So from myself, Akyl and his waiting parents, the Scheel's, Happy New Year!!!
Our story begins when we were matched with a beautiful,
three-month old, Kyrgyz boy in June of 2008. We knew from the minute we laid
eyes on him that Akyl was our son. The choice to create our family through the
miracle of adoption was one that we had been discussing since the inception of
our relationship. For us there was never really any doubt that our children
were waiting for us somewhere out in the world. It was our journey to bring us
all together. You could say that the Kyrgyzstan program found us as much as we
found it. It all seems like a blur now, but we really didn’t have to search
very long before we were decided on the Kyrygyz program. After a few short
months, we received a picture of a handsome little boy and his medical
information. We knew immediately that Akyl was our son and we made instant
plans to travel to visit our little man.
Our excitement quickly turned to fear and eventually
frustration when we learned that the Kyrgyz government was placing a moratorium
on international adoptions and that we would have to wait longer than
anticipated to bring Akyl home. At first we were told that we would just have
to wait a few extra months until the government got things situated. Just a
little political turmoil we were told, “You’ll be traveling in to no time”.
Weeks turned into months and months eventually turned into years. Our optimism
that the Kyrygyz government would resolve their bureaucratic issues and that
our own government would step up to get these children home to loving families
slowly turned into pessimism. What at first seemed like a bump in the road
became a reality check about the deplorable political games that countries
play, including our own, even when delicate lives hang in the balance. In 2009,
we were able to scrounge up the money to finally get over and visit Akyl for
his first birthday. It was truly the trip of a lifetime and plunged us
helplessly deeper into love with Akyl. At the same time, we understood very
quickly when we were in Kyrgyzstan that this nightmare would not be over
anytime soon.
With our hearts solidly broken in two, we had to say goodbye
to Akyl and return to the United States. We made a promise to him that we would
return to bring him home very soon. Three years later we are still waiting for
the opportunity to return. In March of this year Akyl will turn four years old.
After many letters, gifts and some opportunities to Skype with our little boy,
it is time for Akyl and all of the waiting children to join their forever
families and leave the institutions that they currently reside in for good. We
are determined that this year will be the year and that we will have Akyl home.
A process that was supposed to take just nine to twelve months
has lasted for over four years for our family. With jobs in the service sector,
this prolonged adoption journey has stretched our financial resources to the
very limit. We are so grateful for Altynai’s Legacy Fund and the work that they
are doing to provide much needed financial resources to help address the added
expenses of joining families with their children. Without their support, our
journey would be very close to the financial breaking point. It is time for
that journey to come to an end, with Akyl in his forever home with parents who
love him unconditionally, forever. He and the other waiting children deserve
nothing less. Thank you to Altynai’s Legacy Fund for being an added miracle in
Akyl’s long adventure home.
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