Mama Adhiambo

There is something that I have not blogged about yet, but has been a big highlight of my trip. Many of you know that I have been trying to adopt a child from China. I filed my dossier back in April 2007. Unfortunately, it looks as though it could take another 3 years for a placement to be made. I turned 40 this year and the thought of raising a toddler at my age is starting to seem unrealistic. When I first came to Kenya, one of my friends had suggested that maybe I would find a child to adopt in Kenya instead. Shortly before our trip, though, I received an unsolicited notification from the US State Department that indicated the US had suspended issuing visas for adoption from Kenya because the Kenyan government was not following the Hague Convention for Adoption, so the idea of adopting from Kenya was not even in my sights. But, I have been monitoring the situation since that trip. Before coming this time, I noticed that the ban had been lifted. Everything I have read indicates it is still very difficult, but not impossible. I had decided I wanted to broach the topic with Christine during my visit, but I was not really sure how she would feel about it. These children are her children, and she loves them as if they were her own. During the first week of our visit, Ike and I went to Christine's home for dinner. During dinner, she mentioned to us that she has all of the papers on each of the children and that they could be adopted. She said that someone had encouraged her to set up an adoption program, but she did not want to do that. She did not want to "sell her children." I didn't say anything, but I asked Edgar about it further on the way back to the hotel to confirm my understanding. Then, I returned to the hotel and cried and cried. It was as if I could not stop myself. Could it be possible?

The next day, Christine and Peter, the social worker, approached me and told me that they knew I had an interest in adopting Beverlyne Adhiambo, that Edgar had called Christine the previous night and told her about my interest. They were both very positive about it and Christine said she would be so happy if I would adopt her as my daughter, that I could become Mama Adhiambo. Again, I just cried and cried. Mama Adhiambo, I like the sound of that. But, I don't want to get my hopes up, if it is not possible. I also am not sure what is best for this 13 year old child. All I know is that for some unexplicable reason, after having spent very little time with her these past 2 years, that I love her and my heart feels broken when she is not near. But, my desire may not be what is best for her, so I have been praying about it diligently.

Then today, on the way to shopping, Thomas said to me out of the blue, "You remind me of Trena." I asked him who Trena was and he told me she is a woman from the US that has started an orphange in Nakuru. He told me that she was currently in the US on vacation with her litte girl (Julie, age 4) that she had recently adopted from Kenya. I started to cry again. Really, could it be possible? Thomas said he would put me in touch with Trena to help answer questions, etc. about the process. Adoption from Kenya would likely mean that I would have to spend at least 6 months here.

There is a lot to think and pray about. I ask for your prayers for discernment on whether this would be a good thing for Adhiambo and me.