We missed out on three years and 10 months.
He’s ours now. But until then, you loved him.
You changed his diapers; you washed his diapers–by hand. You gave him baths twice a day; You fed him healthy meals. You cuddled him and gave him good night kisses. You potty trained him and changed his sheets every day. You chased him and made him laugh. You taught him his numbers and the names of all the animals. You gave him bubbles and glitter and paper mache. You gave him your lap and you let him get his snot all over you.
He was missing a family, but you gave him everything else possible while he waited. His life was full of enriching experiences. He is healthy and strong.
How can I possibly thank you? How could I ever repay you? You loved him like he was your own, and then you loved him enough to give him to me.
Thank you, Amy Hathaway, for running the best orphanage in Tanzania. Thank you for saving the lives of so many children. Thank you for giving them the best start possible, but also not being satisfied with what you could give them. Thank you for doing everything you can to get them back into their biological families or find them new ones.
Thank for to all the Mamas who dearly loved and cared for my son in thousands of ways. Thank you to all the foreign volunteers who keep coming to Forever Angels for long and short times and love and sacrifice for the children there. There were hundreds of people who loved my son before I did. I will always be grateful for you.
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| Lillian, a manager at Forever Angels, with Lily, her namesake! |
If you’re looking for a worthy cause to donate to, consider Forever Angels (password to see the children is Tanzania). It is a truly excellent orphanage, which first and foremost seeks for family reunification. When that doesn’t happen, they look hard for good placements for their children. I trust them completely.
Forever Angels also has an excellent and organized volunteer program. I would recommend it for any young (or old!) person who desires to work at an orphanage.
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