Sweet Olivia - Guest Blog Post

Excited to share this "Guest Blog Post" with y'all today!  

Jennifer led the AWAA Storyteller Missions team (formerly ACT Missions) who returned to the same orphanage we visited in July.  Not only did they get to spend time with many of the children we met, but they also met some children we didn't.  Olivia is one of the sweethearts that we missed getting to know, so Jennifer is helping me introduce you to...

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SWEET OLIVIA

It is hard to understand why sweet Olivia is still waiting for her family when so many get chosen so quickly.  Maybe it is hard to see past her skin condition to really notice her endearing smile.  She was always smiling!

Our team spent a week at her orphanage last November, and we were all in love with her.  It only takes a few seconds with her to not even notice her birthmark because she immediately wraps you around her finger and captures your heart.

I remember a team member asking me if I thought she would be adopted soon after her file was ready, and I responded, “Oh, I don’t see why not.  She is beautiful, alert and has such a warm, affectionate personality.”  And yet she still waits.

Each time I held Olivia, she would smile, coo and when I talked to her she would “baby babble” back.  She had great eye contact, enjoyed being held and loved, was curious about what was going on in the room, and would watch us as we played with other kids.  She would often cry when we finally had to put her down to hold another baby.  She seemed happiest when being held and rocked.

I was wearing a necklace, and Olivia would hold onto it, study it intently and then look at my face.  She was definitely taking it all in.  She seemed so bright!

Emily was one of our team members that was very drawn to Olivia and spent much of her week holding her.  Emily has this to say about Olivia:

“Olivia seems to be a very smart baby.  She picked up on things very quickly, and she did give eye contact consistently.  She enjoyed my singing when I held her, and she eventually started to 'sing' to give me a cue to sing to her!

When I held her she was constantly smiling.  She wants to hear people talk to her, and she'll respond back. We played a game where I would gently tip her upside down with me holding her, and she quickly learned to anticipate the playful swinging movements enough to keep me on my toes!  Each time I would dip her she would come up smiling and laughing, like it was the best thing ever.  Then she started throwing herself back on her own.  It nearly gave me a heart attack the first time she did it, but she just grinned at me.  This baby seems to have no trust issues at all. :)”

   

Could Olivia be your daughter?  I hope that you will take the time to look at her pictures and really see the gentle, sweet, smiley baby girl that is waiting.

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Sweet litle Olivia is currently just 19 months old.  Her referral  file is listed as Special Focus.  Her orphanage is an America World Adoption Association partnership orphanage.  More information about Olivia is available through AWAA (AWAA Waiting Children Program).

The AWAA Storyteller Missions team who visited Olivia in November long to see her home with her forever family!  They want to share her story with you and ask that you continue sharing this special sweethearts story until her family finds her.

AWAA currently has two Storyteller Missions teams scheduled to return to Olivia's orphanage in 2015, in both July and November.  The July team is full and already preparing their hearts to love on these children still waiting.  The November team still has a few openings for more volunteers (November 12-22, 2015 Storyteller Missions Trip Information).  These teams provide so much valuable information for prospective families about these precious children, as well as seeking to support and encourage the staff who cares for them every day.

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UPDATE - Sweet Olivia's file is currently "Under Review" with another family waiting if this family do not feel led to move forward with an adoption because she is not their daughter.

To China With Love - OPEN for Business

I've been a little quiet on the web for a few weeks, but incredibly BUSY!

I share a LOT about the kids we met at the orphanage.

Words fail me to share about all I've watched God doing in the lives of these children and the families He has called to grow through adoption.  Miracles happening every day!

I often share, especially on Facebook, about the Storyteller Missions team that I will be leading in November to return to the same orphanage.  There are still a few openings for more volunteers...???

AWAA Storyteller Mission Trip November 12-22, 2015

What I don't share much about has been that my family has been hoping, dreaming, and planning to all return with another AWAA Storyteller Missions team in July...

From the moment our plane landed and Miranda and I began sharing our stories about our time with the children and staff at the orphanage, my kids' hearts began to catch the fire of our passionate love for "our China family."  My teenage sons' envisioned shooting hoops on the orphanage playground with the older boys and inspired other team members to collect donated, new soccer balls the team could pack in suitcases to replace the paper and tape balls they saw children playing with in our photos.  Our little girls may not have quite the vision of what they will be able to do for the children and staff at the orphanage, but their lives share the story and testimony of hope for so many of these waiting children.

Dreaming...Advocating...Recruiting...LIVING LIFE have all taken center stage...so I let one thing slide off my mom radar...

How to fund a Wade World Family Mission Trip to China?!?!?

Random comments about "Maybe we should start fundraising soon?" between my husband and I never quite materialized into ACTION.

Now the days, weeks, and months until we are schedule to depart on July 16 are rapidly approaching!

ONLY 88 DAYS!!!!

Uhm...plane tickets, passports, visas...with no fundraising support?

So I proposed a idea to my Facebook friends a few weeks ago...

...a this little idea exploded in a new direction...

...announcing the Grand Opening of...

the TO CHINA WITH LOVE Etsy Store!

To China With Love

Our original inspiration was the artwork project we did with the kids at the orphanage.  

Our family has produced some of our own paintings.

 Then we got really crafty and created some rustic wooden wall art too.

Still feeling lots of creative energy here in Wade World!  Thinking about exploring painting on canvas instead of wood?  Editing some photographs taken over years on our journeys to China to offer as prints.  

Stop by our shop!  Share with your friends!  

I never dreamed or desired a "business."  So this adventure is for the sole purpose of continuing to support our family's mission work with this orphanage in China, for the children we love.