The Firstbrook Five

Sunday Snapshot - Becoming Kelsey

A little over 14 years ago I met the most incredible person. She was just a wee little baby then, but even in the moments just after giving birth to her, I knew I loved her like crazy and couldn't wait to see who she would become.

She was quiet as a toddler, happy to play by herself and use her imagination. She spent hours playing with her babies and Barbies, caring for them, feeding them, and loving on them. She'd give you the shirt off her back if she thought you needed it, or even just liked it. We knew even back then that she was becoming a nurturer. 

This girl has a tender heart for those in need, so it wasn't surprising while we were adopting Katie Mei that she spearheaded The Knitting Project and had us all knit scarves to send over to older orphans. She was becoming a ambassador of love and caring.

When she and I went to China this Spring to love on and serve orphans living at a Special Needs Orphanage, we really had no idea what to expect. I was pretty sure that at 14 it might be pretty hard to love on little kids with an array of special needs. I was pretty sure that it might be tiring for a 14 year old to love and serve and give, day after day. And while I was correct in my thinking, it was hard at times, this 14 year old gave her heart and her hands and her love, hour after hour after hour. She was becoming a servant.

This little girl wasn't always easy to love on. She could be demanding and hard to understand, but what was clear is that she loved the older girls and wanted to be with them. She wanted to be physically close and she wanted to be loved. And so this 14 year old loved on her, patiently, consistently and with the love of Christ in her eyes.

Often times I wouldn't see my girl for hours on end . . . I was busy somewhere else in the Orphanage and it would be awhile before I'd go looking for my girl. And then I'd find her somewhere like this, with someone like this:

I look back on this young girl, fueled by a desire to help older orphans in China

And now see this

A young woman who is becoming more and more like Jesus. I'm thankful for Kelsey . . . and I'm thankful for a God who loves her and stretches her and provides her amazing opportunities to be used by Him and for Him!

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This post is part of Sunday Snapshot . . . a round up of bloggers sharing Snapshots of their family, their life, and their faith.

Stories from China - Meet Annie

When we went to China in 2006 to bring Katie Mei home, we had two fantastic guides from our agency, All God's Children. The first was a seasoned veteran, Angela, and the second was a young gal who was in training, Annie.

We quickly grew to love both our guides, but found a special place in our heart for sweet Annie. She was new to the job, had traveled very little before, quietly and graciously served our family and was a general joy and delight to get to know. Annie lived at the GM Orphanage where we had sent our Knitting Project scarves to and she was able to tell us so much about the children in the photos!

We loved spending time with Annie, knowing she lived and served the children we had fallen in love with through scarves and pictures. Annie clearly loved the Lord, loved her new job, and loved serving children and families. She was quiet and her English was broken much of the time, but she graciously shared with us about her family, about herself, about her future goals.

Towards the end of our trip, Annie took us to the zoo for a day of relaxation. Annie had never been to a zoo. She had never seen many of the animals that were so common to us. In fact, at her request, we walked by the elephant several times because she was so amazed to see one in real life! She and I took a picture by the elephant so she could take it back to the kids at GM Orphanage and share with them what she saw!

When Kelsey and I went to China this past April we took along a small photo album of pictures of our family and friends. I included this picture of Annie and I in the photo album in case anyone at the orphanage remembered Annie and could give us an update on her. Not only did the director of the GM Orphanage remember her . . . he called her on the phone and passed it over to me! Within seconds I was talking with my dear friend Annie . . . reminiscing over our trip and updating her about families we had traveled with! What was even better was that Annie promised to take a taxi over to the orphanage on Sunday morning so we could see each other in person!

Sunday morning came and we went back to the orphanage one last time to share a special Sunday morning Service with them and to give one last round of hugs and kisses. It was a lovely, encouraging, hard, emotional time. To be honest, in the midst of all of that, I forgot that Annie might show up.

We had just said goodbye to the kids and walked away from this

when a taxi cab drove up and out popped Annie! Gone was the shy girl with a quiet voice, and in her place was a confident young woman, bursting with love and joy and anxious to hear about our trip, our lives and our God! We only had a few minutes together as our team was packing up to leave for the airport, but in those few moments God gave us such a gift!

Annie was carrying with her a large picture of our travel group from 2006. The picture was clearly well worn and well loved. On her wrist was a rubber bracelet that one of the families from our travel group had given her. They had sold the bracelets as a fundraiser and then brought them to China to share with our group. Annie asked about each child from our group by name, remembering amazing details about each one. We quickly shared what had happened in our lives over the past 4 years, crying tears of joy as I shared about family members who have come to Christ since we had last been together.

It was a joy to hear of Annie's life now. She no longer works for the orphanage or for our host, but is teaching English in Beijing. She and her best friend work and live together, now saving all of their money in the hopes of opening their own English School in the next year or two. Their goal isn't to open just any English School . . . but to open a school where they can teach English, but more importantly, to teach the Truth. She asked if our family would pray for them as they work and save and start this new venture. She asked if we would come back to China and help them serve and share.

