Thank you for your treasured prayers and words of encouragement and support. We are overwhelmed with your love and care for our family. God has truly blessed us beyond our imaginations during this very difficult time. What began as a joyful and predictable journey to our daughter, has become a very difficult and somber winding path. We are enjoying our time together with one another and seeing the beauty of China and it's great history. At the same time, our hearts are wounded. We have been entrusted with more than we could ever deserve with our three unique and gentle boys. However, we have traveled a long and laborious journey to find our daughter, and she is still alone and we are without her. We pray that God will provide for us to be united with her in steadfast speed and protect and comfort our family until that time.






We had requested assistance from the NBC/DHS (immigration) agency to help us process a new adoption which the Chinese gov't. provided and would process quickly for us, but our own gov't. will not provide any assistance even though we are in China. It's very difficult to understand how your own gov't. cannot want to help us to adopt a child when you are in-country and ready and willing to welcome a child into your family and home. Right now we are frustrated with our gov't. red tape and lack of concern for it's own citizens as well as others/children. The new process could take several months to go through.





We are praying that God will ease our minds and hearts, direct our paths straight, and make His plans and time very plain to us. We are also praying for Ji Hong and her caregivers/director/friends at the orphanage. She is a precious child and we are praying that God will provide her family for her soon. We have been joyful in our hearts of the adoptive families that we have seen the past few days, for their new families and the long journeys that we known they have endured. Honestly, it's also been very hard to see them, missing our own daughter. We know time will heal our wounds and God will never leave us as we seek Him, but we pray our journey will be steadfast.





We are scheduled to return home the first of the week. God Bless each of you and your families.

Love~

Ginny & Rob

Continue to Pray

Thank you. Sincerely, Thank you, for all of your prayers, comments, and verses of encouragement to meditate upon.






The past few days have been a long and difficult journey for everyone involved. We know that God is in the midst of everything, including right now with us.

Everyone here has been wonderful and we have the highest respect for the officials, orphanage director and staff, and all of our contacts here. The orphanage was a wonderful Christian place, as much as orphanages can ever be.We are very humbled and thankful for this journey and all that God has provided and revealed. After MUCH prayer and counsel we chose to not complete the adoption. There are more medical issues than originally known to all and we believe that her forever family will be united with her in the future. We also believe that our Daughter, is still here in China and pray that we will be united with her with hasten pace, in God's time and provision. As soon or timely as it may be.





Humbly we thank you for your prayers and concerns. We would like to keep the details (regarding the medical issues) of our final decision closed to our family, so please honor our trust in you and our request, for the sake of JiHong, the China adoption program, our agency, the Civil Affairs in Xian, the Orphanage Director and the Caregivers. Please continue to pray for JiHong and her orphanage. We cannot explain the respect and gratitude we have for the people there and their hearts, their love of the Lord and His provision for the children in their care. If you are interested in sponsoring this orphanage, please contact us, they have an organization in the US which assists them.





It has been a horribly heart wrenching, soul searching, last few days, we have shed more tears than ever thought possible. We cannot convey what it has been like here China truly is a world away from the US and our culture. God has given us straight direction on our decision and peace in our hearts. We know in our hearts and minds that we will grieve our time with JiHong, our hopes and dreams thus far for our daughter, and the decisions we have had to make with limited knowledge and much faith.





We still strongly believe that our daughter is here in China and hope to be united with her as soon as is possible in God's plan for our family. We have grown a deeper appreciation for China and it's people and culture over the past week. We truly sympathize with birth families who feel led to give up their children for adoption, it cannot be an easy decision, but one of necessity for the children and the care that the families cannot provide to them. We are in deep prayer for the people here, there are many good people and precious children; we have been very blessed to meet professing Christians here.





We are thankful for all of the prayers and assistance we have received thus far from agency here in China. We hope that our continued journey to our daughter will be hastened as it is in our hearts.





We are uncertain about our travel plans at this time, we will update you when we know.





Very Sincerely,

Wo Ai ni ~

Rob and Ginny

Please Pray!!!

She ( Nara Josette/JiHog/DouDou ) may have a medical problem, running tests, to please pray for her and us.

Summer Place - Amazing Beauty Post 4

Ni Hao!


Wonderful! Yesterday we enjoyed the final time of this trip in Beijing. It was a wonderful city full of life, culture, history, yet bustling with growth and future. It is a marvel at how one city can contain so much, we saw a lot, yet so much more is unseen. We most definitely will return to Beijing in the future. So much is changing with the new generation and the culture, it was very interesting to talk with Jack, he was very knowledgeable about China and world events.
Our guide, Jack, was the best. We loved him, a very genuine man with a wife and daughter (whom he loves very much).

We barely made our plane to Xian because we could hardly pull ourselves away from the Emperor's Summer Palace. It was the most beautiful, serene place you could imagine this side of heaven. The Emperor around 1400 built it as a birthday gift to his mother, though she rarely went there. He used it most of the time to pray and get away from the city. It's about 40 minutes across town from the Forbidden City (city palace). It has its own huge lake, but you never fish in your own lake, only moving water because it would be back luck. On top of the mountain immediately overlooking the palace, there is a two building Buddhist Monk temple. We even saw 4 monks walk by us. The Emperor never talked and rode to the Summer Palace he took his own Dragon boat from the city. There is a special bridge that only he could cross under between the 9th outlet hole, because the Emperor was the only person who could use the number 9.

