Tula was born in Pigg’s Peak Swaziland on June 25th, 2006 and this is her adoption story.
Tula’s now big brother Nick was serving with AIM as a First Year Missionary. He was working in South Africa and Swaziland. During their trip they kept a group blog and posted pictures on the AIM web site. About 6 weeks into their trip this picture was posted on the AIM site. (below)
I remember every detail of the day I first saw this picture. From where I was at, to who else was in the room. That day is forever seared in my mind. That little baby in my son’s arms reminded me of love we feel in Jesus’ arms. I printed the picture off and hung it on my refrigerator. I was so proud of my son and I prayed for that abandoned baby.
The story that we are told is Tula was found as a newborn. She was naked and with her umbilical cord still attached. She was laying along the side of a highway in Pigg’s Peak. She was discovered by some local children. They took her to the police and they in turn took her to Mbabane Government hospital. This is where Nick and his team met up with her and the picture was taken. She had become a permanent resident of the abandoned baby ward.
One day I asked Nick about the baby and he said “mom don’t get attached. There are so many of them and you can’t adopt them, and most of them die.” I quickly said ” If no one wants them and they are going to let them die I’ll take her.”
About 4 months later I was in Jamaica finishing up with Shane’s visa and working with a group in Port Maria when I received an email from my son to call him. I called him up and his exact words were. “mom they want to give you that baby.” I had forgotten what I said and replied “what baby!” He answered “the one in the picture, we went to visit her and she is still there.” He went on to tell me that the social worker wanted me in her office that Friday to discuss things. Now you have to remember I am in Jamaica and in the middle of the tangled mess of Jamaican adoption and immigration. So I had to say NO!
He asked if I would at least call and talk to her on the phone. I did that Friday and she explained to me the adoption process and the need to stay in the country for one year before being able to leave with the child. I explained to her that that would be impossible with my commitments to Jamaica and my job at home. She then explained to me that they would consider Nick’s 9 months in country as part of the year and we could potentially leave with her in 3 months.
That Friday my then 20 y/o son left his team in South Africa, rented a car and headed to Swaziland to claim his now sister. He was allowed to take her out of the hospital. He stayed with missionaries Gary and Lisa Black at their home in Manzini. Fellow missionary Julie Anderson out fitted him with a car seat, crib and clothes. My son became foster mom to this little one. They quickly realized that she was sick with pneumonia and possible TB and was in need of medical attention. Also during this time my son was recovering from Malaria that he picked up on a trip to Uganda and Kenya over Christmas break. He had taken on a lot on.
So, I found my self on a plane to Swaziland 10 days later. It didn’t hit me until I was taking off that I was actually going to Africa all by myself to become a mother yet again. I arrived safely and was met at the Manzini airport by my son. In the back seat of his rental car was my sleeping daughter Tula! I had to laugh because he had the car seat in backwards. She was beautiful! I couldn’t wait to get her out of the car seat and hold her. I held her close for what seemed like the longest time and I have been her mommy ever since!
We returned to the house and I was in awe of my son. He had been taking care of this little one all on his own. Feeding her, changing her and giving her all of the medications to treat her pneumonia. He even had a bedtime routine down. That night after he rocked her to sleep he looked at me and said “mom did you ever sleep when I was a baby? I find myself waking up all night just to check and see if she is breathing.” Wow!
We meet with him the following morning and he quickly explained to us that he was not a Christian, doesn’t care about these kids and how much are we willing to pay him. We settled on a price and he directed us to the money machine so we could withdrawal the money. He said he would try and get us a court date for next week.
The week went fast and we found ourselves in court. Well I was in the court room for 2 minutes before being kicked out for being there. Something about me being a female and bringing the baby with me. We waited out side for what seem like eternity but was only 20 minutes and out comes the attorney with the good news the adoption was final. Now we just have the one year in country hurdle to tackle.
Nick and I knew I couldn’t stay because of Shane’ needing me at home so we planned on taking care of everything I could and then I would leave her their with Nick until they gave us permission to take her home. They explained the steps needed starting with filing for a birth certificate. We did this and they said we could pick it up in the morning. I had just one more day in Swaziland and I had a lot to accomplish.
Nick and I were on are way to Mbabane in the rental car, singing out loud The enemy has been defeated, death couldn’t hold you down, when we received a text message from Steve Knisley which read, we are praying for you and wanted to tell you that the enemy has been defeated and you will have victory today! What a great confirmation!
The building were you pick up the birth certificate is packed even with the help of the social worker we are there for hours and nothing is happening. I decided while I was praying to claim her as my own and to take authority over her and all her documents. I reminded the enemy that he was done and that she was ours and she was going home with us. Immediately the birth certificate appears! Thank you Jesus!
I, knowing I have to leave in a few hours decided to inquire on the process of getting her a passport. It is now 11 am and the lady said if I could fill out the paper work and take it and get is stamped and paid for before 12 pm when she breaks for lunch she could have it done by 2 pm. Now this is were the pants come into play! If I had that log skit on I couldn’t have done this. I filled out the papers and then you need a official stamp from the police which was up the hill from where we were at. So I took off running not once but twice up this steep hill, and yes I got them. It was now 11:45 am and I just needed to pay the fee at another office and get back there in time. I arrive at the office to see a line of over 50 Swazis and it wasn’t moving. I prayed hard. I was so close. I didn’t want to push ahead of everyone like an impatient American. Lord help me! Was it over had I run out of time. Suddenly the door next to us opens and it is the social worker. She was shocked to see me and when I explained what I was trying to do she dragged me to the front of the line to discover that the ladies had all gone to lunch. She calls them up and one of them agrees to come to the window and take my money. I make it back to the office right at noon.
Nick and I new that Jesus was up to miracle we just didn’t know how big. We waited impatiently until 2 pm, and yes she had it, an international passport in just 3 hours for our Tula! What a miracle. We are rejoicing until she says but it needs to be signed off by the Minister of Health and he is waiting for you in his office. I wasn’t prepared for this! As we are led up the stairs and down a long hall were I take a seat next to others waiting. My name is called and I enter into this room. He is sitting behind the desk with the passport. He looks up at me and smiles and says “thank you for taking care of our children” he signed it and handed it to me.
We were asked to wait for the social worker to say our good byes. When she walked in I couldn’t wait to tell her about the passport and show it to her. She looked at it and with a puzzled look on her face asked me where I had gotten it. I explained the story to her and she looked at me and said “you are free to go” I didn’t understand I thought we have to wait a year. She explained that you wait a year then meet the Minister of Health then file for the passport. What takes a year the Lord accomplished in just 3 hours! She said this has never happened before, and asked us to show this to her husband, our attorney.
We left there and headed to his office. He examined it and looked up at me and said “who are you?” Without thinking I heard myself say to him, it’s not who I am, it is the Lord Jesus that has done this today! I feel the Lord planted a seed in that man’s heart that day and he will be an interval part in helping the kids in the near future.
It is now 4 pm and Nick and I are loaded in the car with Tula in the back seat. It’s only been 10 days since I arrived and there we were on are way to Johannesburg and home with Tula to the USA!
God has a big plan for our little Tula a plan that has us all returning to Swaziland. I often wonder why her? Why did he pick her? Why did he pick me? Did her mother pray for her when she left her? These questions I will just have to wait on and someday I’ll know!
