This was a day full of emotions; a day I'd been anticipating for some time. We were going to visit the orphanage where Poppet had spent the first four years of his life and meet his birthmother.
This involved a drive out to Nazaret (Adama), about two hours down the main highway towards Djibouti. We piled into the van with Solomon, Germatchew, Meseret (the head nurse) and another couple who had just picked up their baby girl.
The drive was long and slow, as usual, but we finally arrived in Adama. First we stopped along the side of the road where Solomon got out and spoke to some people waiting there. They were birthfamily contacts of the other adoptive family. They got out and went with Solomon while we continued on with Meseret.
We drove directly to the orphanage school grounds, where the workers called two young boys out of class. These were Poppet's brothers, 5 and 9 years old. The five-year-old looked enough like him to be his twin (though on even ground he was a little bit taller than Poppet.)
We stayed there about ten minutes, then Meseret and the worker at the school sent the boys off to fetch their mother. We couldn't go with the car and they didn't want us walking over the rough ground, so called her to come meet us at one of the orphanage buildings.
While they were off, we drove to another building where we were able to see some of the older children (not sure why they weren't in school, or whether they went to the afternoon session, or what...) These were mostly older children, the youngest being maybe two or three; the oldest likely ten or eleven (or more). They showed us the bare-bones rooms where they slept - apparently, prior to the adoption agency's involvement, they slep on the floor; now they had bunkbeds to sleep in.
Another fifteen or twenty minutes later we were called to go across the road to another building. Here a woman of indeterminate age was waiting for us - Poppet's birthmother. We talked for about half an hour, with Meseret acting as translator. I asked her some questions then told her I promised to love Poppet and care for him well, making sure he received a good education and plenty of opportunities. I gave her some pictures of Poppet with me and Giggles so she could remember him and his new mother. I also gave her my e-mail address, though seeing as she is illiterate and very poor, it's unlikely she will be able to use it to contact me. It was emotional but rewarding to meet her.
Then, seeing as the other family was still busy with Solomon and their birthfamily, Meseret invited us to have lunch at her house. She lives in Adama and "commutes" on a weekly basis to Addis to work at the Transition House. She, too, had a very nice house with nice furniture and a maid who cooked for the family. Her husband is a lawyer and they have two adopted children.
She gave us some papayas from the tree in her garden, which we will enjoy. And then it was back into the van for the drive home. That excursion took the better part of the day; by the time we got home it was late and we were tired. A quick supper, some TV and bed.
(Continue to 11-15 January: The last few days)
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