Last weekend we were invited to the Mother’s choice ball. The theme was ‘Wizard of Oz’, and many had dressed up as the characters. It was an incredible display of gowns and costumes. Little Dorothys came around selling sweets that could win us a prize and we walked around mingling, drink in hand looking at all the items that would be auctioned that evening. The reason I am writing about this event is because I was really touched by the stories I heard from the Mother’s choice team, adoptive parents as well as a young boy who had been adopted.

Mother’s choice provides help for single mums and their families facing crisis pregnancies. It also looks after the babies until they have found a home. We were led to the tables in the ballroom which were set beautifully. The meal was very good as was the company and then of course there was dancing afterwards which was great fun too. 

But that is not what I want to write about. I want to tell you about what an emotional evening it was. Once the people involved started to speak there was not a dry eye in the audience. We were told of a 19 year old boy who was adopted at the age of one and a half who came to visit Mother’s choice in Hong Kong. A remarkable lady called Mrs Purvis Shroff, who has been giving her time to this organisation for years was sitting on a mat with some babies. He grabbed her and swung her around and when she asked who he was he said ‘don’t you reconginse me? I know who you are. You are one of the people who loved me when I was here.’ He had recognised her from the smell of her perfume.

Then there was a story about a family who had adopted five children from Mothers Choice, one of whom has Down’s syndrome. His brother spoke on behalf of the family. The family had won a few sessions of art lessons at Anastassia’s art house and had sent the boy with Down’s syndrome for them. The painting he produced was outstanding. They had at that point discovered how talented he was. At the end of his speech the boy called up to the stage by his brother and courageously he came up and so did his painting which was auctioned off and was sold for a high price after a battle of bidding.

The happy scenes around us were contagious as we heard story after story of successful adoptions and the gratitude of the parents who found their children through Mother’s Choice. A mother who had adopted two children told us the story of the red thread which is supposed to tie each parent to the child that is meant to be thiers.

Mother’s Choice raised an enourmous amount of money that evening from the very generous audience.

I admire organisations like this who give back so much, and ladies like Mrs Purvis Shroff who lovingly gives her time to these babies each day. Their commitment and love is commendable.

An enjoyable evening and it was an honour to be part of it.