ALL GROWN UP

Wish I could bring them all home!!

Zola and her posse

Love to see her in some styling shoes. Big improvement from last  time. 

Paul unlocks a smile 

When we accepted our referral we agreed to be in a pilot program. Zola's (Marie, Regine, you choose) adoption was going to take place in Bukavu until the last portion when she would be transferred to Kinshasha (the capital of DRC). We didn't care how it was handled as long as she got to come home. Her orphanage we have been told is the best they have seen in the DRC.  It is mostly self sustaining. They have a garden where they grow their food and really raise everything except for fish. So she is getting eggs daily and eating. What more can you want?! The orphanage is well kept and clean and pretty incredible. It has been inspiration for Wasatch (our agency) to buy and start their own orphanage/in between house until the children are picked up by their adoptive parents. This new orphanage is in Kinshasa and is called Arms Of Love. Zola will be transferred there towards the end of the adoption process. The hardest part for us with having her in Eastern Congo is that when all the other families in the process are getting loads of pictures and videos of their children, we aren't. When people are sending books and toys and clothes to their kids, we don't get to. It has actually been really really hard to miss out on the last 4 months of her life. And getting the group emails that there are loads of new pictures of the kids is heart breaking when you're told that of course your child isn't in them. Nobody can understand the value of a picture of their child until they are going through this  themselves. There are no words to describe how much that brightens your day and puts your heart at ease. Well miracles do happen. The day that Zola's case went to court Paul (our lawyer) went to her orphanage and took us some new pictures.  So the next morning I woke up to the best email EVER!! Pictures of our BIG girl!!! Finally a day of happy tears!!!! Apparently Zola's orphanage in Katana is not easy to access and it's way out of the way. So a huge thanks to Julia for pushing Paul to go and get us some new photos. It is the first time we have got to see a glimpse of a smile on her precious face. She looks healthy and is growing and we just adore her.