We made it onto our Xian plane thanks to Jack;s special assistance. We actually walked fast to the terminal and directly onto the plane as it was boarding. So far, 2 of our 4 flights, have been barely so we're hoping for more breather time for future flights. :-))

We had lunch on the plane and they did not have vegan options, so Rob was filled with a beef, udon noodle feast. I was graciously (with much fuss over me, I just thought I'd get some food at the airport once we arrived in Xian) given 4 side rice noodle salads, 2 sides of watermelon, 1 side lettuce salad, 2 beignets, and a water. I could not eat all of the food, so I had to get Rob to eat some of it in order to not seem ungrateful. Rob and I were both full from our flight lunch.

Onward toward Xian and our precious daughter, we flew (about 1 hour and 40 minutes, slightly sw of Beijing).

Love ~

Ginny & Rob

Post #3 Pictures

Forbidden City

National People's Congress

Forbidden City Lion - Male plays with ball

(Woman lion had a baby under her foot)

Yixin Tea House

Built in 1773, Nine Dragon Wall

Hall of Heavenly Purity

Lychee Fruit

Today, we had the most unusual tree fruit for breakfast! Lychee, they are grown in southern China. It tastes like melon with a coconut, nut center and looks like it has hair growing on the outside of it's shell.

Sat, May 8, 2010 9:36:02 AMEmperor Rule Tea & Kung Fu Pearls

WOW - Ni Hao,
Today was a fabulous day! We truly was immersed in Chinese culture today and it was a wonderful experience of a lifetime. We began our day with webcam with the boys, Thanks Nana and Papa / Amy. The boys were so sweet to have made and gave me Mother's day cards. I loved the pink flower, the handprint flower, and the blown kisses, Thank you babes. We love you and we miss you. It sounds like you're enjoying plenty of home cooked food and have fun at the swim party tomorrow.

Our guide, Jack, took us to the Tiananmen Square (the largest city square in the world, 109 acres), Mao's Mausoleum (highly regarded throughout the country - the wait is a couple hours long), Forbidden City (the Emperors official court, administration offices, temple, bedroom, etc. - the City has 999 rooms and housed about 5,000 people during the dynasty's). Next, we went to Temple of Heavenly Peace and Park (wonderful place where the Emperor fasted and prayed while offering animal sacrifices). The Park was phenomenal! There were beautiful juniper trees over 500 years old and lake stone fossils, not to mention all of the people. There were choruses, hacky sack players, banjo players, poker and chess games, opera singers, flag twirlers, etc!!) It was full of life. Then we went to an authentic Tea House where we learned all about tea and tasted (we bought some flower tea and a clay pot), next on to the Legend of Kung Fu opera/ballet/cirque de soleil, a Pearl House - where they string them for you, a Chinese Pharmacy for acupuncture, and a massage. We enjoyed a full 12 hour day. It passed very quickly. Unfortunately, our camera died along the way, so we don't have pictures from today.
We learned so much about Chinese government and culture today, it was overwhelming. We saw a lot more uniformed personnel at the Square and Forbidden City. There was actually an entire force of military officers within the City. It was very encouraging to see several little girls today with their families in the morning (Sunday) we visit the Emperor's Summer Palace and then fly out to Xian, Shaanxi. We will check into out hotel and wait for a call that it's time to meet Nara Josette for our "Gotcha Day"!! If not, that evening, then we'll meet her the next morning, which will be Mother's Day in the USA!!

Wo Ai Ni ~

(Love)

Ginny & Rob

Our First Full Day in China

Ni Hao! Today was full of learning, walking, and delicious food. We started the day with webcamming with the boys! We miss them so much, it was heart warming/kiss from above to see them and talk with them about their day, they even tried to share their snacks with us. They're each so precious. We love you - Ford, Graham, and Whit.

We met our guide, Jack, and set out for the Great Wall - Mutanyu section. It was about 1 hr 20 min. north of downtown. Beijing is 16,800 Km in size, while the Great Wall is 6,319 Km and spans 9 provinces in China. The wall took 1 million people to construct it and is often referred to by locals as "The Long Cemetery" because so many people died during its construction and were buried within it. :-( The wall is much steeper and dangerous than it briefly appears. It is unbelievable to imagine how it was built so long ago and is still maintained. AMAZING and breathtaking views!

We enjoyed an amazing day of hiking along it, sight seeing, lunch at a local shop, then we returned to the city for a hutong tour. Hutong means narrow/alley because the streets of the historic district are very narrow. Most people in the city drive cars now, but in the historic area - the central circle of the city - they ride bikes and rickshaw. We only had one crash today, that seems pretty good considering the driving style. Just think NYC, Atlanta, Boston multiplied times 10! ;-0 We also climbed over 100 stairs straight UP, the Drum Tower. It was used to signal the city gates opening/closing each day and to keep time for the city. The tower is very high, so it could be heard all over the city. Very Loud, up close - we were a few feet away from the drummers. The Chinese culture is very fast paced, yet very serene and calm. It's truly an exceptional gift to be here to experience Nara Josette's culture, God's beauty is very evident in the countryside.

The 10 Temple Bridge and Hutong area were fascinating with culture, we were privileged to visit with a family in their home and talk with them about their fruit garden and his ancient Chinese artwork. The artistry is beyond belief, some of the die-cut pictures take 5 months to create.

Rob was thrilled with our meals today, he enjoyed plenty of meat/seafood to fulfill him. Some of it even 'watched him'.
Only two more days until we meet our precious daughter, Little Dou Dou (little bean) or Mei Mei (little sister). We're really beginning to feel like we're on the edge of our seats. We were encouraged today by newer laws regarding children. Couple's can now have two children if the first child is a girl and both parents came from a one child families. If you have a sibling, then you can still only have one child, but in the urban large cities, more families are desiring and like to have girls, as opposed to in the past. Boys are still highly desired in more rural/farm areas.
Only 2 days, until our "Gotcha Day" - we meet Nara Josette.
Wo ai ni (Love) ~

Ginny & Rob