Meeting Miles

Friday, September 30, 2011

Miles was a bit reserved when we saw him for the first time. He cried for several long minutes searching around for the comforting arms of the nun, well, any nun, who would take him. The sister who brought him to us quietly disappeared into a garden area so he would have no choice but to get used to us.

About a half hour earlier, we drove in two cars down a bumpy dirt road to get to the orphanage. Andrea and Maddie were with Peter, our guide here, in the lead car. Joe and I followed with a driver Peter hired. We looked and looked for those special blue gates. Problem is, ALL the gates are blue. We passed a school with hundreds of screaming kids playing games. This sits next to a house for street kids, a safe place where they can get nourished spiritually and physically, and find rest. More winding turns. More hills. More blue gates. Then I saw it. The sign. THE sign. I gasped a little. And the tears began.

I used to have a photo of this sign with this particular blue gate as a screen saver. It's hard to believe we're seeing it for ourselves. A couple honks of the horn and the gates opened up. In we drove.

While the sister went to get him, Peter waited with us in a small room adorned with a huge photo of Mother Theresa. We were antsy. We were nervous. Crying. Smiling. I had to get up. We couldn't just sit there. Outside the little room, there are flower gardens and a covered parking area. We waited. I paced.

Inside the blue gate at the Home of Hope

Andrea waited with the video camera ready. Any minute now. Peter was busy talking to a gentleman who works at the orphanage. They were in a spot where they could see farther down the hill. After a few more minutes, Peter turned and smiled. He's coming.

Up the steps from below, first we could see the sister appear, then we could see she was walking slowly, holding someone's hand.  Then, what seemed like slow motion, we saw his face and then his cute little body walking carefully with the sister. They made it to the top of the stairs and across the driveway toward us.

The sister spoke quietly to him, telling him we were his mama and papa. He wasn't too sure about that. Clutching his little toy phone, he waited in safe proximity to the sister. He was reserved. We knelt down and talked quietly for a few moments. Then it was time. Maddie held her boy. There were tears. He cried. She cried. Different reasons. The rest of us wiped tears, enjoying this moment for all that it meant for the two of them.

Miles is a strong little boy. He did everything he could to get away. Maddie and I took turns holding him. After a few minutes, he reached for Andrea, who had the good fortune of wearing white. Andrea's white sweater made Miles think she was a nun. She took him, but he quickly figured out he'd been tricked. And the crying, which stopped for a moment, continued. From there it was Joe's turn. After a few more moments, at last, there was quiet. Joe IS the child whisperer. They walked out a few steps and looked at a truck that was parked in the driveway. Joe spoke quietly to him. Miles just looked around quietly clutching his toy phone.

From then on, while he wasn't thrilled with the idea of being with us, he was quiet. Very quiet. Looking around, still unsure, clutching the phone. We learned later that he's normally chatty. We can't wait to see that side of him.

Over the next hour or so, we just held him and talked to him. He offered his phone to Maddie. A nice rainstorm passed over and we went under the covered parking spot and then into the small waiting room again. Inside we visited.

I held him in the doorway of the small room, looking out into the flower garden. I just hummed and whispered to him about the rain and the thunder and all the pretty things we were seeing. I thought of my dad and found myself doing the same things he used to do. Miles quietly rested his head against mine and I could feel little butterfly kisses on my cheek. Thank you Jesus.

We ended the visit a short time later with some "see you tomorrows". The sister came and held him. As they walked away, he waved and cried a little. It was a big day for a little guy.

(P.S. We'll show you "the moment" when we are allowed to after we clear court.)

Kigali, Rwanda

Friday, September 30, 2011

Boarding our flight from Nairobi to Kigali

We boarded our flight after our long layover in Nairobi. Just before take off, Maddie spotted a bunch of police cars and other vehicles approaching the plane. Some people in suits got out and shook hands. Then a few of them boarded the plane. We later learned that it was the Vice President of Burundi and his staff. The flight stopped in Burundi before continuing on to Kigali. During the stop, a gentleman with a Rwandan flag lapel pin came to talk to us. He introduced himself and talked with us for a few minutes. Turns out, he's from the Rwandan Ministry of Transportation. He visited the Boeing plant in Washington recently to accept Rwandair's new jet. From there, the flight to Kigali was less than an hour it seemed. As we descended, we saw the hilly landscape that Rwanda is famous for. The red soil. The hilltop villages. Thirty something hours after leaving home, we'd finally arrived in the land of a thousand hills.

Nairobi Airport

Friday, September 30, 2011
3:03am

Maddie and the kids are trying to sleep on rearranged airport furniture. It's not good sleep, but it's sleep. We're an hour into our eight-hour layover.

