Wednesday, Feb. 13th-not sure what happened to Feb. 12-as I did not journal nor write an email. I guess I was sick for most of the day and night (gastritis).
The document signed (by fingerprint) by Simret's birth mother.
Traditional dinner with Abdissa (our in country coordinator) & his wife, some staff from CHI, and all of the families.
Abdissa's wife.
Both Simret & I ill yesterday...poor Lance had to take care of both of his girls. I am not sure what I would have done without him; as he had to feed and change Simret all night because I barely had enough strength to crawl to the bathroom to vomit, much less care for a baby.
Dear Friends/Family,
Well, it is Wednesday at about 5pm and I am sure you just finished reading my last email as I send it late last night (but early this morning for us as I was sick yesterday). I still feel very nauseated and we had to be in a car most of the day. Another emotional day...we visited the orphanage that Simret originally came from. I cannot describe how sad it was...so many children...all waiting to be adopted...at least at the Thomas Center (where Simret has been living for the last 4 months) all the children were already spoken for to be adopted. There are so many boys. So, many beautiful children from 20 days old to 12 years old. They sung us a song welcoming us and a goodbye song to each of our babies (in English)...needless to say it was heart-wrenching. I don't know if that song will ever leave my head. I felt horrible that we were all (3 families) were carrying out babies while the older children watched from the window as we left...wishing they had a family to leave to. God, it killed me! If there is a next time for us; I would like to take home an older child. It is amazing how many children are orphaned...our coordinator told us 4 million children are estimated to be orphaned in Ethiopia. This orphanage alone had 130 children. We didn't take pictures; out of respect to the the children-because if you take their picture they get their hopes up that they are getting adopted.
Next we went to the police station where Simret was taken and talked to the Child Protection Department (crazy that there is such a thing here). Just a small room with handwritten records. We found out so much more than we thought we would. We found out that her mother was 17 years old and "was a street person". That she was from the South-a town that we actually visited when we were south last week (synchronicity?). It is called Weileta -a small town that is essentially a cross road between Arba Minch and Jinka-we had lunch there and I actually bought two bracelets there for Letha & Jen-but I now think that I will give them to Simret when she is older (we go shopping again tomorrow-so I will get you both something else then-I was sure you would both understand). The story that she told the police was that she was living on the streets of Wieleta in a cardboard house and got pregnant so she traveled to Addis to deliver. It is such a long trip to make without transportation...even with transportation...which is scarce and I am sure she did not have access too. It would take two days by car. She came to the police station and told the police that she could not care for Simret (Simret was 15 days old). They do not have an address for her and are not sure where she is. Her name is Adenen Tega though...it makes me cry to write it. I am just so happy to have her name and know which town and tribe she was from...it means so much to me; as the other families in our group were not so lucky. We also saw the piece of paper where she put her fingerprint (as she could not sign because she was illiterate). We took a picture of the police station-and the paper with her mother's fingerprint.
Next we went to the police station where Simret was taken and talked to the Child Protection Department (crazy that there is such a thing here). Just a small room with handwritten records. We found out so much more than we thought we would. We found out that her mother was 17 years old and "was a street person". That she was from the South-a town that we actually visited when we were south last week (synchronicity?). It is called Weileta -a small town that is essentially a cross road between Arba Minch and Jinka-we had lunch there and I actually bought two bracelets there for Letha & Jen-but I now think that I will give them to Simret when she is older (we go shopping again tomorrow-so I will get you both something else then-I was sure you would both understand). The story that she told the police was that she was living on the streets of Wieleta in a cardboard house and got pregnant so she traveled to Addis to deliver. It is such a long trip to make without transportation...even with transportation...which is scarce and I am sure she did not have access too. It would take two days by car. She came to the police station and told the police that she could not care for Simret (Simret was 15 days old). They do not have an address for her and are not sure where she is. Her name is Adenen Tega though...it makes me cry to write it. I am just so happy to have her name and know which town and tribe she was from...it means so much to me; as the other families in our group were not so lucky. We also saw the piece of paper where she put her fingerprint (as she could not sign because she was illiterate). We took a picture of the police station-and the paper with her mother's fingerprint.
What a day! Simret is still sick and green stuff coming from her eyes and her backside. She did get to see her doctor today-he told us that she just has "a cold". He gave her an antihistamine. So, hopefully that will help her snotty nose that pours at all times. Poor girl. Tonight we are off it eat more Traditional food; except this time with our good friends-the families-that we have met this week. I will go to the festivities, but I will not be eating..just a banana...as I do not want to get sick again. My stomach still hurts from vomiting over 10 times yesterday. Sorry no pictures today-I cried most of the day and Lance took pictures on his camera.
love you guys,
jill
jill
Wednesday morning, headed back to the Thomas Center.
At the Thomas Center.
Playground at the Thomas Center.
Dylan playing with Simret upstairs at the Thomas Center.
The document signed (by fingerprint) by Simret's birth mother.
Traditional dinner with Abdissa (our in country coordinator) & his wife, some staff from CHI, and all of the families.
Tommy @ dinner.
Abdissa's wife.
The traditional coffee ceremony.
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