“Be.qe.” (bek-kah). We Are Finished.

Day Nine

Random updates from the past few days. I can’t keep anything straight any more. 

Today is Tuesday. Even though I can barely keep the days straight, and cannot blog simply from pure exhaustion, it’s Tuesday today. Of that I’m sure. This past Friday, Micah and I spent a ton of time at two hospitals. Micah needed a physical, a Hep B and MMR, a TB test, and some blood work. 

In Ethiopia, there is a lot of waiting wherever you go. You cannot expect to get anywhere quickly. The culture is different; it is laid-back and calm. There is no hurry. 

The hospital is no exception. We spent all day (I mean, 8 hours) going back and forth, waiting in line. The sick people go first. Then whoever else is left. It doesn’t matter who arrived first. It doesn’t matter who had an appointment. 

When it was finally our turn, we went into the examination room. Micah immediately became very nervous, and I realized this wouldn’t be easy. I talked to him and told him that he is a lion, a jegna, and that all his siblings had to do this too. I told him he was brave. We did the blood test first; they pricked his finger and tried to squeeze blood out. Micah freaked. And he was so dehydrated (people do not drink much water here) that he barely had any blood. They kept pricking him and I had to hold him. He buried his face in my shoulder and I tried to comfort him. Shortly after, they told us he needed the other shots. He was a mess. We survived. I explained that the shots meant that we could fly. I told him how proud I was of him. Seeing him in pain was terrible, but in the end, he was okay. 

Yesterday (Monday), we went and got Micah’s TB test read and got his blood work results. We waited in line for two hours. Finally, my driver told me to stand in front of the doctor’s door. When it opened, I would literally edge my way in and see the doctor. So I did. I stood in front of the door, and as soon as it opened, I slid inside. The doctor smiled at me. He loves me. Every person who finds out I can speak decent basic Amharic becomes my friend now. My drivers call me “Rihanna” as a joke, because they think I am so popular. Everyone wants pictures with me (I think the braids and my Amharic tattoos are making some serious impressions) and we call them my “paparazzi”. Anyway, the doctor greeted me cheerfully and spent a few minutes talking to me before he read Micah’s medical results. Everything was fine. I bid him farewell and he hugged Micah and told him to do well. I could see he was very happy for Micah. We went downstairs to wait for the medical file. We were supposed to be given a large envelope to take to embassy. We went to the waiting area. Again. I sat next to some older Orthodox women, dressed head to toe in their beautiful white traditional clothes. I could see they were not sure what to make of me, with my braids, my ripped jeans, my Orthodox cross necklace....and my Amharic. Micah and I were signing, when the woman closest to me finally leaned over. “You speak Amharic?” she asked. “Yes, a little,” I replied. “I love Ethiopia.” She smiled widely at me and patted my knee. 

We waited. 

I took out some paper and made a paper crane. The ladies next to me whispered in excitement. I started teaching Micah how to make one. The women watched intently. We made three, and then the old woman next to me leaned over. “Make one for my children?” she asked me. We gave her all the cranes. “God bless you,” I said (all our conversation was Amharic, of course). She squeezed my hand between hers and kissed me. My name was called and I went to the reception area. The woman handed me a single index-sized slip of paper. I glanced at it. “No no,” I said, “I need a big packet. This is not enough.” “Later,” she answered. “We will send his file to embassy later.” My driver was beckoning me, and telling me it was okay....against my will, I turned and we left. 

We drove to the embassy (where we were supposed to go immediately after, but with the packet). Micah and I went alone through security and got inside. We sat with the other families....only to be told we must come back in three hours, because without the medical packet, Micah could not have his interview. I knew Micah wouldn’t understand why we were leaving, and he has been dying to get his passport, so I explained we were coming back after we got lunch. I told him, “We don’t want to sit here for three hours, so let’s eat and come back.” He nodded and we went back outside. 

