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Hemlata Momaya was the 2016 Recipient of the highly prestigious 2016 Angels in Adoption Award by the CCAI (Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute) in Washington, DC. To be honored, one must be nominated and seconded by your state Senator. On September 20, 2016, Hemlata Momaya received her certificate (from Alabama Senator) at the pin ceremony by US Congress. There were many US Senators in attendance.
We are extremely proud of Hemlata Momaya for her lifetime of service to orphan children and families in need around the world. I missed my daughter’s birth — because I wasn’t there. I was 8,000 miles away in Los Angeles when she was born. If I look back at my writing journal, on that day I find notes about a potential TV pitch — Lethal Weapon “with a female.” (Hard to believe I didn’t sell that one.) I was working up TV pilot ideas as my daughter was being born. Possibly. I don’t know if she was born in the morning or afternoon. I don’t know anything about her mother or her mother’s labor, but at some point on that day, my daughter was born and taken to I.M.H., the International Mission of Hope orphanage on Nimak Mahal Road in Kolkata. Did my daughter’s mother cry? Did she kiss her baby girl on the cheek and wish her a good life? I don’t know. But eight months later my husband and I went to the international terminal at LAX where a woman from the adoption agency handed us a small, screaming baby wearing a fluffy pink dress. Did I mention the screaming? It was more like a banshee wail. “Here’s your daughter,” the adoption lady told me. “She was very well behaved for the first 18 hours of the flight. But she got a little cranky during the last four hours.” A 22-hour flight? I’d be screaming, too. “Here’s your daughter.” My husband said later it was like getting a baby delivered by L.L. Bean. At the time we adopted, parents didn’t travel to India to pick up their children. Babies were sent from the orphanage with adoption workers, the babies tucked into wicker baskets and flown to various airports around the world to meet their new parents. I wasn’t there to hear my daughter’s first cry, to have her handed to me by a nurse, to feel her warm body cradled in my arms. To see her eyes open. To recognize the voice she’d been hearing for months — “Hey, you. I’m your mom,” I would have told her. Instead I stood in an airport and tried desperately to comfort a shrieking 8-month old. A bottle, a pacifier, a toy. Nothing worked. We were strangers, an instant family she hadn’t asked for. I didn’t give birth to her. I missed labor — well, missed isn’t exactly the right word. “Oh, it feels like period cramps,” I said brightly to my husband as we were driving to the hospital to deliver our first child. (Women who have given birth, insert laughter here.) Fifteen hours of labor later (period cramps times a billion) and the option of a high forceps delivery or a C-section, we chose the C-section. Yep, it hurt. But worth it? Well, duh. And worth it enough to try again? Of course. Except it didn’t work out a second time. Our beautiful, much-loved son needed a sibling. After some forays into the tortuous land of fertility treatment, we gave up and embraced adoption, which offered its own version of torture. Paperwork, visits from social workers, more paperwork — in a way, it was like a different kind of pregnancy. No morning sickness (hooray), but delays, complications, plenty of frustration. With the adoption in process, we awaited news. One day we received a Fedex package with a single sheet of paper inside. Stapled to the top, a tiny photo of a sweet-faced infant, her mouth open in an O. Information on the mother: unknown. At the orphanage the baby had been given the name Subhra. At birth she weighed three pounds four ounces and was 16 inches long. “Present living conditions: At I.M.H. under the care of fully trained staff and 24-hour doctors.” We knew the children were well cared for at I.M.H. — attended by massis (aunties in Bengali), touched and cuddled and fed. We have a few pictures of our daughter at I.M.H. — one is marked, “Subhra’s crib.” In other photos she is being held by Urmela, her massi. They both look happy. My daughter’s entry into her new life was probably as confusing for her as it was for us. The surprise was her instant affection for her brother. He, naturally, was nervous about the sudden appearance of a sister. But she adored him and wanted to be with him all the time. Any apprehension he had — poof — it was gone. Over the years I’ve talked with my daughter about her adoption. About her orphanage, the massis, the love and nurturing at I.M.H., the contact we’ve kept up with Bal Jagat, the wonderful adoption agency that brought our daughter to us. “But you like my brother better because he was in your tummy,” she would say to me. “No, I love you both. You weren’t in my tummy, you were here.” And I put her hand on my heart. “I’m super lucky to have a birth child and a heart child.” I missed the day of her birth, but that’s the only birthday I’ve missed. Happy birthday, my heart child. Follow Ann Lewis Hamilton on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AnnLHamilton http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ann-lewis-hamilton/i-missed-my-daughters-birth_b_12063156.html?
