Kalila arriving in USA next week

Below is the update on Kalila that mom emailed to all of you yesterday.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Friday, December 3, 2010
Subject: Kalila arriving next week

Dear Friends of Kalila (and Taren),

Big developments
this week. We've scheduled the surgery, acquired visas, and bought plane
tickets for Kalila and her parents—and they are arriving in the US in six days!

As you know, our
initial goal was to raise $36,000 to cover the cost of pre-op,
surgery, and standard
post-op (i.e., no complications) at Boston Children's Hospital. With
pledges from nearly 200 friends for $29,000 plus $5,000 from Rotary in
Boston, we went ahead and
reserved a date for the operation.

Then Rotary of Central
Indiana (where I live and Taren grew up) suggested that we bring Kalila to
Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis
under Rotary's Gift of Life program. Not only would hospital costs be lower,
but we would also be guaranteed that all
of Kalila's medical expenses would be covered, even were she to have
substantial complications. Furthermore, we would have enough money to fly
Kalila and her parents here and home again.
After weighing the pros and cons, Kalila's parents decided to come to
Indianapolis. (Given the lower cost here, we may have money
left over. We will be in touch once we
know.)

Taren had postponed the rest of her Africa trip to stay in Ghana until
certain that the visas would come through, which they did today. Many
thanks to all of you who shared
expertise on this process, especially Genevieve Maricle (who many of you
know) for her enthusiastic intercessions with the State Department.
Taren is now in Senegal (without good Internet access) and I have
purchased the air
tickets.

Kalila will
arrive with her parents in Indianapolis
Thursday for two days of tests. Barring complications, the surgery will take
place Monday morning, Dec. 13. She will then recuperate for several weeks
with Taren and the rest of our family, and enjoy the company of nearly
100 friends
and neighbors here in Greencastle who also donated. Assuming all goes
well, they will head back
to Ghana
in mid-January. We hope to arrange a
layover in Washington DC so those of you who want to meet Kalila
and her family can do so. I know they
would love to meet and personally thank all of you.

Taren is adding
a note dictated via Skype: "I had no
idea whether any of this would be possible when I first emailed all of
you. To see it become a reality is
deeply moving for me. Kalila still faces
many hurdles in the coming weeks, but thanks to you she has a very good chance
of living a normal life. Please keep her
in your thoughts and prayers and we will keep you posted."

All the best,

Kelsey