I was thinking about Rainbows from Raya’s first airplane grant recipient the other night, and realized I never told you all about the crazy drama that ensued around getting this precious family home with their amazingly sweet little guy.
Their flight had been booked and they planned to hang out in Ukraine for a night or two so that they could get a cheaper flight home. Mom and little man were going to hang out in their apartment and rest before the long trek home.
We were doing our usual Friday afternoon- everyone home from school and work and being lazy. Eating pizza in the living room watching tv. Because, the weeks are hard, ya’ll.
As we’re devouring some pizza, I start to notice my phone lighting up with messages. The first one I see says:
5:30 pm: “My gallbladder is hurting…. Like I can’t sleep hurting…. And nauseated.”
She had already sent an email to Adoption Airfare to see if leaving sooner was even an option.
5:58 pm- message from Adoption Airfare “Tomorrow? No, there is no humanitarian space available. Sorry!”
By this point, I had already called Adoption Airfare to see if it would be possible to get Shannon and her little guy on the next flight out of Ukraine. Matt was sure there were no humanitarian flights available, but walked back upstairs to see if there were any reasonable flights available. “Two seats left. They weren’t there a few minutes ago. He is changing flights now” I message to Shannon. We are all working SO fast because the ticketing office they use was only open for 15 more minutes. By this point, it is 1 am in Ukraine and we are working to get Shannon on a 5 am flight.
Meanwhile she messages me- 6:07 pm: “Can I eat Tums if I took Phenergan?”
6:15 pm: “He’s changing it. Same flight except for Saturday (NOW!). Start packing.” “Ok, I have to call driver.”
Ukraine is 7 hours ahead of us, so although it was evening in Georgia, it was in the middle of the night/earrrrly morning in Ukraine. Around 1 am, we started the process of changing flight planes, having to pack up weeks worth of stuff, get a driver to come, check out of apartment and pay, and get to airport. With a toddler. Who was non-to-pleased about being woken from his deep sleep. And get to airport and ready for a 5 am flight.
I was so worried about this momma and my friend, who was about to spend 12 total hours on two flights with a 5 hour layover in Germany, with a precious toddler strapped to her chest in an Ergo baby while she was having episodic contraction like gallbladder pain and crippling nausea. I was quite convinced we needed to find someone to meet her in Germany to take care of the baby while she had surgery there. Thankfully, because of good luck, lots of prayers, and she’s one of the most stubborn strongest people I’ve ever met, she made it home safe and sound.
It is always such a honor (and cool thing if we’re being honest) to pay for the ticket that brings a kiddo home to their forever family. And after taking on a $35-40,000 endeavor in an international adoption, the idea of paying for an international one way plane ticket can be daunting to families. It’s such a blessing to be able to help take that one last, but huge expense off their plates, and literally get to help bring that child home.
One of Rainbows from Raya’s main goals this year is to help provide 4 airplane grants to families adopting either internationally or domestically from another state. We are working to raise $1000 before the end of January so we can fund our next grant. Once we have met this goal, we will start reviewing applications from families so we can choose our next recipient. We would LOVE to have you join us and help us make this possible for families. There are several ways you can donate- including: Paypal.me/rainbowsfromraya, http://www.dropbox.org/rainbows-from-raya or Venmo bandcbrooks (Venmo option is not tax-deductible, but the other options are.)
I am so beyond thankful that Shannon and Hayden arrived home safely, after all of that. Changing flights less than four hours before take off was no small feat, and I’m so very thankful for Matt and his team @ Adoption Airfare, as they were the real MVPs that night. And maybe the driver who got the 1 am phone call and still came quickly to pick up the waiting momma and kiddo. I’m so thankful that she was able to tough it out until she could get home and get the medical attention she needed. I’m so thankful for the little boy that from across the world has totally stolen my heart and makes me googly eyed because I love him so much (He thinks I’m pretty wonderful too- I’ll share that pic later). I’m so thankful for all of you, my village, who rallied around Rainbows from Raya and helped make funding this family’s ticket home possible. Here’s to hoping our first recipient of 2020 will be equally as precious but maybe a few notches less drama-filled.
The Brooks Family 