Blessings Beyond

This trip has proven to be very different from the last trip here to get Luke. Same homesick feeling for sure though…maybe even worse since I don’t have my girls here with me like last time. Adopting a teenager is way different than a 6 year old. Communication is a much harder thing and much more necessary to form a bond. Aaron has a lot to say and has a lot of questions because when we are with our guide, which is just a few hours a day, he is very talkative, but then we get back to our room and instant silence due to our language barrier. With Luke, even though he was difficult and misbehaved, we could communicate so much easier. Aaron just plays games on the iPad, watches Ultraman videos, and gets on QQ, which is like what our kids do in America through snapchat, twitter, etc. I keep telling myself we’re in survival mode and it’s like John and Alex told me, “At least he’s good.” I very much miss Steve and the kids! Probably hardest part of it all, just trying to stay connected at home without being there. I know this is a huge undertaking for Steve for me to be gone, and I’m sure Luke is riding heavy on Ellen….but I’m really proud of them all. Just one more week and Mama’s home!

Yesterday we visited Aaron’s school and orphanage. He was not keen on us going to the school but our guide and the ladies from the orphanage all told him it would be good for him to say goodbye. Once at the school we waited at the gate for the guard to open it and once opened Aaron refused to go in. Myself and the others went in and one of the ladies stayed with him outside the gate. At our arrival there, hundreds of kids were playing outside. Several ran up to me and started saying “hello.” I was told they all wanted to use their English they are learning. We went up to the third floor and met his teacher. After speaking with her for awhile, the children began coming back into the classroom from outside playing. Just then Aaron showed up in the classroom. I guess they convinced him to come in. He stayed at the back of the classroom and stayed distant from everyone. One boy in particular came up to him and handed him some cash folded up. Aaron laughed, shook his head and motioned it back to him. The teacher told me this was his very good friend. So we made sure we got a picture with him. The teacher settled the class down and motioned for Aaron to come up to the front. She spoke about him leaving and starting a new life in America. She spoke with such emotion and tears…it was very touching. Then some of the children stood and spoke to Aaron giving their well wishes. A few girls cried and came up to the front to give him gifts….like pens and things from their desks. I think it was totally improv. Then the teacher presented a gift to Aaron from the class. It was all very moving. We said our goodbyes and left the school. Aaron did not seem to have any emotions, good or bad, of leaving.

Once back in the van, the ladies were teasing Aaron about the girls crying. It was really cute. He just smiled and no response. The orphanage was not a far drive down the road. Once you entered the building the bottom floor is a hospital and we took the elevator up to the 13th floor. Once off, we saw all the little children of the orphanage that are not school age. They were trying on outfits for a program coming up. All so cute. I took pictures so that Aaron would have to remember them all, but was told not to share them at all on social media. Many special needs among the children, but all so loving to one another. We brought a hefty bag of 400 dum dum suckers so Aaron opened and proceeded to hand out to everyone. We were able to see the room where he slept, and all the daily happenings of his life at the orphanage. He was quick to point out the older boys pictures to me of who had already been adopted. Right now, Aaron is the oldest at this orphanage. I have been thanked many times while here by the guides, the orphanage workers, his teachers, etc. for taking him and giving him a life. They also tell me at the orphanage and his teacher at school that he is a very kind boy, always kind to everyone. They say he’s a “good boy.”

When I asked if they know anything about his life before he was brought to the orphanage at age 9, they said it was a very painful time so they do not ask or talk about it with him. I asked if he had gone to school before he came there, and they said no. I’m sure school has been hard if never went before age 9. He seems like a very bright kid though….at least I know he can work electronics with no problem!

When we met for the first time, the first thing he asked was “Where’s Baba?” I think that speaks volumes as to how he looks at the father figure in a family. The other question he had was, “Will they be nice to me?” and then later he asked, “Once I turn 18, then where do I go?” Such very interesting questions and what thoughts for a 13 year old. He continues to have lots of questions about our upcoming trip to Guangzhou and then onto America. He’s asked me, “do we just eat hamburgers and pizza?” I was happy to let him know that we have a rice cooker. He also seems to be very worried about schooling and how he will learn and if he will be behind. I’m sure the feeling is very safe for him now because he is still able to communicate with the guide and others here, but very soon that level of communication will be gone and I pray that he will be able to weather the storm as he learns English and slowly enters our world.