File updates!!!

What an awesome New Year's Eve gift I just received!  My team leader from last summer's trip messaged me to say some of the kiddos we loved on now have files and are "paper ready" (a term in the adoption world that means they can be officially adopted.)  

If you are interested in viewing the files on any of these kiddos, you can view them at http://www.awaa.org/default.aspx.  You will need to register and receive a password to view the waiting children files.  

Our sweet Lovey Girl (http://stepintotheirstory.blogspot.com/2014/07/lovey-girl.html) is Jessa on the AWAA waiting files list.  

Our Sweet Baby Girl (http://stepintotheirstory.blogspot.com/2014/07/let-me-introduce-my-new-friend-sweet.html) has already been matched with her family!!!!  (Typing that brings tears of joy to my face!)

Our adorable and bashful Twins are Chloe and Mia on the AWAA list.  I pray that a family steps up to adopt both of these beautiful little girls.  They have such an amazing bond and it would be so hard for them to be apart.  

Oh....and Beautiful Boy (http://stepintotheirstory.blogspot.com/2014/07/please-meet-beautiful-boy.html and http://stepintotheirstory.blogspot.com/2014/08/caleb.html) is still on the list and waiting.  He is Caleb.  If I could convince my husband, that sweet little boy would be snuggled into our house as a part of our family.  However, he is meant for another lucky family and I hope they find him soon.  

And, the one that steals the heart of every team member who has visited this orphanage, the Mayor is still waiting.  Lara wrote about the Mayor on her blog at http://tochinawithlovemissiontrip2014.blogspot.com/2014/09/there-is-no-crying-in-football.html. He is known as Zack on the waiting children list but he is not listed with AWAA anymore.  You can read more about him at: http://twentyless.com/zack/  Zack is running out of time to find his family.

There are many other of the kiddos listed.  I've listed just a few of the special kiddos who just captured my heart.  

So as we say goodbye to 2014, I know my heart has forever been changed and a part remains with these children still waiting for their families in China.  2015 will bring another trip for and a whole new group of children looking for their family.  While I dread the heartbreak that will come as a result of the trip, I am looking forward to making the children we can love on feel special for the time we are with them.  

Happy 2015 to everyone!

 

2015 Team Member Introduction - Marlena

One more member to introduce!  This is my sweet friend Marlena.  Marlena and I knew each other through church but really got to know each other through running.  Marlena, myself and one other sweet friend where the three muskateers of what we dubbed the "turtle crew."  We got to know each other well, worked out the world's problems and threw in many therapy sessions on those miles we logged as we trained for the Illinois half marathon in 2012.  And when I hit breathing problems on race day, Marlena sacrificed a better time by sticking by my side as I struggled through that run. 

And I was thrilled when we had lunch one day to chat about my trip last summer and she announced that she wanted to join me on the next trip!  I'm so excited to have her on our team and excited to see what the Lord does through her.  And we've already warned her that she will be ROCK STAR in China with her blond hair. :)

Meet Marlena....

The cursor taunts at my blank mind causing anxious thoughts of inadequacy, fears of failing swirls with the idea of "I can't possibly be used for God's purpose," running appears to be the best option, but if I run where and when does the race of life end. You see, the devil and I have an on giving battle. I allow him to speak negative thoughts and in turn I am robbed of the joy God desires for me.

Hi, I am Marlena and I am a warrior for Jesus who fights on the front lines daily with the devil. I am a wife and mother of two wonderfully created, adventurous, trying at times, beautiful children. They keep me on my toes and often in stitches over their antics and most especially, humbled by their lack of fear and steadfast truth and faith.

Isn't funny how our children step out in faith when learning something new, trusting as parents we will not fail them. I felt the Holy Spirit pushing me to take a leap of faith to sign up for this mission trip to China. As the travel date approaches I find my confidence wavering. The "buts" start...But God, are you sure you can use me? You must be mistaken I can't possible have anything to offer? How will I reach the financial obligation set before me? As the hissing of pessimism rages I hear God whisper "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10.

With all my fears, with all my thoughts of inadequacy, with my desire to flee, I am choosing to chase after God and his redeeming love so that I may be a light of hope. I don't fully grasp how God will use me in China or even why China? I do know it is the path that is set before me and with God's help I want others to know of the beautiful children who are without forever families. My prayer is that God will break my heart and open my eyes so that I may see how I can better serve Him.

