HURRAY!

I usually avoid reading comments on stories in our local newspapers when I read them on-line. I don't know if it is this way everywhere...well...let's face it...there are boneheads every where...but it seems there are several trolls who just lurk on-line at a few news sites I visit regularly waiting to make an inflammatory comment.

After an article was printed in the Deseret News last week about Chareyl Moyes helping to unite dozens of families with their adopted children, there were a lot of happy comments, and then, the regulars...these were my "favorites":

"Leave them there. It is a mistake, why not adopt american children. They speak french and you don't. They are black and you are white. They are loved but do not fit in either culture, black or white. They lose their identity in both cultures. If you want to adopt then move down their and raise them. "
and
"How about adopting some of our Utah children ? If you want to be a hero, look in your own backyard. "

Like I say, I usually don't even look at the comments because I know that I will see these kinds and they will make me mad. But these didn't upset me. They just made me laugh and shake my head. There are all kinds of people in this world, aren't there? Those that wrote these comments aren't my favorite kinds. Goodness, I'm in a generous mood. :)

Anywho...I had to borrow some pictures from the Deseret News Photographers of some of the families that I love being RE-united with their children. I hope its okay with the families...but they were already on a public news site, so I'm guessing it'll be all right.

Jean Tony and Darline meet a new family member:

Michelle and Avrie give each other a kiss:
I started working with the Carol family to help them adopt BEFORE Loumy came home from Haiti FIVE YEARS AGO. When I left the adoption agency nearly three years later they still had not been able to bring their daughters home. Here they are with their second Haitian daughter, Mia, in Miami. It took three years to get Taciana home (in bottom photo on right) and then another two to finally get Mia home.
Marilee kisses the youngest of her three Haitian children. Scott went to Haiti with Chareyl and spent ten days with his two daughters, Avrie and Destina (below) and all of the other kids that they were trying to help bring home. They slept on the pavement in the driveway of the orphanage. After already losing two daughters before they could get them home to get the medical care they needed, Scott was not leaving Haiti with out his girls! Here he helps D ride a bike in Miami while they wait for Michelle to arrive.
Finally they are reunited!!!

Yonelson doesn't seem to be too sad, either, about finally getting to come home to his amazing parents, the Aitkens.
That reunion for the Aitkens was wonderful, but also bittersweet. They were adopting three children and at the last minute some paperwork was lost and their oldest, 8 year old Fabrice, who had been waiting to get on the plane with the rest of the children at the airport, was not allowed to go. It was heartbreaking for everybody. When Chareyl first told me, she couldn't even tell me the details, it was such a horrific and heartbreaking moment for her. One thing that killed me to hear the most is that, as he sobbed, Fabrice kept saying he was sorry--as if it was his fault and was apologizing and begging to get to go with them. So...I couldn't even bear to tell you that if I didn't also get to tell you that two days later they got the paperwork settled and the Aitkens (who had been waiting in Miami for Fabrice) were finally able to bring him home to Utah.

This picture says it all, but read this story if you want to know more . Here Fabrice runs through the airport to meet waiting family. He had met some of his older brothers on previous trips to Haiti.


Here Fabrice gives "Uncle Brent" a hug. Brent was down in Haiti with Chareyl and Scott as well. Fabrice had also come to know and love him on the many other visits that Brent had made to Haiti.
Look at these photos and tell me now that you're gonna make a lame comment about these families. Nobody trying to be a hero. Nobody ignorant of the issues involved with adoption. Just a lot of people feeling extremely overjoyed that their families are FINALLY together. I get it. Do you?

On a side note, tonight as I was looking at the photos of Fabrice coming home, Loumy came over and asked who the boys were and pointed to the younger one and said, "Can I write a letter to him?" And...since I happen to have the email for that little boy's mother, I said yes. I think it will be a while before Yonelson learns enough English to understand the message, but I think it is so interesting that Loumy feels such a connection to other Haitian children and a longing to be near them. I feel blessed that we have Chareyl's Robby and other children and now there are a lot more little Haitians in Utah.

Dear Yonelson,

My name is Andre. I was wondering if you could ask my mom if we could play one day and I have a toy for you that I can give you. I was wondering if you want to be friends with me. And I’m from Haiti, too. And I have more friends that can meet you maybe one day. That’s all.

From Andre.