In "The Gift of You," Laurie Thibert shares how a chance meeting with an eight-year-old boy in Ghana led her to adopt him, despite the challenges of international adoption and her initial life plans. Her story highlights the transformative power of love and faith, reminding us that life’s greatest gifts often come from the unexpected.
Laurie Thibert is a distinguished senior account executive renowned for her exceptional ability to foster enduring relationships. Laurie continuously strives to elevate those around her. Laurie’s multifaceted career exemplifies her unwavering commitment to fostering growth, both personally and professionally, while making a profound impact on the communities she serves.
Laurie’s commitment to making a meaningful difference in the world is evident through her active involvement in various philanthropic initiatives, particularly those focused on clean water and education. As a passionate advocate, she serves on the board of Water Access Now 501c3, an organization which has facilitated the installation of 276 water wells in Ghana serving over 213,000 people. Laurie’s vision of empowering future generations is further realized through her mentorship of young adults and collaboration with her son, Osei, in building a school that provides invaluable educational opportunities. You can see the school they are building in Ghana at www.PointHope.org/LCCF.
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Describe the moment when you knew you had to tap into your inner courage and make changes in your life.
It was 11 p.m. on a cold winter night. I was enjoying a glass of wine, warm and cozy on the couch, candles lit, smooth jazz playing, and I was thinking about him. I couldn’t stop thinking about him.
He was a little eight-year-old whom I met a few months earlier while in Ghana, helping with water wells and working with schools. I knew I was being called to be his mom. At this moment, I also realized that to do so most likely meant I needed to let go of my dream of meeting “Mr. Right” and getting married before starting a family. Instead, I was being called to step onto a different path which God, the Universe, Divinity (whatever name you want to use) was clearly calling me to.
I felt disappointment and anger at the prospect of letting go of the vision I had for my life. The feelings were strong and lasted right up to the point of recognizing I would not look back on
the journey of my life with regret wishing I had done something different for him.
Possessing an abundance of love to share, why would I not share as much of it as I possibly could with someone who clearly deserved to be loved to the moon and beyond? If I was going to do this, then now was the time. Okay, let’s do this! I decided. Game on!
With that proclamation, the frustration dissolved, and in its place was a clarity of commitment that would see me through more than I ever imagined.
What I didn’t know at that time was that the journey ahead would test the human spirit in a multitude of ways, both mine and, even more, his.
Walk us through what led up to the pivotal moment when you decided to act courageously. What was the journey that brought you to that moment?
There were multiple moments that were pivotal. Serendipity called me to something greater than myself. Three days before I met this precious little one, as I was boarding the plane in New York, I had an overwhelming sense I was about to fall in love. The surety of the feeling caught me off guard. At the time, I was leading a philanthropic team to Ghana, a country in West Africa. Thus, I assumed the force was leading me to the proverbial tall, dark, and handsome man. As I took my seat, I thought, Well, this should be interesting!
On the third day, Lila Djaba, an incredible woman who runs one of the schools, received a call. A child she was close to at the local children’s home had died. She was devastated, so we accompanied her to the home to be of support.
Upon entering the children’s home, we were surrounded by so many children. They were yearning for attention and excitedly asking what we had brought them. Many goofed around, vying for our attention. We engaged with them as Lila met with the administrators.
As our team and the little ones continued to visit one another, I saw him. He was standing back aways with his friends, patiently observing us engage with the others.
“What’s your name?” he eventually asked.
“Laurie,” I replied.
His eyes sparkled, full of curiosity.
“What’s your name?”
“Osei,” he answered. “Will you remember?”
Oh, goodness, I thought, how will I remember? The next thought came as if a gift from above. Osei…sounds like O! Say can you see? as the lyrics of “The Star-Spangled Banner” popped into my mind. “Yes, I will remember!” I said confidently.
So much more happened in those few moments. I immediately recognized that he was more interested in being seen rather than in the gifts I brought. Do you see me? He wanted to know who I was and that he mattered enough to leave an imprint upon my heart.
Clearly, Osei was a beautiful, wise soul. The moment Osei and I met, it was as if our souls connected. His energy was so different from the thousands of children I had interacted with in the villages where we helped with boreholes to provide water.
I learned later from Lila, his parents had died, and his family was unable to care for him properly. He had been beaten by a family member, which had almost killed him, for which the family member had gone to jail. There were so many things he was navigating at such a young age, yet his spirit was still so vibrant.
What inspired or motivated you to take the courageous step you did? What were a few of the first steps you took? What major actions did you have to take?
