Andy & Amie's Story
As we celebrate a year of our daughter coming home, I find myself reliving the memories of all that led up to that day when our journey to her culminated on the tarmac, as they lifted her off that little plane and she ran into my arms. It felt miraculous to hold her, and it was.
Our Haitian adoption journey had officially started 6 years earlier. God had led us to adoption so clearly, through a number of undeniable ‘God moments’. We knew beyond doubt that it was the time to start it. I assumed that, because it had started with so many miracles, God would continue to pour His favour on our whole process. In my mind that meant we would likely have a record quick process and it would all come together perfectly. God did indeed show his favour to us but the miracle wasn’t a fast timeline, it was the patience to endure a long one and He didn’t give us an easy journey, but provided in ways we didn’t deserve when we hit obstacles we could never have anticipated.
We were just a couple of weeks away from bringing our daughter home. After six years, the finish (or start) line was in sight. That is when the pandemic hit and flights were grounded. We banded together with other families, who were also in those final stages to seek the help of the government and embassy. We fought so hard to get the children on the final repatriation flight. Five children came home but 3 families, including ours, discovered at the airport, our children would not be visa ready to board. The devastation we felt as we drove home from the airport, was indescribable. The embassy in Haiti closed that day, there were no more flights, and it was hard to see the way forward. We prayed and listened to a music play list on repeat, reminding us of a God who moves mountains and parts oceans, who gives hope to the hopeless. We relied heavily on the prayers of our family and friends. Two months later, with the help of some fabulous Canadian Senators, the three children were visa ready to fly but we were informed that there was no plan for more repatriation flights and our only option was a private medivac flight. This last hurdle felt impossible. This is where ABBA Canada stepped in, and all of you who support families like ours through ABBA. God provided for this last (unexpected) financial cost through you and brought our beautiful daughter into our arms.
I reflect back on all the emotions of that day, as that little plane landed with such precious passengers. The excitement, relief, nerves, anticipation, gratitude, fear, hope, exhaustion, joy. I asked our daughter yesterday, on the one-year anniversary, if she felt scared or nervous as she left Haiti. She said ‘No, just excited, I just wanted to get to my family faster, faster, faster.’
