Hello! Welcome back! I hope you all have enjoyed the other chapter. Sort of a boring chapter, but, whatevs.. Fair warning, you guys are about to figure out what connection I'm going to use to get our Maddie home! So I hope it's clever, or maybe not. . .

XXX

Four Months Later

Months passed in Zambia. Maddie tried to move on from her conversation with her father, and focused on her school work and her life here. Now, unfortunately, she had gotten Malaria, again, but she recovered. Now, Jennifer was controlling and forced Maddie to take the over-flowing medication Jennifer bought for her.

"I don't want you getting Malaria again or Yellow Fever." She told her.

Maddie laughed. "I got the yellow fever shot. I can't get it. I'll take my malaria."

Maddie was secluded from the world because she was home schooled. But she did kind of enjoy the cultural. Zambian people are nice and friendly. The down side to this country is that she has had Malaria five times, each time worse than the last time. But after a small trip to a doctor in South Africa, she has medicine and hasn't felt bad once. But her favorite part was going to the school.

"Bye Jennifer! Going to the school!" Maddie grabbed her Zambian bag and made her way to the small school. The school gave an education to the needy children in the area. And, there were tons of American missionaries who she was friends with. She remembered her first day:

She walked to the huge door and then walked through it. She talked to the guard. "I'd like to speak to the headmaster." The polite Zambian man nodded and she was on her way. As soon as she walked to the main part of the school, small children raced to her side, grabbing her arm, and hugging her. She told them to go back to class and she hoped to see them again. She walked into the small office and met the headmaster.

"Hello, my name is Nick. I'm the headmaster here, my wife Stephanie, is the vice principal. What can I do for you?"

"Well, my name is Maddie. I was wondering if I could be an intern at the school. You see, I was born in the US, and I've lived in Germany, England, Ireland, and France. I just moved here and I'm being homeschooled. I would love to work here, you know, get out of the house, I have an application as well."

She handed him the paper. "I will look over this tonight with some of my co-workers. But why don't you stick around for today? Get an idea of what goes on around here."

Maddie spent the whole day just playing with the kids. She was going home for lunch, but she couldn't bear leaving the kids. At the end of the day, she walked the kid's home and then trudged back towards her house, when Nick caught her.

"Hey! Come back tomorrow. We'd love to have you. Just as a student assistant. You can help the teachers by pulling kids out and reading to them or whatever. See you, Maddie." A smile never left her face that day.

Now she had been 'working' there for about two months. She connected with all the children, but especially a fifteen year old girl.

"What is your name?" Maddie asked her.

"Gift." She replied with a toothy grin.

"Gift. What a beautiful name." Madeline replied. Gift was tall for her age, and incredibly smart. She had lost both of her younger siblings and her mother. Her father left many years ago, and she now lived with her aunt, who was rude to her. They spent almost all their time after school together. Gift would come over, Jennifer happy to open up her home to the girl. Maddie even taught her how to play a little on the piano.

"Gift, you're better than me!" Eric cried.

Maddie Giggled. "He's telling the truth!"

Gift grew close to their hearts. Even to this one couple who were older, they had a daughter who stays during the American Summer named Ava. Kate and Elliot are their names. They are oddly familiar. Visions of a six year old Maddie fill her mind, and she remembers calling out certain names. "Auntie Kate! Uncle Elliot!"

Maddie shook her head. Just a coincidence. A couple of days later, Maddie noticed that Gift had been absent from school. She became very worried. Kate pulled her aside.

"Maddie. Can I talk to you?"

"Sure! What's up?"

"It's Gift. Maddie, she's very sick." Kate said, through teary eyes.

No. "Does she have Malaria?" Maddie asked.

"Yes. Elliot and I took her to the doctor. She said her aunt kicked her out of her house. She has been living on the streets."

"Why didn't she tell me?" Maddie was so hurt that Gift didn't tell her. She could've stayed with me!

"She was embarrassed, sweetheart." Kate said, rubbing her arm. "Here, she's in my living room. She's home from the doctor."Maddie followed Kate into their living room and saw a fragile girl lying on the couch. Maddie's eyes brimmed with tears.

She looks bad. Oh Gift! "Gift. Hey, you're okay. How are you feeling?"

"Better. Thank you."

Maddie smiled and kissed her forehead. Gift then drifted off to sleep. Maddie squeezed her and then started to make her way out of the house. Kate and Elliot followed.

"Maddie? I think Elliot and I are going to adopt Gift."

Maddie turned and smiled. "Really? She'll live with you guys?"

Elliot smiled sadly. "Yes. I will not let her go back there."

Maddie ginned. "Oh that would be wonderful! She's been through so much! Well, I think I will make my way home."

"Do you need a ride, sweetheart?" Kate asked.

"No, I'll walk. It's not too far." Maddie gave a small wave and made her way to her house. She was greeted by Jennifer standing at the door.

"Hi honey! How was your day?" She asked, pulling Maddie into a hug.

"Gift is sick. She has Malaria and she was kicked out of her house."

"Oh no. Is she okay?" Jennifer turned back to her vegetables.

"Yes. Kate and Elliot are adopting her." Maddie looked up and smiled.

Jennifer tried not to flinch at the names. Play it cool Jen. They'll never be suspicious until you start being crazy. "Oh, how awesome! Now, go take a shower and get to bed."

Maddie was exhausted, so she nodded and did as she was told. After she was dressed in her night close, she said her prayer, praying mostly for Gift, and then for her real parents. She prayed that she would go home one day. She said Amen, kissed her picture of her parents, and drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep.

XXX

Yes- Gift is a real name. Last summer, I went on a mission trip to a Lifesong for Orphans school in Zambia. Gift is one of the little girls. Anyway, it was a beautiful experience. (AND go check out Lifesong for yourself. Type it in google!) So, Elliot and Kate- that is really obvious, but, whatever! Please review! I love it when you do! xoxo