Yesterday was ...... okay, I can't think of a good word to describe it. There are so many things I could say.
We got here Thursday night at 5:30, came to the hotel and then went right to pick up Comfort. She was very happy to have her mother here. She told me that she thought I wasn't coming back then she told me that she loved me. She is feeling better here at the hotel with air conditioning and I am keepeing her hydrated and well fed. She is a big eater! She finishes hers and then eats what's left on mom's plate.
Friday morning we went to the embassy and had an amazing meeting (without an appointment, on a Friday, totally God!) where I presented all the medical paperwork for Comfort and explained her medical issue and then gave them all the adoption paperwork. After looking at everything they told us they could get it done by the next day. Laurel and I looked at each other and could not believe it. Truly a miracle. We left the meeting feeling like we had just seen God move mountains. Later that day though we received a phone call from them asking for one more paper that the orphanage director must get from the courts. YIKES, not the courts again!! So we are praying that the paper is easy to get and quick (today would be great!) and then we just need the kids passports from the orphanage director and we are on our way home. Doesn't that sound simple? I am really amazed at our US Government. After dealing with the Ghana court system it is so nice to see people actually care about a childs life.
After leaving the embassy we were off to Korle Bu Hospital. What an experience that was. Laurel and I counted at least 6 premie babies that the mothers carried in wrapped in old towels. Little 3 pound babies. In the US those babies never would have left the hospital and here are these moms just walking around the dirty streets of Accra with these tiny frail babies. It gives a better picture of why they are not real concerned with Comfort's health. There were very sick children who were carried in by their parents, lethargic, unable to stand, and the nurses would just go about their business, chit chatting or eating lunch and I'm thinking where's the ER? How about a bed? Maybe an IV? But they have seen it many times before and are so used to it that it doesn't even get a second look.
Comfort was looked at by quite a few people because she had an actual diagnoses backed by an American doctor so they all had to come and poke at her and look at her and listen to her heart and lungs. It was really interesting, I kept thinking I should charge them for using her as a guinea pig. The Doctor was very nice and Comfort was feeling really good that day so he was not able to do anything for her but he did give me his personal cel phone number in case I have a problem with her while I'm here which was really nice. Then they decided to do bloodwork so we walked through this room jam packed with sick lethargic kids on dirty beds all with their families surrounding them. It was really sobering. Most of them probably won't live. We got to the 'lab' which was another dirty room with a dirty bed. Comfort was not to happy about them taking her blood and she screamed soooo loud and kicked the doctor while they tried to hold her down. I was just praying the whole time and I know Laurel was too. I was also making sure that they used a clean needle. The guy that took her blood didn't even have a glove on. I guess he's not worried about AIDS or hepatitis. I just kept thinking I was really glad that I got all those shots and I hope I don't catch anything.
So day one and two in Ghana. Pretty exciting. Please be praying for that paper and the passports so we can head out of here by mid week. Comfort is doing well right now, but I've seen her do well and then not so well very quickly so we are praying we'll get out while she is doing well.
We don't have Brian and Josephine yet, and are hoping to get them on Monday. They would not have enjoyed sitting at the hospital for hours listening to babies cry so I was glad we didn't have them yesterday. We'll see what today brings!
Lanae