A few days after Osei and I met, my colleagues and I returned to the children’s home. As we walked in, I heard something. It was Osei and his friends on the other side of the soccer pitch. He was calling my name and running over to greet me. He remembered my name, and I remembered his! Over the next hour or two, we chatted for a few minutes between my discussions with the administrators. At a certain point, I lost track of him.
As we finished our visit, my team and I headed back down the driveway toward the exit of the home. I heard a voice as if from Spirit that kept getting louder with each step closer. You need to connect with Osei. You need to do this right now because if you don’t, it will be one of the biggest regrets of your life. You need to do it now.
I found Osei on the other side of the home, hugged him, and asked him if he would come to talk with me. When he agreed, we walked back to where my friends were, and we all sat down on the curb to visit. About forty-five minutes later, it was time to say goodbye.
Upon returning to my hotel room, as I journaled about the day, the voice came back, repeating over and over, You just met your son.
Tears began to roll down my cheeks. I’m not sure why, other than whatever was happening felt very big! The feeling was overwhelming because that was not why I traveled to Ghana. The tears kept falling as my heart began to open wide.
The next day, we flew to the Northern Region of Ghana to work with the villages where the new water boreholes were drilled. Over the next ten days, I thought of Osei constantly. He was the first thing I thought of in the morning and the last thing I thought about as I drifted off to sleep. When we returned to Accra, I had the team drop me at the children’s home so I could get information to stay in touch with Osei before we headed back to the U.S.
In the few minutes I was visiting with Osei in the office, there was a knock on the door. It was a Delta Flight attendant, Kary, who lived thirty minutes from me in Seattle. Every 4-6 weeks, Kary worked the New York–Accra route to volunteer at the children’s home during her layover. She had arrived an hour before, heard I was in the office, and came to meet me. Little did I know then that Kary would be the glue that made this story possible.
Over the next six months, I researched adoption requirements for both countries. I wrote letters and sent care packages with Kary. Osei and I had numerous phone calls. I booked another trip to help with the water wells/school projects and went a week early to share time with him to make sure we were a good fit. The day I returned from the trip, I started the process to become his mom. I applied for a grant to help cover the cost and expenses as I needed to live in Ghana for extended periods.
Paint a picture of what your life was like before you encountered the challenge that called for you to summon your courage.
I was a successful professional in the United States, traveling at will. I enjoyed the single life, though I was looking forward to the day I had a beautiful partnership where we truly enriched each other’s lives — a relationship grounded in growth and goodness, steeped in love, as we make a positive difference in our world individually and collectively. I had done a lot of personal growth work and knew my life’s purpose: To make a positive difference in the life of every person I meet through passion, compassion, integrity, and courage.
Were there any doubts or fears you had to overcome before taking action? How did you
manage them?
Before my first trip to Ghana, I was a Corporate Account Executive who had stepped away and become part owner of a start-up. Right after I returned from my first trip to Ghana, the start-up folded, and I was consulting with another. Then I met this beautiful little soul. It was 2008, the U.S. economy was in the tank, and there was so much uncertainty. How was I going to bring it all to life? How could I manifest all that he needed as a solo parent?
Yet, I managed the fears because I was all in. I was so committed to providing a love-filled life for him that the fears took a back seat. I was solution-oriented. That is not to say the fears didn’t rear their heads! There were times I sat on the kitchen floor and cried when the fears/doubts/obstacles felt overwhelming. Then, I would pick myself up, get refocused, and go again.
What were some of the challenges or obstacles you faced during your journey to overcome this particular challenge?
Ghana has several laws around adoption, two of which applied to me:
- Be married. I was not.
- Be gainfully employed. I was employed and then not.
But I overcame them. I happened to meet another solo parent whose circumstances applied to his adoption situation, which also applied to ours. If he could do it, I could, too. As for my employment, I was in the middle of the adoption, living in Ghana as part of the adoption requirements, and lost my job. I had started a consulting firm before launching the start-up. I could prove that the consulting firm was still in existence, which helped me to meet the employment requirements.
Osei also had numerous big challenges he was navigating. My heart is forever humbled by the incredible strength he had (and continues to have) to get where he is today! Not knowing his exact birthdate became a big issue that played out in numerous ways. We found medical specialists, educators, and therapists who helped us overcome overwhelming hurdles. I am forever grateful for their incredible knowledge, compassion, expertise, and partnership.
Tell us about a memorable anecdote or turning point in your courageous journey.
I was doing an independent international adoption; thus, I did all the legwork. I found attorneys and social workers in both the U.S. and Ghana. This also meant when we had to find his family to get his birth certificate and death certificates for his parents, I had to figure out how to find them.
I had the names of two living relatives but no addresses or contact info. Several weeks into this search, my sister in the U.S. sent a message from a woman who had a clairvoyant vision showing her that when I entered my son’s village, there would be a grandmother or female elder approaching from or living in a house on the left side of the main road. She would have all the information we needed.
