Oh, I have so much to write! Since I last updated you all, so much has happened. On Wednesday morning we traveled 2+ hours from Changsha to Yueyang and visited Charis' orphanage. The children were home for lunch so we got to see all of Charis' friends. These are the children she has grown up with...really they have been her brothers and sisters. I have many pictures, but our computer's battery charger got fried at our hotel in Yueyang (power surge). I am on the hotel computer in Changsha writing now. Anyway, we got to see where the infants are cared for...there were 8 little ones snuggled in their beds sleeping or falling asleep...they had just been fed and tended to and seemed very content. They were beautiful!! One little one had a cleft lip. I don't know if any others had special needs but they all need mommies and daddies. The nannies do a great job. They genuinely care for th e children and they do whatever they can to provide what is needed. After seeing the baby room, we walked across the alley to the building where the older children live as well as some elderly. As you enter the gate, you walk into a large square courtyard which has a pretty tree in the center. On the far side of the courtyard is the dining hall and maybe a playroom (the kids have a t.v.). If you exit the outer door from this room you can swing around to the "backyard" if you will where there are some swings and such. Upstairs are all the bedrooms. We got to see where Charis' room was as well as her bed. The kids were so happy to see Charis and they were so proud of themselves. They all wanted to be in the video footage we were taking and they posed readily for pictures. They all seemed to have some kind of special need. There were about 7-8 children between 7 and 10 years old. Not all of them are up for adoption but we would have taken them all if we could ha ve. When I am able I will post pictures. Some of the neatest things we got to do during this time was deliver gifts to 2 children whose parents will be coming for them soon...Jeremy and Yue Ying Hong. We took many pictures of these boys...they are adorable and they were so excited to receive gifts from their soon to be families. The orphanage's assistant director took time herself to read the letter that Yue Ying Hong's mom had written him. He listened to every word. And although Jeremy doesn't have hands, he held his present with pride and anxiously waited for the nanny to open it for him. What a privilege to meet these children...all of them. After a brief visit we were treated to lunch at a nearby restaurant. We spent this time with 4 of the orphanage staff. They asked us questions about what Charis' life would be like in America and we got to ask them questions about her life in the orphanage. ; This was a wonderful time. After lunch was what Charis was most excited about...she got to take us to her school. I had found out from the Patel's who recently adopted Amira that the kids walk about 10 minutes to their school, so I asked if we could drive back to the orphanage and make this walk instead of drive to the school. They said yes and I am so thankful. I will post pictures and you will all be amazed at where these children must walk to get themselves to and from school. Most of us would not want our children making this journey, especially on their own, but it does seem that the people who live and work along the path know the children and as far as we could tell, it is safe. The kids at the school were so excited to see Americans...especially one tall American man that you all know! Scott was a hit. He was swarmed and the children wanted to touch him and have their picture taken with him. In Charis' classroom the children sang a song for us and did some recitations and got to say goodbye to Charis. It was hard for her. She ran out of the room a couple times. But before we left she took the opportunity to stand in front of the class and tell them she loved them and would remember them forever...heartbreaking to watch. We spent the night in Yueyang and this morning we toured a beautiful island there. We spent 3-4 hours walking and talking. This was the perfect time for us to talk to Charis about the meaning of her English name. She really liked it and we are calling her Charis now...although she doesn't always realize we are talking to her! She also learned that we have a dog...she is excited about that! She wants us to get another one! After our tour we had to drive back through Yueyang (right by the orphanage). WHen Charis saw where we were, she asked if we could stop by one more time to say goodbye. We did and waht a treat that was! Yesterday was a plannewd visit...this one was unexpected and so much fun!! The children screamed Charis' Chinese name when they saw her and they ran around the orphanage for about 10 minutes...we couldn't keep track of them. I think this is what lunch/recess must be like every day. We got to see the orphanage schoolroom and meet the orphanage teacher and we got to meet a 15 year old boy who has not been adopted. He is amazing and is truly like a big brother to all these children. He has a very kind heart, a big smile and many goals for his life. He wrote a famous Chinese poem for Charis to take home in Chinese calligraphy. It is very beautiful and very special. I am so glad we go to meet him. We got many more pictures of Jeremy and Yue Ying Hong and all the children. Then we had to leave...this was very hard. Charis never cried (Chinese are very stoic), but she was obviously saddened. I cried for her as did Scott. I held her and told her I loved her and was sp rpid of her. She just let me hold her. Then she loudly proclaimed she was hungry!! Okay...time for lunch! This is where our day became eventful. Shortly after we left Yueyang, our van broke down. No big deal, right? Well, 5 hours later we finally climbed into another van and were driven the 2+ hours back here to Changsha. We spent the afternoon on the side of a road somewhere in the middle of Hunan Province...the police here are for enforcement only, not assistance, so literally, maybe 100 police cars passed by without one stopping. No one stopped. They just sped by...and I mean sped. It was crazy! We have a wonderful driver and I thank God for him. He felt like something might be wrong with the car so he pulled over at a little cut out in the road. While we were there, the car broke down! This is the hand of God protecting us...I know it. If we were 25 feet further down the road, we would have been in such a dangerous place. This wasn't the safest place, but at least we were able to pull completely off the road. Driving in China is an experience! People drive wherever they want. You can't imagine it. They drive in the birms, they drive in oncoming traffic, they drive between two lanes, they drive fast! Lots of cars, lots of bikes, lots of mopeds, lots of honking, lots of traffic, lots of chaos, but amazingly, no accidents. We are safe and in our hotel in Changsha again and tomorrow we fly to Guangzhou. What a memory! We have spent almost a week here and we have a week to go. Pray for us. We know the Lord is watching over us and is taking care of us. But we are ready to see our children and be with our friends and family again. We miss everyone. Charis said today she is ready to go to America to meet her big brother and little sister right now. We are ready for that, too. We love you all and thank you for your many prayers. Psalm 91 is certainly fitting.
