orphanage visit

We just left Yangquan. When we got to the gate of the SWI, Annika got nervous. I'm so thankful our guide was with us and able to tell her and reassure her that she was not staying. We had Maggie ask Annika if she wanted to get out of the van and she said no, so we let her stay. Taking pictures of her finding spot - the gate of the orphanage - was bittersweet. Yangquan is known for its coal. Could she have been a coal miner's daughter? There are apartments next to the SWI.  Was her birth mom living in those apartments when she laid her newborn daughter at the gate? We will never know. 

Jay and Jadyn stayed in the van with Annika while Maggie and I went into the orphanage with the director. I asked if I could take pics and he said just of the main lobby area. So, I did. It didn't look like I was going to get to tour, but I was at least grateful to come this far. Then, the therapy teacher in charge of the first floor happened to come out and saw us standing there and whatever she said to the director, she was happy to come show me around! Maggie translated. To see the places AoFang has been.., places I've seen in pictures and videos.... I was in awe and so thankful for this gift the Lord was giving me! I got to meet, the lady who drives the kid tonand from school. I saw the room she learned her math and abcs when she lived on the first floor / the wall with hers and others artwork. The teacher there gave me a sheet of Ao Fang's handwriting and I was so overcome with emotion and thanked them. Maggie told the teacher and therapy lady that I also know several other families from there, including Hong Fu and MiMi. They got so excited and then carefully took down more artwork and handwriting papers so I could give them to their families. They said that seeing how much it meant to me, they were going to try and prepare school/artwork files in the future for families who come and adopt. I pray that is so because it is a gift I treasure. (By the way- she recognized her handwriting work immediately when I got in the car. She wanted to see all the papers I had and then was done with them. ) 

And I saw the toddler children - mostly boys - all orphans. the caregivers got the curious little ones to say Ni Hao and hello to me. It was the cutest thing - all of them fascinated with me - the foreigner. Right then and there, I prayed for them silently. That they would all know the love of a mom and dad. 

And then we went up to the sixth floor where AoFang has lived the past year or so. To see where she slept on a floor of mostly boys.... a room with a lone bed (usually 2 per room), mostly bare walls....so bare except a few flower stickers, and some bedroom furniture. I saw the library, the place where she does homework.... I thanked and hugged the ladies there. Grateful for this gift they had just given me. And I think, I gave them a gift too to see how much I love AoFang. I showed them pics of her new sister and brothers and the pic of mama, baba and jiejie at adoption day. They seemed very blessed to see that picture and got excited to see she now had a BaBa and family. 

Thank you, Lord, for this gift of seeing where my daughter has been for the past 8 years. I can tell that she does not have pleasant memories there and she is glad to be gone from there. I can tell we will have a long road ahead for her to heal from what has hurt her in the past and shaped her to who this little 8 year old is sitting right next to me. We will walk this journey with her. We will love her, grieve with her when she is ready, listen when she has the words to talk, hold her when she is scared, cheer for her in her victories, and show her what family is and above all, show her Christ's love for her. Yang Ao Fang, my daughter, my Annika. You are chosen and dearly loved... and an orphan no more. Baba and I love you very very much.