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Finding Chika: A Little Girl, an Earthquake, and the Making of a Family
Finding Chika: A Little Girl, an Earthquake, and the Making of a Family | Mitch Albom
76 posts | 42 read | 35 to read
Bestselling 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.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 forty-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.
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SusanLee
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Pickpick

I have recently lost my furkid so reading this was a tad emotional for me. Mitch has written such a beautiful memoir and I can so relate to it, feeling the raw melancholy heart aches 😭 There are no words to sum up this lovely book except LOVE ❤️ Definitely a 5/5!!!

Librarybelle ❤️❤️❤️ 3d
12 likes1 stack add1 comment
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DebbieGrillo
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#alphabetgame
#LetterF

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Finding Chika by Mitch Albom was such a sweet, heart warming, gut wrenching read. Highly recommended!

Wanna play?
@Megabooks @Bookjunkie57 @Bookzombie

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 📚🙌🏻📚thanks for playing! 2y
Bookzombie Thank you for tagging me! Not sure I can catch up now. 🙂 2y
DebbieGrillo @Bookzombie I haven't done them all. I'm sure you can join in wherever. No pressure, all fun. 2y
46 likes3 comments
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AmyK1
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Pickpick

“No matter how a family comes together, and no matter how it comes apart, this is true and will always be true: you cannot lose a child. And we did not lose a child. We were given one. And she was glorious.”

This is a beautiful, heart breaking story about faith, love, family, and a precious little girl.

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SusanLee
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Eggs Perfect 👍🏼 2y
5 likes1 comment
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booksaremyfavorite
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Pickpick

Such a heart breaking but beautiful story. Chika sounds like an amazing little girl. I listened to the audiobook while reading this one and highly recommend it as it has real clips from Chika‘s life.

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NatalieR
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Pickpick

Such a heart wrenching story! Mitch Albom and his wife, Janine, operate an orphanage in Haiti. Chika, comes to live at the orphanage after her mother dies unexpectedly and her aunt can no longer care for her. Chika develops serious health problems and is unable to receive the necessary medical care in Haiti. Mitch and Janine welcome Chika into their home and hearts. I admire their strength and love for one another. #MountTBR

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DebbieGrillo
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“Sometimes life throws a saddle on you before you‘re ready to run.”

55 likes1 stack add
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DebbieGrillo
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"The most precious thing you can give someone is your time, Chika, because you can never get it back. When you don‘t think about getting it back, you‘ve given it in love."

LaraS Love this 😊 2y
50 likes1 comment
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DebbieGrillo
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“There are many kinds of selfishness in this world, but the most selfish is hoarding time, because none of us know how much we have, and it is an affront to God to assume there will be more.” “The most precious thing you can give someone is your time, Chika, because you can never get it back."

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Eggs
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Little Chika was #impervious to the disaster, illness and dire circumstances that enveloped her—she just had faith, humor, and an indomitable spirit. #springsentiments

Schnoebs Loved this book so much 🥰 3y
Eggs @Schnoebs 🙌🏻🙌🏻 3y
59 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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Eggs
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Pickpick

NF - memoir that celebrates young Chika Jeune who was born three days before the devastating earthquake that decimated Haiti in 2010. She spent her infancy in extreme poverty, and when her mother died giving birth to a baby brother, Chika arrived at the orphanage that Albom and his wife built there. Incredible story of faith, family, and life. #bookspinbingo #bookspin #marvelousmarchreadathon Day2

Andrew65 Well done 👏👏👏 3y
70 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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angel1
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Pickpick

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
A beautiful, heart-wrenching, inspiring book that had me in tears!! Absolutely loved it!😭❤ #findingchika

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megnews
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 😭😭😭 4y
OriginalCyn620 😥📚😥 4y
43 likes2 comments
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Clwojick
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Pickpick

Two more finished. I bailed on Exit West, but I loved Finding Chika. 💗

#BookSpinBingo
@TheAromaofBooks

Yuki_Onna @Clwojick I've heard from several people now they bailed on Exit West.... What was your reason? 4y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 4y
Clwojick @Yuki_Onna it had a strong start with beautiful writing... but it just got really boring for me. I had less than 30% left, but just couldn‘t stay interested in it. 4y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Good decision on Exit West (edited) 4y
75 likes4 comments
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Karla2
Pickpick

Absolutely amazing story, came across it as a suggestion on amazon and bought it. I have to say I will never regret it. It is a book you will always remember and keep in your heart. There will always be hope, even after it all ends. If you can buy this book and read it. It will make you cry as it did to me, but it will being you hope and help you see things a different way and appreciate what we have. I will keep this book close to my heart 4ever

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SarahBradley
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Pickpick

Sweet, tender love story about the author and a child.

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Kelsyereadsbooks
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 sad but hopeful. Hits you right in the feels.

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Yahui07
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Pickpick

This is not a thick book but it contains heavy and rich sentiment and wisdom. Thanks this book so that I get to know Haiti more and I can reflect on myself too. I think that I would like to visit Haiti and the orphanage one day.

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Teresereading
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Fascinating reading this book in virtually real time. A bit like how Dickens wrote his classic novels.

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KristenDuck
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Pickpick

Fair warning: before you pick up this book, just have the box of tissues ready.

Chika is a little girl in Haiti, diagnosed with something that no one in Haiti can help her with. It is bad enough that Mitch and his wife bring Chika to America, acting as her parents, and truly do everything they can to try and cure her.

