flower.  Her hand could all most reach it but still her small fingers could not grasp it.  As we entered children were running everywhere and some following behind one another like small ducks in a row.  Momma~Poppa they each cried and yet we only came for one child.  People often ask how do we chose a child?  Knowing in my heart God has already chosen a particular child for our family.  IN the beginning of our adoption we had chosen two other children with Clyde.  Unfortunately the timing was not right nor could we proceed with their adoption. Inside I felt as if I had failed them and prayed that a family would come behind ours and adopt them.  Praying a family I know will be able to view Ellie's file and adopt her.  Knowing we are getting older we felt it would be difficult to care for little Ronald and  to manage his health care.
This is when you wish you were rich and much younger.  A family would then be able to have the energy to raise several more younger children or a child who had a special need that required attention help.  The decision to chose is not easy nor I pray that each child finds a family.

For years after the adoption of Patrick and Makayla we focused in on their medical needs.  Then also them adjusting to our family.  The first couple of years, especially the first couple of months are the hardest for everyone.  The food is different, the language, the people and the adjustment to having a family and not a caregiver as family.  With our Dossier now on it's way we can relax on not having to find documents but back to worrying about the funds to travel.  Even with grants on our FSP we will still be short of having enough funds.  Our savings we have we have to hire someone to care for the children while we are away..  Someone with medical skills and plenty of patience.  Jake can be a hand full at times. and requires one on one through out the day.

Our first trip will be in the middle of winter.  Much like Katya's and Poppy's trip freezing cold.  And for us southerners it is a major adjustment to one's health.  Praying to built up my health so I do not get sick while visiting like last adoption.   Praying both boys love us and want to be adopted.  It is important that they feel comfortable around us.  I know from prior adoptions the visits to the orphanages are normally twice a day for a few hours.  So it is hard to really know a child in such a short time.  And them also learn to trust us.

I have been gathering up things so we can interact with the boys and get to know their personalities.  So what they like to do and things they do daily.  At their ages they attend school much like here in the US but inside their orphanage.  Some older children's orphanage they are allow to attend public school during the day and return back to the orphanage at night.  Which I could only imagine how hard this would be on an older teen age child.  Just watching as other children return home to their families and they go back to an orphanage setting.   I only visited a few older children's orphanages and this was in rural areas. Here in Louisiana when we have just a flake or two of snow schools close.  I seen babies with mother's walking in the snow and working outside with them.  Children walking through chest high snow drifts to get to school.  People who work as street vendors stand all day to make a few dollars to survive.
Life is hard and people there are very proud.  Many of them very kind and would share all they had with each other.  I met caregivers bring vegetables and apples to the children to supplement their diet.  Food is little for the children there and it is not wasted.

My hopes are to also save enough money to purchase some fresh fruit while there for the children.  I love to buy bananas the one thing all children seem to enjoy.  And these they only get as a special treat.  One adoption I purchased One Hundred and One bananas.  One banana for good luck...