Each time I look down at my
hands a grin spreads across my face and a prayer is lifted in my heart. You
see, my fingernails are painted a fire engine red and the polish is chipping
off in most places. For some, painted nails are the norm, but not for this dishpan
hands type of Mom. But just two weeks ago while I was visiting, playing, teaching and
working at the GM Orphanage in Beijing a sweet 10-year-old asked to
do my nails, and how could I refuse her? So fire engine red they became, and
now each time they catch my eye, my heart just about bursts with gratefulness
for all God accomplished in the short week we were able to serve in Beijing.
Our trip to GM was really five years in the making. It was five years ago that we began the
process of adopting from China through AGCI. Five years ago we had no idea the
blessings and stretching, the joy and the heartache that God had in store for
us . . . but we are so thankful for each step He has directed.
As we began the adoption
process in January of 2005 our little family of four also began our education
into the world of orphans. We had no idea that outside of our door was over 100
million orphans that all desperately need the love and care of a family. Our
then 10-year-old daughter Kelsey was dismayed and overwhelmed as she learned
that children her age lived their entire lives in orphanages, never enjoying
the love and security of a family, never knowing the joy of simple gifts or
treats. Kelsey’s broken heart led her to action and she was moved to find a way
to send simple gifts of love to older orphans. We contacted our adoption
coordinator at AGCI and asked if there was so way to partner with them to send
gifts to an orphanage in China. What was born out of those conversations became
known in our community as The Knitting Project. Kelsey coordinated the youth
and adults of our church congregation to knit scarves for older orphans, and
knit they did! Over 40 scarves were knit, and as they were knit, orphans were
prayed for. We packaged up the scarves and with the help of AGCI sent them off
to the GM Orphanage in Beijing.
We were so thrilled to be a
tiny part of God’s love story towards these orphans, but God wasn’t finished
with the story yet . . . .
Just a month after we sent
the scarves we received an email with pictures of the children receiving the
scarves. Our hearts almost exploded with joy! To see these smiling children,
enjoying their handmade treats was such a gift from God. How good of Him to
allow us to get a glimpse of His story! Those pictures became our computer
wallpaper and we prayed for those children daily for over a year as we waited
for our referral and future daughter, Katie Mei.
It was in May of 2006 that
we finally traveled to China with AGCI to bring home our daughter. We loved
telling The Knitting Project story to our travel mates and giving them a
glimpse of God’s story for these orphans, but God wasn’t finished with the
story yet . . .
One of our travel
coordinators was a young gal named Annie who lived and worked at the GM Orphanage! She looked at our pictures and told us the names and stories of the
children we had been praying for. Again, we were in awe of God’s goodness
towards us and how He so graciously allowed us to “know” these older orphans
even more. Another chapter was added to God’s story of these precious orphans.
In the years since our
adoption we have been privileged to share our adoption journey and the way God
blessed The Knitting Project. We loved to share how God worked out so many details
and how He kept giving us more and more details of His story . . . and last
fall we realized God still wasn’t finished with the story yet . . .
We received an email from
AGCI’s Embrace Missions department announcing a Missions Trip to none other
than the GM Orphanage. It took Kelsey and I all of 5 seconds to
recognize that God was going to write another chapter in our lives! Wit blessings from Ron, Emily and Katie Mei, Kelsey and I boarded a plane this
April with fresh scarves in our suitcase, headed for Beijing!
To say that loving on the
children of GM in person was life changing would be an
understatement. Never in all my life have I been so dependent on God. Never in
all my life have I so clearly seen the Gospel lived out in front of me. Never
in my life have I so fully understood God’s redeeming love for me.
The orphanage is full of
children with medical and mental special needs. Children from ages 2 to 18 call
this orphanage their home and it is here where they live, sleep, play, and
learn about the love of Jesus from their precious caretakers and directors. We
were privileged to come alongside and present a Vacation Bible School to these
children. We spent our days teaching God’s Word, singing songs of His love,
coloring, playing, hugging, kissing and praying for these children. It wasn’t
always easy. My heart broke and tears fell more times than I can count, but it
was a glimpse into God’s heart that was worth every hard moment and more.
Our first day at the orphanage
was a shock to us all. We longed to snuggle and kiss and love on these
children, but many having just arrived at the orphanage from other institutions
within the last few months did not know how to receive such affection. As we
picked up the children, they would hold themselves stiff against us. No little
legs came wrapping around our bodies. No little heads lay upon our shoulders.
It was a surprise to most of the team . . . but for myself it was a reminder of
how our little Katie Mei was when she came to us. She didn’t know how to be
held, we had to teach her. She didn’t know how to snuggle, we had to show her.
And so it was with these little ones. We had to dig down deep and give love and
affection even when it was received with resistance.
Some days it was hard to
love on every child at the orphanage. In some cases we were overwhelmed by
runny noses and dirty faces. Other times we were unsure how to reach out to the
children with mental difficulties and to interact with them in ways we were accustomed
to. But then the Lord graciously gave me a picture of myself before He adopted
me into His family. My sin was more vile to Him than the runniest nose or the
dirtiest face. My sin kept me from stretching out my arms and receiving His
love. But He persevered. But He continued to love. And my sin was forgiven, and
I was made clean. So we would persevere and we would continue to love. We would
continue to wipe noses and kiss dirty faces and stretch out our arms and place
them in our laps.
And the change we saw in 5
days with those children both broke and expanded our hearts. By the end of our
trip they were crawling into our laps for post-nap snuggles. They looked us in
the eye as we said over and over, “Wo ai ni.” They grabbed hands and gave hugs,
they laughed and accepted affection. One little guy who began his week by
hitting me to get my attention ended the week by crawling into my arms, placing
his forehead against mine, lifting my hand to his cheek and motioning me to
lovingly stroke and love on him. And so I did just that . . . as I gently
rubbed his cheek I prayed for him, asking God to show this little guy His love,
to grow this little guy into a man of God, to provide this little guy with a
forever family and to use this little guy to reach people for Christ.
I know someday soon my red
nails will fade and the physical reminder of all God accomplished both in and
through our team will not be as easily seen. But my heart will never recover. I
will never be the same. I will never stop telling the story of how God used one
little girl to knit scarves for older orphans to write an ongoing story of His
love and redemption and His heart for orphans. Our family is already praying
and asking God that there be many more chapters to this story . . . may God be
gracious and allow us many more years of love and service towards the children
of GM Orphanage.