Your Story

Good morning Liv.

I want to tell you your story.   I think that you need to know every detail that we know about you and every detail of the days leading up to us knowing you.

I want you to know before I write this that no matter how this story makes you feel, you are loved and cherished.  There was never a time that you were unloved by your FATHER God and by us.  Your life has been set apart, no matter what it’s beginnings.  You were made to do great things.  Don’t let your mind believe that you were an orphan because you didn’t have value.  You had MORE VALUE to God than you could ever know….and that is why this is your story.

You were born on September 29, 2011, or this is what was told when you were dropped off at a commune in your city, Kinshasa, DRC.  There is no explanation on record as to why you were left there.  You were brought in by an unknown person on December 1, 2011 and it was determined that you were orphaned, with no one to care for you.

Now I know that that paragraph is so hard for you to read and understand.  I know that it gives you more questions than answers, and that you want to know why and who and when…and we don’t know those answers.  I am so sorry that the first knowledge of you is so confusing to you.  I wish that I knew the whole story so that you could put the pieces together in your mind and make sense of it.

To be honest with you, I wish that I could tell you that we knew your mother’s name, or your father’s name, or what happened to them.  Because I know that you would understand that more.

But your story is not an accident, and as you grow God through His holy spirit is going to fill in the gaps that your dad and I can’t!  No matter where your earthly origins are, your Father is in heaven and has cared for you since before your life began.  He knew you.  He knit you together.  Cling to that truth.

So, you were declared an orphan and sent to an orphanage run by Life Adoption Services, and agency here in the United States.

Medical testing was done, paper work competed and you were READY.  Ready to be adopted by a family.

Now, here is your mom and dad’s side of the story:

One morning I was sitting in my office and I received an email from Life Adoption Services regarding a child that I had requested information about.  I knew nothing about the baby that was listed, not where she was from, how old she was, her health…nothing.  I had sent an email to learn more.

The email told me to call her immediately, and so I did.  I was on a run when I made the phone call.

The lady’s name was Sherry and she was an adoption counselor for Africa.  She begins the conversation by telling me all about this child.  She is describing her, telling me the facts and explaining what she knew about this baby.

As I am listening to her I realize that I have no idea where this baby is from.  It wasn’t posted on her profile.  So I stop Sherry and explain to her that your dad and I felt very called to the DRC.  God had specifically called us to adopt from the DRC and that we knew that our daughter was there.

“Well good then,” Sherry said, “That’s where this baby is from.”

My heart stopped.

I continued to listen to Sherry as she told me of another family who had verbally agreed to adopt you.  They had called the agency and said that they were interested in adopting you.  Sherry explained that nothing legal had been done yet but that she had to give preference to that family because of their phone call.

My heart stopped again.  Sadness began to build.

Sherry could hear the immediate change in my voice.  “But,” she said (life changing word) “That family has not sent in their agreement and it’s been over a month.”  She went on to explain that the orphanage had called her and told her that if the family didn’t send in their agreement and money, that this baby would be pulled from the adoptable list and reposted in 18 months.  The orphanage had spent money getting this child ready and needed those fees paid back.  They were getting impatient.

“So, it’s crazy that you emailed me and that we are talking today.”  She continued, “Let me call the family and see what’s going on, and give them one last chance to legally adopt child 202FC.”  She said she would call me back.

I hung up the phone and continued on my jog.  My thoughts were racing.  Excitement, fear of a let down again, more excitement, tears of joy/tears of anxiety….etc.

I couldn’t wrap my mind around how this was possible.  We were just now getting used to the idea of waiting a year for your picture, and now could it be here?  Were we about to see you for the first time?  Were we about to know our daughter…the one who has stolen our hearts?

It was too much to take in at one time.

The phone begins to ring again, it’s Sherry.  This is it, moment of truth.

“Hi Mrs. Hammett.   I have sent you an email with your official referral of Victorine Nima, 4 months from the DRC.   Read over it and call me back.”  and she hung up.  The family was unable to adopt.  You were ours.

I walked into the house, into the living room and sat down on the couch by your dad.

We opened the email together….and began the biggest adventure of our lives…becoming your parents.

We love you Liv.