[[If this is your first time reading my blog, don't spoil it for yourself. Go to the end of this page, click on "older posts" and read our story from the beginning!:)]]
For the next four days our team was blessed to engage in several different ministries and outreaches. We fellowshipped with house churches in the area, played with darling children, and tried our best to spread God's love around to everyone we encountered. Our time drew to an end and in what seemed an instant, it was the fourth day. The next day would be the finale of our time in Banciao and we all planned to go sightseeing with our new friends we had met. It was getting late in the evening as my heart pounded heavily in my chest with a burning compulsion-- "Ask about the orphanage. ASK!"
Finally, I awkwardly asked Linda if I could speak to someone at the orphanage on the phone just to get more information. I hated to change the subject, I told her, but I didn't want to miss a divine appointment God may have for me. She smiled her lovely, warm smile, and picked up the phone. She gently warned me that the orphanage was a trip of about 4 or 5 hours North--one I could not go alone. However, the college students all wanted to see the city. I reassured her that I had to at least speak to someone on the phone about it, but I did not necessarily intend to travel there. She called the orphanage and spoke in Chinese for what seemed like an eternity. Then, to my disappointment, she hung up! I was completely confused as I waited, holding my breath.
"Well," she slowly began,"like I said before, I don't know that I believe in dreams, but God is up to something because He just worked a miracle for you, young lady!"
"W-What is it?"
"For ten years I have tried to get a hold of those people--they are wonderful people of God--but with all those children they are always SO busy. I have not been able to get any of their time. Yet you are here for ONE more day and God has arranged for you to meet them!"
I almost lost my composure, but maintained it long enough to hang onto every word that followed. She told me that the people who ran the home would be in our local area TOMORROW. They would have two American couples with them along with their adoptive babies in order to take them all shopping and sight-seeing before they returned to the US. They had offered to meet me at the shopping center and let me ride in the van with them to the orphanage. I would need to find my own transportation back. Ted(the director of the orphanage) could take me to a bus stop on scooter. I would need to ride the bus to the subway station and take the train to Banciao, then walk or take a taxi to the apartment.
The leader of our team, Andy raised an eyebrow. "You want her to travel across Taiwan by herself?" Linda reassured him that I would be safe as Taiwanese are more than accommodating to Americans. I told her I needed to speak with Andy and I would also need to call my husband. I told Andy about the dream. He assured me that he trusted me and agreed to let me go.
Around 8:00PM Taiwan time, on a skype phone, I called Brandon, praying I could reach him despite the 12 hour time difference. He answered. I told him through excited tears all that had transpired. Then I told him I would not go unless he was okay with it. He expressed concern for my traveling alone, but said he felt it was God-ordained. He didn't want me to wonder what may have happened had I taken the chance. Then I told him my next concern. "I don't know what I may find there. I don't know if they have babies or if I can start the process, but I can't get the dream out of my head. If I see a baby there, I might want to bring him or her home. That's probably not possible right away, but I don't know what to expect. I know we discussed maybe adopting someday after having a child naturally. I won't go unless you are 110% on board with the idea. I will only gone if you feel you could be ready to adopt a baby." I paused.
"Baby," he said(I will never forget it), "Go get our baby." More tears--inexpressible joy and peace surrounded me. The feeling was similar to when I had the dream, when I read the email from Linda prior to going, and when she and I first spoke of the orphanage. God was present.
The next day I met Ted, Janie and Matt with their sixth-month old son, and Kayte and Darren with their four-month old son. I told them about the dream, the invitation to Taiwan, and Linda. On the three hour trip I asked lots of questions. I was again floored when I asked where they were all from because Janie answered that they lived in Miami, Florida. Of all the 50 states they could have been from, they were from mine! I inquired about what I should do next when I returned home. Kayte told me I needed to get a home study completed. Janie chimed in, "I can give you our social worker's contact who did ours. She was wonderful, she loves God, and her agency is already familiar with this orphanage." Kayte informed me that the home study cost them around $1500. Janie added that their's was closer to $1400, then additional for the social worker's travel expenses. "Where is your social worker located?" I asked. (I had not shared where in Florida I lived except that it wasn't far from Disney.) "She lives in a city called...uhhh, what was it, Honey? Oh yeah--Tampa." I laughed and explained that I lived 30-40 minutes south of Tampa. God works out every detail.