Our driver took us to a delicious juice shop. Micah had avacado juice (like a smoothie) and I had avacado, mango, papaya, and pineapple. The three of us shared a huge salad, which was incredibly delicious. It consisted of lettuce, cooked beets, carrots, and potatoes, avacado, banana, jalapeño-like peppers, as well as other fruits and veggies. They poured lemon and lime juice all over it and sprinkled salt. It was amazing. 

After lunch, we went back to the hotel for a bit. My dear friend showed up with a huge bag of food she had made for us: shiro, messir wet, fir fir, and gomen, along with injera. This girl is always feeding me, and trying to take care of me. Micah and I were stuffed, so we set the food aside for later. 

We went back to the embassy. Got through again. (This is not as easy as it sounds haha.) Then, I bet you can’t guess!!!.....we waited. And waited. And finally were called to the window. They took Micah’s fingerprints electronically and made us swear to tell nothing but the truth. Then they proceeded with the interview. The guy was very kind, and it went smoothly. I was interpreting for Micah, as best I could, since he doesn’t have much language. The man asked, “It says here that he has a medical condition. You’re aware of the details of that and you still wish to proceed? If yes, please sign this form of acknowledgement and acceptance.”

Micah was like, “What’s he saying?” And I responded, “He is asking if I still want you because you’re deaf. And that’s the whole reason I fell in love with you in the first place!!! I love deaf!!!!!”

Micah grinned and elbowed me. I signed the form. And together we completed the interview. “Come back tomorrow for his visa,” the man told me. “It is approved and will be ready in the morning.”

We returned to the hotel. I immediately emailed our travel agent and asked if there were flights for Tuesday night. She’s amazing, and responded quickly. There was a flight, going through Dublin and arriving in Dulles. I booked it immediately. We were coming home!!!!! We didn’t have the visa, but I knew it would be fine. 

I didn’t tell Micah, just on the off chance that something might go wrong and he would be crushed. I cannot, WILL NOT let this boy down.  So I stayed silent about our flights. 

It was a long night. Micah has a lot of nightmares and he is a restless sleeper in general. I haven’t slept much since arriving here, because I am constantly running to him in the middle of the night. Last night was no exception. He woke up sobbing and I have never moved so fast. I grabbed him and held him tight till he calmed down. He technically slept through the rest of the night, but I was up multiple times as he was restless. 

In the morning, I packed our stuff up. Hen we got ready for embassy. The agency staff was not going to be there at all; I was responsible to go get Micah’s visa myself. I wasn’t scared. We went to the embassy yet again; the security guards were my friends by now. We laughed and joked and they applauded my Amharic. Then we went again to the waiting area. 

Say it with me.....we waited. 

Then we were called to the second window. The woman didn’t speak English. I told her why we were there, and she left for a moment. She returned with a huge stack of paperwork....and Micah’s visa and passport. She handed it through the window and had me sign a paper. I told Micah, “This is IT. We are FINISHED!!!!” He smiled and we fist-bumped. I signed. The lady wished us luck and we thanked her. And I walked my son, with every. single. piece. of paperwork. out the door. We had done it. GOD had done it. My son was FREE!!!!!

Our van was waiting for us. We went to a coffee shop, where my driver bought me two bags of potent coffee beans. Then we met our other driver and went to lunch. There was an escalator and Micah went straight to it. I asked him if he knew what to do; he said yes. I knew immediately that he DIDN’T know, as he out his foot between the steps and almost fell. I caught him and we went to the top. I told him to watch the end and step off, but he didn’t know what to do and almost fell again. I basically saved his life again. 

We had an amazing lunch. I had beef tibs, as always, and Micah ordered a burger. He doesn’t even like burgers, but he associates them with America, and he desperately wants to be in America. So he got his burger. He ate less than half. But he did eat his French fries, sooooo..... ☺️

Now we are at the hotel. It’s 5:35. Our driver will be here in about two hours. Our flight is 11pm. We are packed and just chilling. Micah watched a thousand drone videos and then I stole my phone back to blog. 

More random updates. 

Let’s talk about me. 

