Love Is An Open Door

No inspirational blogging today. 

Instead I've been trying to sort through the hundreds and hundreds of photos and videos Miranda and I took in China to identify the kids in each one.  Then create a file for every kiddo in Dropbox, so I can share them with America World Adoption Association (AWAA). 

I've attempted to prioritize the kids who I know AWAA has their file or know that they have already been matched with a family.  AWAA has to review all my notes and photos before they can pass along information to families.

UGH!!!!

This has been maddening!!!

But I remember the long months of waiting for our princesses to come home.  I remember studying every picture and clinging to every word in any updates we received.  I desperately want families to see their sons' and daughters' sweet faces.  I want them to know what we observed while with their children.

Then there are all the files I KNOW that AWAA has right now.  I hope that the updated information and photos we have on some of these kids will help families struggling to make that difficult decision about bringing a child home.  Multi-syllabic words can paint very grim pictures in the mind's eye.  But seeing so many of these kids face-to-face, watching them play, laughing and joking with them, you sit back in awe at how amazing they truly are.  Personality PLUS!  I hope our words and photos can paint a more complete picture of each child. 

Then I will sort through kiddos whose files haven't even been written yet!  The staff promised us that they are already working on some kids' files and will begin immediately working on others after we shared with them just how "adoptable" some of these angels really are.

Next kids who we just don't know?  Do they even have a file?  Many we have no name or birthdates to even begin searching for files and paperwork.  (Trust me though, if you are interested in any of these kids, we made some great connections so I'm certain AWAA can find out from the staff.)

And finally mixed in with all these other children...our big boys.  :( 

We also enjoyed spending time with some children over the age of 14.  By law in China, once a child turns 14 they can not be adopted.  As disabled orphans, these children may live out the rest of their lives behind the walls of a Social Welfare Institute.  Where we were, they could remain until they were 35 years old.  Then they would be transferred to an adult facility before eventually residing in care for the elderly. 

No job.  No home.  No family. 

Many of the boys simply had cerebral palsy.  I'm not trying to minimize their condition!  I recognize that they do have some really needs for accommodations.  However, I graduated college with an amazing young man who had CP.  Walking a little awkwardly and scuffing up numerous pairs of shoes did not in any way affect his cognitive abilities!  So when I see these boys, all I see is the lost opportunities for them to achieve their potential and contribute more to society than just making their beds and helping to care for younger children.

Well...this turned into a longer post than I originally intended...so here's what I was really going to post!

"Hey, Will You Go To CHINA With Me?" duet revisited

(click on the link above to see them in action)

On our first afternoon at the Children's Welfare House, the kids put on a show for us!  Dancing and singing!  It was wonderful!  However, since I knew that past groups had been offered the opportunity to present something for the kids, Miranda and I selected a couple of songs we used to do with our Children's Worship kids.  Then Miranda and Jason performed a reprise of their traveling duet.  The same kiddos that couldn't stop chattering through their friends' performances were silent as they watched these crazy Americans attempting to entertain them. 

(Right now...I'm just hoping that Jason has already destroyed any video he had of my performance with Miranda!)

The lyrics of the song declared, "...Love is an open door..." 

Is God asking you to open the door of your heart to loving one of His precious children in China or elsewhere?