Blessed to be on this journey,
Marlena

2015 Team Member Introduction - Katie

The next team member I’d like to introduce you to is Katie!  Katie is extra special because she doesn’t know ANY of us and is still willing to travel to China to love on kiddos with us.  I’m so excited to get to know Katie through this trip.  Having been in her shoes last year, I feel like my 2014 team members have become like family.  (And I’m just a wee bit jealous that she lives in sunny California!)

Please meet Katie! 

Thank for allowing me on this mission trip!  I am beyond excited to have finally taken the first step in something I have dreamed of doing for a long time.

Tell us about yourself:

I am a mom of one amazing little 7 year old boy and the wife a fantastic husband.  Our family lives in beautiful California.  We are a Christian family that strives to follow God.  We love the outdoors and spending time with family.  

Why did you sign up for this trip?

I chose the China mission trip mostly because of the summer schedule.  Of all the locations listed, I can honestly say I would love to attend and help any place that I am needed.  I have never been to China, so I am more than excited.

What interests you about serving in an orphanage?  

I love children.  If I can make one child smile for a day or change a child's life in some small or big way I will be overjoyed.  

What interests you about serving in China?

China has such an amazing culture.  China has been a place that I always knew I would travel to some day.  

What are your biggest concerns about the trip?

I do not have any concerns about the trip.

What are you most looking forward to on this trip?

I am looking forward to playing with the children and helping anyway I can.  I am also looking forward to meeting some new people with the same interests as myself.  Hopefully this will be the first trip of many.

Favorite Bible verse?
Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

2015 Team member introduction - David, aka my dad!

I'm taking some liberties with this introduction and writing it myself.  This team member is Dave, my dad.  My dad's not a big writer and doesn't like to talk about himself much so I know the changes of him actually writing up an intro are slim to none.  So, I'll do it for him.  He is, after all, our only male team member at this point and that is deserving of an introduction!

My dad had a rough time growing up.  He was the kind of kid that you look at think "thank God I've been so blessed in MY life."  We all know kids like my dad....and we are secretly thankful we weren't dealt that hand of cards.  

His father passed away when my dad was 13.   That's a tough age for a boy to lose his father.  My dad spent a great deal of time with relatives as his mother was also quite ill.  His mother passed when he was in his early 20's.  Fortunately, those relatives were heavily active in the church my mom's family attended....and the rest of history.  Sort of!

Because of my dad's background, he is drawn to kids in rough situations.  He NEVER forgets a person he has met and he wants to get to know people.  Genuinely.  (He was a salesman for many of his career years and you could attribute his success to his personality....he really, really likes people.)

One of the things my dad instilled in us over the years is the importance of family.  Our family wasn't perfect but he sure made sure we knew how much we were loved.  

Why is my dad going on this trip?  He wants to see his granddaughter's birth country and have a chance to love on kids that are like him....they don't have parents to love on them.  He understand that  void probably more than most of us on our team do.

I'm thrilled he is joining us.  He loves kids, has a great sense of humor and a strong love for Jesus.  He knows that God's love brought him through some hard times in life and he always wants to share that love.

Dad, I'm so glad you are joining us!  

2015 Team member introduction - Jill!

An ACT team just arrived in China today.  That team includes a local friend and I can’t wait to hear about her experiences.  Another team leaves soon to serve in the same orphanage our team served in last summer.  All this travel is exciting and means our team is just getting that much closer to travelling! 

I’m a bit behind on my introductions.  Forgive me. 

I want to introduce you to Jill in this post.  Jill is one of those crazy talented, beautiful people and, truthfully, she intimated the heck out of me for years!  She just exudes excitement and an honest love for God.  She has an amazing voice and is a part of the vocal team at our church.  I’ve sat through many songs just awed by her vocal talent and how her love for God comes through in her signing.  Plus she’s gorgeous! 

I was so excited when I learned that Jill and her husband were adopting from China as I thought it might give me an “in” to get to know her a little better.  Little did I know what an amazing family Perry and I would get to know over the past few years.  (Full disclosure….one of her sons is on our very exclusive, very small list of “boys Elise might be able to date before she’s 35….maybe.”)

You can visit Jill’s blog at pursuit7.blogspot.com.

So, without further ado, let me introduce Jill….

Hello!  My name is Jill Winslow.  I am incredibly excited to be part of the June 2015 team traveling to China.  Thank you for indulging me and allowing me to tell you a little about my “story” and how I ended up in this group.

