Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Anabel Visit


Anthony and I visited Anabel (I’ll spell it correctly now and not the previous gringo way) on Saturday in her new home in Pacanga. It turned out to be one of the most rewarding days that I have had in Peru. I knew the day that she left, that it was a happy day but this confirmed it. To see the love she was receiving and how perfectly content she is was incredibly uplifting.

We had quite the 2 and a half hour journey up there, complete with multiple vague directions from Peruvians and a mototaxi ride that took us through field roads and had Anthony telling the driver at the end, “Thanks for not robbing us.” Anabel’s parents have a nice, modest home in a community of about 5,000 and have a small tienda at the front of their home. Anabel had one of her new friends over when we arrived and despite hoping for a running hug, I got what I expected; the same shy little girl that I remembered. It took her a few minutes to warm up and then she gave me a hug and even if I had been hoping for an immediate reaction, looking back on it I would not have it any other way.

Her father showed us the house and showed us the new bedroom he was building for Anabel. In every word he said, even if I couldn’t understand the exact meaning, you could sense how happy he was to have Anabel in his life. The father and mother told us about the adoption process. They had started it two years ago and only in the last two weeks of the process did any of it involve Anabel. The whole thing happened very quickly for them once they were approved.

They served us flan and I broke out the presents that I had for her. The first present came from the house that she had lived at here. The madre and the children all wrote her a little something and she teared up after reading that. I broke out the camera and she went nuts with it again, remembering exactly how to use it. They showed us her first marks from her first week of school (perfect), told us how she never watches TV and just wants to read (which is why I brought her books), and told us how she’s always asking to help in the shop or help her new father with his work. They were beaming new parents.

Towards the end of our stay, the father asked me multiple times when I was going to return and was truly happy that we had come to visit. I think that those words may be the tipping point in getting me to return to Peru someday, at least for a short period. Seeing Anabel off this time was quite different from the first time. I was not nearly as sad and instead I was extremely happy. I could leave knowing she could live happily in a loving home. It’s strange how such a short visit can leave such a lasting good feeling. Short visits with my family feel the same way and they certainly made me feel like family. As I said, an uplifting day.

P.S. I know it looks as though the parents aren't happy in the photo. Peruvians have a difficult time with the whole smiling in photos. Think of your great grandparents wedding photos.

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