Finding Amani
When we decided to adopt one of the biggest questions we had was, "How will we know which baby to choose?" It seems silly, but we didn't really have any other concerns. We just wanted to be sure that we found the right one. We prayed alot asking God to make His choice for us crystal clear in some way. We wondered if we would hear God's voice or just sense His spirit when we found our child and held him in our arms. Well, how it actually happened was different than we ever could have imagined, but I think that's God's favorite way to do things!
The last time we blogged about adoption was after our home visit while we were awaiting our final signature. We had verbally been given permission to adopt, but had been told that we needed to wait for the final signature before we could identify our child. We had been told that it would probably be about 3 weeks before we heard. Well, we waited and waited and waited for five long weeks and the call didn't come. Then on May 2 one of my good friends called and asked me what I thought about adopting twins. I said, "Oh we would love to! Why?" Well long story short 5 new babies had arrived at one of the two orphanages we could adopt from . Two of the babies were twins - a boy and a girl. I called Steve and we decided that we would take a trip to the orphanage to see the twins on Friday. In the meantime he called Social Services to see where we stood on our signature. She said, "Did you identify your child yet?" To which Steve replied with great confusion, "What? No, you said we had to wait for our signature." She never really clarified any further just said, "The director hasn't been in to sign yet. I will call you when she does." So with that information we shook our heads and planned our trip to see the twins.
As a side note, during this process of waiting for the signature as a family we had adopted the song Free by Hillsong United as our "family motto". The song is all about believing that God can do miracles and that sometimes we have to step out in faith before we receive an answer. So that's what we decided to do.
Friday, May 4th we headed to Casa das Alegria with our good friend Lynne. We had not heard about the twins HIV status or health, but decided to go visit anyway. Lynne had agreed to talk to the Mother Superior for us to try to get some more information about whether the twins were adoptable or not. When we got there the MS told us that both twins had tested positive for HIV. In fact all five of the newly arrived babies were HIV positive. We were sad and disappointed, but decided to stay for a few hours and help out. While we were changing diapers, feeding babies and holding newborns Steve's phone rang. It was Graca from Social Services telling us that we had received our signature and were free to identify a child! We laughed at God's great irony and decided that since there were no adoptable babies at this orphanage we should visit the other one as well. We struggled as to whether or not we should take the kids with us and decided that it was better if we just went and if there were children available we would take them back.
We arrived at Premiero de Maio around noon. It was very quiet at the orphanage and we wondered why. We found the director's office and went in. She greeted us warmly (she had come to our house for the home visit) and asked us where we had been. She said, "We've been expecting you to come for a visit!" We explained that we had been waiting for our signature and she laughed and shook her head. Then she said, "Did you come to see the babies? We just got two new ones yesterday." We smiled and said, "Yes! We'd like to see them if we could." She said of course and led us back to the baby room. It was lined with cribs and toddler beds and she pointed to a row of eight cribs. "The ones on each end are adoptable. The other six babies have family. They are girls." she said. Steve picked up one baby and I went to the other crib and picked up the other baby. Steve whispered, "So much for our wanting a boy!" and I smiled and thought, "Gee, I'm a little disappointed. I thought we were going to adopt a boy." As we stood holding the babies I began playing with some of the toddlers in the next room. Steve talked to the director and asked about the babies storiess and their health. She said they had both been born at the Central Hospital and abandoned by their mother's. They had not yet been tested for HIV, but we could choose one to have tested. Then she walked over to me and asked if we had all girls. I said, "No our oldest is a boy and then we have two girls." She said, "Oh that's good. Then you can have a boy start your family and one end it." Then she walked away as I looked very confused and said to Steve, "Didn't she tell us these babies are girls? Why did she just say that to me?" So I decided I had to check their diapers! I did and sure enough they were boys! I laughed and felt excited that we might have found our son. Then Steve said, "We have to choose one to have tested. Which one do we choose?" I immediately said, "This one." indicating the sleeping baby in my arms. "Why?" he asked. "I don't know except I'm holding him, he's sleeping, he's beautiful and he looks healthy." So we chose him.
We had to wait an hour for the test results. It was a long hour! We were also waiting for our children to come home from school. The director had wisely advised us to choose a child and then bring our children to meet him. She said otherwise children may choose an unadoptable child and be so sad when they can't bring him/her home. When the kids came home they came running to find us, talking a mile a minute and wanting to know what had happened at the orphanage. We explained that all the babies at Casa were sick, but while we were there we had received our phone call. They erupted in shouts of joy! Then we explained that we had gone to the other orphanage and were waiting for some test results on a little boy there. If he was healthy we would take them to meet him.
