I thought I’d post a few pictures of Eliza’s gotcha day since we have been so busy, and I am getting behind on posting our photos.
When we walked into the Civil Affairs Office, Eliza was already there waiting for us with Ms. Zhong. Meeting Eliza was a totally different experience than meeting Evangeline. Eliza was ready. She was smiling and eager. She had a back pack full of pictures, an extra outfit and gifts for us and her new sister.
I immediately had the feeling she had waited for this day for a very long time, for far too long.
She had seen almost every older friend leave to be with their families. Ms. Zhong told us that since she skyped with us, she has been telling the children, “My Baba has a sense of humor!”
Indeed, Eliza, he does have a sense of humor, and he loves you very much!
Eliza is incredibly sweet. She seems very demure, and very much like a little girl. She seems as emotionally young as Evangeline even though she is bigger in stature. Although, by American standards, she is still quite small. I think she is about the size of our Steven, who is ten.
There were no tears on gotcha day, and no hug from Ms. Zhong, just a pat on the back and a few soft spoken words I did not understand.
Eliza walked out of the Civil Affairs Office holding her new sister’s hand, with the demeanor of a child who knew this was what she had waited for all of her life.
Things have gone really well since then. The girls chat some, and are eating well. They laugh with Baba and seem to like a lot of affection from me. They are sleeping with me in the king size bed. They are thrilled with that arrangement, like giddy little school girls. Their faces radiate pure joy when we all get in bed, pray and say, Wo ai ni (I love you).
Last night we went to see the Dexter’s from The Pearl River Diaries. They are a precious family who has moved to Guangzhou and live on the Pearl River. They have a wonderful ministry of evangelism here with the local people. We had a wonderful dinner with them and sang the hymn, Great is Thy Faithfulness together. How wonderful it is to remember how God has provided to bring the girls home! He is faithful indeed!
We also had the privilege of meeting the Barcrofts. They are here in China as well and have adopted two older girls. I was touched with how good God is to us to enable these three families from all over the globe to gather and fellowship as dear friends in Christ. What a blessing that was to us!
Joy Dexter was able to take the four girls in another room and share the Gospel story with them in their own language. That was an answer to prayer for us. We have prayed that the girls would be able to hear the gospel in their mother tongue before they came to the states for several reasons. One, because the language barrier will be an issue in the states for quite some time, but also because I wanted them to understand that Jesus came for the whole world, for the People of China too, not just the people of America.
Joy was also able to share a little about our hearts for adoption and how it relates to the Gospel as we are all adopted into Christ’s family.
The girls are far from understanding Christ’s love for them, but Joy was able to plant a seed that we are certain God will grow in time.
Evangeline’s foot is healing, and we are so blessed to watch the girls settle into life with us.
Mark and I are very eager to get home and see the kids. They are doing well, but are beginning to really miss us. We have another week to go. Pray for my parents and Mark’s father as well. They are home with our children and doing a wonderful job, but it is quite demanding and exhausting for them as well.
Blessings!
what an awesome testimony to Christ’s love for us. hoping all good things for your family!
Diane, I just love the fact that Joy witnessed to the girls. I too was hoping Johanna could hear the gospel or at least be exposed to Christ while in China. We did attend church on Shamien Island and while I understood NOTHING 🙂 she soaked it all in.
Thinking of you, praying for you, knowing how homesick for your babies back home you must be. Not too much longer now!
This is so, so, so precious! So thankful for your lives and for these girls to have such wonderful parents! Praying for you…
Stacey recently posted..Can you help?
Oh wow!!! How wonderful that the girls were able to hear the gospel in Chinese!!! I am certain you are right! A seed has been planted! Praise the Lord! I am tickled to see you with the Barcrofts. I helped sweet Sarah to advocate for “Ruby”!!! Bless you Diane for keeping up with the blog! It just fills my heart to see your girls with the family that they have waited for, for so, so long!!!! I prayed so hard for sweet Evangeline!!! God is just SO great!
That is such a heart-warming story — what sweet little girls! What a blessing they will be to your family!
I, too, think it’s wonderful that your girls got to hear the Gospel message in their language! I got goose bumps when I read that! What a blessing for all of you!
love getting your updates and seeing the pictures!!! God has givn these precious girls life thru you as you have walked in obedience!! God bless your growing family!!!
What a wonderful idea to have them hear the gospel in their native tongue before leaving. I LOVE that!! Praying for your days remaining…Enjoy Ch*na…you will miss it before long when you get home. Promise.
Linny Saunders recently posted..A Bloggy Friend Asked Me….