One of the many things I am thankful for is being to get in contact and 'meet' the family who hosted Annika in July 2015. They live in Connecticut and hosted her for 4.5 weeks. People have asked us along this journey what does 'hosting' mean. Hosting is where you open your home for a few weeks to months to a child from another country to come spend time with your family. For all orphans, the purpose of this is to allow them the opportunity to experience a family setting, to have opportunities that they aren't able to get in their orphanages. For many, it's the opportunity for a family to do that and more.... to advocate to their circle of friends and family for that child. In Annika's case, the host family wasn't looking to adopt at that time, but they willingly took her into their home for that summer and advocated finding her a forever family. The Lord had his hand in Annika's journey every step of the way. We were not searching at that time to adopt. We were happily going about our lives as a family of 5. But, there was another family who had recently adopted a little girl from China, making them a happy family of 5, but then they came across the photo of a little boy who would later be named Jack. This family made the impromptu decision over a weekend in July 2015 to make a drive from Tennessee to Connecticut to take advantage of the opportunity to meet Jack face to face. While there, they learned of a little girl names Yang Ao Fang who was also looking for a forever home and has a very close relationship with Jack. The family felt the Lord calling them to pursue adopting Jack and from that moment on, their hearts were in constant prayer for a family for Yang Ao Fang. At the end of that 4.5 weeks in CT, both Jack and Yang Ao Fang along with several other children from China made their journey back to China.... Jack had a family promised to him and Yang Ao Fang continued to wait for hers. In early February 2016, I came across Yang Ao Fang's profile on www.Rainbowkids.com and inquired about her. On February 13th, 2016, our family said yes to her and began our adoption journey. About a month later, I would be welcomed into an online group of the orphanage where Yang Ao Fang and Jack are from and it was there that I 'met' Jack's family. In April 2016, just a WEEK before they were to leave to get their new son, Jack's family learned their prayers had already been answered that WE are Yang Ao Fang's family. In April of this year, Yang Ao Fang had to say goodbye to one of her best buds when Jack was adopted by his forever family. I can only imagine the sadness and heartache a little child must feel to see your friends one by one be adopted out and yet, you remain. In this journey, the Lord has been gracious to allow us to be in contact with Annika's host family and with the family who adopted Jack. God's hand in this journey continues to amaze me and leave me in AWE of HIS goodness! Yang Ao Fang will very soon carry the name Annika Faith Fang Sappington. She is no longer an orphan. And just as our Heavenly Father has blessed us with getting to 'meet' the host family and Jack's family and form a relationship.... Annika has no idea that her goodbye to her host family and her goodbye to Jack was not for forever. The relationships she formed in the past will continue when she joins our family. I cannot wait to see her face as she grows to realize that we are forever her family and she is surrounded by loved ones both old and new. Her host family and Jack.... they are a part of her story..... and I am so blessed to be front row in her life and see all the Lord has been weaving in her story from the past and I am excited for her future in the Lord.... the best is yet to come.
Annika when she was with her host family in July 2015.
Jack and Annika... always together
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