Letter to Sunny, #2

The second letter recorded in Creole for Sunny is one I will give her the day before we travel. This was the hardest letter to write only because...well.....how do you tell a child what flying to another country on 3-4 different flights will be like? How do you explain security, luggage checks, walking through the scanner??? She is going to be overwhelmed. But hopefully, what is written here will help her....

Letter #2:

Dear Sunny,

It is almost time to leave the orphanage and Haiti and head to your new home. Are you excited?! I know I am! I want to tell you some of the things that will happen during your travel home so you will have some understanding of all that is happening on our busy travel day.

When we leave the orphanage and when we leave Pastor’s car to walk into the airport, Mommy might cry. Do not worry. My tears are tears of joy and relief. The journey to bring you home has been long and hard. I will be so grateful to fly home with you at last!

We will have to show our passports and plane tickets several times to security guards along the way. You must stay with mommy at all times. I will put a name tag around your neck with your Haitian name and new last name: Keemberlie Julien Foote. I will put my name and contact information on the back. If you get lost at any time, find a woman who works at the airport (they will be in uniform) or find a mom with children and show them your name tag with my information on the back. They will find me for you.

We will put our luggage through some machines along the way and after standing in line for a while, we will leave most of our luggage with an airport worker. They will make sure our luggage gets on our plane. We will keep backpacks with us for the journey. We cannot take any water or liquids through the security check points. Trust mommy when I say “no” or “not yet”. I have many rules to follow for our travel day.

When we are finished going through several lines we will sit in seats, maybe eat a snack and wait to get on our first plane. Once we are on the plane everything will be new to you. It may feel overwhelming at times. Just hold my hand. I will help you and pray for you. You can hold my hand at any time.

We cannot use my telephone or iPad until the plane is high in the air. We also can only use the toilet at certain times on the plane. Any time I take you to “pee pee”, please try to do that because we may not have a chance to do so again for a while.

We have to wear seat belts on the plane and keep our luggage under the seat in front of us as the plane takes off. Once we are high up we can get things out of our bags to do together – color, listen to music and more.

When we land in the United States you will be a US citizen! We will have to go through several more lines and talk to more security persons. This will take some time.  We will also have to pick up our luggage again and then give them to another airport worker.

There will be at least 2 more flights before we arrive home. It will be a long day or 2 of travel, but you can sleep on the plane so that’s good!

Once we fly into Amarillo, TX (your new home city!) you will be done with planes and the best things will be right around the corner!

Many, many people have prayed for you during the 2.5 years we have been working to bring you home. Many of those people will be at the airport to welcome you to your new home. Daddy and your sisters will be the most important people there and they will be so happy to see both you and me!!

You may feel scared, overwhelmed or just plain tired when you see all the people who have come to celebrate your arrival. This is normal and understandable. Just hold my hand. I will help you. I can hold you if you want me to. Everyone will clap and cheer when they see you and some will come up to us to give us a hug. We might even take some pictures. This will go on only for a little while. After we get our luggage we will walk to our car with daddy and your sisters and we will be alone as a complete family for the first time!!! It will be a very special day!

I will write you more about what to expect at home in the last letter. I know this is a lot of information, but I want you to feel prepared so you can enjoy this special time as much as possible.  Do not feel overwhelmed. I am here to help you with everything.

We have all longed for this time to come for so long. You are coming home! Hallelujah! Praise Jesus!

I love you so much.

Love,

Mom