Allison and Joe McGill have been devoted parents through LSSNCA’s Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URM) foster care program since 2016, and at the heart of their story is Dieudonne (Dieu), who became an integral part of their family on February 15, 2018. Today, we’re exploring their collective triumphs and their plan for adoption and Dieu’s ultimate dream of obtaining his pilot’s license.
Foster Care Journey and Chasing Dreams
We sat down with Dieu, who’s originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Allison to talk about their journey as a family together.
Dieu took a long pause, and began, “almost nine years ago, it was all just a possibility of what was coming before me. That I was coming here. It was all hard to believe. Even until this day, there were a lot of reasons why my dreams were not going to happen. We were not special but with God’s grace we were able to come here, and it became a turning point, and it was upon me to chase whatever I wanted to chase and for me it was flying planes. If anyone asked me what I wanted to do it was fly a plane and that has helped me get through things. I had to work on speaking English, the culture, and the environment. I came from a totally different world. Every year was a year of learning. There was so much to learn.”
Returning in Time
Dieu fled the DRC to Uganda after losing his parents and witnessing the violent death of his grandfather. There, he grew up in a refugee camp with his grandmother, brother, Esperant, and their sister. Dieu arrived in the U.S. on February 15, 2014. He was 16.
This flight ignited an unwavering passion for aviation, which was the propelling force behind his educational journey. At his first school in the DMV, he was able to take advantage of a stimulation lab on campus, and ultimately graduated with his bachelor’s degree in air transportation management from Arizona State University in 2023. There’s still a few more boxes to check though.
“I would need a private lesson. 1,500 hours of flying. I have 40 hours (about one and a half days) now. I recently applied to United Aviation. It’s a program provided by United Airlines. They pay for parts of the training, and you pay for the rest. There are different scholarships that I’m applying to as well. It’s just a matter of time,” Dieu speaks very certainly.
Allison adds, “he is being humble; he has got lots of contact. We are hoping by next fall he would start the program. Dieu is an amazing kid, and he will achieve his dreams…”
Until then though, Dieu’s bound to flying commercial. He recently traveled to Uganda and India which offered him a unique opportunity to reconnect with his roots. The experience was not merely a journey across borders; it was a profound reflection on personal growth over nine years. He ruminates, “coming back really humbled me. It took me back to nine years ago and how it all started.”
We spoke with Dieu shortly before his trip, and he was excited to be able to travel abroad now that he’s a U.S. citizen and has a passport. He explained, “I got my citizenship in September 2022. My lawyer with LSSNCA helped me go through the application. Eight years after my arrival in the U.S., I’m finally able to travel outside of the U.S.” Allison adds, “We encouraged [Dieu] to travel when he finished college, and we were so glad when he was able to this summer.”
We caught up with him again once he got back, and during this conversation, he sounded even more excited – eager to share how his trip helped him grow.
“The person I was and who I’m now. The healed person I am today. To be in Kampala and not worry about money. I didn’t know if I would eat when I was there nine years ago, this time around I was saying, ‘what do I feel like eating today?’ Those little things that you overlook in a day-to-day life you know; it humbled me. Why I should never take things for granted,” Dieu reflected before moving on to how fun it was to catch up with old friends and speak the native language.
Adoption: A Heartfelt Decision
When the conversation switches to adoption, it takes an even more emotional turn. Recently, the McGill’s decided to adopt Dieu and Esperant, who though aged out of foster care, has also been a part of the McGill family alongside Dieu. This decision is a natural evolution of their familial bonds. The legal adoption process reflects the family’s commitment to providing equal rights and benefits to all their sons.
The adoption journey was not an overnight decision. But, now, Allison explains, with legal rights and recognition, Dieu and Esperant share the same benefits as the family’s biological children.
Dieu who had already started calling his foster parent’s mom and dad a year after joining their family had no doubt that he was one of their sons but the announcement of officially making it legal and public made him reflect on how much he is seen and loved in his family.
He explains, “you can get excited about the end goal- you are adopted, but when you really look at the reason as to why they are doing this, it is even more exciting. So, the excitement continues forever because the reason lives in you. It’s good to know that someone cares, and someone sees you and takes you as you are and welcomes you to their family.”
Dieu further reflects on the humbling nature of the adoption decision, saying, “it has just been, you know when something happens and you are like ‘wow, how did we get here, what did I do to deserve this?’ It’s not a feeling you can trade or buy. You can’t negotiate that. You can’t persuade someone to consider you as their child. This is coming out of their heart. Letting things be the way they are. It’s so humbling to see they came to this conclusion. They have gone far and beyond as our foster family to make sure me and Esperant have everything, but they just keep doing more.”
He adds, “I don’t think it is easy to find people like it.”
The McGill family eagerly anticipates completing the adoption paperwork after Thanksgiving. This moment holds deep sentimental value, symbolizing the legal recognition of a familial bond that has naturally grown over the years. If you’re inspired to open your heart and home to unaccompanied children, consider becoming a foster care parent with LSSNCA.
Serve Boldly 