In what seemed like a short time, we arrived at the orphanage. It was a large house tucked away in the mountains with trees as far as I could see behind it. The scenery was breath-taking. We walked into the house and my heart dropped to the floor. There before me with 3 ladies laughing and talking--each holding a baby or two were eight babies in carseats--some slept while others cried with wet diapers. I wasn't there for 60 seconds before I had a baby in my arms. Ted introduced me to his wife Bev who nodded as she fed a baby a bottle in one arm and burped another lying on her lap.
I introduced myself and (between feeding babies and changing diapers)told the story of how God brought me to the orphanage. "Well," Bev responded, "I don't know much about dreams, (I smiled) but you had better write it all down." She proceeded to ask me about mine and Brandon's faith. "That," she explained,"is the first requirement for prospective parents." I asked about the process and she told me I would need to fill out an application and email it after I returned home. "Then you will go on a waiting list." "How long is it?" I asked, concerned I had misread God's plan. "Well, that depends...on two things," she started. "First, do you have any other children?" I shook my head. "Okay, do you have any fertility problems--that keep you from being able to get pregnant?" "Yes," I continued, "I have been under the care of an endocrinologist for 3 years for fertility treatment. It is not impossible for me to get pregnant, as far as I know--just very very difficult." "That's good enough for us," Bev smiled."If you meet those two requirements, you move to the top of the list." Next I asked about the cost. When Brandon and I had previously checked into China adoptions out of curiosity we learned it costs around $27,000. I braced myself to believe in faith that God would provide. "We don't charge." She said simply. "What do you mean? You don't charge?" I asked, confused. "God has always provided for all our needs through donations. We don't think families should have to pay to give our children loving homes." I was dumbstruck once again. She reminded me that there are fees in the states that we will have to pay for a home study, immigration papers, and for plane tickets to go bring our baby home.
You see, when you want something very badly and you ask God for it believing He wants you to have it, but then do not receive it(at least not in the timing or in the way you think you should) you sometimes start to doubt that He's listening; or that He cares. He did not "make" my womb barren to punish me or teach me a lesson. He knew a long time ago that in order for me to navigate the path to the child He had for us, He needed to line up the specific details. He did and He is--in every area of our lives when we choose to walk into what He has for us. Now back to the story...
I spent 3 hours with Bev and the babies that day, then enjoyed a lovely dinner with about 30 or 40 other children ages 5-18. Every baby was spoken for--had a home their were waiting to go to. The orphanage chooses not to adopt out older children to American families anymore because they have witnessed, over many years, that they fair better in the setting of the orphanage. They are like one big family and have several loving people there, in their own country and culture to nurture them. Believe me, I wanted to take them home with me as well.
Late that night, Ted took me to the station on scooter to catch a bus to the city. Even in these fine details, God provided. I made it to the subway station and took it to Banciao. I used a business card Linda had given me and hand motions to explain to a taxi-driver where I needed to go. He dropped me off in the wrong place, but several young people who spoke very little to no English literally pointed me in the direction of the apartment. Around 11:30PM or midnight, I made it back to a somewhat worried Linda and told her of my adventure.
The next day my team and I flew to Kinmen, and island that lays a mile from China's shoreline. Over the next 2-3 weeks I met some amazing young people--students at the university there. Along with them, I helped teach at an English camp. God stretched my faith and encouraged my heart as my joy bubbled over. I still did not know for sure all that God had in store. To be honest, I still did not know if God had a baby for me in Taiwan, but I knew He was working--and that was enough.
Precious Friends
