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Originally Posted by KarynB
Hi Tracey,
Just wanted to offer you a word of encouragement - 5 years ago my DH and I were in your position exactly! We lived in SA for 6 months working at an orphanage along with our (then) 7 year old DD, and fell in love with a 2 year old boy. We couldn't imagine our life without him in it. SA did NOT have an adoption program with Canada at that time, but we moved forward anyways. To make a long story short - 9 months later we flew back to SA to pick him up, and he is now a happy and healthy 8 year old! Since then, Canada (Ontario) has done over 30 adoptions from SA, and it all started with our ds's adoption...and we went back this past January to adopt our second son from there.
Anyways - miracles do happen - you were brought to Kenya for a reason, so hang tough and keep going even when everyone tells you to stop. Keep us posted on your journey - where in the process are you now?
Karyn
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Karen
Thank you so much for your kind, kind words. It's nice to having encouraging words
Where are we in the process?
We have not officially begun, we have not started a home study because we have to wait and see if Kenya will allow us to adopt (because of my aforementioned arrest - 16 yrs ago.). I also *need* to know if the sibling group I want to adopt are truly eligible for adoption. I was told by the orphanage director that they were. Their mother is alive, in prison, but she abandoned them, left them for 3 days (went to work and did not come back), the children aged 14, 7, 4, 3 months went to the police station where they waited for 2 days. They took the baby to one orphanage and the following day took the others to 2 other orphanages, the 4 & 7 yrs old were at my orphanage. We are sponsoring the 14 yr old for boarding school now, he is about a km from the orphanage his younger siblings are at.
People have told me they think the baby was adopted, but I don't think they have any knowledge, just a guess and the oldest knows the name of the orphaange she was taken too. I was told by the direcotr that the mother could not have the children back because she had abandoned and neglected the children and this is not the first time.
I know it would be VERY difficult to adopt the 14 yr old and bring him to the US. All that he has experiencd in his life and the HUGE transistion from there to here. Depending on how long it takes he may be too old to adopt by the time we get there.
The US state dept definition is very srict on what an orphan is, so I need to find out if they meet the definition since their mother is alive, all have different fathers and I don't know anything about that either.
So I am in contact wth one of the 2 adoption agencies in the US that are registered to work with kenya. They are in contact with the agency they work with in kenya to find out more details for me.
I have been home for a month and it makes me sad I have been away from them for so long. I just want to see ALL the kids again, their were about 62 at the orphanage I was at.
I would love to chat with you about how it was in SA for your 7 yr old daughter. I worry about my children's health and safety while we live in Kenya for 7+ months .... and what to do about schooling. My older son (age 6 - 1st grade)has mild special needs, auditory processing issues,social skills issues, and a few small things that he receives services in school for. He does not do well in crowded places and/or chaotic ... it's overwhelming to the senses.
It's not forever only a year and he will be fine is what I keep telling myself.
Kindest regards,
Tracy
greeniiiiz817@yahoo.com