Sleeping, well trying, at the Nairobi airport

It's raining outside and humid inside. The airport is older but is very clean. We're in a hallway outside a 24-hour restaurant. Restaurant workers make regular treks past us carting away spent cartons then returning with stock for the busy day ahead.

There are other stranded travelers around, each with their own style of making due with airport furniture arms that disallow laying down proper. One of two western travelers across from us let's out a good snore once every few minutes.

The flights were good so far. The LA to Istanbul leg (12+hours) went faster than it should have. There were plenty of on-demand movies to watch and a non-full flight, which made for some nice elbow room. If "Turkish airplane food" is any indication of real Turkish food, then I'm a fan. Istanbul looked interesting from the little we saw. Wouldn't mind spending more time there. The next flight to Nairobi (6+ hours) was fine. No complaints except for a fanny that's getting tired of sitting.

Joe has been pretty miserable, feeling side effects of the malaria medication. He's awake again. Sitting up with a blank stare of misery and tiredness.

It's hard to believe we're in Africa. It's been quite a long day so far and will soon turn into a big day... Maddie's birthday and the day we get to meet our boy.

It's a BOY!

It is with great excitement that we announce we will be having a 2 year old (and 4 months, but who's counting...) boy.

We will be leaving for Rwanda to meet him on Wednesday! We are all beyond the moon to meet him and welcome him into our family. All of us will be going, so this will be one family trip that none of us will ever forget!

We will try to update the blog as much as we can and will post pictures when we are able to (it's a legal thing).

Thank you to everyone for all of your support over the last 21 months! We appreciate your love and prayers!

Woo-Hoo!!!

Thankful

I'm a lucky guy.

The last few months have been a crazy time in the Hendrych house. We've seen our little girl graduate from high school. Followed the next day by sending our little boy go off on his own to work for a month at a camp in Oregon. (I use the term "work" here loosely... I understand there's a fair amount of fishing and other leisure activities going on.) With these two kids growing up the way they are, I'm torn between the loss of losing my "babies" and the pride I have in being the dad of such wonderful human beings.

Our adoption journey has been bumpy as of late. The highs of getting our approval in March and the baby shower in May have been followed by lows from uncertainty and doubt due to recent events. My relationship with God has grown along this journey during both times of thankfulness and times when we're in "the desert place". Fortunately, Maddie and I take turns being the strong one and the weak one. No surprise to anyone reading this, I am very blessed to have her. She is an amazing woman... a strong and caring wife and a wonderful mother.

I know that one day we'll have the answers as to why this period of our journey is so rough. Until then, we'll carry on faithfully... thankful for what we have and what He'll do.

366 Days

So our dossier has been in Rwanda for exactly 366 days. 


Now, more than ever, we need prayer... We've learned that if a family doesn't receive a referral within six months of receipt of their non-objection letter, their case may be closed. Our six-month day is September 11, 2011.

That part is a little scary, but while we pray for God's hand to move mightily, we're also mindful of the many great people at MIGEPROF (the ministry in Rwanda) and the Home of Hope orphanage who are working hard for the orphaned children there. Please remember them in your prayers.

A song came into my head. It’s called Valleys Fill First, by Caedmon’s Call.

This is the valley that I’m walking through

And if fells like forever since I’ve been close to you


My friends up above me don’t understand why i struggle like i do


My shadow's my only, only companion and at night he leaves too

Down in the valley, dying of thirst


Down in the valley, it seems that I’m at my worst


My consolation is that you baptize this earth


When I'm down in the valley, valleys fill first

Down in this wasteland I miss the mountaintop view


But it's here in this valley that I’m surrounded by you


Though I'm not here by my will it’s where your view is the most clear


So I'll stay in this valley it takes 40 years

And it's like that long Saturday your death and the rising day

When no one wrote a word, wondered is this the end

But you were down there in the well, saving those that fell

Bringing them to the mountain again

It reminded me that we are not alone, even when you feel like it.

Thank you for all of your prayers and love. We need them now more than ever! 


Let’s pray for an e-mail in July!

11 Months...

So, Monday marked 11 months of our dossier being in Rwanda. Nothing much else to report. We are being patient.

I have been praying for strength and patience and endurance throughout this long journey. I think it’s amazing how God will give you a little pat on the back or a little nudge to keep moving forward. Who knew it would come in the form of a fortune cookie? When I opened it, I knew that it was meant just for me. It read:

“You will win success in whatever you adopt.”

How amazing is that? Well, it’s time for me to go to sleep, but I’ll be posting pictures soon from our baby shower, taken by one of my best friends, Cindy. J It was an amazing event, thrown by my three best friends, Cindy, Heidi and Krista. I had hoped to have our referral by then and be writing this blog from Africa right now, but God’s timing is just perfect and I know that there is a reason why it’s taking longer.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers. Let’s bring BABY HENDRYCH HOME!