Our Cramazing May, Episode XXIV: Our First and Last Tom Goodbye

We had two wonderful hours with him.  Granted, he was asleep almost the whole time, but that was fine; it gave us lots of time to gaze at him and take in the reality that this was the face behind the smiles that we had only before seen in pictures, these were the fingers and toes about which we'd done so much research and preparation, and this was the person--in person--that we had fallen in love with during the last year-and-a-half.  He was here.  We were here.  This was happening.

Swati and Soudemani walked in the door, and as soon as Soudemani called out to him in her loud, distinct voice, he woke up immediately and began crying...for her.  He still cried once she had him in her arms but only until she convinced him with her soothing words and gestures that he was safe with her and that he wasn't leaving her just yet.

                   

Swati explained that it was time for him to eat, and we said that we would go.  There had been some talk that perhaps we would take him that night, but both Hoffbeast and I felt strongly that a gradual transition was best for all of us (And besides, we had mostly been up since Thursday morning when we awoke in England; it was now Friday late afternoon...we needed to rest.).  We told Swati that we would be back the next morning and would plan to spend the whole day at the orphanage.

They asked what we thought about our boy and if we liked him.  How in the world do you answer what seems like such a rhetorical question in a way that is honest and real and culturally sensitive without bursting into tears and going into 19 months of feelings??!  We said, "Oh yes, we like him very much!"  That was about it. 

We kissed him...

...gave him the rest of his fruit strip...

...and said our goodbyes.  For what would be the first and last time.

I love this picture.  When we had first arrived, Soudemani had been on the balcony watching for us.  On the way out, many of the women--some who have probably lived their whole lives at Basundhara, first as orphans and now as caretakers--waved to us as we walked toward the gate.  I would love this scene each day that we came and would hate it the last day, when we finally left for good.

Rex had been an incredible trooper thusfar, but he was tired.  You can see it in his eyes as he poses yet again for his mom, this time on the road outside the orphanage walls.

A sacred cow...roaming the streets.

Here in the USA, we have Safe Havens.  In India, they have the ChildLine.  Someone picked up a phone and dialed 1098 back in April 2009 and gave our son life.  How can I ever say thank you?  I hope that that person thinks often of the little baby he/she saved and knows that somewhere, his family is grateful beyond any words.  Lord, thank you for using this person, unknown to us, but known completely to you.  You have a purpose for Tom's life...thank you for saving him and for bringing him to our family.