Thought I would try to blog in the day time since night time is not working. Today we slept in. Eli slept for 12 hours. His poor body was just exhausted from the previous days events. Around 8 am I am awake laying in bed and he snuggles up next to me and just smiles. He is happy. Smiling. His belly is full. He asked for nothing else but water. He is grateful.
I have pondered a lot today about thirst. Eli has always been thirsty. He does not know what to do when I refill his sippy cup everytime. Immediately. He needs to know that Andy and I can meet his needs.
You must see where I am going with this story. Our Lord and Savior refills our cups everyday. He keeps us going. What filth are we adding to our lives that diminish our cups daily? Don't take away the fulfillment He offers us. Don't try and supplement with anything or anyone but Him. He is THE Provider. He fills us up when we feel empty. Nothing else will ever make us feel full. His love makes my cup overflow.
In an hour Andy and I will meet with our lawyer and social worker to hand over our passports. We must do this in order for Eli's exit procedure to begin moving. Eli's visa from the US is supposed to be picked up and ready to go today. We shall see.
Andy and I had a wonderful lunch cooked by the staff at St. Anne's. Soup, foo foo ( yes there is such a thing), pink rice, fried mashed potatoes (oh yeah), some sort of dried meat. Eli devoured his first plate and then wanted more foo and rice and meat. I had to stop him. He was going to get sick if he ate anymore. I watch him carefully so he knows he does not have to put food in his pockets like he attempted to do with his ice cream yesterday. Oh and Eli ate bread and a banana for breakfast. I feed him every bite. Bonding is going really, really well! If I leave his sight he is running after me. Andy has to watch him closely when I go inside to get colors or a soccer ball. If we don't tell Eli where I am going he is off and running looking for ma ma.
Eli's learning English so quickly. He only knew Lingala so the transition has not been too bad. Sometimes I have to get help from the locals but so far so good. Bathroom means "sumeba." At least that is how it sounds. Eli is motioning a great deal until he can get the English down. We had one funny where Eli started to drop his pants in the courtyard and I took off running and told him "Sumeba?" and he nods his head and we are off and running to the toilet. When we get back I have an interpreter tell him that he needs to tell Ma Ma and Pa pa about Sumeba time. Eli nods. He wants to please us. Oh and yes, hallelujah he is potty trained. I will happily be leaving the pull ups I brought here.
Eli loves cars and trucks. He makes the funniest noises crashing the trucks together. All boy! Eli has many gifts but one I discovered yesterday is that he can copy a picture of a car almost exactly. I was so shocked that Julie took a picture for me when my camera died. I was floored. I mean I am not great at art but I was impressed for a 3 year old.
Eli loves the soccer ball we brought. Dribbling the ball with him is so much fun. He contagiously giggles the whole time. It is just pure happiness coming thru his laughter. He is a very happy boy. I sense his grieiving ever so slightly for the orphanage but then he is up and at 'em. During those times Andy and I hold him close and tell him he is safe and he is loved. He just needs the basics.
Loving on Eli is sure making me miss Gray. Mom and Gayle have been keeping me posted with her daily activities and it sounds like she is doing great. That is a great relief. Eli really needs us right now and I am anxious also to get home to our baby girl.
We go thru pictures of immediate family over and over. I love it how he points to Ma Ma then Pa pa then " bay bee Graw." He cannot quite get the G-r-a-y out. He is trying really hard because we say over and over that it is his sister or (sehr in Lingala).
Another thing if Gray had been older I still don't think I would have brought her. There is such devastation and poverty here and we are targeted because they know we are Americans. It is nothing of a friendly place. The St. Anne's group and those working with us have been amazing but this is not a tourist destination. There is high crime in DRC! I have never traveled so far and have wanted to leave so quickly. If you are coming to DRC... You should be here on "business. " Focus....No funny business. There is not much to see. It is a very dark and sad place.
Andy is not easily intimdated but he does not let Eli and I leave the compound for good reasons. It is not looked highly upon that Eli is our son. DRC people for the most part believe the children should stay here yet they won't or can't care for them. Eli was orphaned and he is viewed by locals as a witch because he was not with his birth parents. The Congolese people beleive that if you have been orphaned that there must be something wrong with the child. If you have any sort of disbility you are written off as a witch. It is very very very very sad. I mean where in the world? This is not love. There is no sympathy, empathy, sensitivity. I mean none.
As we met Eli yesterday I noticed after our awesome greeting that there was a room full of children watching us love, hug and kiss Eli. I cannot imagine how they must have felt. They deserve the same love that Eli is receiving yet we can only leave with him. Why are more families not adopting? I don't understand. For now my focus must be as a wife to Andy then a Ma Ma to Gray and Eli. I will come back to the States very motivated. All of us should be uniting to help every single family that is even interested in adoption. We should put forth our best not what has been used up and then leftover.
I hope to blog again soon but electricity and internet come and go but today I have been able to post twice so that is great. I do not want to forget one moment of this life changing experience.
Oh, I tried to sing Jesus loves me to Eli with my semi hoarse voice. Eli repeated every word smiling. I mean, oh yeah!!!!
Much love to all of you from DRC!
Leslianna, Andy, and Eli ( and soon joined back with Gray)
Prayer request:
1. Our continued safety
2. Quick processing of our exit. US Visa for Eli and then exit visa from DRC for Eli. I mean can you get in large groups and do some super duper prayers. Great is Thy Faithfulness is at the top of my list!!!!
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