"We come to God in less-than-perfect condition, scarred and hurt by the choices of others. We carry an orphan's broken heart. God chooses us and offers us a place in His royal family."---Making a Difference in the World One child at a Time by J. Beazely

“I am very special.  I have been from the start.  Before they had me in their arms, they had me in their hearts.  And, like a single drop of rain that on still waters falls, my life and love will make ripples and touch the lives of all.  So read my precious story as step by step I grow.  I am a blessing and a gift as each page here shows.”  unknown

We sent the above package to Zoe through Red Thread which is an organization that delivers gifts to children in orphanages in China.   It included candies for the "aunties".   I hope that when they get such a gift that it helps them take better care of the children.   Amazingly, on Wednesday we received 41 pictures of Zoe during her first year of life.     I will not post all but here are a few.   She is so precious.  Red Thread also gave us information on what Zoe's life is like now.

-She sleeps in a crib by herself but in a room with 11 other children.   I think this is typical and is why Sasha has such a hard time being alone in her bedroom.
-She is not a picky eater and likes to eat snacks.
-She is an introvert and only says a few words.

According to Barker (our agency), our Travel Approval is not enroute yet, so that means it will be likely Friday or Monday until we know what day we will leave.

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

Still Waiting...

And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me. Mark 9::36-37

Dear Sweet Zoe,

It won't be long now.  Soon our phone will ring with the final news we have been waiting for.   The TA.  That means Travel Approval.  So we will book our flights, pack our bags and do all of the things that we think we need to do before we leave.   But none of it really matters compared to finally having you.  

You will meet us and you might think we are funny looking.    Our skin is pale, our eyes are round and our hair is different.   You have beautiful dark hair, jet black almond eyes and skin that will easily tan.  And you have the cutest little iddy biddy nose.   Our language is different too.   You will look at us and wonder what we are saying and why we can't take our eyes off of you.   It is because our God brought you to us in our hearts and we have waited for what seems like forever for this day.

When you were born your mother took you to a place where you waited for us.   There were many children waiting,  just like you.   Sadly, some will wait forever.   But you have been waiting for us.   We will show you everything we can think of and laugh and cry and learn together.

We will watch you play with toys that Brady, Mikelle and Sasha have played with and help you choose new ones when you come into our world and stay forever.   One day when you grow older, we will travel back to see your homeland and see where you lived.   You may want to find your first mother and father.   We will try to help.   But we probably will not find them.   They left no name and no information.  Maybe you were too sick or they were too poor or too young or already had a child.  But I think they would be happy to know that you are here with us to care for you and love forever.   If only we could tell them.

Love, Mama

I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do. Edward Everett Hale

What a gift we received today in this picture of Zoe as a little one, in the care of her foster grandma in Baotou.   Any information we receive is so valuable and through a series of events we were given this beautiful picture.   

There are thousands more children like Zoe waiting for families.   I read an article recently by Mark Clark that reminded me of these priceless treasures who wait for homes. 

"It was a brisk January 2004 day in Washington DC as the young,

nondescript musician emerged from the Metro subway train in L'Enfant

Station. Wearing blue jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt, with a

Washington Nationals cap on his head, he selected a spot against the

wall. He removed his cherished violin from its small case, placed a

few dollar bills and pocket change in the case as seed money, and

turned to face the morning foot traffic. He began to play. In the course of the next 43 minutes, 6 classical pieces were performed;

1097 people passed by, 7 stopped long enough to appreciate the music

and made donations to the violin case totaling $32. and change. The

violinist played a selection of classic greats that have endured the

ages rather than catchy pop tunes. By the way, the violinist was

Joshua Bell, 39 year old internationally acclaimed virtuoso playing

his Stradivarius. Three days before he had played to a full house at

the Boston Symphony Hall where merely good tickets cost over $100.  

and two weeks later to a standing room only crowd in Baltimore. He regularly earns $1000 per minute and is a Grammy award winning international star who was virtually ignored by the crowd hurrying to work."

I wonder how often we ignore what God has called us to because we are so distracted by the busy grind of our daily lives.   Meanwhile children around the world  cry out for a mama and a daddy to hold them and love them.  

"Sympathy is no substitute for action." 

  David Livingston

These pictures are the Social Welfare Institute where our Zoe is staying now.  The other picture I posted earlier is the old orphanage.
Photo #1:  front entrance
Photo #2:  office of directors
Photo #3:  play yard
Photo #4:  inside hall
Photo #5   back of SWI

This post is dedicated to the millions of children around the world who are waiting for families of their own, and all those who have a heart for them.

Zoe is now 32 inches tall

Weight 26.7 pounds

I have been blessed with motherhood in two ways.  Both avenues are amazing and miraculous.   There is no thrill that comes close to meeting your child for the first time whether in a hospital room or at an orphanage somewhere across the world.   Your heart is transformed and you fall in love and know that you would do anything for this little life that you hold.   Genetics mean little.  There is no second best way to create a family.

Many adopted children have stories of unimaginable despair that would break the heart of the most hardened individuals, stories that illustrate the terrible injustices heaped upon the young around the world.  The forces of fate that bring adoptive parents and their children together might just as easily have passed them by.  It is an unbearable truth that parents feel when we kiss our dear children good night and hold them tight against pain and sadness.  These precious gifts were once so close to the suffering we watch nightly on the news-the earthquakes, the poverty and the disease.   The thought can be overwhelming for these children are such a huge part of our lives and could just as easily be facing a life with little hope.  Gieseke

As I look at precious Zoe's little eyes sadly staring at an unknown person behind a camera, my heart aches to bring her into my arms to rescue her at this very moment from the world that has been hers for the past 26 months.   I tell myself it is not fair that she must wait for us.   And yet she will be soon in our arms and wrapped in our love.  What, I ask myself, of the others that we will leave behind?   I pray that maybe one person who reads this will be the next to take God's plan to heart.   

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.  I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?

 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:34

We walk by faith, not by sight. II Corinthians 5:7

We received our Letter of Acceptance this week!!!   Our agency called to communicate the big news and to let us know we were to receive the package on Tuesday (March 23).   Dave and I signed the document and we sent it overnight back to our agency who will send it on to China.   Within 2-4 weeks we will receive our Travel Approval from China and then our agency can book our appointment at the consulate in Guangzhou.  Then we will book our flights and hop on the plane to China!

IF I COULD CHANGE THE WORLD…

 

IF I COULD CHANGE THE WORLD…  This week I found  this picture of Zoe’s orphanage in Baotou Inner Mongolia.   It saddens me to see where our daughter waits for us.  The latest report says it could be July until we travel to bring her home, but we refuse to believe it.  We just want to go get her.  Meanwhile our hearts continue to go out to the other children in the world in need.  If you think God may have placed adoption on your heart, please don’t ignore His calling.  There are such blessings that come when children without hope join a family that will love them forever.  If I could change the world, I would find a home for every child without a family, we would all LIVE our faith and together we would watch God's blessings pour down on our world.

WHY ADOPT?  BECAUSE THE CHILDREN ARE WAITING

THERE ARE 143 MILLION WORLD ORPHANS

ANNUAL ADOPTIONS:   12,000

DEATHS OF CHILDREN BY HUNGER:  30,000 A DAY

THERE ARE COUNTLESS MILLIONS WHO WILL NOT BE ADOPTED OR CARED FOR AND ARE LEFT TO FIND THEIR WAY-

ALONE.

PURE AND GENUINE RELIGION IN THE SIGHT OF GOD THE FATHER MEANS CARING FOR ORPHANS AND WIDOWS IN THEIR DISTRESS.
James 1:27

 Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble.  Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.  Isaiah 58:10