They were back at the orphanage now. Surprisingly, the good-bye scene with Ayana’s grandmother was not a tearful one. Michele saw tears starting to form in the grandmother’s eyes, but she blinked them away. She’d told Henok they were happy tears, that she was sincerely happy for this great blessing from God. But she couldn’t even allow happy tears for Ayana’s sake, because the little girl wouldn’t know the difference.
It appeared to have worked, because Ayana seemed very content now. Michele had already cleaned her cut and dressed it with disinfectant and a Band-Aid. She was walking through the orphanage with a clipboard and pen—Ayana right behind her—making a list of things to buy with Allan once he arrived back from an important meeting. She couldn’t wait to hear how it went, although the longer he was gone, the more nervous she felt.
He and Henok were meeting with some of the same government officials to discuss the possibility of adopting Ayana. Allan had already told her there was absolutely no chance of bringing her home with them this coming Saturday. Henok had agreed. There were too many details and legal formalities to work out. Not to mention agreeing on the costs. And that was just on this side of the Atlantic. She and Allan had never seriously considered adoption until today and didn’t know what was required in the US, let alone the additional factors to consider for an international adoption.
But she considered all these just wrinkles to be ironed out. None of them diminished her happiness. The way God had brought this whole thing about had produced faith in her heart, and it was clear in Allan’s too that God would finish this good work he had begun. She did find herself taking an even greater level of interest in decorating and outfitting this place before they left, seeing that it was now the temporary home for their daughter.
Their daughter.
She stopped, turned around, and bent down to face Ayana. The little girl looked up at Michele with those big brown eyes. Michele picked her up and, with a big smile on her face, said, “I can tell you one thing, little Miss Ayana, we’re going to have to get Henok to start teaching you some English. And maybe teach us a few phrases in Amharic. If that’s how you even pronounce it.” She gently touched the tip of Ayana’s nose with her index finger.
The playful gesture startled the little girl. But she quickly smiled back.
They were standing at the doorway to her bedroom. You wouldn’t know it just by looking at it, because there was no distinction between the two bedrooms. But Henok had explained this bedroom was for three little girls and the one next to it for three little boys. “We’re going to fix that, aren’t we, Ayana? After we’re done shopping today, no one will have to wonder which bedroom belongs to the little girls and which belongs to the little boys.”
She set Ayana down on the floor. “Which bed would you like?” She knew Ayana didn’t really understand what she was saying, so she made some gestures hoping the child would still get her meaning. Ayana stepped into the room and looked around. Even without decorations and frills, it was so much more luxurious than the dark hut she had known every day of her young life. Michele nodded, encouraging her that it was okay. Ayana walked to the bed in the middle along the back wall. First she swiped her hand across the blanket, then she patted it. She had probably never felt anything so soft.
“Would you like it? Would you like that one? You can have it. That can be your bed, if you want.” She wasn’t sure Ayana understood. She walked over, lifted her up, and set her in the middle of the bed. Ayana smiled as she sank into the mattress, just a little. Michele patted the mattress with both hands. “It’s yours, Ayana. This is your bed now.” She sat beside her, put her arm around her.
She thought about their upstairs back in River Oaks. She and Allan hadn’t even talked about which bedroom would become Ayana’s. Both were more than twice the size of this room. What would Ayana think when she finally came home with them and walked into her room for the first time?
She pulled Ayana close. “I have so many things to do now, because of you. Do you know that?”
Just then, a car pulled up in the driveway. Ayana heard it too. They got up and walked into the hall. Michele saw the car through a side window. Allan and Henok were back. She stood by the back door, waiting to see Allan’s face as he walked in. Ayana stood next to her, reached for her hand.
The door opened. Henok came through. He was smiling. Then Allan walked in, and his smile was even bigger.
Michele’s heart was exploding. “So it went well?”
“Better than well,” Allan said. “Henok was simply amazing.” He patted Henok on the back.
“God was good,” Henok said. “He opened their hearts to hear what we were asking.”
“So tell me what happened.”
Allan walked toward the living area. “Let’s sit down a minute.” Ayana stood next to him. He picked her up, sat her beside him, and put his arm around her. “I can’t believe how well it went. So much better than I was expecting.”
“So they were open to the idea of us adopting Ayana?”
“At first they weren’t. I could see they were becoming a little tense as Henok explained things. I guess they thought we were rushing things. But the longer he talked, the calmer they got. He didn’t stop to interpret as he was speaking, so I had to just read their faces.”
“I’m sorry about that,” Henok said. “I thought that perhaps—”
“No need to apologize. Obviously, God was leading you. You accomplished so much more than I was even hoping for. Actually, why don’t you tell Michele what you said? I might leave something out.”
Henok sat on the edge of his chair. “They knew we were interested in seeing children adopted by American families. They just weren’t expecting anything so soon. But I remembered one of their disappointments in our earlier meeting was that we were only taking six children into the orphanage at first, when there are so many who need our help. But I assured them we intended the number to grow as soon as we were able. But six was how many we could take at the moment. Once I remembered this concern, I pointed out one way to increase the number of children we rescue from Korah now is to streamline the path for adoption. Every child adopted from this original six opens a bed for another child to come into the orphanage.”
“It was brilliant,” Allan said. “But there’s more. Wait till you hear what else.”
“On the way there,” Henok continued, “I asked Allan if you had been thinking of adoption already and were saving money for it back home. He said you had not, that you had used most of your savings to bring you here on this trip. Once the officials had agreed to streamline the adoption process, I suggested a rather . . . unorthodox idea. I pointed out how beneficial it would be if we could have one adoption happen as soon as possible, so that this child could serve as something of an ambassador back in the US, which would help encourage other couples to want to adopt these children, as well. Which, of course, would free up more beds in the orphanage, allowing more children to be rescued from Korah.”
“You’re not going to believe this next part,” Allan said.
“When it seemed they liked this idea, I mentioned that you and Allan were interested in adopting a little girl, even now, as soon as it became legally possible. But that you lacked most of the funds. One of the men on the council spoke up before I could suggest it. He said after all Allan had done to start this orphanage, they should waive the normal fees and expedite this adoption. The other men agreed.”
“So . . . what are you saying?” Michele asked.
“He’s saying it’s not going to cost us tens of thousands of dollars to adopt Ayana. They’re waiving most of the fees. We’ll have some legal expenses here and in the US, but nothing like the twenty-five-thousand figure people usually have to pay.”
Michele couldn’t believe it. She hadn’t even allowed herself to consider the money side of all this. It was just too much to think about right now. But before she’d even been tempted to worry, God had tossed the mountain into the sea. “This is just so wonderful.”
“Isn’t it?” Allan said, giving Ayana a squeeze that made her smile. “I’m just . . . so incredibly happy right now.” He looked at Henok. “It was like God gave you the wisdom of Solomon.”
Henok smiled. “I’m just glad I could help.”
“You did way more than help, my friend.”
“So,” Michele said, “do you have any idea how long it will take before we can actually bring her to the US?”
“I’m not sure,” Henok said. “I’m afraid it still might take quite some time. If I had to guess, I would say . . . maybe six months, maybe more?”
“That long?” Michele said.
“Well, I’m sure it will fly by,” Allan said. “We’ll have so many things to do to get ready back home.” He stood and picked up Ayana. “Who’s ready to go shopping? Then let’s go someplace nice to eat. Henok, you pick it out. Somewhere you and Ayana would really enjoy.”