I have an amazing story to tell. But, you better go potty and get a new drink, because it's a long one. So, sit down.
Last June, I posted on a
message board related to Chinese adoption. I asked if anyone had any info, or had recently been to Changsha Social Welfare Institute #1. We were searching for any info on Tessa's orphanage, even though we were told she was in a foster home. Our understanding was that she'd been in the orphanage from about ten days old, until 13 months. Even while in foster care, the children fall under the umbrella of their SWI. No one really responded or had info, but then I received an email from someone named Diana. She told me she was part of an organization called
Pearl River Outreach, PRO, and that they sponsored children to foster families. And one of their three locations in China was Changsha! It was with Tessa's specific orphanage. I was super excited, but it turned out they said Tessa was not part of their program. Poo! But, she did tell me that the orphanage director there was young and energetic, and really cared about the kids. That one little nugget of info made this Momma's heart smile!
So, fast forward to this past Sunday. Eric and I are in church while the 3 littles play in the nursery. David gave an amazing sermon, that I feel really speaks to me. You can go
here to our church's website to find the sermon, but basically it was about humility, greed, pride, envy, and the such. I've been feeling very convicted to do something, anything about the orphan crisis. To make a difference somehow, other than simply bringing Tessa into our family. His sermon made me realize I needed to act on how I was feeling. I decided to investigate PRO and look into sponsoring a child there. I wanted to give a child from her orphanage the opportunities that Tessa didn't have. I sent an email to the address listed, and didn't get a response. So after 24 hours (I know I'm impatient) I left a comment on a blog that Diana writes. It's for her family, but I was pretty sure that Diana was the one affiliated with PRO, who had emailed me last summer. I asked if she was the Diana with PRO, and if so to email me, and figured once she did I'd ask all the questions about sponsorship.
Diana emailed me back that night. And then my world was ROCKED. The first email simply said she was indeed that Diana, and asked how she could help me.
The next email had the subject line "Harlow", with a message that said, "Oh my gosh.. Is she yours!!! :)". I had no idea who Harlow was, or what she was talking about. I just wanted to sponsor a kid.
The next one had the subject line "Tessa", and this was part of the message:
"I just flew through your blog! Congratulations on your beautiful girl!!!!
We love your sweet daughter!!!
We can definitely get you past photos of her...
Blessings as you settle in!!! Again, Congratulations from the Pearl River Team. It is always a blessing to connect with the forever families of our babies!!!!".
Y'all, I almost died. I totally cried. Not only would I be getting pictures and info about Tessa's life in China, but she was SPONSORED by an amazing organization that trains and checks up on foster families. Her being sponsored means she probably got care that she wouldn't have otherwise gotten. More than the pictures and info, knowing she was loved on means everything!!!
We've been wondering about her care in China, so at least we now know her last 10 months there were good.
That night, and since then, my inbox has been flooded by Diana. Pictures galore! Plus, copies of Tessa's quarterly update that went to her sponsoring family. This info is priceless! And not only that, I got to email and personally thank her sponsoring family!!!
I'll be busy the next few days getting all these pics uploaded into my computer and onto the blog. Plus, I can't wait to share little Gia with you that we are sponsoring. Actually, if you go here to
PRO blog, you can see this little lovie the Kirsch family is now sponsoring. I hope her forever family has found her and is paper chasing away, but if not, I know they will soon. In the meantime, she has the five of us to sponsor her care and pray for her.
Before I end, I just want to say again, that I would've never gotten any of this info if I hadn't listened to my heart, and David's sermon. I contacted Diana to sponsor a child, but she followed my blog comment to our family blog. She saw Tessa's pictures and put it all together. To GOD be the glory for this miracle.
He was confused by the crepe paper, and wanted me to help bust through it.
The dogs were ready to bust in!
He did it!
His big present was a train set from Ikea, and it was a huge hit.
And later that night, time for cake and ice cream.
Blowing out candles!
Later that night, we had her own little celebration with cake and candles, and a joyous singing (shouting by Drake) of "Happy Birthday to You".