The "adoption agency," was the IMH orphanage staff that escorted the child from India. Bal Jagat- Children's World Inc completed the entire adoption from India (completed all of the homestudy, placement and post adoption services). On August 23, 2016, Mausami Momaya of Bal Jagat- Children's World Inc. and Kristina Berg of Children's Home Society / Lutheran Social Services, co - presented a live webinar titled International Adoption for California residents. There were many attendees who learned useful information on how our two agencies operate, the international adoption process, financial aid available, country options, etc. If you were unable to attend, we are sorry we missed you!
Click here for the recording, or copy, cut and paste into your browser. Please contact us if there are any questions, and let us know when you are ready to make a personalized Orientation appointment to begin! https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/7295825176104066051 Read what people in the community have to say: Liz N. Congrats! Kelly J Congratulations to her!! She deserves it!!💖 Rhonda J Congratulations !!!! What an honor and you are SO deserving! 😊👏🏼 Melinda E Awesome!! Ashok S Congratulations "Momaya's" Greg P Congratulations! Well deserved. Susan Orban Congratulations! What an honor! Debbie H What an honor Hemlata! All the happiness you have brought to so many families you deserve it. Punita S congratulations :) well deserved Joan P Congratulations! Richly deserved. Have a wonderful time in DC. Lilabeth D Well- deserved! Congratulations Hemlata Momaya! 😄 Aarti I Wow this is great news!! Am sure it's her dedication and hard work that couldn't go unrecognised... Congrats Hemlata Momaya David H Congratulations! You have made many lives so much better! Inspiring! Lisa H Congratulations! Your Mom has a beautiful heart ❤️ Darlene W Woohoo so cool Sylva D Congratulations!!! That is so fabulous! SO SO deserved! Love and huge hugs...can't wait to see the photos from DC :-) Catherine F Well deserved!!! Coleen R Congratulations Hemlata Momaya! Enjoy DC Dharmesh M Heartiest congratulation Dharam S Congrats... Patti H Congratulations! Well deserved! Mary W Congratulations! :) Ami Shah Heartiest Congratulations so so proud of you Line J Congratulations, enjoy your trip to DC Chandni S Congratulations !!!!! Hardik S Congratulations. You deserve it. Steve J ❤️ Kunal S Congrats... you make us proud... Manisha P Congratulations .. proud of u!!! Anait K Congratulations are your award!!! Dean H - no surprise here, she's loved and respected by all. Doug Y- Congratulations Hemlata and well deserved. Julie B- This is amazing Hemlata!!! Congratulations! So well deserved, they could not have chosen a more well- deserving "Angel." Love You Vanessa A- Big congratulations Hemlata from the A***n clan! Luisa B- Congratulations, Hemlata! That's wonderful. Sarah O'B - Fantastic news- huge congratulations to Hemlata. Well deserved!!! Pallavi& Shirish- Congratulations. Good job and wish you continue success Karen D Congratulations! Karen B Way to go!! Yap L <3 Loveth AShe deserves it. Congratulations Hemlata! Amber B Congrats to her and your family! 💟 Mingster L Wow! Well deserved award to a woman who dedicated her whole life to creating families. Congrats Hemlata. Douglas B She is so amazingly dedicated !! Karen L Congratulations !! Freddie M Congrats to your mom. Karen S Congratulations to her! Jane L Congratulations to mama Michele St P wow! Congratulations to your noble family! Christine B Congratulations! She is so sweet! Well deserved. 👏🏽 Mausami Momaya Thank you everyone - my mom is my role model. You'll never meet a more giving selfless person. Felicia H (Smiling face) Nelinia- A huge congratulations to you!! You have spent so much of your lives giving hope to children around the world and parents here in the US. Your work is inspiring! Lila P Congratulations dear Hema ❤️ Carol F Congratulations. You are deserving of 100 awards🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹 Kelly J I'm so very happy for you!! You are more than deserving!! Congratulations!!💖 Kathy R Hemlata: I am so proud to be the friend of such a good and deserving person! This is no surprise to those who know you! Bankim K Congratulations. You deserve it. Bhavya M Congratulations Pooja S congratulations dii Amit S That's a great news .. Congratulations. With all your hard work and passion you deserve it.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Krishna Amin Congratulations my dear hema aunti. Bipin C Congrats proud of MOMAYA Family Susan E M So proud of you Hemlata! You are a blessing to all of us. Thank you for your dedication and love. God bless you. Xo Free webinar! Bal Jagat and Children's Home Society host an information webinar on Tues, August 23rd at 6:30 pm.
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2-2016 KSGV- San Gabriel Valley Radio Interview
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