Stories of Hope: Zeke and Rachel
Last December this time there was a little boy, registered and waiting for a family. His file waited on a database accessible to adoption agencies, a database with many hundreds of files, his medical records confusing (and somewhat incorrect as we’d later find.) A small square photo of his little face, years old now as he waited, was scrolled through day after day, after day.
In January, America World India staff traveled to India. Among the ten day whirlwind of government office, Embassy and orphanage visits, we met this sweet boy in person. The full medical records at his orphanage provided a much clearer picture and seeing him years older in person, his bright eyes, sweet smile and obvious developmental milestones for his age, made us sure there was a family for this special boy. How had he waited years for someone to find him here!
When our staff returned from India we found there was a family, a kind, single mother, approved for adoption, for this boy’s needs, and thrilled to review his file and learn more about his story.
Look ahead 10 months and this December, Zeke is home! He’s already celebrated this Thanksgiving with his family! See as he waited in an orphanage over the last several years, the Indian government had streamlined and expedited their medical needs adoption processes. So the longest part of Zeke’s wait was not even the adoption process itself, but just for someone to begin his adoption process, to take that first step.
Our role and passion at America World is to bridge the gap, the gap that exists between the children that wait and the families that long to bring them home. But we need your help. This gap is a geographical one and in the simplest of terms, a financial one. Many plane, train and car rides exist between these orphanages, the children in their care, and the America World staff that advocate for them.
We can’t get enough of Zeke’s handsome face and his smile that lights up a room! His homecoming is miraculous, but it’s not the only story. We believe there is a plan, a hope and a future for every little face our India staff scrolls through on a daily basis. Would you help us tell their stories? And would you consider providing a child with hope for a family by giving towards our advocacy initiatives? We have hope that there is a family for every child!
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Special thanks to Rachel for bravely allowing us to share her story in hopes that other waiting children spend next Christmas with their families.