It is a bit late to write New Year resolutions but this first post of the year has to be about a girl who took a strong resolution. A resolve to live. To live a good life.
She was abandoned at the age of 12 hours. Found on the side of the road wrapped in an old rag. Somebody picked her up and brought her to the closest and only police station of a small settlement in Western Ethiopia.
The police officer gave her a name followed by the place where she was found. He took a picture of the 12 hours old, skinny baby and brought her to the hospital. He drafted an advertisement that would be hung public in the hope that a relative would come and claim the baby. Nobody.
A team of nurses took care of her in the hospital until she was strong enough to be transferred to a local orphanage.
A team of nannies took care of her until she was strong enough to be transferred to the capital city where she would have more chances to be adopted.
She travelled with another little girl for 1.5 days in a 4×4 on dusty, potholled roads.
She arrived in an orphanage with her little companion in the capital city and stayed there until a SW took her in the transition home.
Her file was proposed to a couple living in Switzerland.
She became a daughter. The couple became parents.
A team of nannies and nurses took care of her until her parents would come and fetch her in the transition home. Her crib was next to her little companion’s.
She met her parents and moved again. This time in a Boeing for more than 12 hours. She was carried out of the Boeing and got little drops of water on her face and realized with a grimace that she never felt rain before and everything was new. Again.
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Many adoptive parents do not want to share their children’s story out of respect and privacy. Although I fully understand this, I do not feel like that. I feel so proud of my girl; she is such a brave little, spirited fighter. I hope her story inspires many to hang on, to believe, to overcome, to hope, to be strong and brave.
Many times, the world seems soo damaged that it gets discouraging to contribute, to make it a better place. You probably know that feeling: “what good would it do, if I do good, my small actions won’t even make the tiniest difference.” So, I strongly feel that her story inspires to do good. Starting from the birthmother who not only gave her life but also made the hard decision to give her a better life, followed by the person who picked her up and brought her to the police, the police officer, the countless nurses, every kiss, cuddle and bottle offered by a nanny, a document stamped by an officer, and everybody else offering their own small contribution, eventually created a chain, a chain so strong and reliable and so far-reaching that it would completely change the course of somebody’s life.
Whenever you get a chance, Go for it & do what feels right.
Thank you for this great life lesson, my girl !
Congratulations Sophie!!! I am so happy for you and your DH 🙂 I have been watching and waiting to hear your news… So Happy 😀 😀
Beautiful!
Sophie this is such an amazing post. I have a strong feeling that Zoe is going to make BIG changes in this world, just by being born. She is a testimony of strength and being a fighter in a harsh world. But she is also a testimony of Love.
Thinking of you and sending you all much love
xxx
I’m crying xxx
Beautiful and sad! Thank you for sharing and give your little fighter a big kiss!
Thanks for sharing your daughter’s story with us Sophie! What a sad beginning, but she will have a happy wonderful life from now on!
Wow Sophie – what a powerful story of love! I have tears streaming down my face. Thank you for sharing. I shall certainly carry that lesson forward. XXX
Thank you for sharing Sophie. It humbles me and reminds me that we need to complain less about our circumstances in life. If one tiny little girl could overcome so much we really have nothing to complain about.
She is going to grow up to be one special woman!
What an absolutely beautiful post! I have shivers!!!
Thank you for sharing, Sophie. ((HUGS))
Merci merci merci d’avoir affiche ce post. Ca fait un moment que je suis ton blog, sans laisser de comment. J’y suis arrivee par hazard en suivant d’autres comments ou un des tiens sur un autre blog. Ma petite au presque 4 ans, et ca fait presque 4 ans que nous sommes rentrees ensemble. Je suis expatriee aux US, j’ai grandi en France, mais ma mere et toute sa famille paternelle et maternelle est de la Suisse, alors je suis ton histoire avec attention et tendresse viacariously living the home land, hehe. This post has really touched me. I have always been of two minds about sharing my daughter’s story, and you have shared hers in such a beautiful manner, with such beautiful intent. Ca m’a beaucoup touche. Comme ton histoire m’a touchee. J’etais tellement heureuse quand vous etes rentree finalement! Et elle est tellement belle, tellement mignone. Je ne laisse pas de comments tres souvent, alors je veux vous souhaiter a tous les trois un merveilleux voyage, journey, pleine de joie, d’amour, et de magie 🙂 Leo.
Thanks for this inspiring post, Sophie. I feel so priviledged to have read this story of hope, strength, kindness and love.
Such an awe-inspiring story. How amazing to think that you were meant for each other before either of you even knew of the other’s existence. And of the journey that you each took to be together.
What a brave, strong little girl and what a miracle that you found each other.
Sophie, I just came across your blog. What an incredibly and lovely story. I am so thrilled you have your little girl.
I look forward to regular updates.
By the way, I love the picture of her in the bath, she looks like she is in heaven!