On September 25, 1987, while Jhonatan Jiménez, just three years old, was playing in the garden of his house with his seven-year-old brother Alfonso, he was robbed by a man who cheated on him by telling him to go buy sweets. It was the last time he saw Ana Jiménez, his biological mother, until 32 years later, when, after a tireless search, his brother Juan found him in Norway.
On January 7, 2020, Jonathan returned to the country and reunited with his mother in the same house where he was abducted. TIME talked to him.
(In context: “My child was stolen from me in Bogotá and I found it in Norway 32 years later”).
Do you remember your childhood in Colombia?
(…)
Not. I don’t remember anything here in Bogota. The only thing I remember is that I was in the park, in Ibagué, with my adoptive parents. I remember the first night with them and three children from the orphanage.
How was the day you were adopted?
(…)
It was a long process for them to adopt me. They stayed in Ibagué for three or four weeks. I remember they arrived at night; I was very scared, I was in a room ready to sleep and they turned off the light. That’s all I remember.
Why did your parents want to adopt in Colombia?
(…)
I don’t think the country was important to them, but at that time it was common to adopt in Colombia. They wanted to adopt because they had problems with several children.
How long have you been in the orphanage?
(…)
I do not remember. At the orphanage they said I had been there for about two years. But this is not possible, because my family in Columbia has had photos with me since I was about three years old; at the orphanage they said they found me on the street when I was about a year old. In fact, I was robbed in September and adopted in November.
How was your life in Norway?
(…)
I grew up in Stadlandet, which is a very quiet place. It was like a farm, without animals. I grew up with a lot of love, because I was like a special child to be adopted. But I felt different, because I was not my parents’ biological son.
Do you have brothers there?
(…)
Yes, they have a biological daughter, who is seven years older than me and I have always felt that they liked her more and she looks more like them. I had a very different personality.
When did you know you were adopted?
(…)
I always knew I was adopted from Colombia, but I don’t remember a single day. They told me that he is very exotic and that he dances very well because he was from Colombia. That’s why I felt so different, even though I wanted to be Norwegian, like the other children.
I always felt that they liked love more and that she looked more like them.
(Read also: Countries that offer facilities for Colombians to go live).
How was your relationship with your parents?
(…)
In Norway I don’t talk much about feelings. I never had personal conversations with my parents. There, family relationships are cold; in fact, my parents never told me they loved me, because the culture is so different. While here in Colombia, I tell you “I love you” every day.
What study?
(…)
I was very judicious at school and that’s why I had many opportunities. I studied law at university and I had a very good job. There I had everything I needed, but I always felt that emptiness, I wanted to know about my family and find out why I was like that. I had a lot of questions.
Feeling different, did you start looking for your biological parents?
(…)
When I was between 18 and 20 years old, I thought a lot about my family and my curiosity started, but I didn’t do much at that time, because I was busy with my studies and work. But when I was 30, I felt I had to do something.
And what did he do?
(…)
I went to Columbia for the first time, I got that birthday present. I didn’t know anything about my family, but I wanted to know my country.
Jhonatan returned to the country at the age of 30 and went to the same park in Ibagué where he had a photo that his parents took when they adopted him. He wanted to see the orphanage, but he couldn’t find it.
What was it like being in Colombia?
(…)
I was in Bogota and Ibagué, because then I thought I was from Ibagué. I wanted to find the orphanage where I was adopted, but they told me it didn’t exist anymore. And I was in Cartagena. In total, I was in the country for three weeks.
Did you look for your family?
(…)
I asked my mother if she had any documents to help me find my family, but she only had one page of information. I felt really bad, because how could he adopt a child and have only that document.
And what made you think?
(…)
I thought he was suddenly hiding something from me or not keeping my documents well. That’s why I had a difficult relationship with my Norwegian mother, because I was disappointed.
(We suggest: this is the new rate for the Colombian passport in 2021).
My parents never told me they loved me, because the culture is very different
What happened next?
(…)
I did a 30-year-old DNA test to look for my family, but I couldn’t find anything. And when I was 34, I had a new test, but this time it was to find out my health, because with that test you can have information about diseases that may suffer according to DNA. But if there is information in common with another person who has been tested at the same agency, that information is received.
And I received it …
(…)
Yes. When I received the results, they told me that they had found a person who was my stepbrother, uncle or nephew, because of the amount of DNA in common. And there I sent an e-mail to Juan, my brother.
How did you feel when you received an answer?
(…)
I was shocked and said, “It can’t be, it’s not true!” I was also a little skeptical because I didn’t know who he was, but he sent me photos with me and my brothers and we are very similar, there I knew he was my family. I felt so happy, but shocked at the same time.
What was it like seeing your brother for the first time?
(…)
My brother came to Norway to surprise me, because we had a plan to meet in Colombia. It was very emotional and I didn’t know how to feel because they always knew about me, but I didn’t know about them. It was a lot of feelings to process. And then we went to Columbia together.
And he saw his biological mother for the first time …
(…)
It was a great show. I got home on a goat where there was a red carpet, music and my whole family was there. I was very surprised, it was very beautiful. It was kind of weird to see her because she was a weird woman, but she had a lot of love for me. I felt a little uncomfortable.
His mother was waiting for him with a sign that read, “I missed you so much, my son. Welcome home. I love you.”
How is he feeling now?
(…)
I feel very happy. Many thanks to my brother Juan, who persistently found me. Because I did my part, but it was necessary for someone to do the other part. He never lost his faith. And I’m grateful to my family, who celebrated my birthday here in Columbia, and I got a cake for every year I lost.
Has your life project changed?
(…)
Everything has changed. I lived a life in Norway with many privileges and I thought this was the normal world, but no, the world is very different. I learned a lot about myself, about the culture and about the things that really matter. In Norway I have never had a close relationship with my family, but here in Colombia, our family relationship is very different.
He even learned Spanish …
(…)
Yes. I feel very happy because I learned something Spanish and I always wanted to, but I didn’t have a motivation, like now.
There I had everything I needed, but I always felt that emptiness, I wanted to know about my family
When will you return to Norway?
(…)
I quit my job in Norway, but I will start a new one there in April.
But do you see a future in Colombia?
Thanks to my work, it is easier to live in Norway, but my dream is to do something that will allow me to live in Colombia a few months a year.
What do you say to those who want to find their biological parents?
(…)
That I have a very nice story because I found a very loving family, who really needed it, but it is not the case for everyone. So don’t look for your roots if you’re not ready to find something, because maybe it’s not a red carpet with music and balloons. But if you have this desire, never lose your faith and be ready to find anything.
LUISA MERCADO
POLITICAL WRITING
Instagram: @ luisamercado1
Twitter: @LuisaMercadoD
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