Oh man, what an eventful day we've had!  God got us safely to Luoyang despite the morning traffic rush.  Of course, I haven't seen any difference in the traffic at any time - morning, noon or night!  There are always cars, buses, people walking, mopeds and bicycles in constant motion.  It is hysterical and somewhat frightening at the same time to watch the chaos...it's like a good game of Frogger!  :-)  May the fastest one win!

The passport office was crowded but we were in and out in no time.  We should receive Joshua's passport in a couple of days.  Then it was off to the orphanage.  He had fallen asleep on the way there, so part of the time we were in there he was asleep in my arms.  We were able to see the room he was in, the nannies that took care of him, and the crib that he and another little one shared.  It was naptime, and all the children were on the floor sleeping in a nice, neat little row.  I'm thankful to have in my mind the picture of where he was.  I know these people take care of these children the best they can with what they have.  The nannies seemed to love him and were happy to see him again.  The other couple that was with us, Stephen and Jennifer, were able to meet their son's nannies and see his room, too.  The orphanage director was very gracious and wanted to take us out to lunch.  We headed down the road to a nice restaurant and ate, and ate, and ate...  Everytime I was just about to call it quits, the waitress would come in with yet another dish.  It was all very good, and we didn't want to be rude and not eat what was brought in, but we were all miserable when we left!  The good thing is that it's mostly vegetables and meat, so it's not too terribly bad, right?!?!  Then it was on to the next stop...

Their finding places.  Most children are abandoned somewhere and the police then take them to an orphanage.  Stephen and Jennifer's son was left at the entrance to a park.  We rode by there and got their picture taken - no longer a picture of a little baby abandoned at a park, but a picture that is now complete with a mom and a dad who love this little boy very much.  Then we headed off to Joshua's finding place.  He was left in the dermatology ward of a hospital.  We didn't go inside, we just stood outside and looked around, trying to soak up all the questions wandering around in my head at that moment.  It's something I can't comprehend, but wonder what God will bring from something that seems so hopeless and senseless.

Ok, I know some of you are really wanting to know about my earlier post.  We're not bringing home more than one child or anything like that!  This past Monday, God gave us the gift of Joshua.  Throughout last night and today, He gift wrapped this package so beautifully that I'm still trying to process His goodness!  Now you know that I give tons of details when I tell something - but you are going to have to hang in there with me on this one...

This journey started for us 4 years ago.  It was shortly after Steven Curtis Chapman's daughter was killed in a tragic accident.  She was adopted from China, and was five years old at the time of her death.  After that, I was constantly checking Steven's website for updates, finding out how I could pray for their family.  I had so much emotion over their situation, so I kept going back to his site every couple of days.  The website has a link to lots of adoption information, so out of "curiosity" one day I clicked on it.  A couple months later I ordered an information packet from an adoption agency - still just "curiosity."  Little did I know God was going to light a spark that would lead to the events of these last few days.  After Maria's passing, their family worked together with the Chinese government to build "Maria's Big House of Hope."  It's a place where children are sent for various reasons - they need to be adopted, they have special needs that can be met there, and there are even children there who are terminally ill.  I've followed the information about it for a while, and Chad and I are monthly sponsors of their ministry.  When we found out about Joshua and where he was from, that his orphanage is in Luoyang, I remembered that Maria's Big House is in Luoyang, too!  I had hoped that maybe we would be able to visit there if at all possible, simply because of the significance that their tragedy has had on our family.  I had asked the adoption agency about that, and they said we should be able to arrange a visit. 

Stephen and Jennifer also wanted to go, because their son had lived at Maria's Big House for a while because of a special need.  Since we had to go to Luoyang today for the passport application, Stephen had been in touch with Cathy, a Show Hope worker to arrange a visit.  They wanted to take their son to show the people there what God had done, and thank them for their care of him.  He emailed the lady and told her that another couple wanted to go with them.  She told him to ask what our child's name and birthdate was, that she would check to see if maybe he had ever been there.  I gave him the information, but just knew that Joshua had never lived there.  Last night right before 10:00, Jennifer emailed me and said I would not believe it, but Cathy had emailed her back and said that Joshua WAS in Maria's Big House...he had lived there for about 9 months!  I could not believe it - we were never told that.  And remember his "special" need - an extra thumb on his right hand - he had surgery at Maria's Big House and the thumb was removed by a doctor from Vanderbuilt that was there on a mission trip!  When we saw him for the first time on Monday, we certainly noticed it was gone, but had no idea when it had been removed.  All of the nannies there remembered him as soon as they saw him.  They were so happy to see him and to see that he is being adopted to a family.  We were able to see the room he stayed in as well as the crib he slept in.  It is such a beautiful place - very bright and colorful all throughout.  I was so thankful he had been in a place like Maria's Big House.  I had been thinking that we would never know what the last two years had been like for him.  Cathy emailed me a link to a blog that Joshua had actually been mentioned in!  I went on it and saw a couple of pictures of him actually getting the surgery done!  We were able to talk with one of the doctors there who knew about Joshua's surgery.  And the director got our contact information so she could send us pictures they took of him while he stayed there.  We will get his records and x-rays of his hand, all the information about his stay there.  That was such good news to this mama's heart, and more proof to me of God's intricate detail in each of our lives. 

These details in our story - the fact that out of the Chapman's pain came our walk along this journey...that our child stayed in this place of love, hope and care...the place that was born from their tragic loss...that He placed us in a travel group with Stephen and Jennifer - otherwise I probably never would have known all of this...Also, when the children are at Maria's they are given an English name.  Zan Bo had been given the name James - which I have spent so much time in the book of James the last few months - it's where God led us so beautifully to our fundraiser that helped us get here..."Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..."

As I stood there today looking at the faces of so many children - "the least of these," - I was overcome with emotion and had to leave the room for a minute.  I'm so grateful that God has given me these pieces to the puzzle of the life of my son.  I pray that I will be more concerned for those who need to be cared for and loved.  These children deserve a home - a mom and a dad who will love them and care for them, regardless of any special need the world wants to throw them away for.  Because of this day, I will never be the same.  I'm more convinced than ever that the Master Weaver is weaving a beautiful tapestry in each of us.  One by one, the threads seem so ordinary and  unfinished.  But when His work is complete, how beautiful we will be, a display of His splendor!

Joshua's orphanage

Outside of the hospital where he was found

Maria's Big House of Hope

Operating room where Joshua's surgery was performed

Abby, one of the awesome workers at MBHOH

The room where Joshua stayed, all the nannies and caregivers

His bed

I am so smitten with this face!