Our Ordinary, Their Extraordinary

Pause the playlist music to hear the video...

Today is just another ordinary day for me. I've done some laundry, worked on photos, cleaned the house and paid some bills. Even though today is just ordinary to me, it's been extraordinary for others.

The pictures and video above have something in common- children who need hope.

The pictures above were taken during a trip in February to Guatemala. My heart will never forget these beautiful children who found joy in such simple things as having an ice cream cone or hunting Easter eggs for the first time.

To them, these things were extraordinary.

I walked in a stranger with blond hair and a funny Southern accent, but you would have thought they had known me for a long time. They gave immediate hugs (the best I've ever had, the kind that holds on and doesn't let go.) I walked in a stranger and became like family by the time I left. The baby in the pictures is Roberto Cezar, who is being adopted by our good friends, James and Beth, pictured with him. We're walking this road of international adoption together to bring both Roberto home from Guatemala and Maia home from China.

The video is by Bring Me Hope, an organization co-founded by Steve Bolt, an adoptive father to a little Chinese girl. After bringing his little girl home, he felt called to help those orphans in China who are left behind and often forgotten. He wanted to do something to enrich their lives and let them know that they are loved and important and not forgotten.

Many orphans in China have been experiencing the extraordinary this past week at a summer camp that Bring Me Hope leads. They have had a blast - many feeling the love of family for the very first time. Camp time comes and goes, but the memories of fun and someone reaching out and caring for them live on in the hearts of these children. They are all waiting for hope.

These are a few of the comments made by the children who have attended camp this week.

From a volunteer about the child he spent the week with:
"I showed my little buddy the pictures of my four girls and wife. Billy stopped, looked at the picture and then looked at our translator, Andrew, and said "Two Chinese?". Andrew told him how we adopted both of them to give them love. He then said that I was a good person with a big heart to adopt two girls. Billy stopped again and said with a serious but sad face, "Why has nobody adopted me?". There was no way I could hold my tears back so I put my head down to hide them. I heard Andrew tell him that I was praying. I lifted my head and said, "No, I am just sad". Billy could see the tears on my face. He paused and then said, "Don't worry, God has adopted me".

From the kids to us:
"Katie, I’m a boy with few words. I lost my parents when I was young. I never feel the warmth of a family and stay at the orphanage. Though the time we stay together is very short, I have felt the love and warmth. I felt very happy. At last, hope you happy every day." Tom

"I’m sunshine. I am very happy to stay with you and form a family. These days I feel the true love from you. It is like the mother’s love. I will become a good child and go to visit you."

"Dear Uncle, I really appreciate your kindness. It is you that make me feel more love. You also make my life more colorful and meaningful. These several days will be my permanent memory. Thanks a million Uncle. If it was possible, I will return to your kindness and love." Love yours, Zheng Yuanyuan

"I’ve been having a feeling of being happy and having a home! Although we have only a short time together, we learned a lot! For example, we make the “suncatcher” together, we swim together, we play in the waterpark together, we have meals together, etc... All of these have given me a home! You know that we are from the orphanage and we grow up there. So thus, we have no home actually. To be honest, this is the first time I’ve been feeling with family." Yours, Qi


With the recent slow down in China, Vietnam and Guatemala, I fear that some of these children will be left behind because the wait is too long and the paperwork too involved. The countless children are still there, and there are many many more to come. Children all over the world need people to advocate for them and tell the world about their hope for a family and a future.

I stumbled on this video in 2005 while we were deciding to adopt from China. On our journey to Maia site, I spoke of a video in "Our Story" that mentioned the poem, "Dance of the Starfish" and its significance. Today, I stumbled on this video again and wanted to share it with those of you out there who will stumble upon this blog. There are still so many children who are wishing for families. I'm sure there are some of you out there visiting this blog that I don't know, and who knows, maybe you're feeling the call to adopt internationally or domestically. The road is long and often difficult and your shoes will walk many miles, but I wouldn't have missed this for the world, because I know God has chosen the children He wants us to have. If you're searching too, I wish you courage and the faith that God will fulfill the desires of your heart by giving you the desires of His.

God cares for the orphan's plight and longs to give them a hope and future.

Today may be an ordinary day for me, but I know it's extraordinary for those children in China and Guatemala who laughed and danced and played this week - who loved and let their hearts be warmed.

We expect China referral dates to roll this or next week!

The baby in Atlanta is due in three weeks time! The birthmother just reached 37 weeks.