We Will Never Forget You

 He was listed for adoption when he was just a little guy.

A dark eyes and dark haired little Roma boy.

 

He grew up in the orphanage... waiting... longing for a family.

 

 

He watched his best friend adopted at nine to a family who promised they would find a family for him.

 

 

Others met him and stormed heaven for him.

 

 

Finally.  Finally, a sweet family found him.  He had two older sisters who were also available so they crossed the ocean to get all three.

 

Before they got there he was transferred away from his sisters to an all boys institute. Within six weeks he was struck down with an infection (Guillian-Barre) that rendered him paralyzed.

 

I want to share this part of the story in their own words..

 

In March of 2011, we traveled to adopt him. His sisters had decided a few weeks prior that they did not desire to be adopted. As we drove away from the Adoption Center in our taxi, with his referral in hand, our facilitator received the call that he had been hit by a car the day before.  He had a broken leg, stitches around his eye and multiple bruises.

 

 

We met him in the hospital and he was so sweet!   He very much wanted to be adopted and had been fearful we might not want him due to this accident. We were anticipating taking him home in a wheelchair due to the paralysis so no issue for us. Amazingly, the accident brought back the feeling in his legs and he has had no paralysis since!!

It was legal to adopt him separate from his sisters due to the length of time and distance he had been separated from them. They were willing to sign agreeing for him to be adopted but the inspector in their city refused to allow the separation. We traveled back the following week, March 29, two days before his 13th birthday, to tell him the adoption was refused. It was so hard to leave him in that hospital alone. He looked up at me and said, in perfect English, "Good mother, good father." Our last words to him were, "We will never forget you."

In November of 2013, the family returned to try again to adopt the boy with the beautiful dimples now that his sisters were aged out.  He was 15, only a few months from aging out.  Sadly, for personal reason, they were denied the petition.  He lost the same family two times in a row.

They despaired.

He despaired.

His chances for a family down to a matter of months.

They went home and wept.  And then they began to share.  Advocate.  Storm heaven for their boy.  Praying for someone else to adopt their son.

And across the ocean... on a mission to adopt two other sons... a family heard the cries.




They were in country.  Adopting two boys that YOU helped bring home. 

You gave and gave and gave again so that Ianto and Lane could be free.

 

They are on their way home as I write this post.  They are on their way home!

 

 

Touching down on US soil in a matter of days.

 

 

But that isn't the end of the story.

 

You see they were approved for three.

 

So they had one more referral.

 

In the midst of the crazy process they were going through to adopt two boys in two separate regions... they stopped and listened to the cries for this other boy.

 

A boy with beautiful dimples but haunted eyes.

 

They were his last hope.

 

Emmett

 

 

They said yes.  They would get him.

 

They contacted me and shared the story and asked me to advocate.   

 

 I didn't have time to blog.  They were on the fast track to get him.  I sent out a few e-mails to some people privately about helping them out. 

 

While I tried to quietly raise some support, the Rowes went to meet him in person and offer him one last chance.

 

He met them.  He heard their offer.

 

He panicked.   He said no.

 

He said no.

 

In shock they left him.  Sad.  Grieved. 

 

He said no.

 

And that was supposed to be the end of the story.

 

I sent e-mails to the people I had contacted privately.  Shared the sad news.  Grieved.

 

But God.

 

But God.

 

Emmett's first family found out he said no and they contacted him.  Calmed his terror, gave their blessing, soothed his grieving heart.

 

And with their whispered encouragement behind him, Emmett changed his mind.

 

Two weeks after saying a definite no, the Rowes were contacted.  He wanted them to come back. 

 

Adopt him.  Take him home.  Call him their son.

 

The Rowes had to make a hard decision.  It was no longer a fast track adoption process.  They were in the end of their process for the two boys and could not rewind time.  They HAD to go home.  Was he sure?  Was he sure?  Was the risk too great?  Would he really and truly say yes this time?

 

Last Friday they traveled back to his internat. 

 

With pen in hand he wrote out that he wanted to be adopted.

 

 

Take me.  Take me too!

 

 

And the Rowes said yes to the boy with the dimples and the quiet peace in his eyes.

 

It's impossible.

 

I told Janice that it was impossible.

 

They have to bring the two home and then go right back next weekend for court on February 24th.

 

It is crazy and ridiculous but they believe with all their heart that he is worth it.

 

They can't leave him behind.

 

They need a LOT of money.  Facilitation fees.  Travel fees.  Medical fees. Visas.  Everything.  They are totally and completely tapped out.  They were already short on the other adoptions. 

 

I've got nothing to offer.  Just a plea.

 

This boy has been through enough. 

 

He lost the same family twice.

 

He is taking a huge leap of faith as he chooses to let another family love him and call him son.

 

He turns 16 on March 31st.

 

That is my son Elijah's birthday.

 

He too turns 16.

 

They need $11,000.00 to get him.

 

Their grant account needs to read $40,000 to be fully funded.

 

CLICK HERE TO HELP

 

Please.

 

For non-tax deductible donations:  CLICK HERE