Friday. Orphanage visit

We visited Sarah's orphanage on Friday. I've thought for months about that visit. I've thought for months about what I would and wouldn't write about it. Now that we have had the visit I'm still not sure. I still need time to process it all. I'm not going to talk about details here. If you are interested I will share some details privately. This is part of Sarah's story. And it is her story. She deserves some privacy. But let me say this. For a year I have been staring at a picture if a little girl. A little girl who is not just a picture. She is a living breathing beautiful creation of God. For months I have seen pictures of the other waiting children at her orphanage and as they ran up to the gate yesterday I recognized them. I knew their names. At least the names they have been assigned. And it is overwhelming. One day I will share more but not today. 

The highlight of the day for me was getting to see two beautiful children who are coming home soon. I was able to hold them and love them and pray over them. I'm so thankful they will be coming home soon. I'm thankful I was able to pass on pictures to their parents. It was so comforting to me when I was waiting to know someone had held her. 

Sarah did ok on our trip. She was a trooper while we drove there. It was a 5 hour one way trip. She was a champion travelers. Of course there are no car seats in china so she had the run of the back seat.

Once we got out of the city we saw lots of the Chinese country side. There were fields of crops and houses. There were beautiful mountains in the background. Every now and then I would see a lone person working in the field. It was such a reminder of what a huge world this is. I'm one small person living in Madison Mississippi and he is one small person working a rice fiels in rural china. And yet Jesus loves us all the same. And I wonder how he will know Jesus! 

 Once we got to the orphanage she held on to us . The director fed us a snack and of course Sarah loved that. She was completely silent though. We let the nannies hold her and she went to one willingly. They were very nice. We saw her bed which already had someone else I it. We saw the playroom where most of the pictures we have of her are taken. It was much smaller than I thought. We walked back downstairs and waited for our guide to catch up to us. At that point Sarah was ready to go. She kept reaching for the door. We went outside and took some pictures and she kept pointing at the van. She was ready to go. She waved goodbye as we drove off. 

Below are some pictures but they are mostly of the van ride. We weren't allowed to take any pictures inside. I wouldn't post them anyway. 

I will close with this though. There are almost 100 kids in that orphanage. They are real. They have names and they need to know they have a savior. My heart is broken for them. Pray for them. Even if you don't know their faces and names. And know there are millions more all over the world. 

Having a snack on the van. 

The front of the orphanage. 

Just chillin on the way back. 

We also had our first experience with squatty potties!  I had see and used them before in Japan but it's safe to say my 12 year old was mortified. We stopped at a gas station so I could change Sarah and Jenny needed to go also. She changed her mind quickly!  On the way back she really had to go so we stopped at a hospital. Only squatty potties. I gave her a few pointers and in she went. Hilarious!  We were walking out and I told her. You could be in algebra but instead you just used a squatty potty in a hospital in china. She just laughed. 

All in all it was an exhausting day that we are so glad we had. We are glad our sweet baby fell asleep in my arms with food in her hands.