"The Book"... a little ditty

I have really felt the calling to put down in words the happenings of my life since first entering the adoption world.  I have grow as a person and as a Christian.  I know there are many who could use some encouragement and support as well as a brief look into the journey they may travel some day.

I sat down today and started an outline.  It seems very overwhelming and I prayed for God to give me some direction.  We have 8 adopted kids, two biological children, and a load of testimonies to God's faithfulness.
Every testimony given to me shapes how I live my life today.  If not for adoption, I would have never grown as  a Christian so profoundly.  I certainly would not have grown in my awareness of what is important in life.
From a fake nail wearing, perfectly coiffed hair-styled, keeping up with the Joneses kinda gal....to a goodwill shopping, ponytail wearing, driving my 15 passenger van mom of ten.
so without further ado---
my first little ditty I wrote today-- ( not edited but too excited not to share)

January 2005   A walk through NanChang

The third day we were in NanChang was pivotal for me as an adoptive parent.  Here I was plunked down in the provincial city of our child and out for a leisurely stroll with the two other mothers and their newly adopted children.  My mom was also along just to get out of the hotel and the four walls of our room.

 I can remember us all walking single file leaving the hotel grounds on to what the Chinese call a sidewalk. We were laughing at the fact we had been warned by BTDT parents to dress our girls warmly so the “clothing police” would not target us for a tongue lashing.  The clothing  police were the old grannies just looking for someone to berate for not dressing their child in the required 20 layers for mid-winter in NanChang.

 You could pick out our group easily as we were four American ladies walking with their Chinese babes for all to see.  We were given the “thumbs up” by many and smiling faces were numerous.  And then it happened. The first contact with “them”. As swift as a gazelle, she came out of nowhere to grab a hold of my daughter’s bunting.  Yes, I said, “Bunting” …as in snowsuit for winter.  She was quick to show her disgust and start waving her aged finger at me.  She was clearly distraught over the fact that my child’s bunting was not stuffed full of clothes and bursting at the seams from layers.  She basically said, “Nice try, sweetie, but you get a Big “F” in dressing your child.”  You see, she could feel a huge gap between the bunting and Cassie’s shoulder.(Yes, she came right up and grabbed her clothing)   She knew from experience that I did not have enough clothing on my child to make Cassie stiff as a board and unable to scratch her nose. The four of us laughed as we walked further down the street.  Someone was saying, “I told you so!” back in the US. 

Then, I had a realization that wasn’t too funny.  I was angry and wished I could spatter away in Mandarin my disgust that my child was abandoned and not good enough because she did not have the outside part of her left ear!  Really?  Clothing layers?  That was the last thing I was worried about. My daughter was 22 months old and had never had the touch of a mother.  Never had the hug of a father that says, “I will protect you forever”. 

No security. No protection. No love.  

Clothing?  Shame on you.

I was also struck by the staring people as I had never really walked the street of China.  I didn’t know staring was okay , that someone could point at you, move closer to you and it was politically correct in every way..  It was unnerving to say the least.  My daughters both had very blonde hair at the time and, poor Chelsea’s hair was very curly!  They both had crowds follow them through the local WalMart when we went to purchase items for the orphanage.  One person thought Karli was Britney Spears and several of the young girls reached to touch Chelsea’s hair without even asking.

The walk down that shopping street in Nanchang also haunted me.  I could feel the eyes on me and I thought to myself, “What if one of these ladies is Cassie’s    mother?”   I wondered how many of these women have given up a child?  I was sure some of them had. The orphan crisis in China was horrible and the culture of feeling that disabilities were a curse was prevalent.  I was sad….  

Sad for the moms who had to abandon their child because of a birth defect.

 Sad for the culture that knew nothing of God’s love for children.

 Sad that my daughter had to live without a love of a family for all those months.

NanChang left its mark on my heart.  I would never be the same after my stroll down the street.  I left the hotel a joyous new adoptive mother and returned with a life’s calling to seek help for every orphan I possibly could with God’s help.  It was an urgent feeling I have not lost since that day.