Love Makes a Difference

Twenty years ago, a cute four-year-old girl from Xining Children's Home met her new parents for the first time. They had come from Cleveland Ohio to Xining. Since then, that little girl has grown into a beautiful young lady! She has been given love and care from her new parents and siblings - and their connection has been blest by God.

Meizi, or Esther Kershaw, was the first child from Xining Children’s Home to be adopted. She is a wonderful example of God’s grace. I have been sharing her updated story in this blog over the years, because I am encouraged by her journey, and I know you will also be encouraged.

The scene when Meizi met the Kershaws for the first time is still fresh in my mind. You can revisit that event on my previous blog “A Double Rainbow Blessing”.

Since her adoption, Meizi has continued to live happily with her parents Jeff and Crystal and her siblings, Spencer and Bailey. The active and vibrant girl who was adopted so long ago is now a determined young lady who is on a mission to inspire other people through education. She is now an English teacher at a Christian school in Ohio.

After graduating from Calvin College in Michigan and majoring in English and Secondary Education, Meizi taught English in a refugee education centre. The refugees were adults from Southeast Asia. Their first language is not English, so they tried hard to learn English and so pursue their dreams. Recently, Meizi shared how unforgettable it was when she received a thank you message from a former student: “I really want to thank you because now I can communicate with my granddaughter. She goes to an English-speaking American school, and only speaks English, so now I can talk to her.”

I am proud and happy because this was something I had also done when I first graduated from college.

I thank God for His care of Meizi over the years and also for the Kershaw family. Without their love when they adopted Meizi 20 years ago, her story may have been very different.

Meizi with Bailey's puppy Meizi, with her brother Spencer and sister
Bailey, on a family trip to Ireland