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 and buy candy. That was the last time he saw Ana Jiménez, his biological mother, until 32 years later, when his brother Juan found him after a tireless search in Norway.
On January 7, 2020, Jhonatan returned to the country and was reunited with his mother in the same house where he was kidnapped. THE TIME spoke to him.
(In context: ‘My baby was stolen from me in Bogotá and I found him 32 years later in Norway’).
Do you remember your childhood in Colombia?
No. I don’t remember anything here in Bogotá. All 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.
What was the day you were adopted like?
It was a long process for them to adopt me. They were 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 it was common at the time to do adoptions in Colombia. They wanted to adopt because they were struggling to have more children.
How long were you in the orphanage?
I do not remember. At the orphanage they said I was there for about two years. But that is not possible because my family in Colombia has photos of me from when I was about three years old; at the orphanage they said they found me on the street when I was about a year old. Actually, 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 adopt. But I also felt different because I was not my parents’ biological son.
Do you have brothers, sisters there?
Yes, they have a biological daughter who is seven years older than I am, and I have always felt that they loved her more and were more like them. I had a completely different personality.
When did you know you were adopted?
I’ve always known I was adopted and from Colombia, but I don’t remember a specific day. They told me he was very exotic and that he danced really well because he was from Colombia. That’s why I felt so different, even though I wanted to be Norwegian like the other kids.
I’ve always felt that they loved her more and that she was more like them
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How was your relationship with your parents?
In Norway they don’t talk much about feelings. I have 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 they tell you ‘I love you’ every day.
Which study?
I was very sensible at school, so I got a lot of opportunities. I studied law at university and had a really good job. There I had everything I needed, but I have always felt that emptiness, I wanted to know about my family and find out why I was like that. I had many questions.
Do you feel different, have you started looking for your biological parents?
When I was between 18 and 20 years old, I thought a lot about my family and that curiosity started, but I didn’t do much then because I was busy with my studies and work. But when I was 30, I felt like I had to do something.
And what he did?
I went to Colombia for the first time, I gave myself that present for my birthday. I didn’t know about my family, but I wanted to get to know my country.
Jhonatan returned to the country in his thirties and went to the same park in Ibagué where he had a photo his parents took when they adopted him. He wanted to see the orphanage, but he couldn’t find it anymore.
What was it like to be in Colombia?
I was in Bogotá and Ibagué, because then I thought I was from Ibagué. I wanted to find the orphanage where I had been adopted, but they told me it no longer existed. And I also went to Cartagena. In total I have been in the country for three weeks.
Have you been looking for your family?
I asked my mom if she had any documents to help me find my family, but she only had one page of information. I felt super bad because how could she adopt a child and have only that document.
And what made you think?
I thought he was suddenly hiding something from me or he was not keeping the documents properly. That’s why I had a difficult relationship with my Norwegian mother, because I was disappointed.
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My parents never told me they loved me because the culture is very different
What happened next?
When I was in my 30s, I took a DNA test to look for my family, but found nothing. And when I was 34 years old, I got a new test, but that time it was to find out my health, because with that test you can get information about the diseases that the DNA says are likely to suffer. But if there is information in common with another person tested at the same agency, that information will be received.
And received it …
Yes, when I received the results, they told me they found a person who was my half-brother, uncle, or cousin, because of the amount of common DNA. And there I sent an email to Juan, my brother.
How did you feel when you got an answer?
I was in shock and said, “It can’t be, it’s not true!” I was also a bit skeptical because I didn’t know who he was, but he sent me pictures of myself and my brothers, and we are very similar, there I knew it 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. He 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 Colombia together.
And he saw his biological mother for the first time …
It was a great show. I arrived at my house on a goat where there was a red carpet, music and my whole family was there. I was very surprised, it was a lot of fun. It was a bit strange to see her because she was a strange woman, but she loved me a lot. I was a little uncomfortable.
His mother was waiting for him with a sign that said, “I missed you so much my son. Welcome home. I love you.”
How is he feeling now?
I feel very happy. With much gratitude to my brother Juan, who found me with his persistence. Because I did my part, but it was necessary for someone to do the other part. He never lost his faith. And I am grateful to my family, who celebrated my birthday here in Colombia, and I got a cake for each year we lost.
Has your life project changed at all?
Everything changed. I lived a life in Norway with a lot of privileges and I thought that was the normal world, but no, the world is very different. I learned a lot about myself, about the culture and 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 some Spanish and always wanted to, but I had no motivation, like now.
There I had everything I needed, but I have 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?
My job makes it easier to live in Norway, but my dream is to do something that will allow me to live in Colombia for several months of the year.
What do you say to those who want to find their biological parents?
That I have a really nice story because I found a very loving family who really needed it, but it’s not the case for everyone. So don’t look for your roots if you’re not ready to find something, because it might not be a red carpet with music and balloons. But if you have that desire, never lose your faith and be ready to find something.
LUISA MERCADO
POLITICAL WRITING
Instagram: @ luisamercado1
Twitter: @LuisaMercadoD
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