Finding Chika

A Little Girl, an Earthquake, and the Making of a Family

By: Mitch Albom

Narrated by: Mitch Albom

Length: 4 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's Summary

Best-selling author Mitch Albom returns to nonfiction for the first time in more than a decade in this poignant memoir that celebrates Chika, a young Haitian orphan whose short life would forever change his heart.

Performed by Mitch Albom with Chika’s voice featured throughout.

Chika Jeune was born three days before the devastating earthquake that decimated Haiti in 2010. She spent her infancy in a landscape of extreme poverty, and when her mother died giving birth to a baby brother, Chika was brought to The Have Faith Haiti Orphanage that Albom operates in Port Au Prince.

With no children of their own, the 40-plus children who live, play, and go to school at the orphanage have become family to Mitch and his wife, Janine. Chika’s arrival makes a quick impression. Brave and self-assured, even as a three-year-old, she delights the other kids and teachers. But at age five, Chika is suddenly diagnosed with something a doctor there says "no one in Haiti can help you with."

Mitch and Janine bring Chika to Detroit, hopeful that American medical care can soon return her to her homeland. Instead, Chika becomes a permanent part of their household, and their lives, as they embark on a two-year, around-the-world journey to find a cure. As Chika’s boundless optimism and humor teach Mitch the joys of caring for a child, he learns that a relationship built on love, no matter what blows it takes, can never be lost.

Told in hindsight, and through illuminating conversations with Chika herself, this is Albom at his most poignant and vulnerable. Finding Chika is a celebration of a girl, her adoptive guardians, and the incredible bond they formed - a devastatingly beautiful portrait of what it means to be a family, regardless of how it is made.

©2019 Mitch Albom (P)2019 HarperAudio

BUY READ AND RECOMMEND THIS BOOK

ONCE AGAIN YOU GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE WHAT MAKES LIFE WORTH LIVING. YOU MAKE ME WANT TO BE A BETTER PERSON. MAY ALL YOUR ENDEAVORS BE BLESSED. THANK YOU

Finding Chika

Mitch albom never disappoints me. I read this book and could not put it down. He is an amazing writer and man

Beautiful tribute to a daughter and country

Incredible book. My wife and I are trying to grow our family, and while our struggle is very different than Mitch’s-there were also multiple themes and lessons that helped me reflect on my own situation. Mitch has a special talent of articulating the human experience that makes me want to live a more full life and appreciate the people around me. Lastly he’s brought Haiti back to the front of our minds. What a great reminder of the beautiful but heart breaking history of Haiti.

Be Prepared

Thank you Mitch Albom for sharing your personal story with Chika. Finding Chika is a heartbreaking book of love and loss told by one of the best writers of our time and it is even more poignant and touching because it is based on the author's personal experience helping a very special little girl, an orphan in Haiti. As a mother of two healthy daughters it was easy to become engrossed in Chika's story, remembering so many parenting parallels that I was fortunate to experience as a mom when my girls were young children. I vividly remember bringing my first child home from the hospital and feeling like the "parenting switch" had somehow automatically turned on and it was so fulfilling to see the childless author and his wife experience the same jolt of indescribable love, unconditional acceptance and fierce protectiveness in their late 50s. If you want to read a book that will leave you incredibly thankful for basic necessities we so often take for granted, make you reach for the box of tissues over and over as you "ugly cry" and confirm that love, compassion and relationships are what matter most...this is a book you should read. The audiobook is terrific because there are numerous audio clips of Chika's voice throughout the story. I read Finding Chika immediately after reading another book by Mitch Albom written over 20 years ago, Tuesdays with Morrie. I won't forget these two books and I will certainly reread them in the future but for now I need a break. To apply a famous quote by Morrie Schwartz...I truly enjoyed Finding Chika and I was mesmerized by her story and how it intersected with the Albom family. I let go, I let the tears flow, I felt it completely—but eventually I have to say, "All right, that was my moment experiencing the loss of precious Chika. I’m not afraid of feeling grief, but now I’m going to put that grief aside and know that there are other emotions in the world that I need to experience as well."

Love reading His books!! God Bless you and your wife!!

What a wonderful blessing Chika was!! Thank you for such a touching story! I can’t wait to meet you on Monday, 1/20/2020! My daughter, Jessica-bought me this book and tickets for a Christmas gift!! One of my favorite gifts!! I absolutely loved this book!! I love Chika!! I found myself tearing up and smiling at times! Thank you, Mr. Mitch!

Finding Chika

Thank you for telling such a beautiful story. I always look forward to your books but this one came as a shocker and had me online donating to the mission before the first chapter was over. RIP Chika

loved this story. This was my first Audible Book!

loved this story and Chika. I couldn't stop listening, finished it in 1 day. it moved me, made me cry, laugh and get angry at the cancer. A must read, what a touching story.

Amazing

I absolutely love Mitch Albom. His books remind me of why we all have a purpose in this life. I love that the audible edition has actual clips of China. This book deals with loss in a most elegant way. I cried but it felt good and helped me reflect! Highly recommended!

Mitch Albom never lets you down with his books!!

One of his best!! Loved this audible!!! Recommend it highly!! This audible has a nice surprise included :)

Finding Chika was simply amazing

This book/story was simply amazing showing love and heartbreak for someone so precious that you didn’t give birth to but was so loving and warm she became embedded in your heart and soul. I love the fact that the writer and his wife look beyond race and love that baby as they gave birth to her. Very good book. Claudia SC