And what‘s more, they make her moments here on Earth filled with joy.

She sounds like a remarkable little girl. What a journey.

85 likes2 stack adds
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KristenDuck
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Children are not a distraction from more important work.

They are the most important work.

Yes.

SheReadsAndWrites Amen 🙌🏼 4y
73 likes1 comment
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EChata

I‘ve been a fairly loyal Mitch Albom reader since someone gave me Tuesdays With Morrie to read ages ago. However, I‘ve often found that after finishing a new one, I‘m disappointed. It took this most recent Albom book for me to figure it out: I love the books where the focus is something he actually experienced, rather than a purely fictional tale. Thank you to Finding Chika for the revelation, and for pulling at my heartstrings ♥️.

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Sharpeipup
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With everyone freaking out, I‘m starting my day with a banana smoothie, vitamins, and a healthy dose of humility
#newyearwhodis @megnews #truestory

megnews This one mad me cry. 😭 4y
Schnoebs This got me in the feels so badly. Then I got to hear him speak about it last month and it got me crying all over again. 4y
32 likes1 stack add2 comments
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S3V3N
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Pickpick

I‘m glad I chose the audiobook. This is such a sweet story and tribute to China that I couldn‘t stop listening to it. I finished in one sitting.

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marss
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“Nevertheless.”

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Schnoebs
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I meant to post this earlier but life got busy with work of course. Monday I got to go to an event where Mitch Albom talked about his new book and the struggles he and his wife faced with taking Chika in when she was sick. Mitch‘s books are some of my earliest reading memories where I distinctly remember reading the books with me mom and discussing them. It was an amazing moment to meant the man that caused those memories.

Cinfhen ❤️ 4y
40 likes1 comment
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Schnoebs
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Pickpick

4.5⭐️

A heart warming but also crushing story of how the author went to Haiti after the earthquake and experienced a life changing moment. In the process of volunteering to help rebuild the community, he took over a local orphanage and met a young girl named Chika who won his heart in more ways than one. Then a few years later he brings her to America to live with his wife due to an unknown mass in her brain that can't be treated in Haiti.

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Cindyelizavaz
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Pickpick

Mitch Albom never disappoints. I love this book so so so much. I think it is probably the best he has ever written. I had a tough time reading the ending few chapters as it reminded me so much of my late papa and what we went through together. This is a solid 5 stars from me. #mitchalbom #findingchika #BookReview #goodreadschallenge

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Cindyelizavaz
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This!

Participating in life. Rejoicing in life!

#findingchika #mitchalbom

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Jenken1998
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Pickpick

I'm not going to cry..I'm not going to cry... i cried. I have never felt such love and gratitude on every single page and in every single sentence as i did in this book. What an honor to read about the making of a family during difficult times. My heart is so full and so broken at the same time. I couldn't put it down.

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jdiehr
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Pickpick

A memoir about Mitch and his wife taking a orphan under their wings to try and find a cure for her inoperable brain tumor.

The audiobook had little Chika's voice spread throughout which really made quite an impact.

This was a sad, but joyful and uplifting book about family and unconditional love.

10 likes3 stack adds
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Jennick2004
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Pickpick

And with this amazing little book, I finished my reading challenge! Nothing less than wonderful, exactly what you expect from Albom. All the feels!

MommyOfTwo Yay! 4y
wanderinglynn Congrats! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🎉 4y
Sace 🎉🎉🎉 4y
See All 6 Comments
Jas16 🙌🏽 4y
sprainedbrain Woohoo!! 🥳🥳🥳 4y
TiredLibrarian Great job! 🎊🎉 4y
20 likes6 comments
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Jennick2004
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Schnoebs
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So I moved with a block of a Barnes and Noble. I‘ve been trying to read to keep my mind off of a lot of stuff I have going on right now and have been binging through my romance and contemporary books. Ended up picking up way more things today than I was planning on doing 🤦‍♀️

#barnesandnoble #BN #bookhaul #haul #manga #romance #christmas #YA

HOTPock3tt I read the entire cardcaptor Sakura series and LOVED it!! 💞😃 great story and adorable artwork 4y
34 likes1 comment
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LatrelWhite
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My next audiobook today... my heart already breaking because her little voice is throughout the audio version.💓

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Sassy_Steph
Pickpick

What a beautiful book! Mitch Albom really knows how to tug at your heart strings! What a beautiful story about becoming a family and becoming a parent! My eyes are wet!!

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Floresj
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Pickpick

Ironically I read a book about the TCHS, then follow it up with this endearing book about Albom‘s love for his adopted daughter. Quick, poignant read with plenty of sentimental observations. Loved the parts about Haiti and the orphanage he runs.

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megnews
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Pickpick

My heart is breaking. 💔💔💔😭😭😭

Anna40 Oh my goodness! I don't think I could read it. It sounds heartbreaking 4y
KristenDuck Yesss I‘m on hold for this with Libby!! 4y
34 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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megnews
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Deifio Lovely quote 😍❤️😍 4y
35 likes1 comment
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megnews
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Like all of Albom‘s other books, Finding Chika is breaking my heart. Reading in small bites to prolong getting to the inevitable ending.

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rather_be_reading
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Chika.

sharread What a cutie. 4y
58 likes2 comments
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rather_be_reading
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So glad he included some pictures to give us a good idea of Chika.

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rather_be_reading

Families are like pieces of art, they can be made from many materials. Sometimes they are from birth, sometimes they are melded, sometimes they are merely time and circumstance mixing together...