I love children.  I mean, I REALLY love children.  I chose Elementary Education as my college major and the first question I asked my husband on our first date is, “Do you want children someday?”  I know…in retrospect, I’m not sure why he didn’t run for the hills.  To be fair, he had some pretty hefty marriage expectations too.  My husband was born in Asia.  He actually spent the majority of his childhood in SE Asia.  As a 6’5”, blue-eyed hunk, most people have no idea he feels both Chinese and American.

After our first year of marriage, we moved to Hong Kong, China to teach for two years in an international school.  (Please see “hefty marriage expectations” above). I experienced culture shock for the first six months.  I’m pretty sure I could have written a book entitled, “Why the United States does EVERYTHING better.” These were the years that God knocked my preconceived notions of the world out of me.  Over time, I fell in love with a culture of people and began to understand their ways.  It was at this time, adoption became a heavy desire on my heart.  Once God lit a fire in my soul for little ones without families, man could not extinguish it.  For twelve years, we built a family of four boys, moved a few times, and carried on with life.  Throughout those twelve years, the subject of adoption kept coming front and center.  After much prayer, God prompting my husband, and a lot of faith, we began the process of adopting a special needs child from China.  And that is how, at 36 years of age, God began to grow me in a way I never saw coming. 

Looking back, I can see that God had to break me a little before I could ever be ready for this experience.  There are so many things I didn’t know (even though I had been a Christian for years) about faith and joy in the midst of struggle.

One devastating tornado, rebuilding our home, and several obstacles later, I was in China again with my husband.  This time, I was holding a grieving toddler that screamed at the very sight of me.  I am certain that God got really tired of hearing me say (or scream)” THIS IS NOT MY STORY!”  I am a lover of fairytales.  That is incredibly unfortunate for anyone forced to live in the real world. J

I have learned on this journey with Christ that everyone has a story.  That story will play out for each individual whether I sit comfortably in my cozy home, or travel 7,000 miles to hold orphans.  As a Christ follower, I am desperate to be more like Jesus.  As I study the life of Jesus, I see so many situations where He broke the rules and reached out to the unloved.  He was constantly allowing himself to be broken for others.  If I want to follow His example, I have to allow myself (as painful as it is) to be broken for others. 

I am expecting to have obstacles as I fundraise, prepare, leave five kids and a busy husband behind.  The flight will be long and uncomfortably economy-ish.  The food will be different, the language will be a barrier, and I will see things that will completely break my heart.  But, I know that God will continue to smooth the rough edges of my personality.  He will give me the amazing opportunity to be His arms, His lips, speak His prayers, and feed His sheep as I hold, play, and interact with the fatherless children of China.  What a privilege!  My prayer is that I will serve Him well.  That I will allow myself to be broken for others, and that it will make a difference in the stories of the sweet children of China.

That’s my story!  I can’t wait to return and tell you THEIR stories!!!

Thanks for reading, friends!

jill

2015 Team Member Introduction - Betty

This introduction is super special to me because it's my MOM! She's stepping way out of her comfort zone to join our team and I'm THRILLED. Thrilled that she will get to experience China and see it for the first time with her only granddaughter....who just happens to have been born in China! :)

So, I'm pleased to introduce you to Betty (aka...."my mom")

I am a mother of 3 adult children, grandmother to 9 growing grandchildren and great grandmother to one little baby. Especially significant is that I am Gretchen’s mother. My husband and I moved to Missouri from central New York 9 years ago. Our goal was to be closer to our children and grandchildren. At that time, I retired from my position at a hospital. My “retirement job” is doing hospice nurse visits on a per diem basis. It keeps me in healthcare but gives me a retired lifestyle – seems the best of both worlds! !

I was very fortunate to have been raised in a loving Christian home where my parents lived what they believed and taught their children accordingly. I received Christ as my savior as a small child and was nurtured through the years by many faithful mentors. I cannot imagine a childhood without those supports and loving care and I feel a desire (and responsibility) to do what I can to touch the lives of those who lack this framework. Through the years, I have taught children’s Sunday school classes and been involved in other programs whose goal was to show God’s love to all children. I also work in a mentoring program that seeks to provide supports to adults who have known a chaotic childhood and lack skills to move themselves out of a negative lifestyle.

