The walk from The Union Hotel to what is now the Old Hannah's Hope. It's a rite of passage. We walked the walk like hundreds of families who went before us. This was possibly the most surreal four minutes of our lives. For years we dreamed of a son. For the past year we knew he would live at Hannah's Hope in Ethiopia. For the past three months we knew his name and who he is. In a sense he lived in our hearts and our minds our entire lives. To think that at the end of this walk he would also live in our arms, in our house, and in our hotel room! Years of thoughts, dreams, and prayers were about to become a real little boy. It's was hard to comprehend at that moment.
At least 275 children have called this house their home for a period of their lives. This however was the last walk to Hannah's Hope in this location. There will be no more pilgrimages along this road. Thanks to the hard work of so many people at AGCI, Hannah's Hope has moved to a beautiful, spacious new location and families are creating new memories along a new road.
Here is the walk in its entirety.
Thank you for sharing that. I got tears in my eyes just watching it. We will have a different walk to the new HH, but I am sure it will be filled with the same emotions.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Amy
Wow. That's about all I can say. I can just imagine how everyone in the group was feeling on that nearly silent walk, and then once you all entered the gates. Oh, and the children waiting there for families! Thanks for sharing that video.
ReplyDeleteWatching that brings back so many emotions. Our lives were forever changed after that walk. Thanks so much for sharing your video.
ReplyDeleteLove you guys!
wow, watching this makes my heart swell and my eyes tear up again! I am all shaky and my heart is pounding from the memories of the walk, and all that you were feeling just minutes before you met Bear!!! my goodness, LOVE how you captured the whole walk.
ReplyDeleteNOooo, thats the end?! Please tell me there's more. I can feel the anticipation in everyone's hearts and so bady want everyone in that group to meet their kids. That was really great of you to share that with us. Thank you sooo much for posting it.
ReplyDeletegosh Rebecca!!! that video was EXACTLY what it felt like......Dodd captured it perfectly. The feeling of that day still gives me pause at random times now that we're home.
ReplyDeleteI'm just catching up with everyone and have to say you have done SO good with cacooning and keeping sweet Bear's needs as your focus. Nice job, girl.....I know it's much harder than it appears.
Bear is a cutie pie!!! He already looks bigger after just a month. hugs to you all!!
melissa
Hi Rebecca! I am so glad I found your blog! Thank you for sharing this video. I loved watching and seeing the children at the end. I could even find Shewit! (Being the entertainer!) It must have been wonderful to take that walk...I felt like I was there with you. We were in the first group that went to the new HH and it was a lot different, but same emotions. I think our hearts were probably coming out of our chest ...just like I felt when I watched your video! Thank you!
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