In an interview Lydia gave along with her autobiographer to mynet she describes her life. Lydia points to tens of pictures on the wall lovingly and says: “these are my children, all 26 of them…it’s true I gave birth to 6 of them but for me the other 20 I raised over the years also came from me!” She starts to describe the first foster child they got and how it happened.
“Ami came to us over 40 years ago. I had 4 children of my own. Another family member that I raised like my own daughter thought it would be a great idea to take in another child who was less fortunate than my own children. I spoke to my husband Amos and one day we traveled from Ashkelon to Jerusalem to receive a foster child. They brought out Ami that was 4 years old at the time and introduced him to us. He got immediately attached to me and spent the whole day with me. In the evening the administrator of the orphanage asked us to take leave explaining to us that the procedure is to make 4 visits of acquaintance and then to finalize taking the foster child home.”
Lydia takes a deep breath as she relives that moment. “It was impossible for us to leave. I told the administrator it would be too difficult for us to travel the far distance from Ashkelon to Jerusalem and leave our children at home. I explained that I had already decided we would take Ami home with us. The administrator then started explaining that we need to work with the procedures and make our 4 visits so the child could get used to us too. So eventhough I was disappointed I prepared to leave and come back. But Ami wouldn’t let go! He was crying bitterly and holding on to me and not letting me move! The administrator couldn’t watch Ami in pain and she said: “Wait a moment…it’ll be okay… take the child with you.”
Over the years, a convoy of sweet children came and left her house in Ashkelon where she lived until 2 years ago. Each one of these children had his or her own story, some of them hard to believe. Yafit was a baby born to a very young mother who couldn’t take care of her. Sarah was diagnosed as autistic but Lydia was able to communicate with her and get her to communicate with the world around her much to her natural mother’s surprise. Shai and Lior were 2 brothers ages 2 and a half and 4 years old that were taken for adoption from Lydia after spending a few years with Lydia and Lydia lost contact with them. “I miss them and I wait and dream that one day they’ll come knocking on my door.”
Yehudit Ramot is completing Lydia’s autobiography presently called ‘Emuna and Omana’ – Faith and Fostering’ and it’s sure to warm many people’s hearts.