I am an adopted child. My adoptive Chinese parents chose to love me.
At a very early age it was put upon my heart to adopt a baby girl from China (before The China Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA) opened it’s doors)*. I wanted to give the gift of love to someone who was of my cultural background. For her, to be “my Chinese eyes”……a reflection of my heart. In 2007, my family and I welcomed my adopted daughter into our home. After establishing life her first four years with us in America we heeded the call to love on the people of China.
My family and I have been blessed by building relationships with orphans in Beijing and Tianjin. After four years of living in China, I have become even more fond of Chinese orphans. I have internalized how the orphans live life here in Tianjin. For those orphans who are adoptable, I am amazed to see how their hearts are prepared to meet their adoptive families. I can relate to what it is like to be given up and then chosen to be loved through adoption. Since adopting my Chinese eyes, I have discovered a specific passion- to help and support the international adoption community. I hope that one day I can help adoptive families domestically adopting in China. Until then, my heart longs to be connected with families along different seasons of the adoption process…….or their “paper pregnancies” as I like to call it.
Besides my family, the adoption community is my favorite people group in the world. I care very much about the growth and development of adoptive families. Therefore, I would like to share some resources with you. I have created these along the journey of parenthood. Below, in pink, these resources are clickable and downloadable if you would like to try them out with your family. I have found that these activities have helped me along life’s journey of love to enrichen relationships within my family. These activities have been organized with the emphasis of focusing on the “how” of growing together. I hope it helps to foster the development of ping pong relationships in a positive environment. Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy! May they be a rich resource for you and your relationships!
~There is nothing more precious than the gift of family.~
*established on June 24, 1996[1] by China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs. The CCAA is responsible for the welfare of children in the care of Child Welfare Institutes (orphanages), domestic adoption, and international adoption.[2] www.wikipedia.com