Our Adoption Saga Part 1

As many of you know we became involved with Liberia because in the summer of 2007 Rusty and I decided we were suppose to adopt. In the summer of 2008 we were matched with two little girls, Alice and Mercy.
Alice: Mercy:

By this time we knew we were going to be living in Liberia so we decided it best to wait on moving forward with the adoption until we were here in country. The month before we arrived the president of Liberia put into effect a moritorium on adoption. We were still hopeful that this moritorium would be short as the government was working on new laws. During this time we started visiting the orphange and met the girls. They are charming and we have loved going on the weekends and playing with the children. After a few months I really felt God was telling me they were not the right ones for us. We decided to meet with their biological mother and hear her story, hoping this would help us decide what direction we should go. Our meeting with Fatu went well and her story is sad. Like many women she is uneducated, had no job, has no home of her own, has four of five children remaining at home and the father abandoned her.
Fatu:
Martin:

Rachel:
We took Fatu "home" that day to see where she was living. Her home, which belongs to her pastor, is a 10' x 20' shack with grass mat walls and when the rains come water and raw sewage flow through on the floor where she sleeps along with two other adults and about 10 children. No matter how I prayed and tried to convince myself we should take two of her children, I could find no peace. Until the day I finally let go and acknowledge God was saying no I was very troubled. I could see that Fatu very much loves her girls and thought she was doing what was best for them by giving them a chance at a better life in America. We have been here for 15 months and there is still a moritorium on adoption. All children in the orphanage without adoption decrees or a special medical need are to be sent back to family. It is so interesting how God works. We would not have been allowed to adopt Alice and Mercy anyway.

Fatu took the girls from the orphanage several months ago after finding out we were not going to adopt them. Mercy is living with Fatu but Alice has be staying with another woman and we haven't had a chance to see her since Fatu took them out of the orphanage, until today. It is very common here to send you child/children to live with other family or friends if you do not have the means to care for them.

After visiting with Fatu and getting to know her we felt we should do what we could to help her get on her own feet. We decided to set her up with a market close to where she is living. While she doesn't make a big profit it is better than nothing. We also started discussing other living options with her. We really want to leave her with something of her own, where she doesn't have to worry about how to pay rent and/or feed her children. Like I said the market doesn't provide much of an income but it should be enough to feed her family. So we have been hunting all over Paynesville in search of a lot to build her a small home on. The "land business" is very difficult here. There is no title company or land registry in Liberia so it is quite common for people to sell land to multiple people or sell land that doesn't belong to them. We have looked at about half a dozen lots and none of them have been legitimate until last weekend. I think we have finally found a lot that is dry and actually belongs to the guy wanting to sell it to Fatu. We took Fatu and her children to see the lot today and get some pictures. Rusty should close the deal tomorrow!

Fatu and her children (plus the small girl who belongs to her pastor and his wife)

Walking to talk to the neighbor to be sure the property is legitimate. Fatu wanted to bring her pastor's wife and the women Alice has been staying with to see the property.

We can not single handedly save everyone in Liberia but we can change the lives of this single mom and her children by giving them a dry home of their own. Rusty estimates we can buy the lot and build her a home for $9000 USD. On one hand this is quite a bit of money, but on the other it is a small amount to give a family a home of their own. If you would like to help us make this a reality for Fatu, Martin, Rachel, Alice and Mercy, you can send a donation to us at:

Jack & D'Linda Laird

1468 E. Smith Rd.

Bellingham, Wa 98226.

This is not a project through SIM and so is not tax deductable.