When a Home is not a Home

Almost five years ago, to the day, I gave you the good news that two year old Madison Liang Ying, one of the little girls from Xining Children's Home had been adopted. I saw her off in Guangzhou and got to meet the Silva family - her new forever family. Recently they decided to adopt a second child. They contacted a children's home close to Beijing.

So this post is about a child who was not in Xining Children’s Home. But it is also story which will encourage all of you who have so faithfully supported the work of Christian Action and our ministry to children in Qinghai.

John and Shannon thought very carefully about their second adoption.  They even consulted Madison about what she was looking for in a new sister. Madison asked that her new sister have white hair, just like hers.  John and Shannon then knew that they should adopt a second baby with albinism - just like Madison!

They located a little girl in a children's home close to Beijing. But the report about her did not paint a healthy picture.  Because Madison has some vision issues, Shannon was  concerned that she wouldn’t be able to cope with her own two children and still another child with severe special needs. They decided to search for a different child.  But before they could locate another child, the adoption agent wrote to them saying: There is very little wrong with this little girl; she is simply delayed due to lack of opportunity. You should take her, she needs a family.

And so the process of adopting their second daughter began. Three months later they received another progress report: She had made unprecedented progress in her personal growth and development. The adoption agent told them: The orphanage has started to give her the attention she’s needed all along; she’s beginning to thrive. 

Why had that little girl not previously received the attention she needed? The agent speculates that the orphanage simply did not value the little girl enough to invest in her. Secondly, they didn't have the expertise to know what her needs were and how to meet them. Knowing that someone valued her enough to adopt her, had caused that children's home to change their behaviour towards the little mite.

Shannon says:

"The difference between the care Madison received while under Christian Action's care, and the care our new daughter had is great. Madison knew the purpose and role of family when she came to us. She went through the normal grieving process of being separated from her foster parents, but quickly attached to us, and immediately started to call us 'mom' and 'dad'. She picked up English very quickly too, and had no developmental delays. In fact, she was developmentally ahead of some of her American peers! There were never any doubts about her birth date, and we have photos for every month of Madison's life since her arrival at Xining Children’s Home. Sadly, there is great uncertainty about our new daughter’s birth date and age. We were given no pictures of her at all."

My heart grieves to hear this, but a great sense of joy rises up in me as I realize what God has done through Christian Action at Xining Children's Home. Thank you for making it possible for us to love and care for so many helpless little children, showing each one that they are greatly valued individuals.