"One More"

    Todd did not have much time to post from yesterday so I will just add in my thoughts from the past day and and stories Todd told me.

    Sandy, the representative from Grace & Hope,  returned to their room to pick up a camera we bought for the orphanage. If you are on Facebook many of you saw the heated debate on: "Should we or shouldn't we buy a camera"? After talking with my agency, praying and hearing it verified from three different sources that the orphanage did indeed need the camera to place children faster we decided to buy the camera. I know many people give vitamins to  the orphanage as an orphanage donation. However, lets be honest you can send all the vitamins you want but unless the children are in a really good orphanage. like New Day. the children are not going to get the vitamins. The nannies are so busy already with the overcrowding in orphanages that to take 10 minutes out of their daily schedule to give vitamins is just not going to happen. Last time we gave diapers and medicines and the Orphanage Director at Fengcheng. as nice as he was. definitely was not impressed! So this time we did ask what the orphanage needed and we had a set budget. For those traveling I suggest learning from our mistake and asking ahead of time. I also suggest finding an organization that works out of the orphanage such as Love Without Boundaries or Grace & Hope. There are many that do have some sort of contact with them or even Ann at Red Thread can help. Our previous adoption travel partners bought a washer and dryer for the orphanage and Love Without Boundaries provided them a receipt and certificate and they were then able to present the certificate to the Orphanage Director. Now as many people pointed out to me: can these gifts "walk", get sold on the black market or go directly to the orphanage director for their own use?  Could the gift be seen as a bribe or as a  lavish American act? Sure, most certainly all of the above could happen and they all crossed my mind. But what if instead it really did go to help the children and saved just one life by placing a child in foster care instead of staying in an orphanage? What if instead of thinking of all the negative consequences of this gesture and was just hopeful that  it would be okay? I live by the quote "Be the change you want to see in the world" Someone has to take the first leap of faith. We truly feel God was using us again to help the orphans of Yulin. I trust God that it will be delivered to the right person and and used in the manner it was intended to be used.  By having this camera the orphanage does not have to wait for Grace & Hope to make a visit to place the children in foster care. Instead now once a child is brought to the orphanage their picture can be taken and then a sponsor can be found right away. I don't think we are being naive and we definitely did not feel any sort of guilt trip to do it. We did it because we trust. Can you imagine if you all didn't trust us? We never would have raised $20,000!

    I also want to share Grace & Hope's web address. For a set monthly amount you can sponsor a child just like how Talia was sponsored. Please consider it! What fun it would be for your children to be involved as well! You will receive updates and progress reports on the children. Being in foster care is so beneficial for the child and obviously so much better then spending their days in a crib in an orphanage all alone. Feel free to look at the photo listings. They are updated daily as more and more children are abandoned in the area. If you don't feel personally called to adopt this is a wonderful way to support orphans. https://www.grace-hope.org/Waiting.aspx?OrphanageID=0

   Sometimes I think we forget we live in a fallen world. Bad things happen to good people, bad things happen to lost people. I think it is easy to let the fallen world concept manipulate God's work here on earth. We get so consumed with "What if?" instead of "Yes, please". Yes please God show me the light. Yes please God this does not make sense but I will follow you. Yes please God help me be your hands and feet. Yes please God give me confirmation that I am doing the right thing. Yes please God let me help others grow closer to you. Yes please God even though I am feeling opposition don't let that stop me from doing your will.

