True Story of Orphan

A Short Story: One Orphan's Incredible Journey

Anna was sound asleep on her cot when the loud explosion noises started again. She woke up with a start, sat up and clutched her blanket, eyes wide open, and her heart pounding. How long would they last this time? Will they hit close to here? Anna had spent her entire six years of her little life in this orphanage in this faraway place, along with about fifty other children of all ages. Tonight was scary and a few of the younger kids were crying. The mommas, as they were called, hurried in to coo and cuddle and try to soothe the frayed nerves of their little orphan subjects. Anna pulled her well worn stuffed baby bear closer to her chest and started rocking back and forth as she hummed a lullaby to herself. It was her way of calming down. Eventually her eyes got heavy, the loud noises subsided, and Anna fell fast asleep with baby bear safe in the crook of her arm.
The next day was more of the same in this little orphanage. It was started many years ago by Momma Adele who, herself, had grown up in an orphanage. Momma Adele's lifelong dream was to provide safe havens for young children growing up in war torn countries such as this. But with funds scarce, these little orphanages barely got by with what they had. Many times the children went to bed hungry and crying themselves to sleep. Anna was certainly no stranger to this way of life. She grew up here from birth. No one knew what happened to her parents, since Anna was dropped off here at the orphanage when she was barely a newborn baby.
Anna's possessions were few. Besides the little blue dress she had on, she owned one other dress that was purple. The purple one was her favorite, so she saved that one as her "special" dress. Both dresses were worn and stained, but nevertheless, they were clean because of washings in the river nearby. Anna never owned a pair of shoes. Anna's two dresses and her much loved stuffed baby bear were the extent of Anna's worldly possessions. And she cherished them.
Each morning the children lined up for whatever the orphanage had available to feed them for breakfast. After that, the mommas taught the children what they could. They helped with the chores, and the older children helped with the younger ones. At the ripe age of six, Anna was considered one of the older children, and she spent a lot of time with the toddlers who were just learning to get around. In the afternoon, when the babies and small ones were napping, Anna and her friends spent some time in a small hut which was their classroom. Again, the mommas, even with their limited knowledge, did their best to "educate" these little orphans in hopes that they may have a better life ahead of them someday.
Today Anna sensed that something was different. The mommas seemed particularly on edge. They looked at Anna differently too and she didn't understand what made them do that. Things changed right after their classroom session was over. Instead of being told they could leave to go outside to play, they were told to stay inside the classroom. Anna felt uneasy and wished she had her stuffed baby bear to hold, but he was sitting back on her little cot waiting for her return. Two men and a woman entered the classroom. The men showed no expression, but the woman was smiling as she made her way directly to Anna. Before Anna knew what was happening, she was being scooped up in the arms of this strange beautiful lady. Anna didn't know whether to cry or scream, so she just went limp and waited to see what would happen next.
Outside the classroom, the mommas dabbed the tears in their eyes as they watched Anna being taken away by the three strangers. Anna wanted to cry too, but for some reason, she felt she wanted to keep quiet. Maybe if she stayed quiet long enough, she could somehow escape these new people and make her way back to the comfort of the orphanage. Anna was placed in the backseat of a car. She had never seen the inside of a car before. Sometimes these large machines would come into the village here, but they never stayed long. Anna was surprised by all the soft material everywhere inside. She was even more shocked when she saw her purple dress neatly folded and her little stuffed baby bear sitting on the seat next to her. The pretty lady sat beside her and kept smiling at Anna but did not say a word to her. The soft roar of the engine, along with the slightly bumpy ride, eventually made Anna fall fast asleep.
Anna woke up and felt disoriented. Where was she? Anna didn't know, but in actuality, she was on an airplane heading for the United States. The pretty lady was a famous woman whose heartfelt desire was to adopt a child from Momma Adele's orphanage and raise her as her own. Anna did not have the capacity to understand, but her life was about to change in the most extraordinary ways. She had been given the gift of a new life. It would be a life that most children could only dream about.
In the coming weeks and months, Anna was introduced to many things that she had never seen or experienced. But on her very first night in the pretty lady's large house, Anna was shown her new room. Everything was pretty and pink , and she had not two dresses, but many dresses hanging in a huge closet. There was a big bed in the middle of the room with a large wispy canopy overhead that made Anna think she was in heaven. The room was also filled with many toys and stuffed animals, but she still clutched her stuffed baby bear to her chest as she looked around.
Later that evening, much to Anna's glee, she had her very first bubble bath. It was the first time she felt warm water and the bubbles made her laugh. These were wonders that she never knew existed. After that, she sat down at a table with the pretty lady. They fed Anna pancakes with butter and syrup and a large glass of cold milk. Anna ate like she had never eaten before. Well she hadn't eaten like this before, since the orphanage never had anything quite this delicious, or never enough of what they did have. After a while, Anna was again getting tired from all the new stimulation, and she was whisked away by another kind woman who tucked her into that heavenly bed in that pretty pink room and covered her with a huge soft pink quilt. Her favorite worn stuffed baby bear was tucked securely beside her. Anna didn't know what she was experiencing right then, but it was the feeling of being "safe" for the very first time. Anna fell fast asleep.
Over time, Anna settled into her new life. She loved the pretty lady who had come to change her life, and she now called her "Mom". Anna was a smart little girl too and picked up on her studies much quicker than anyone had anticipated. Over the years, Anna had a deeper understanding of where she was now, and more importantly, where she had come from. It was her wish to someday go back to the orphanage and help the rest of those little children to have a better life. Anna grew into a beautiful young woman, and her and her "Mom" made many pilgrimages to the little village to visit Momma Adele's orphanage. Only now, the orphanage was much larger and stocked with much needed supplies. The children there received medical care, and was taught real lessons in real classrooms. They never went to bed hungry.
Anna was one of the fortunate children of the world. The woman who picked her out of the crowd of children was able to make a difference not only in one young girl's life, but in many children's lives over the coming years by her devotion to the cause of the orphanage. Anna never forgot the life she led as a young child and the fear and hunger she experienced. She also never forgot the love and nurturing that the mommas provided as best they could. It was Anna's dream to make a difference in the lives of many children, just like her "Mom" did, and that's exactly what she did. Anna's charmed life turned into a miracle for many others. And she never forgot that in her grown up bedroom at home, tucked away in a pretty box, was her two dresses and her little stuffed baby bear. Among all the pretty possessions Anna received over the years, those few personal items were still her most cherished.