10 Days in China: Returning with Stories of Those Who Wait
Our first Storyteller Missions team to China in 2015 provided the latest update from their trip to the Shaanxi province as they wrap up this important trip. They have stepped into the stories of many children who wait for families, have heard their stories, and took photos and video. We are excited to begin hearing the stories of those we would otherwise not hear. Then we become Storytellers so that others will hear and God can merge the stories of orphans with their forever families.
If you would like to Be A Storyteller on a mission trip in 2015, we encourage you to check out all of the 2015 trips (and some 2016!) on our Storyteller Missions page. Find a trip, ask friends to join you, and Be A Storyteller in 2015!
We concluded our time at location #2 with dinner hosted by two Directors from the orphanage. We laughed together and toasted (with water) to unending friendship and working our best for the children we serve. By all outward appearances we could nod in satisfaction at a job well done.
But it isn't done.
In fact, our work has just begun.
We have dozens of pages of notes, hundreds of photos and videos and memories to share. There are children waiting for their parents, and we must find them quickly.
I will be very candid here. My time with the 13-year old boy who could not speak or hear and the 17-year old orphaned girl was my breaking point. As we left that day I about sprinted to the bus so that my tears were hidden from others.
Yesterday, the 17-year old girl stayed home from school because she “wasn't feeling well.” She found me early in the morning and said in broken English, “I saw the tears in your eyes yesterday when you were on the bus. I know your secret.” She grinned so sweetly that I could hardly hold back tears again. Please know I've seen the plight of orphans many times, even in China, so it wasn't the new shock that some experience causing such deep sorrow. It is the weight of knowing that time keeps ticking for the older ones.
We MUST find families and we must do it QUICKLY. Time is running out.
Oh the moments that seem to last a lifetime.
“It is because you are so important.” I said. Then, through our translator I tried to explain that we want to help find families. I also said that we want to find the *best* families, too. Our 13 year old friend needs a family who knows both sign language and Chinese.
Her response? “I had a friend who was adopted and learned English just fine.”
She was convincing me that a family is best case scenario, not a perfect family.
Our time here has been full. We met every child on our list and several more were added.
But our mission? It is far from over. Thankfully, we can rest in the promise that He who began a good work will see it to completion.
“Father, see those children to completion by allowing them to experience the redemptive story of adoption, both in their hearts and in forever families. We trust you with their future. May we all answer the call to respond. “
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