   When I think of "Yes, please" it leads me to another topic. In the adoption world on forever family day it is quite common to hear the phrase: "Praise God there is one less orphan in the world today". It is the statement we all get excited to write when our child is finally in our arms. One less! You see it everywhere and Todd and I use the statement all the time as well. I began to think about this more last night.  I listened via Skype halfway around the world as the guide read Talia's bone chilling story. He read her whole report and there was Talia as good as could be, almost too good, like a perfect little solder, listening quietly. The guide said, "This is Hua Xiuke born on May 1st with the umbilical cord attached. She was found outside a doorstep of the switch factory outlet in abandoned near the Switch Factory of Yulin City on Zhengtai Road in economic development area of Yulin City on May 6 2009. Mingshan police station of Yulin Public Security Bureau searched for her birth parents but failed to find them, so on the same day the policeman Wu Zhenjian sent the baby to this institute to be raised". It was read so matter of factly and Todd had to say "yes" to everything. It was the first time I cried on Skype. It was my turn for silent tears. All I could do is look at this sweet child and say how could this happen and why does it happen? Of course I know the "why" and "how". But to see a child, your child, that has been through more in her three short years, then what a normal person that lives to be 100  years old experiences is hard on the soul. As Talia listened she began to write and I was wondering what was going on in her little mind and how much she remembers. Does she remember her time in the hospital where they treated her like a guinea pig? Does she remember the cold, lonely nights in the orphanage where she would cry and cry and no one would comfort her? Does she remember the bugs and rodents around her while she slept? Did she go hungry for days and days until her tummy just stopped hurting?

I then thought how the "One Less" is really "One More".

-One more child is now officially adopted.
-One more child gets to know what the warmth of a soft, freshly laundered blanket feels like on her skin at night.
-One more child gets to receive the same rights to medical care as we do.
-One more child gets to be loved unconditionally for the rest of her life.
-One more child gets to follow her dreams.
-One more child gets to be cooled down by air conditioning in the hot months and heat in the cold months.
-One more child gets to be kissed and hugged all day long!
-One more child gets to learn about Jesus love for them.
-One more child gets to prosper and grow.
-One more child gets to experience all the senses of nature and the physical world. She can play outside whenever they want!
-One more child can be comforted when they are sick or given a tissue to wipe that runny nose!
-One more child does not have to live in physical pain.
-One more child can get life saving surgery.
-One more child will not phase out of the adoption system and live a life in prostitution.
-One more child will not have to end their life early because they have no family ties and are seen as an outcast in society.
-One more child can run, play, laugh and jump to their hearts content.
-One more child gets to have a sister.
-One more child gets to grow up with a strong sense of self.
-One more child gets to witness the love of a fellowship community at church.
-One more child gets to grow and be molded into the way God intended her to be.
 -One more child gets to rest easy at night knowing that there will be no more bugs biting her.
-One more child gets to explore the world and visit any place that her heart desires.
-One more child gets to be cleaned daily to wipe off the day's dirt and germs.
-One more child gets to eat to her belly is full and drink until she is no longer thirty.
-One more child will learn how to verbalize their feelings instead of keeping it all inside and harboring resentments and fear.
-One more child does not have to live on the streets.
-One more child does not have to live with any discomfort.
-One more child can get the blood transfusions she needs if and when she should need them.
-One more child will always know the love that only a "forever family" can bring.
-One more child does not have to live with dental decay and a sore tongue due to vitamin deficiency.
-One more child gets to live in a democratic society where she will be treated as an equal.
-One more child will flourish in school and learn how to write, articulate her thoughts and master math and science!
-One more child gets a chance to be the change she wants to see in the world!
-One more child gets to just be a child!

    Here is the child God chose for us to be our "One More". We are not sure how many more "One More" will be ours but we feel honored to answer the call whenever He so chooses!

It seems I have another daughter that likes to pose!

Talia loved climbing all over the animals at the Zodiac park

Precious!

She stole daddy's french fries!

    I have to say via these pictures from their time at the Green Mountain Pagoda Park in Guangxi I can see a change in Talia's happiness. Her smile is just radiant and I mentioned that to Todd. He said when Sandy was in the room he told  her that Talia gets upset when he puts on his shoes. He said he felt bad and wanted to let her know that they would be together forever. Todd said Sandy knelt down to Talia and spoke to her a few minutes in Cantonese or Mandarin. She then stood up and told Todd that she said the following to Talia, "Ke Ke your foster parents miss and love you very much but this is your new mommy and daddy and they will be with you for a very long time, forever! Do you understand?" She nodded her head to say "yes". Then Sandy said, "Are you happy with your new daddy" and Talia said, "Yes!" with a huge grin!

   Now that made us all melt! God bless the broken road that led Talia straight to us!