Five minutes later Steve came back with the test results and a HUGE grin. "He's negative!" he boomed. This time it was my turn to shout with joy! We gathered up the kids, piled in the car and hurried to the orphanage. We spent the next several hours at the orphanage with our newest member, but also with the other babies, toddlers and kids. We had the most memorable visit. Sadly we found out that we would not be able to take our baby home except on the weekends for one whole month. We were all so sad, but said we would come every day to visit and be with him. Then we began to pray for an exception.
We spent the whole weekend at the orphanage. It was wonderful to meet all the workers, help out in tangible ways and just enjoy the kids there. Our hearts nearly broke every time we had to say goodbye and leave our baby behind, but at least we knew who would be taking care of him. We decided that on Monday morning Steve would go see Graca and see if she would allow us to take our baby home.
Over the weekend we had talked alot about our new son's name. We had many options, but two were at the top of the list. Amani and Isaiah. Each had significance for us and were meaningful. After a few votes and a tie breaker we decided to go with the name Amani. In Hebrew the word aman means "...to believe, to stand firm, to be unwavering." We decided that this was what kind of man we hoped he would grow to be so we would give him that name. Since then we have learned that in Swahili Amani means peace and in Ugandan Amani means strength. Each of those meanings are wonderful and we are glad this is his name!
On Monday after MUCH prayer and petition Steve went to see Graca. She greeted him warmly and said, "Your face is so full of smiles. Why are you so happy?" He told her that we had found Amani and how we had spent the weekend at the orphanage and how we really wanted to take him home today and not leave him there any longer. She smiled and said, "Ok. I will do the paperwork and the director happens to be here today (remember she had been unavailable for 5 weeks!!!) and she will sign the paper and you can take him home for good!" Now it was Steve's turn to shout for joy!
So on Monday, May 8th Amani Martins Snider came home to our family. It was one of the happiest days of our lives. It was amazing in so many new and special ways - the addition of another child in our family in such a unique way! We praise God for His awesome and unbelievable ways!
Looking back we see clearly how God's timing was perfect. If we had gotten our phone call any earlier Amani would not have been there. He was created to be part of our family. God ordained it that way. Although we were surprised, He never was. Before this child was formed, God knew He was the one for us! Amazing isn't it?
And as far as the question of how would we know? Well, we just knew. No writing on the wall, no audible voice of God, no bright lights or anything. We just knew. God was faithful to show us. All glory to Him!
The last time we blogged about adoption was after our home visit while we were awaiting our final signature. We had verbally been given permission to adopt, but had been told that we needed to wait for the final signature before we could identify our child. We had been told that it would probably be about 3 weeks before we heard. Well, we waited and waited and waited for five long weeks and the call didn't come. Then on May 2 one of my good friends called and asked me what I thought about adopting twins. I said, "Oh we would love to! Why?" Well long story short 5 new babies had arrived at one of the two orphanages we could adopt from . Two of the babies were twins - a boy and a girl. I called Steve and we decided that we would take a trip to the orphanage to see the twins on Friday. In the meantime he called Social Services to see where we stood on our signature. She said, "Did you identify your child yet?" To which Steve replied with great confusion, "What? No, you said we had to wait for our signature." She never really clarified any further just said, "The director hasn't been in to sign yet. I will call you when she does." So with that information we shook our heads and planned our trip to see the twins.
As a side note, during this process of waiting for the signature as a family we had adopted the song Free by Hillsong United as our "family motto". The song is all about believing that God can do miracles and that sometimes we have to step out in faith before we receive an answer. So that's what we decided to do.
Friday, May 4th we headed to Casa das Alegria with our good friend Lynne. We had not heard about the twins HIV status or health, but decided to go visit anyway. Lynne had agreed to talk to the Mother Superior for us to try to get some more information about whether the twins were adoptable or not. When we got there the MS told us that both twins had tested positive for HIV. In fact all five of the newly arrived babies were HIV positive. We were sad and disappointed, but decided to stay for a few hours and help out. While we were changing diapers, feeding babies and holding newborns Steve's phone rang. It was Graca from Social Services telling us that we had received our signature and were free to identify a child! We laughed at God's great irony and decided that since there were no adoptable babies at this orphanage we should visit the other one as well. We struggled as to whether or not we should take the kids with us and decided that it was better if we just went and if there were children available we would take them back.