Of course we'll pray for you, Annie.

Of course we'll come back for you, Annie.

Will you also join us and pray for Annie?

Will you pray that the Lord would multiply their funds and enable them to start the school quicker than they image.

Will you pray that the Lord will continue to protect them and allow them favor with those around them, especially the government and other leaders?

Will you pray that their faith will continue to grow and grow and that the Lord will continue to teach them and stretch them.

And will you pray that maybe someday, Lord willing, you would be willing to go back with us to China to work with Annie and to share and love and teach the Truth?

Stories from China - Fire Engine Red

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.

We're heading back to China!

This time around we're not going back for another Gotcha Day like this:

Instead, we're going back to visit and serve these precious ones:

That's right . . . we're going to Grace Minority Orphanage in Beijing to serve and love and care for the very same precious kids we sent those scarves to during the Knitting Project! It's hard to believe we'll be seeing some of those faces, loving on those very kids! Amazing!!!

And this time, it isn't Ron going with me . . . nope . . . this time I have a very special traveling companion, the creator of the Knitting Project herself:

Kelsey isn't the same little 9 year old whose heart was broken by the plight of older orphans. By the time we travel in April, Kelsey will be 14 . . . but she still has that same tender heart that still breaks at the thought of children growing up without a family. And now, instead of knitting and sending, she's going . . . flying across the world with her Mom and joining up with others from our adoption agency to know and love and serve these precious orphans. I'm just so excited for us both!

There's lots more to say about this trip . . . how it came about, how you can partner with us both in prayer and financially, how the trip will actually work . . . but I'll save those details for another day!

Remember the Knitting Project?

Back when we first started the adoption process, we began what came to be known as the Knitting Project. At the time our oldest daughter, Kelsey, was 9 years old and just beginning to develop her tender heart towards older orphans. She desired to send them some kind of gift of love and her new found ability to knit translated into practically everyone we know knitting scarves to send to China. You can read about the Knitting Project here and here.

What I never told you was the incredible connection that was made to the Knitting Project while we were in China . . .

While in China we had two terrific guides - Angela and Annie. We had heard lots of wonderful things about Angela, she has worked for our agency for many years and is a wonderful in-country facilitator. We didn't know anything about Annie - but we were looking forward to getting to know both of these gals.

Just a couple of nights into our trip, one of our travel mates told us that Annie lived and worked in an orphanage in Beijing that was sponsored by our adoption agency. Ron and I quickly exchanged looks and then went on the hunt for Annie! We brought her to our room and asked her if she lived at the orphanage where we had sent our scarves. We showed her the pictures of the kids and scarves we had received, and Annie lit up . . .

In her best (and quickest) broken English, Annie pored over the pictures.  Her face lit up as she described each child . . . what they were like,  how much she loved him or her. It was such a precious time! Up until we received our referral of Katie, the group picture of the kids and the scarves had been our computer background. We opened our computer everyday and stared at the picture. We prayed for those kids. In our hearts we loved those kids. And now, here was Annie. She lived with them, worked with them, loved them and prayed with them! The connection was unbelievable and oh so sweet!

I'm afraid to admit it, but those kids haven't been prayed for as often as they used to. We now have new pictures as our background and while we often think of those kids in Beijing, we don't think of them or pray for them as much as we would like. So, I'm bringing them back up. For us. And for you. But mostly for them.

As you look at these pictures below, I've put numbers on each kid and given you the description that Annie gave us. May we look often at these pictures, and pray for those kids. We can pray that He would draw them into His eternal family. That He would give them a forever family here on earth. That He would keep them warm and safe this winter. That they would know friendship and love and joy despite their hard circumstances.

#1 is Guo Xiu Lian. Annie said she is the smartest girl - so bright and cheerful and super smart. She is to be adopted soon according to Annie, and by now may already be with her forever family!
#2 is the oldest girl in the orphanage - she is 15 years old and in the 8th Grade. She loves to play the piano.
#3 and #6 are sisters and aren't eligible for adoption because their parents are living but unable to care for them.
#4 also loves to play the piano and is a good dancer.
#5 is a Han Chinese and is in the 5th grade. This sweet girl is the first orphan Annie met and befriended at the orphanage.
#7 is Pao - he is 11 and in the 3rd grade.

#1 is a sweet little 4 year old girl who is in the process of being adopted by a family in Holland.
#2 is a little boy who Annie describes as having "head problems." Not sure if this meant he was a little delayed or what - but she said he was very sweet.
#3 is Peter. He and Pao are the same age, both healthy, and both good friends.
#4 is a little boy who was born healthy, but then at a young age suffered from a very high fever and now has some mental problems. He loves to smile and Annie says he is constantly asking her to stay and not leave on trips. She says he is very cute!

Doesn't that just change everything to know a little bit about those kids?! We thought we were changed when we just saw their faces last year. But now, to know about them, to hear what they like and what they are like, it just cuts into your heart. They need us. They need us to love them enough to pray for them and to care for them.

