Family Reunion Stories - Jamaica Talk

bountyx · #1 (**permalink**) 12-05-2004, 12:14 PM

Recently in Jamaica, the Registrar General's Department launched a service to help people track down their long lost relatives. There have been some stories in the media about some sucessful reunions (such as this one here ).

Does anyone else have any stories of being reunited with long lost family?

JamCan · #2 (**permalink**) 12-05-2004, 06:05 PM

WOW Bounty!!!! Its SO WEIRD how you posted this right now because I just had the most amazing reunion story happen just LAST NIGHT!!! I have never in my life heard of such a miracle (so close to me) and I will no longer doubt miracles. I'll try to keep this as short as possible so I don't bore you all.

I've mentioned my friend Chantal here before, she escaped torture and violence in Burundi and has been part of our family for about a year now. But when she fled her country after watching her mom and dad and half her siblings be killed, all the surviving family ran in different directions. For about a year after running she ended up in all different parts of Africa and ultimately ended up on a boat bound for Vancouver Canada, and then she ended up here where my mom did her intake through immigration.

Anyways from the time she escaped until now has been more than 2 years and she has NEVER had any idea if her husband and siblings (12 and 17 yrs old) ever made it out alive, she never heard from them again. Chantal registered with Red Cross a year ago in hopes that she could find surviving family that way. Just this past September she gave up hope and realized that she would never ever know their fate.

Well 2 weeks ago by some miracle of God she got a phone call from Red Cross that told her her 2 younger siblings were reunited in Tanzania and were looking for her! So she was able to connect with them through Red Cross and actually speak to them!! They are being taken care of by an elderly man who took them in as his own. Chantal was so happy she cried for days!

BUT that's not where the miracle ends! 2 DAYS ago Chantal got an email from some strange person in Holland telling her that he thinks he is roommates with her husband!!!! So they swapped phone numbers via email. Last night while I was at Chantal's house having dinner her phone rang which is normal. As soon as she started crying I KNEW it was her husband!!!!

Can you imagine having been seperated in a war torn country from your husband and young siblings and NEVER EVER knowing if the ever escaped or survived? 2 YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was so cool because as they were talking on the phone he told her to check her email and in there was pictures of himself...someone she hadn't seen and thought was dead! So we immediately emailed back pictures of her and her new Canadian family, and I got to talk to him and everybody cried. LOL.

I find it absolutely amazing that its possible for people that have been seperated by 2 years and 3 continents to actually find each other. Is this not a miracle??

bountyx · #3 (**permalink**) 12-05-2004, 11:39 PM

JC, that story is a living miracle.

JamCan · #4 (**permalink**) 12-05-2004, 11:50 PM

You're tellin' ME!!! And I lived it. I wanna hear more stories like that...its the perfect time of year to hear uplifting things like that.

Selah · #5 (**permalink**) 12-06-2004, 06:30 PM

JamCan-
I had goosebumps reading it! Will Chantal be reuniting with her hubby soon?
Awesome

JamCan · #6 (**permalink**) 12-06-2004, 11:36 PM

Selah, unfortunately not. The process is long and drawn out because she can't leave Canada yet as her status is still refugee status. Her permanent residence card is in the works. BUT her husband is okay to leave Holland for vacation but he'll need a lot of guarantee from us here in Canada that he's gonna leave here. Immigration laws are pretty tight but we're doing everything we can to get his butt here to see her!!!

angelker · #7 (**permalink**) 12-07-2004, 12:50 AM

oh am crying while reaading this story how sweet.

Princessblack · #8 (**permalink**) 12-07-2004, 12:56 AM

Aww such a sad story. But thank God they survived and she knows they are alive. I hope she will be with her husband soon and have their kids back soon.

And to think that slavery and tourtuing is still going on in countries. Hmm mm mmmm so amazing!

JamCan · #9 (**permalink**) 12-07-2004, 01:30 AM

That's the scary part PB. She's told me many stories of what goes on in some African countries! I can't believe how barbaric it is considering how civilized we are here.

This is me, Chantal and our friend Mohammed a couple weeks ago.

Princessblack · #10 (**permalink**) 12-07-2004, 01:32 AM

Wow she's a strong woman.

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