Last Friday night while having dinner (a very rare Mexican one at that) my head nanny came running in to tell me that there was a baby at the front gate. I immediately went out there to find a baby who would later become know as Joseph. I had always wondered when it would happen. I knew that it would be much more difficult in the apartments because you could not just leave a child and run. The fact that we are so much more remote meant that it would be easier to do.
The mom apparently came in a taxi and then dropped the baby and ran back to the taxi and drove off.
It was incredible to open him up. I felt so privileged knowing that his mom had prepared him so well. She has sent a hot water bottle two use blankets, his milk bottle and some milk powder and diapers. There was no note. I slowly opened him up. I could see immediately that he had been in the hospital an that he was jaundiced. I was not sure if that was just temporary or if he had a liver problem. His belly button was already healed and so it suggested that he was 3 or 4 weeks old.
We called the police and gave Joseph a bottle and a bath. I managed to save all his clothes which I will give to his adoptive family as a memento. He was taken to the orphanage and then to the hospital. According to the doctors he has a slight heart problem but nothing serious, I hope he will heal that. The jaundice is already much better after the medication and putting him in the sun a little each day.
On Tuesday afternoon we got word that Joseph had been released from the hospital and that he would be returned to us. I had only called everyday to find out. I was so happy that I would get to help him here at Starfish, just like his mother intended. I am surprised that in a city of 8 million people this mother knew where to to get help. I am sure she made the best decision she possibly could to get the best help she could. I am honored that she made the effort to find me.
This was a surprisingly emotional experience for me. I used to dream about this happening but the reality of it is so much better than I thought. I feel so protective and tender over Joseph and so does the 18 people who were here to see it. One of the children was an abandoned foundling herself and was later adopted and I thought to myself how incredible the experience was as she watched with big eyes at what was happening.
There is never a dull moment here.
Life, love and laughter,
Amanda
At Starfish, we have taken care of 132 children to date, arranged more than 130 surgeries and had 57 international adoptions, so our little starfishes live all over the globe: the US, Netherlands, Norway, France, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Canada and in China. Our latest adoption, our first baby to Australia on April 11th, 2011. We currently have 46 babies under the age of 3.
4 comments:
He's so beautiful. I can't imagine how difficult it was for his mom to bring him to you. I wish I could adopt about 5 of the babies.
That moved me to tears. I am so thankful his mother knew to bring him to you yet so desperately sad for her that she needed to. She must know his best chance of a family is having him in your care. So glad he is doing better already, health wise and best wishes in finding him a family.
My heart just breaks for his birth mother. She did such a good job making sure he was safe and that you knew he was loved. He will find a great home.
I am glad he was given back to you Amanda. I know you will give him so much love he would not have received at the orphanage. It is heart breaking though.
Debbie (Michael's mom)
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