Traveling in China, Part 1

My travel partner, Sarah S., and I arrived in Beijing after an uneventful flight on Saturday. It is always so good to be back in this country I have come to love so much. This trip is a very special one as it launches Agape Adoptions’ new Journey of Hope program, an opportunity to advocate for beautiful children who have more significant special needs and who long for families of their own.

On our first day of acclimating, we took a tour of Beijing. I was thrilled to find a Starbucks in Tienanmen Square! A little piece of home. A stones throw away from the Square, we stopped in to visit a hutong village. It was as though we were stepping back in time to walk the narrow alleyways of the neighborhood. In years past, hutongs grew organically. One alleyway along a group of homes would connect with another alleyway, forming a small cluster of homes called a hutong. They are a special piece of history in the city, especially as many have been leveled for new construction. We stopped in at what appeared to be one of the best places to have Peking duck. They smelled so good roasting in that open brick oven. Too bad it was only ten in the morning. Peking duck is one of my favorites!

Before traveling deep into southern China, we headed to a local healing home. Healing homes provide support to orphanages across China by providing specialized care for children whose needs are beyond what their local orphanage can provide. (Love Without Boundaries is an amazing organization that runs healing homes in China.) One little boy in particular grabbed at my heart, and I’m looking forward to sharing more about him with you when I return.

After leaving the Beijing area, we traveled to southern China to meet the children who will be a part of our Journey of Hope program. In one orphanage, we met and interviewed over 100 children in just a few days. Whew! What an honor to work on their behalf to find them forever families! We will know in the next few days how many of these children will be ours to advocate for.

Each Journey of Hope child is so precious; my heart is full as I think about the possibilities that will await them when they meet the families they long for. Many of these children have significant special needs, and many of them have been waiting for a long time to find a family. My camera is full of pictures and videos. I am so thankful for this little piece of technology that allows families to “meet” their child as they journey through the adoption process.

I love coming to China. I love the culture, the food, the history. But most of all, I love these children. It is my hope that Agape Adoptions can be part of their love story, as we match them with families who will cherish them forever.

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