We arrived at Premiero de Maio around noon. It was very quiet at the orphanage and we wondered why. We found the director's office and went in. She greeted us warmly (she had come to our house for the home visit) and asked us where we had been. She said, "We've been expecting you to come for a visit!" We explained that we had been waiting for our signature and she laughed and shook her head. Then she said, "Did you come to see the babies? We just got two new ones yesterday." We smiled and said, "Yes! We'd like to see them if we could." She said of course and led us back to the baby room. It was lined with cribs and toddler beds and she pointed to a row of eight cribs. "The ones on each end are adoptable. The other six babies have family. They are girls." she said. Steve picked up one baby and I went to the other crib and picked up the other baby. Steve whispered, "So much for our wanting a boy!" and I smiled and thought, "Gee, I'm a little disappointed. I thought we were going to adopt a boy." As we stood holding the babies I began playing with some of the toddlers in the next room. Steve talked to the director and asked about the babies storiess and their health. She said they had both been born at the Central Hospital and abandoned by their mother's. They had not yet been tested for HIV, but we could choose one to have tested. Then she walked over to me and asked if we had all girls. I said, "No our oldest is a boy and then we have two girls." She said, "Oh that's good. Then you can have a boy start your family and one end it." Then she walked away as I looked very confused and said to Steve, "Didn't she tell us these babies are girls? Why did she just say that to me?" So I decided I had to check their diapers! I did and sure enough they were boys! I laughed and felt excited that we might have found our son. Then Steve said, "We have to choose one to have tested. Which one do we choose?" I immediately said, "This one." indicating the sleeping baby in my arms. "Why?" he asked. "I don't know except I'm holding him, he's sleeping, he's beautiful and he looks healthy." So we chose him.
We had to wait an hour for the test results. It was a long hour! We were also waiting for our children to come home from school. The director had wisely advised us to choose a child and then bring our children to meet him. She said otherwise children may choose an unadoptable child and be so sad when they can't bring him/her home. When the kids came home they came running to find us, talking a mile a minute and wanting to know what had happened at the orphanage. We explained that all the babies at Casa were sick, but while we were there we had received our phone call. They erupted in shouts of joy! Then we explained that we had gone to the other orphanage and were waiting for some test results on a little boy there. If he was healthy we would take them to meet him.
Five minutes later Steve came back with the test results and a HUGE grin. "He's negative!" he boomed. This time it was my turn to shout with joy! We gathered up the kids, piled in the car and hurried to the orphanage. We spent the next several hours at the orphanage with our newest member, but also with the other babies, toddlers and kids. We had the most memorable visit. Sadly we found out that we would not be able to take our baby home except on the weekends for one whole month. We were all so sad, but said we would come every day to visit and be with him. Then we began to pray for an exception.
We spent the whole weekend at the orphanage. It was wonderful to meet all the workers, help out in tangible ways and just enjoy the kids there. Our hearts nearly broke every time we had to say goodbye and leave our baby behind, but at least we knew who would be taking care of him. We decided that on Monday morning Steve would go see Graca and see if she would allow us to take our baby home.
Over the weekend we had talked alot about our new son's name. We had many options, but two were at the top of the list. Amani and Isaiah. Each had significance for us and were meaningful. After a few votes and a tie breaker we decided to go with the name Amani. In Hebrew the word aman means "...to believe, to stand firm, to be unwavering." We decided that this was what kind of man we hoped he would grow to be so we would give him that name. Since then we have learned that in Swahili Amani means peace and in Ugandan Amani means strength. Each of those meanings are wonderful and we are glad this is his name!
On Monday after MUCH prayer and petition Steve went to see Graca. She greeted him warmly and said, "Your face is so full of smiles. Why are you so happy?" He told her that we had found Amani and how we had spent the weekend at the orphanage and how we really wanted to take him home today and not leave him there any longer. She smiled and said, "Ok. I will do the paperwork and the director happens to be here today (remember she had been unavailable for 5 weeks!!!) and she will sign the paper and you can take him home for good!" Now it was Steve's turn to shout for joy!
So on Monday, May 8th Amani Martins Snider came home to our family. It was one of the happiest days of our lives. It was amazing in so many new and special ways - the addition of another child in our family in such a unique way! We praise God for His awesome and unbelievable ways!
Looking back we see clearly how God's timing was perfect. If we had gotten our phone call any earlier Amani would not have been there. He was created to be part of our family. God ordained it that way. Although we were surprised, He never was. Before this child was formed, God knew He was the one for us! Amazing isn't it?
And as far as the question of how would we know? Well, we just knew. No writing on the wall, no audible voice of God, no bright lights or anything. We just knew. God was faithful to show us. All glory to Him!
posted by Sniders in Africa at 5/29/2007 08:09:00 AM
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