Gerber, Vanesa,* and I sat in the judge’s room waiting for declaration of the life changes for Vanesa. The snack I ate before coming in seemed to have fermented in my stomach. I squeezed Vanesa’s hand for encouragement. Without wasting any time, the judge introduced the man and the granddaughter Carmin.* She stated his claim to Vanesa and asked him to tell his story:
“My daughter died two months after the birth of her fifth child. My wife, we are now divorced, sold or gave away four of the children when I wasn’t at home. That included Vanesa at three years old. At that time, I vowed to find them.” Addressing us in a strong but soft voice, he concluded, “When Vanesa’s picture showed up in the newspaper, I knew she belonged to me.”
I clutched my heart, feeling guilty for thinking this man had evil intentions for Vanesa. With minimal resources, this older and slightly bent man found three of his grandchildren over a period of years, making Vanesa number four.
Everything seemed clear in the mind of the judge, and she began to sign the documents to release Vanesa into his custody.
Vanesa, knowing she had to speak up, boldly stated that she wanted to stay in the orphanage even if he proved to be her grandfather. The children’s rights advocate, with other ideas, pressed Vanesa about going with her biological family. The advocate then turned to the grandfather and pressed him to take Vanesa into his home. His response changed everything:
“I will take her home with me if she wants to live with me, but if she wants to stay at Shadow of His Wings, and they take good care of her, I’d want her to stay.” Then he added, “It is difficult for me to provide for Carmin, because I can’t find much work. She isn’t going to school anymore, and I would like to see her go with Vanesa to Shadow of His Wings and get an education.”
The judge asked Carmin about her not attending school. Her face paled, and she stammered as she confirmed that she quit because they lacked the funds to pay for it. Looking at me, the judge said, “Maybe Shadow could take in both girls?” She smiled at my quick response, “Yes!” The judge leaned over and whispered to me, “Thank you for helping us.” The toothless grin of the grandfather stamped his approval.
I had studied Carmin’s interaction with her grandfather. She assisted him with walking and being seated. She did not react negatively when she heard her grandfather’s shocking request. Impressed with what I saw, I felt it would be good for both sisters to live together at Shadow and have periodic visits with the grandfather. I could only imagine what must be going on in Carmin’s heart and mind. Lord, help this young lady accept the decisions made concerning her life. Life changes for Vanesa came to fruition in less than thirty minutes, and within ten minutes, Carmin’s life would never be the same.
*Names have been changed.