Three weeks later, I visited his mother’s village, and his maternal grandmother was living on the left-hand side of the main road. She had all the information we needed. She was very elderly, blind, and unable to care for him, though it was clear she loved him very much!
I was also bumped from flights three times during the process. Each time, I met someone who was key to the next piece of the puzzle.
What role models or sources of support helped you stay strong and resilient?
So many things aligned, there was a knowingness in my soul that this calling was being divinely guided. Thus, my faith and belief in myself to overcome any odds were my rock. Our beautiful family and close friends bolstered both of us during the times when it was extra hard, providing us a safe place to process and grow. The teachers, healthcare providers and therapists wrapped us in support.
How did this experience impact your life and your perception of courage?
As a solo mom helping her child who has been through significant trauma and loss, the challenges can be overwhelming at times. The experience of successfully making it through the adoption, where there were so many challenges, helped me to believe that I could make it through anything. Our attorney is a formidable woman who later became the Minister of Women’s & Children’s Affairs for all of Ghana. She later told me, “Everything was stacked against you! I didn’t think the judge was going to rule in our favor. It was your faith that saw this through!”
What lessons or wisdom have you gained from this experience that you’d like to share with others?
When you believe in your soul that you are following your calling, tap into that which is greater than your physical being to keep going. Sometimes, the negativity from others is a projection of
their own life rather than a reflection of you. Stay centered in the greatness of you when it is rooted in truth, goodness, and love.
What unexpected or positive outcomes emerged from your courageous actions?
Osei was the biggest blessing of my life, and so many others’ lives! He is an incredible human.
During Osei’s high school years, several of his friends lived with us as they navigated challenging circumstances in life and needed additional love and support. These beautiful souls are my “bonus children” who call me Mama Bear, because they know I will fiercely love them and challenge them to be the best versions of themselves.
While I was in Ghana, radio host Delilah Rene and I became friends. I was at the children’s home the day she met her son Sammy there. We have partnered together through her beautiful non-profit, Point Hope: A Voice for Forgotten Children, in support of many initiatives, including building Lila Djaba’s school — Lila’s Child Care Foundation.
We were the first international adoption grant recipients from a beautiful organization called HelpUsAdopt.org. They were very hesitant to work with us because it was an international adoption. Because we showed them it was a positive investment, many other families navigating international adoptions have benefited. They have supported over 700 adoption grants, helping families be formed. There have been so many positives — beyond measure.
How do you define courage, and how has your definition evolved through your own experiences?
I define courage as the grace to step into and move through the unknown whether one wants to or not, especially when it turns out to be hard. My son, Osei, is the embodiment of courage and
bravery; he lives it daily. It is in every cell of his being. People are inspired by his story, though they only know a part it. The body of his life has been a testament to the strength of the human spirit on a multitude of levels, and he ... just .... keeps .... going!
Is there a particular message or advice you’d like to convey to other women who may be facing similar challenges?
The challenges may be personal, professional, physical, mental, spiritual, or emotional. Remember the greatness of who you are and look for the greatness in others or situations. Always focus on the greatness and strengths, build from there, and let anything less than that fall away.
Love yourself. Love others. Because kindness and love, especially amid fear, will raise the vibration exponentially. Breathe in grace. Then, take a step into courage. It’s where being brave lives.
In retrospect, do you have any regrets or things you would have done differently?
I would have learned to be more graceful with myself and Osei especially on the tough days after his arrival. And I would not have listened to those who doubted and criticized me because they didn’t see the clarity that I did, nor did they see our hearts.
I also would have learned The Nurtured Heart Approach ™ before I submitted the paperwork to be Osei’s mom, so that I would have known how to love him in the way that spoke to his soul from the beginning.
How has this experience shaped your identity or sense of self?
I am living life on my terms. I love who I am, not from an ego place, though from recognizing the values I hold as my foundation are filled with love and strength. I can overcome almost any situation. I just need to decide what I truly want and have the courage to step fully into it.
What would you say to someone who is hesitant or afraid to take a courageous step in their life?
A spiritual practitioner friend recently asked me if I knew the most powerful aspect of prayer. Hmmm… “Belief?” I guessed. “No, it's a feeling,” she said and explained. The feeling behind the prayer is what brings it to life. Think about it: worry, doubt, fear vs. excitement, joy, knowing that the results are already at hand. Feel what you want, then step into it. Feel again, and then take steps toward what you want. You’ve got this!
What is something that you think would be helpful for others on their journey with courage to remember?
Sometimes we are blessed beyond measure to be in a situation where we can affect change for ourselves or others through courage.