I meet so many families who inspire me with their commitment to provide a forever home for a child in need. I decided to interview one family a month and share their personal story here with you. I’d like to start by sharing Kathy’s story to give you a picture of how one child’s future can be radically changed through inter-country adoption.
At the time, Kathy was 50years old and was limited in her options, especially since she was single and wanted to adopt an infant. When her particular adoption story began, Guatemala was offering adoptions for someone specifically that had her qualifications; she also believed it would be exciting and fun to adopt a child that came from a different cultural background than herself. As most people do when deciding to make a major change in their life, she did a lot of research, and happened to stumble upon an adoption seminar. She decided that was her sign to act upon what had just been a thought and that she couldn’t possibly wait any longer. She made the drive to Richmond, Virginia where she right then and there filled out an application and paid the fee that went along with it.
Now of course in order to adopt a little baby and to hold that baby in your arms is not that easy, there was still a process for her to go through. She talked to a number of representatives about her choices and it was then that she realized that the process in order to make her dream come true of having a baby of her very own had the potential to be extremely overwhelming. She decided that instead of being overwhelmed by the process, she was going to embrace it and always go with her gut instinct so there was no wavering or any doubts about the choices she was going to make.
Now what made her decide on Guatemala you may ask? Well, her decision was based on proximity, cost, and her personal requirements and needs. The wait is the worst part of the process, but she gives a word of advice, “Don’t drag your feet, and keep your costs down by staying on top of what needs to be done. It’s already a long process waiting for a child, you don’t need to drag it out any longer by not getting your part done”. A friend of hers encouraged her not to worry that there would be a clear sign as to what baby would be hers. She did indeed have a clear sign, “My little girl already held the name I had planned so long ago to give her, it was just one letter off and her date of birth was on a close relative’s birthday! What more of a sign could you possibly ask for”?
After the long process of waiting for her sweet little girl, she was finally home and in her arms. “She is such a sweet little girl and a bundle of joy! People often tell me how lucky she is to have me as a mom; I respond back I’m so lucky”! She keeps me young; she has offered me the fountain of youth. I’m staying extremely active; I’m now a mother of an 8 year old- I have to be able to keep up! "I'm in the driver's seat of life,and it's my responsibility to show her all life can offer"!
Knowing the life this child could have had if she had not been adopted is incredible. She was born 4lbs and some ounces--her future with limited medical interventions in Guatemala was dismal. The complications she had as a newborn most certainly do not hold her back from all the world has to offer now. Some may say the child is the lucky one , others may say the new mother, but either way you look at it, they are a blessing to each other and have had a great impact on changing each others' lives for the better.
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