I was introduced to the needs of the children in China through my daughter, Gretchen, and her husband, Perry. When they decided to adopt a child from China about 13 years ago, we followed their pathway and tried to learn all we could about the process they were involved in. When we saw the first picture of our new granddaughter, we fell in love with her. She was immediately sealed as our granddaughter and I wanted her to know our love for her. I also learned more about the other children who were left behind in orphanages and their many needs. I followed Gretchen’s ACT trip to China this year and saw how much it affected her. When she felt led to lead another group over, I felt that it was a good time for me to get involved. I know that there are children with great needs here in our neighborhoods and in all countries across the world. No one can begin to help them all but if we all do our own part, more children will benefit and be able to feel God’s love. I feel that God has put this chance in front of me to touch some particular children in China and I want to be obedient to His call.

I do have several concerns about the trip. The flight is long and I know that I can’t get off the plane if I panic about the closeness of the airline cabin! I am not as young as I used to be and my joints and muscles can complain about too much bending, kneeling, etc. I won’t know the language around me so I think about offending anyone with an undesirable response to a situation. Of course, the money is a big hurdle but I am looking forward to seeing how God accomplishes that need! I have tried to let Jeremiah 29:11 guide all my ways. I do believe that God has a path for us – one that we often can’t even imagine. If we want to allow God to accomplish His goals through our life, we need to be willing to step out when He instructs and trust Him to take us through each step.

Through this trip, I hope to be reminded that God can do great and mighty things through us if we will only let Him. I tend to want to do things that I can handle and control but I feel God wants me to stretch beyond my “comfort zone” and watch Him work. I hope to be able to touch the lives of children and their caretakers to show them Christ’s love.

2015 Team Member Introduction - Stephanie

Another team member introduction!


We have 3 mother-daughter duos on our team! I'm excited to introduce you to another one of the moms. Stephanie is Makenzie's mom. Please meet Stephanie...

Hi! My name is Stephanie and I’m so excited to be a part of this ACT missions trip to China! I am a mom of 4 beautiful girls, two through birth and two through adoption from China. Our family has been blessed in so many ways through our adoptions and I am so excited to be going back to China to share Jesus’ love with kids, nannies, orphanage staff and everyone else we may come in contact with on our journey! I also look forward to sharing their stories with others when we return. I hope that others will be able to see through our eyes just the amazing number of kiddos who need someone to step into their lives and love them. And maybe, just maybe get a few families interested in adoption because of our trip! Though I am very excited about this trip, I also have a few things I am nervous about. Though we have adopted from China twice, we have never been to an orphanage and so I am not sure of what to expect. Both my oldest daughter, Mackenzie, and myself are committing to go on this trip which is also a lot of money to raise in a year. We are excited to see how God will provide for us during this year long journey! 

2015 Team Member Introduction - Mackenzie

Phew, I thought I'd get these up much quicker but the start of the school year has me feeling behind at every step already!

The next team member that I want to introduce is Mackenzie. I first met Mackenzie several years ago when we both worked in the 2 year old room at our church. Mackenzie has an amazing maturity for her age, is so incredibly helpful and loves playing with kids. I'm thrilled that she is one of our team members for next summer.

Please meet Mackenzie...

Why did you sign up for this trip?

I signed up because I'm passionate about helping orphans and I wanted to show or demonstrate God's love in a way that they may not have been exposed to yet. 

What interests you about serving in an orphanage?

I am interested in seeing the way that the children are treated and witnessing first hand what it is like, as well as getting a chance to maybe tell some of their stories back in the states.

What interests you about serving in China?

In China things are very different than they are here, and the United States has many benefits that China doesn't, such as freedom to have multiple children. I want to allow God to expose me to those differences and smash any ideas that I may have had prior to going about China. 

What are your biggest concerns about the trip?

My biggest concerns are probably that we will be in a place that may not have a lot of the things we're used to, such as toilets that flush, and of course, water that we can drink. My more emotional concerns are that I won't be able to bond with the children or get to connect with any of them.

What are you most looking forward to on this trip?

I'm most looking forward to getting to meet all these kids, learn their stories, and just show God to them, and maybe learn some stuff on the way.

Anything else you want to tell us?

I've been to China before, but I've never visited an orphanage myself, so this is a completely new experience for me.

Favorite Bible verse?

Probably Romans 13:11-12.

Please keep Mackenzie in your prayers as we prepare to serve the children of China.

2015 Team Member Introduction - Elise

In June 2015 I will be leading a team back to China for another ACT missions trip.  I'm thrilled to be going back and so excited about the team members who have already signed up....it is an AMAZING group of individuals!  Our team in 2014 was tiny (but mighty) and I'm excited to see how a larger team can serve the parentless children of China.

