Tuesday, October 07, 2008

More


Malinga has arrived!!















Well, this saga is almost over...but not quite. We still need to finalize the adoption over the next year but for now, we are HOME.

Malinga had a rough week or so after Roman and I left in August. He stole some money from one of the children and ran away from the orphanage on 2 occasions. Brooke and Marco took him to their house after the second incident. He was upset and frightened but wouldn't tell them much. Marco went over to the orphanage to tell the kids that he had found Malinga and that he was in jail, which is where you go when you steal things. The kids were upset and it eventually became clear that they had been tormenting Malinga (which is probably why he ran away). I can't imagine how hard it was for them to know that he was being adopted and would be leaving soon. They are all wonderful kids who I have come to really care about as I get to know each of their very different personalities. If you want to know more about where Malinga came from and the wonderful work that Brooke and Marco do in giving these kids a loving home go to www.boonabaana.org. Malinga's picture is there from when he was first brought there after being found in the bus station. He was just a little guy.
I cannot thank Brooke and Marco enough both for helping us to make Malinga part of our family and for giving him such good care over these past 2 years. We owe you a lot.


I returned to Tanzania on September 19 with Jack to try to complete the requirements for bringing Malinga to Canada. Through the help of Brooke and Janet we acquired a letter from social welfare that gave us permission to take Malinga for a visit to Canada. As he is our foster child (and will be until the adoption is final), we need to ask the social welfare authorities for permission for these types of things, which is to be expected. With that letter, we were able to apply for a travel document (a substitute for a passport because foster children cannot get passports in Tanzania). This took a few days to acquire as well but eventually came through. Hi sbirthday was chosen as September 18th, 2001..which makes him 7. We are all satisfied that that is close to the age he probably is. As I spend more and more time with him and I watch him interact with children that age, I think it will be fine. He is Hannah's size and is wearing size 5-6 clothes. I am waiting to see if he grows on a Canadian diet!! He is a bit of a picky eater and we had one episode where he refused to eat spaghetti while we were out for lunch in Moshi. Jack felt like spaghetti and Malinga had eaten nothing but chicken and chips for a week (as that was what he always requested), I thought we would try something different. He looked at the plate like it was poison...I tried to coax him to eat it (as did others we were out with). He started to cry and got up from the table and hid under a table nearby. I felt terrible. Then Agnes suggested that perhaps he thought it looked like worms! We will try penne next time...I'll let you know how it goes.
Once we got the travel document we were able to fly to Nairobi to try to acquire his Canadian visitors visa. The Canadian High Commission in Nairobi (which does all immigration issues for all of East Africa) kindly let me in for a private appointment on a Friday morning when they are usually closed to the public. I had contacted them several times with details of my situation and told them in advance that I was to be in Nairobi at a dialysis conference at the end of September and that I had hoped to have Malinga with me and his Tanzanian papers. They took my paperwork and presented me with a Visa 2 hours later...I was ecstatic!!!

The next few days i attended the dialysis conference while my good friend Peninah, who works at the womne's centre as a clinical officer, andis a Kenyan, entertained Malinga and Jack. She took them to a movie and a local animal rescue centre.
On our last day in Nairobi after the conference had ended, we all went to a giraffe sanctuary outside the city and fed the baby giraffes. It was a lot of fun. We then went to the Nairobi National park to the baby elephant rescue program for their 11am feeding time. It was a beautiful experience for all of us. They first brought out the very little ones (1-4 months old) who had all been found in dire circumstances after their mothers had been poached or died from other causes. One of them was being treated for depression....and he looked depressed! They are so human-like in many ways. The other babies would saunter over and wrap their trunks around the little guys neck as if to say 'its ok, don't be sad, I'm your friend'. It was a memorable day.
We flew to Kilimanjaro that night and had another 5 days in Moshi. The boys continue to get re-acquainted with each other and I worked on global health stuff. All is well at the women's centre. Our programs continue to expand and we are able to do more andmore for the clients. Our clinic hours will expand soon too (officially, now that we are fully licensed!).

I forgot to mention..the flight over to Nairobi was Malinga's first time on an airplane (see picture!). He stared out the window for most of the journey and eventually fell asleep. When we walked out onto the tarmac to board the plane his eyes got huge and he said 'we go in there??'
The flight to Canada was also great. He particularly loved the meals with all the little trays and compartments of stuff (although he is a picky eater and didn't eat much other than the bread and fruit salad!).
He and Jack were awesome travellers for the 21 hour journey home through Amsterdam and to Toronto.
I cried when we walked out and saw our families there and Roman (with tears in his eyes) and Hannah waiting. It was such a long journey to get this far....and I don't think I really realize what a toll it has taken on me our us...we are just so glad to have him here and enjoying moving on with our lives as one family.

He continues to amaze us with his exploration of our world. He has thoroughly explored the house and loves all of the toys Jack left out for him. He has learned to pee neatly in the toilet and lift up the seat (not what I can always say for Jack!!). He has eaten at Saigon Delight (Allison and Hardy and all the other Kingstonites old and new will appreciate that..the spring rolls were his favorite). He has stared at the washing machine and is eager to put his clothes in there to see how they turn out. He learned to ride a bike on Sunday in 15 minutes! He is extremely determined to do things onhis own...(a man after my own heart). He was outside this morning before school going up and down the driveway on Hannah's bike again...and Jack and Hannah weren't even in their coats and shoes and ready for school.

At the mall he discovered 'shopping' for clothes and quickly put on everything he could find that fit him in that kids section including a bomber jacket (he looked very handsome), hat, mitts, and boots. He then said 'mum..buy me??' They learn fast. He needed those items anyway...it was zero degrees celsius here this morning!!

Today he started school (his choice) as we were quite happy to let him settle in a little longer at home. He was bored after one day at home with Roman and missed Jack.
His new teacher (Mrs. Dodd) and class welcomed him this morning with his desk all ready. He just kept on smiling in his usual Malinga way. She said 'comment ca va?' and he responded 'yes!' (close enough...at least he is trying!) with a big grin. I showed him what a locker was an where to put his lunch bag etc. He waved and ran right back to the teacher and into the class. I don't think an adult would be able to be that open and easy going after so many huge life changes. He just seems to breeze through every new thing he tries.
I am really going to try to continue to keep writing this stuff down ...it is all so amazing and fun. His personality is really starting to come out and I love him so much more than I thought was possible.
I have posted as many pictures as I can so you can see him too. He is a wonderful addition to the Yeates-Zablicki family. We are truly blessed.
Welcome home Malinga!!