Catching up posts - a few days worth

Lucy's Restaurant
The map shows the White Swan and just to the left in the green space/park area is where
Lucy's is located. You can see most of Jill's travels from this map.

3:51 p.m. , Guangzhou, China

I am typing as I wait for my translator/guide, Peter, to deliver Jiliang’s Brown envelope, which will remain sealed, until I reach U.S. Customs in Detroit, Michigan. Today was a relaxing, uneventful day, which was exactly what I had hoped it would be. A part of me is sad to leave China, as I discover new adventures and many American and Chinese friends each day. However, the very core of me is dying to get back to my son, T.J., my husband Scott, my family, my friends; and yes… even to my humble abode- my own little Home Sweet Home – which I formerly referred to as a “shack” – which is considered a “villa” in China, because it is free-standing.

We are rich to have a home that is not several stories in the air, and we have a yard, which is a luxury in Chinese standards. Therefore, I look forward to returning to my “mansion”.

Yesterday was my final step in the endless accounts of paperwork. Jiliang is officially our daughter in China. Praise the Lord!!!!! Many adoption families joined us on a bus to the American Consulate. It brought tears to my eyes as we – a room full of adoptive families - raised our hands to take the adoption oath. I felt such a huge burden lifted off of me: no more paperchasing all over China, no more endless forms. Jiliang and I celebrated with the McHarg family at Lucy’s, a well-known eating establishment, in Guangzhou, frequented, by many adoptive families.

A Journey of Faith and Love:
This adoption journey has truly been a journey of love and faith. Throughout this journey, I have had many people praying for me. Please know that these prayers have answered and I am feeling the power of your prayers. Every obstacle has been met with an Angel in my corner, everywhere I turn. I have truly been blessed and feel that people have helped me here in unexpected places. The countless incidences are too many in number to list.

However, I will explain a few b ……/particular incidents:

At one point during the trip, I was met with unexpected expenses. I truly did not know if I was going to have enough money to get home. I spent hours on the phone and internet when I first arrived at The White Swan Hotel trying to rearrange my flight home and set up a connecting flight. One of my credit cards was not working in China. I was running around, desperately, trying to handle business, and check in and out of hotels. It was tiring and I wanted to cry.
The previous night, Kelly Rumbaugh, Adoptive mother, and Angela Shen, from Ladybugs N’Love From Above, asked me if I was going to attend the Christian church, next to my hotel. I said yes. However, I felt completely overwhelmed trying to handle the flights from my hotel. Additionally, Delta Airlines had their phone lines down to weather in the United States. Going to church would sabotage my attempts to call home during the waking hours. However, I felt a strong pull to go to church.

I decided to go to The Shamian Christ Church at 11:00 a.m. I was met with open arms. An Earth Angel, named Jessie, introduced herself, welcomed us with open arms. She was such a beautiful, young, Chinese woman. She guided us to us a pew, entertained Jiliang while we waited for Church to begin, and translated the church happenings for us when they spoke in Chinese. She was a total stranger to us, yet I felt as if I had known her forever. After church, she said goodbye to us, and was gone. The church service really spoke to my heart. During the service, I realized that I had been trying to do everything on my own and once again, slipped back into not asking for God’s Divine Intervention.

We met up with Kelly, Angela and Xiaocheng after church. We commented on how we were amazed at the praising inside the church. It put Church service back home to shame. I told them about my flight dilemma. I also told them how the timing for church had me missing my call home, but I felt pulled to come. Kelly said that it was fitting that I came, because “it was God that got you here in the first place.” That rings so true. Hence, Angela offered to help me book my flight online. That was a complete lifesaver!! See, God had multiple reasons for me going to church that day. As for Angela and Kelly, they helped me in countless ways. They are truly doing God’s Work through the Adoption Community, through Ladybugs N’Love From Above, and as God’s Faithful Servants.

On Tuesday, we had the swearing in that I had previously mentioned. We ate dinner with the McHarg family afterwards, celebrating a long journey. They adopted their second son, Ian. Their eldest son was adopted from Korea. It turned out that Mr. McHarg is a Christian Minister. We shared our stories about how our adoptions helped us realize God’s Plans for our families. They originally set out to adopt a little girl, but God had other plans for them. We all discussed how there are no coincidences. Even the hardest times of our lives had purpose. It was the hard times that we needed to endure to understand the joys of today. Mr. McHarg said, “I wish we could see it during those rough periods.”

Wed., March 3rd, Guangzhou, China
I met a wonderful family here in Guangzhou. This particular family is deaf. The two parents are deaf and adopted two beautiful deaf girls. What a blessing for those little girls to have parents who are fluent in sign-language, and can fully understand their needs. Tonight, I had the privilege of dining with those parents, Erin and Mike. God Bless them. They too, have had their own twists of fate in the adoption process, but also feel that their newly adopted daughter, Julia, is a perfect match for their family.

I also met a wonderful set of twin sisters.
One twin, Carolyn, came to visit her sister and her Chinese-born nieces in China. She was such a lovely person. She gave me a purse to carry under my clothes to hold our Visas. She brought it to our room. On the way home tonight, she saw Jiliang walking back from town with a new luggage and stroller. She carried the rolling luggage for me all the way to my hotel room. Thank you! There are so many sweet people here in Guangzhou.

Thursday, 8:00, Guangzhou, China
I have two more amazing stories for you, but I must save them for later, as I get ready to go to Shanghai. We are leaving Guangzhou Airport via China Southern Airllines, and flying to Shanghai today at 2:30. Our flight should arrive in Shanghai at 5:00 p.m. LiPing, our guide there, will pick us up and take us back to the airport on my Friday. My Delta airline flight leaves Shanghai to Detroit at 10:10 a.m., China time, on Friday, March 5th. It is a 14 hour flight. I also arrive in Detroit around 11:00 a.m. on Friday in the U.S.

Keep us in your prayers. I have to go eat now and get ready. You won’t hear from me again until I reach the U.S., because I am out of money.

Love, Jill and Jiliang