I don’t like rules. I know many make sense. And are often set in place for protection. But generalization is not my thing. And I tend to be a rule breaker. 

Simple rules for Ethiopia (for firinge-foreigners) are:

-Don’t go to the main market (thieves and potential attacks)

-Don’t eat the fruit or vegetables (hard to clean and you never know what the water to clean them looks like)

-Only drink bottled water

-Don’t get in random taxis

-Don’t walk around the city 

-Don’t eat anything uncooked

-Don’t eat anything prepared by sick people

I’ve broken all of these rules about a billion times on this trip. I have drunk buna (coffee) prepared by loving hands with the best they had to offer. (Poor Abe and Liv really suffered from that one). I have eaten food prepared in places that would not be acceptable in America. I have eaten raw foods. Foods prepared by sick people. I ate a huge plate of fruits and veggies and have had juices three days straight. I went to a main market on Saturday night in the dark to find necklaces for my girls. (My driver was with me! 😉) I went to a main market today (where I was attacked four years ago and the men stole my phone.....and I got it back!!!) and bought more necklaces, by myself. 

And every single one of these experiences was special and I cherish each of them. Especially the food. When people are giving you everything they have, it is impossible to refuse. It would be an insult. And so I eat and drink and eat and drink. 

And my stomach is telling me today that it is not entirely pleased with me. 😝

Let’s talk about Micah. 

The kid is a genius. Like, seriously. He can wire electricity. He loves electronics and building. He constantly takes my phone and in English, types, “How to build a quadro-copter something-or-other” and “How to make a DIY drone”. He’s OBSESSED with drones. And drinking tea. He will fit right in with my other kids there. He drinks tea 24/7. The kid can spell in English too. The first time he wanted a burger, he didn’t know the sign, so he spelled it. B-U-R-G-E-R. He kills me. So. Intelligent. So much potential. He is literally the smartest person I have EVER met. He learns almost instantly. He’s TEXTING (basic stuff, but still!) to the kids in English. 

Something else about this kid. He is STRONG. He is strong, and he trusts me. He is not the kind of person to easily give his trust. In fact, I’m not sure he trusts anyone other than me and a few of his friends from the orphanage. 

He has a huge second-degree burn on his left hand. When I asked about it, he told me he fell in a fire. 

That was true. 

The nannies told me more. 

On Monday, when we came to see him, and I promised we were coming back for him on Tuesday, he was ecstatic. Tuesday came. I had problems getting the court decree, if you recall. I fought for it all day. 

Micah waited all day. 

It started getting close to dusk. Micah had been asking the nannies a thousand times when I was coming. He told them, “My mom promised she was coming. She WILL come!!!” The nannies, unsure (it was almost dark), told him they didn’t know if I would make it that day. 

Micah was furious. He desperately wanted to leave. To be with us. And I had promised him. 

Do you remember when I said I was going to sleep outside the orphanage or get dragged away. Thank God. Seriously. Because this kid trusts me with his LIFE. And I cannot, CANNOT ever lose that. 

He was furious. The nannies were doubting my return. But I had promised. He believed me. And he wanted to LEAVE. 

In a huge fit of anger, an incredible show of trust that I would keep my word, and an insult to those doubting his mother.....he built a huge fire. And burned EVERYTHING he owed. Everything. Clothes, shoes, awards and certificates from school for his innovations, gifts from friends....he destroyed his material life. The ONLY things he kept were the picture albums he had from me over the years. Pictures of his family. Everything else, he burned to ashes. Somehow, during this episode, he also fell into the fire  

When I heard this, I was stunned. I had wondered why he came to me with absolutely NOTHING after twelve years in the orphanage. Now I know why. Because he loves me. And trusts me. Trusts me enough to annihilate everything he owned in the world on the basis that I would keep my word and come get him. 

Never before have I so fervently and deeply prayed I will never hurt this trust. 

I asked Micah if that story was true. He simply said it was. I told him I loved him. He nodded. 

Nothing more needs to be said.