Susan

Susan said goodbye to the babies a few days ago, but she will say goodbye to Julia and I tomorrow when she flies back to America.

Susan came here four months ago to be a part of HCO for a few months. Susan worked at an adoption agency in America with an international foster care program before coming to Kenya. Now, she returns to America to pursue her master's in social work.

Susan came with great background experience, a desire to serve, and a knowledge base that was a perfect fit for her time with HCO. She has been an absolute gem, more help than I can even express! And her timing was perfect. While here, Susan....

* helped teach the knitting ladies how to knit,
* held babies,
* helped with the adopted babies' socialization process,
* washed countless dishes,
* helped organize the filing system in the HOH office,
* developed relationships and share the love of Christ with the knitting ladies,
* loved, hugged, and played with little ones,
* picked up the boys and brought them to the baby house for weekend fun days,
* developed observation forms for parent-child bonding,
* helped prepare adoption files,
* talked through countless problems with me, helping find solutions,
* wiped noses and changed thousands of diapers,
* helped to develop the women's program,
* became "mama" to little Annabelle and bonded during all-night feedings,
* sorted through & acted as "quality control" for the women's project,
* loved on aunties,
* ate ugali & sukuma,
* helped review, analyze and approve adoptive parent profiles,
* helped me make more decisions that I can count!

....just to name a few!

I am so thankful for Susan and all she did to help at HCO. She has been a great help, a wonderful friend, and a loving auntie. She will be greatly missed!

Thank you, Susan, for all you did. Thank you for pouring yourself into the lives of the little ones, the ladies, and the boys. Thank you for being Jesus to so many. You are greatly loved and will be remembered always.

We pray the Lord's blessings on you as you go, and we look forward to seeing you back here in a year, working as our very own social worker with our adoptive babies. :-)