The first introduction is my own daughter, Elise.  Truthfully, I did the trip this summer to see what these trips were about about and to see if she'd be able to handle going on a trip herself.  When we adopted Elise, we were not able to visit her orphanage.  It has since closed so even when we go back to China as a family to visit, we will not have the opportunity to see where she lived for the her first year of life.  I thought these trips would help give me a glimpse into what that was like for her.  The trip this summer turned into so much more than that simple mission to find out more.

Let me introduce Elise!

Tell us about yourself:  

I'm adopted from China and I'm 12 years old.


Why did you sign up for this trip?

Technically, I didn't, my mom did.  I wanted to see what it would be like if I stayed in the orphanage.


What are you most looking forward to on this trip?

Spending time with the kids and going to China.


Favorite bible verse or story:

The story of Esther.


(Yup, she's a tween of many words....)

Stay tuned for introductions of our team members.  We do still have room for 4 more on our team to travel to China.  We have room for LOTS more on our team supporting us in encouragement, prayer and financial support.  I invite you to join our team....in whatever manner works for you.  

Find out more about the trips at:  http://www.awaa.org/ACT/trips/China(LocationTBD)/default.aspx

Caleb

I've written about Caleb (aka Beautiful Boy) a few times already (here and here).  To recap, let me show you his beautiful face again.

Caleb's file is ready and with the America World Adoption Agency and he's ready for a family to pick him.   

Caleb would need a family looking for a slightly older child.  He's almost 11 years old and will "age out" at 14.  He is such a sweet, sweet kid with a great sense of humor.

So why am I writing about Caleb again?  I simply can't get him off my mind.  I'd bring him home in a heartbeat....if my husband didn't feel our family is complete now. :(

The majority of the kids at this welfare house had some sort of special need.  Many of those special needs were fairly obvious; Downs, CP, cleft lip/palate.  But I couldn't figure out Caleb's special need.  

Turns out he has Cerebral Palsy.  Apparently he had very tight muscles in his legs and had difficulty walking.  Several years ago he had surgery to lengthen those muscles and how walks with hardly any abnormalities in gait.  What that tells me is that this kid is a fighter and has overcome some remarkable hurdles set before him.  Now, we need to help him overcome that hurdle to find a family.  

So...here's my challenge to you.   Please share this post and pray that someone will look at his face (either here or on the waiting child list) and see their son. 

I'm really not into how many people read this blog but I want to show you the power of sharing.  My post on Rosemary was viewed over 1200 times...and she now has a family and has come off the waiting child list. The post on Tiny Tim was viewed over 400 times and his file is not yet ready for review.  The posts on Sweet Baby Girl and Lovey Girl, neither of who have a file yet, were viewed by over 300 people.  Sharing works!!!

And here is what makes this so very personal for me.  My own 12 year old daughter, adopted from China, was recently referred to a pediatric neurologist to be tested for CP.  Ironically, instead of panicking in our pediatrician's office, I felt this calm peace and saw Caleb's face in my mind.   We won't know for sure on our daughter until later this fall, but it's possible we've been living with CP in our family and never realized it.  If the diagnosis turns out to be CP, it doesn't change who she is, what she's capable of or her potential.  It just answers some questions but doesn't define her. 

Please don't let the CP label define Caleb.  Look past that scary label and see the sweet little boy who stole my heart....long before he stole my sunglasses. :)  

(P.S....I "borrowed"/stole pictures from my teammates that I felt captured his amazing funny spirit.)

Tiny Tim

 We've been home three weeks now and my mind still lingers on "my kids" back in China.  We haven't shared Tiny Tim's story with you yet but I want to introduce you to him.  

Is he not handsome?!?  Look at those wisps of baby soft hair!  Look at that tiny nose!

He was in our feeding room and very wary of strangers.  Unfortunately for Jason, he wasn't too keen on being fed by a stranger.  We were told his disability was a blood disease.  He's about 12-16 months old but he's sooo tiny for his age.

In addition to seeing him in the feeding room, we got to spend time with him in the Angel room.  He stayed pretty close to the nannies.  (This nanny in particular had such a caring gentle nature with the kids....here she is with a lap full of kiddos!)

We did learn more about his blood disorder towards the end of our visit.  He has Mediterranean anemia, also known as Thalassemia.  

Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder that may result in the need for regular transfusions. Here is some information that explains the urgency of adopting children with this disorder:
http://www.nohandsbutours.com/2013/11/02/waiting-child-spotlight-focus-on-thalassemia/

A quote from that blog: "The life expectancy for these children if they remain institutionalized is very grim."

From what I understand, this condition is fairly manageable in the US.

Tiny Tim's file has not yet been prepared but it is being finalized. There are others like him waiting to be adopted. Adopting a special needs child is not for everyone but perhaps this sweet face sparks an interest in someone to learn more about this opportunity.

Uncomfortable privilege

I've been slowly returning to "normal" life.  The bug that I brought back with me is slowly leaving my body and I've been catching up on sleep.  I returned to work last week and, with that, will soon be back to our familiar routine.  This week of recovering from jet lag/nasty bug while just relaxing with my family has been heavenly.  It has also been a good week of reflection.

One aspect of the trip that made me a bit uncomfortable was the feeling of privilege.  Before the trip, a good friend suggested the ladies leave our diamond engagement rings at home.  I've never left this ring home before and certainly felt comfortable wearing it in China.  It never occurred to me take it off and leave it at home. 

In hindsight, I'm glad I left it home.  

My fairly modest engagement ring would have been another uncomfortable reminder of the privileged life we lead compared to those we were serving in China.

I've studied white privilege in the past and don't have any answers, other than we all need to have an awareness that it existed.  I realize life for my white son will be a bit easier than life for my Asian daughter, just simply because of preconceived notions Americans still hold about race.  Confronting it and educating about it are tools to help eradicate it in the future.  But it is still alive and well today.

This played out for me in the food we ate while at the welfare house.  We were warned that the food was rough.  We were told from previous groups that they ate the same food feed to the workers.  We were prepared to have the same meal over and over.  

That wasn't the case.  The food was AMAZING.  The city we were in was on the coast of the China Sea and seafood was fresh daily.  Truly some of the best food I've eaten in my life.  

(Excuse me while I go on a food tangent....)

Noodles with squid and shrimp.  (Yes, I ate squid and LOVED it!)

This was the welfare house "restaurant" we ate in for every lunch and dinner.  It was a far cry from a restaurant we were familiar with but we ate well.  There were 4 tables set up and we'd be the only ones eating in this air conditioned room.

Here is the spread from just one meal. 

The assistant director of the welfare house was always with us but we were often joined by the director of the welfare house and the director of the children's facility within the welfare house. 

This is the director of the children's facility who was very into Chinese medicine.  One evening, she arranged for her Chinese medicine mentor to visit us in our hotel.  This gentlemen had studied mechanical engineering and had a PhD from Carnegie Mellon.  He gave us Chinese medicine gifts, showed us some relaxation techniques and provided me with a small bit of Chinese medicine to treat a patch of psoriasis that I've had all my life.  

Did I mention the seafood?  Yes, you had to rip off the head with the beady eyes looking at you and then remove the shell....but you were rewarded with the most scrumptious shrimp meat!

And these....THESE!!!  These were some type of green tea biscuit with purple sweet potato inside.  I would LOVE to be able to replicate thee at home.  I've had serious cravings for these since being home.  I've texted pictures to Chinese friends in the area to see if they have any idea where I could find them in St. Louis.  No luck. :(

 So...you might be wondering where I'm going with this post.  I started talking about privilege and then moved to food.  Let's get back on track....

Well, because we'd been told that groups ate what the staff ate, I originally assumed that was the case with our group.

I mentioned to Candy (my feeding room chaperone) how good the food was.  She told me she didn't think we were eating the same food.

We weren't.

I started to notice the food plates of the staff.  It consisted of a metal plate, a heap of rice, some cooked vegetable and usually a full fish (head, tail, scales and all).

While we ate in the air conditioned "restaurant" the staff ate in this more industrialized canteen.  No one seemed unhappy and we heard lots of laughter from the folks eating their lunch together.

But it still left me feeling uncomfortable that we were eating such amazing meals, prepared for by their chef, while they ate food we'd find difficult to eat every day of our trip.  (Part of our trip expenses pay for meals so I do hope they made some money off the delicious meals they fed us and were able to put that extra money to good use.)