While you are busy praying, perhaps you might also pray for Annie. This young woman has left her family and is now committed to working with her country's orphans. She lives and works with those kids and is also working to become a facilitator with our agency for families coming to China for adoption. She is quiet, smart, dedicated, passionate and has a deep love for Lord. When we think back on our China experience, Annie is one of the things we are most thankful for!

Knitting Project Update

Just as an update,

the Knitting Nights were all a success! In total we had 3 nights of Knitting Mania . . . the first night we had over 30 boys, girls, men & women come and knit. Some were confident knitters, others had never held needles and a ball of yarn. There was lots of teaching and helping and knitting and fun. It was such an amazing night!

After our first Knitting Night the scarves began rolling in.  Soon we had over 40 scarves and a place to send them! Our agency, All God's Children, "adopted" an orphanage in Beijing that is home to many mixed-race or special-need children who are considered "unadoptable". Our agency is working with this orphanage to provide for their needs and to encourage them. It was just the place to send our scarves! We were told they would need 45 scarves so that each boy and girl and worker could receive one. We packaged them up, and with the help of our agency, sent them across the ocean to China! Such love and prayers went with those scarves . . . it was such an exciting day to send them off!

Just a few weeks later we received a phone call from our adoption coordinator, Kristen. "Karen, go check your email!" Kristen said into the phone. We hopped on the internet, and there in my email were pictures from the orphanage. God had orchestrated for someone to be there with a digital camera the day the scarves arrived! You cannot imagine that tears and smiles the emerged as we looked at those precious faces wearing our scarves! We recognized specific scarves made by specific people (including ourselves!), and it was such a thrill! But the best part of the pictures was that now we had faces to go with our prayers. We could look at these faces and pray for them specifically . . . such an amazing thing!

2-11-05: The Knitting Project

Well, we have continued to pursue all of our paperwork, and we are happy to report that our two Social Worker visits are scheduled in order to complete the Homestudy! We will be meeting with our Social Worker on the next two Thursdays - February 17 and February 24. After we are finished with our visits, she expects to complete writing our Homestudy by the first week of March! Yippee! This is hugely important to us, because once our Homestudy is complete we can send it to the US Immigration Department (USCIS) for processing. We must request from the USCIS to bring in an Immigrant Orphan into the US. We have heard horror stories of how long it can take the Immigration Dept. to process this request, so the sooner we submit, the better. All of that is to say, we completely understand that the timing is out of our control. We are constantly reminded that God knows exactly who our little girl is, and when she will be ready for us to come get her. BUT, we are still parents, and we long with all our hearts to get her NOW! :) So we are working on our end, waiting for others to finish their parts, and trusting God minute by minute for our future and our little girl's future.

And while we are working and waiting, we have been learning tons about the Chinese culture and also about the desperate conditions of many of the Chinese orphans. We have spent many hours as a family talking about life in orphanages, imagining what it must be like, and praying for those millions of girls who grow up without families.

These stores have really touched a chord in Kelsey's heart. For a nine-year-old, she is incredibly sweet and sensitive, and the thought of all these girls has moved her into action . . .

One day we were driving around town talking about the orphanages when Kelsey asked, "Mom, do you think those girls ever celebrate their birthdays? Do you think they get a present or even a party?" Sadly, I answered that I imagined that they did not receive parties and presents, that those things were not essential to their living.  They were treats that while we expect them, they probably don't even know about. Kelsey just could not fathom that. No presents? No gifts that were given from a heart of love? She just couldn't accept this. So, she came up with idea.

Kelsey learned to knit this winter, and has already made a scarf or two. She decided that she would knit scarves for us to distribute to older orphans in China. She wants to give them a gift that is hand-made and given from the heart. But she is not going to do this alone . . . she has enlisted the help of all her little friends and then some! She called up our Youth Pastor and asked permission to make an announcement to the Jr Hi and High School Groups. And she did. She told them the plight of the millions of Chinese orphans. She explained to them that while they knit a scarf, they could be praying for the little girl who will one day receive this gift. She showed them the scarves she has knitted. And she asked them to join her! So, in two weeks we are going to have a Knitting Night at church where we teach whoever is interested in making scarves. One Jr. Higher asked what we would do if we had more than a suitcase full to take. I smiled and said we would do whatever it takes - as many scarves as we receive, we will find a way to distribute. We are also finding ways for the kids to earn money so that we can take their donations to China with us and assess what the greatest need at the orphanage is. Then we will use their money to purchase those items so that they will be useful and delightful! All this from the mind of our sweet nine-year-old! Isn't God good?! Isn't He creative?!

Our lives are certainly changing. Not only will we become the parents of a toddler, not only will we become a family of five - but we feel as though our entire future has changed. There is an entire country full of abandoned little girls, and we feel compelled and called by God to do something about that! Who knows what God will ask us to do besides knit scarves and bring one of those precious girls into our family?! We don't know yet what else God might ask, but He is changing our hearts daily so that we will be able and willing to say, "Yes Lord!"