tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714613209655933701.post3080973667062386860..comments2023-09-10T08:09:08.165-07:00Comments on A Little Lemonade: Fatherless Friday: Fatherless For 15 yearsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12017667397608706590noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714613209655933701.post-22792909731076333592012-05-05T01:39:03.120-07:002012-05-05T01:39:03.120-07:00Oh my dear... so proud along with you for Lazarus ...Oh my dear... so proud along with you for Lazarus & so sad to hear your story... but know this... he knew you fought for him & trust me - he will never forget what you have done & how much you still do love him - you have shown him that he is worth fighting for & this he will carry with him for the rest of his life... this wonderfully strengthening thought will always support him the rest of his life...sychttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12187878216271293128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714613209655933701.post-51213299366461981062012-05-04T12:54:15.609-07:002012-05-04T12:54:15.609-07:00Amber, it is a long and convoluted story. Basicall...Amber, it is a long and convoluted story. Basically, I was to the fostering portion of the adoption finally. I moved out with Lazarus. Found a house to stay in and was getting all settled in with him. Then one morning I was attacked by our Iskari (security guard.) Every house has one in Kenya. .. he thought I was an easy target. He was wrong and I fought like I didnt know I could. I wasnt raped, thank God. The damage was done. Someone laid hands on me to hurt me, when I was alone in a house with Lazarus. Luckily, Lazarus was in his room, he heard the struggle which was traumatic enough for him but he was otherwise uninvolved. Because of the struggle, blood was exchanged. The guard ran off and was never found by the "authorities." With the high incidence of HIV in Kenya, I was put on ARVs and sent on my way. I was committed to Lazarus and I was staying to fulfill the requirements. I lasted one month. I vomitted all day every day on the ARVs. I was so sick. I kept checking with the nurses and they just told me that these were the side effects, now you know how the children feel . .. so I did my best to carry on. After 28 days, I landed in the hospital with Med-induced Hepatitis. I was SICK. I spent 4 days in a Kenyan hospital. NOT FUN. Around the same time, the adoption agency that had told me that I could foster Lazarus for 3 months then return home and then return for the court dates told me that if I left after the 3 months, the judge would deny the adoption application. I had used all of my leave from my job and all of my money. I didnt have any way to fund a stay that typically lasted 14 months. I could not afford to stay in Kenya for 14 months. My job would not be held for me that long either. They looked at me with mock sympathy and told me that my family would give me the money. How irresponsible would it be for a single woman to lose her job in the process of adopting an special needs child?? Seriously? And my family had no money to help. The Social Worker somewhat admitted that she had told me what she thought I wanted to hear, believing that as a rich american, I could just stay indefinitely. I sadly could not. <br />So, basically I totally and completely failed Lazarus. It haunts me every. single. day.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12017667397608706590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1714613209655933701.post-70548873518228560702012-05-04T11:58:53.301-07:002012-05-04T11:58:53.301-07:00Love this, Becki. What precious boys...
Thanks ...Love this, Becki. What precious boys... <br /><br />Thanks for explaining more about Lazarus. I have been curious!Amberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12598396990328399489noreply@blogger.com