On Saturday morning, it was time to leave Addis Ababa and head for home. They were already at the airport. Allan and Henok were unloading their bags. Michele and Ayana stood on the sidewalk watching, holding hands.
The last few days had been extremely busy. Lots of shopping, cleaning, and setting up the orphanage. It looked totally different than it did when she’d first walked in. With each new purchase and each new item brought into the orphanage, Ayana reacted as any little American girl would at Christmas. She especially loved a doll Michele let her pick out in one of the local stores. She was holding it now. She had never owned a new toy before.
As tired as she was, Michele was torn about leaving. The love born in her heart when God first spoke to her about Ayana had only intensified in the days that followed. It was clear that Allan had experienced the same thing.
Henok had already taught them both some basic phrases. Ayana seemed to pick up English much easier than they were learning Amharic. Yesterday, Henok had explained to her in very simple terms the basic concept of adoption and that Allan and Michele wanted to adopt her and bring her back to America to be their little girl. Before he’d even finished asking if she would like that, she yelled out “Yes!” in Amharic and began jumping up and down. The only disappointing part of the conversation came when he’d explained they had to leave for home this morning, but that for now, she could not go with them. She was ready to go now.
Henok said he had tried to explain when she would get to go home with them, but she was at that age when children don’t clearly grasp the concept of time. But the conversation had ended on a high note when he’d asked her if she would like to call them Mommy and Daddy. Not in Amheric but English. She got very excited about that and instantly wanted to learn.
So, for the rest of the evening until her bedtime and all morning, Ayana had called them Mommy and Daddy, with the sweetest little accent. It had thrilled Michele’s heart every time she heard it.
Allan and Henok had just given their bags to the porter. Michele knew what that meant.
“I’m afraid it’s time,” Allan announced. Henok extended his hand to say good-bye. Allan took it and drew him close for a hug. “There are no words to express our gratitude, my friend. I cannot believe all that’s happened in just a few days. Pastor Ray will be so proud of you when I tell him all you’ve done.”
“It’s been my great honor. You all have changed my life. I feel like I’m living a dream.”
Michele clutched her mini-iPad, which she’d pulled out of her purse moments ago. They had taken tons of pictures and videos over the last few days to show the family back home. But she would need to look at them herself as soon as they stepped onto the plane. Allan walked toward Michele and Ayana. Michele turned and bent down to face her. “Henok, would you—”
“Of course, I will tell her whatever you say.”
“Ayana, we are so glad God has brought us together. Meeting you has made me so happy.”
“Me too,” Allan said.
“We can’t wait until we can come back again to see you. And one day soon, as soon as God lets us, we will bring you home with us for good, to America. You will have your own room, right next to ours. And you’ll have lots of relatives that all live nearby. Remember the pictures I showed you in here?” She pointed to her iPad. “Grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins.” Henok translated everything.
Ayana smiled, pointed to Michele’s iPad, and said something. Henok answered her, then explained. “She really liked all the pictures you showed her. She had never seen pictures before. I wonder, could you possibly send some new ones every now and then, after you’re gone? It might help prepare her for your return and give me some useful things to work with as I teach her English.”
“Tell her we’ll definitely send more pictures. You can get them over the internet here, can’t you?”
“We can. They are very expensive to print, but I can show them to her on the screen. When the internet is working.”
“Here,” Allan said. He opened his wallet. “Most of my pics are on my phone, but I have one here I printed of Michele and me taken a few months ago.” He handed it to Ayana.
She looked at it and smiled, then said something to Henok.
“Yes,” Henok answered, “he’s giving it to you. You can keep it.”
She wrapped her arms around Allan’s legs. Allan squeezed back, then lifted her up to hug her properly. He looked at Michele. “We really need to go.”
“I know.” She took Ayana for one last big hug and kissed her on the cheek.
Allan leaned over and kissed her on the other cheek, then reached out to shake Henok’s hand one more time.
Reluctantly, Michele handed her to Henok. As they walked away, Michele said, “We love you, Ayana!” And to Henok, “Take good care of our little girl.”
“I will,” he yelled back. “You have my word.”
Our little girl, Michele thought.
She loved how that sounded.