What do we do with this?!?  We owe it to others to do SOMETHING.  That something may look very different from me to you.  My heart is clearly in China but yours might be somewhere else.  Doesn't matter....make a difference.  Use your privilege to make a difference.  Maybe travelling to a foreign country isn't your cup of tea (teehee...food reference!) but maybe there is something local you can do to help those in need.  Maybe your heart is overseas but you don't think you could make that type of trip.  Then support someone else is who is going to the area of the world that interests you.  

As much as we complain about our lack of money, the reality is that WE (middle class Americans) are wealthier than the majority of the world's population.  So, let's DO SOMETHING to change the world for the better.

And now a shameless plug....if this blog has piqued your interest at all, I invite you to check out the future ACT teams at http://www.awaa.org/ACT/trips.aspx.  It was truly a life changing experience.  I'll be going back in June 2015 and we're recruiting team members.  (Seriously, the fundraising was the scariest part but in hindsight, that was one of the easiest things about this entire trip.)

Under Review!!!!

On a whim, I glanced through the waiting children list at AWAA today.  I was specifically checking "my" kids" to see if they were still listed.

I about screamed when I noticed that one of the files had a new status.  UNDER REVIEW was placed under "Rosemary's" name!  Woohoo!!!!  I wish I could reach through the computer and tell whoever is reviewing her what a sweet little girl she is!  Her birthmark does not define the amazing little girl that I met.

Our church service this past weekend was on letting God lead.  Sometimes it's not clear why we are being led down certain paths but if He is calling, our response is to go.

I've struggled with the WHY of this trip for some time.  We don't feel called to adopt again.  (OK, I'd bring a few back in a heartbeat but my husband says no.)  So, I've struggled with WHY and focused my energies on telling the stories of what we experienced and the kids we met.

You might remember my post on Rosemary.  That post was viewed by 278 individual people.  I seriously don't think I have 278 friends!  For some reason, that post was shared.  A lot!  (Thank you to everyone who shared her sweet face.)  That post was shared more so than some of my other posts.

Who knows....maybe someone who viewed that post from a friend of a friend might be reviewing her file.  Maybe someone who never saw my post is reviewing her file and maybe I can pass along some of the many pictures I have of that sweet little girl to her future parents.

So while it breaks my heart to not be bringing any of these kiddos to my house, I can continue to tell their stories.

My team leader has done a GREAT job of telling the stories of some other "paper ready" kids.  Please meet these darlings:

Priscilla 
(click on her name to read Lara's post)

Charlie

(click on his name to read Lara's post)

James

(click on his name to read Lara's post)

And here are a few that I've shared who turned out to be paper ready:

Caleb

(click on his name to read my post)

(aka Beautiful Boy...this is the boy I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to bring home)

Logan

(click on his name to read my post)

So, please keep sharing and we will keep telling their stories.  Maybe....just maybe...someone will see these stories and a spark will occur.

I look forward to the day when I see UNDER REVIEW by every single one of the kiddos above.  And it will be a glorious day when my one of "my kids" goes home to their forever family.

Human trafficking

Human trafficking.

Human.

Trafficking.

Those are words I've heard from time to time but they just seemed like some far away issue.  I'm ashamed to admit that I never really gave those two words much thought.

Until this trip.

Human trafficking touched me in a way I never thought I would.

I loved on a child I later learned was the victim of trafficking.

I don't know the whole story but this sweet little boy was bought and sold.  Like an object.  A material possession.  

I believe he's 4-5 years old.  He loved performing in the traditional Chinese play.

He's a playful, impish little boy.  He is no different than my son was at that age.

He loved the beach balls and playing outside in the courtyard.

He sometimes got a little antsy in his seat, which makes little boys such lovable little boys. :)

He was a terrific art partner!

But he can't be adopted.

Because he is a victim of human trafficking.

He has parents out there somewhere.  I would imagine his parents long for this little boy to be returned home to them.  I know I would.

So because of human trafficking, this sweet, adorable little boy with the hauntingly sad eyes will live out his life in an orphanage.  He will lack the education to go on to college and obtain a decent job in China.  He will be relegated to a manual laborer job with no family to support him.  That's a hard, lonely life.

His picture now hangs in my house, next to those of my children.  On that picture of our art (see above), there is the Chinese saying "May you be blessed with a life of peace."  That has become my prayer for Homeboy.  That despite his chaotic and seemingly unbelievable fate, that he will know a life of peace.

The next time you hear the words HUMAN TRAFFICKING, I urge you to see the face of the little boy we nicknamed HOMEBOY and pray that he may experience a life of peace.  Human trafficking is real and has devastating consequences.