I am tired as usual so I will blog again after we leave the village and arrive in Xian. Here are a few photos from today:
By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. -John 13:35
August 31, 2009
Tour of the Beijing Hutongs
We spent the day touring the Hutong (traditional neighborhoods in Beijing) by rickshaw. After that we had lunch and then on to tour the Summer Palace and Tiannamen Square. This evening we had a great time having dinner with the volunteers from "Baby Come Home." Just a few minutes ago in the hotel room we saw the video coverage of the reunion on CNN. Christian is getting quite used to the reporters now. We have one more interview tomorrow morning before leaving for the village. The volunteers also gave us some of the local papers that had articles on the story. I can't believe how big this story is here. Christian is having a massage tonight here at the hotel, which he definitely deserves after all the stress he has been under the last few months. Not sure when I will get mine! :-)
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What an amazing story and an amazing experience. I will be following your travels.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome experience. We have 2 daughters from China as well. You are living the dream I have for them... someday. All the best!
ReplyDeletei am so enjoying following your journey. but i think you must prepare yourself to return to the states with a tiny little chinese grandmother. i don't think she is ever letting go of christian's hand!!!
ReplyDeleteYour story - and you - are so awesome! Saw it on the news the other day. I am an American adoptee (in reunion), and look so much like you (Julia) it is startling, and have always been an adamant supporter of adoptees' right to know, and open adoptions.
ReplyDeleteYou are a wonderful mother, no question -- an adoptees' dream. Your selfless love and huge heart are amazing.
You have given your son the greatest gift of his life.
Look forward to following your story. You are an inspiration, and your son very lucky indeed.
such an amazing story and experience...have a great time in the village and enjoy your time with the family...thank you for sharing the great story...a wonderful mother with a big heart...
ReplyDeleteMy Chinese daughter adopted at nearly 7, now 12-1/2, remembers things about her birth family so your story is very emotional for me. It is wonderful to see and yet I know also full of difficult emotions. What a trooper Christian is! He will have a lot to absorb after this and I agree - Grandma will be hiding in your suitcase LOL! So glad this has brought the uncle and birthfather back together and now they can rest easy knowing Christian is loved and in a wonderful family.
ReplyDeleteJan J., mama to Lily and Jing
Bawling big tears! You are a beacon of hope to those of us that hope someday our children can know their roots. THANK YOU for letting your story be known and shared by all. May this be the beginning of a new day in China's adoption process.
ReplyDeleteChristian's story hits close to home for me and my family. On March 3rd of this year we adopted a 13 year old boy who was abandoned at 5 years old in a taxi cab in Dalian supposedly by his father. I have asked our son what his earliest memories are and unfortunately he has no memories of his life before the orphanage. I am praying that one day he does remember and maybe he will be able to find his birth family as well. I have wondered since we learned about our son what would cause a family to abandon a healthy 5 year old and have often thought that possibly he was taken from his family or that some tragedy must have occurred. Our blog address is http://www.hendersonhomeonline.com if you would like to see our son and family. Praying that all continues to go well for you all. God bless you!
ReplyDeleteA close friend with 2 adopted Chinese daughters sent me your story, and I've read and watched (and cried) through every word of it. I think it is amazing, and wonderful, and that you were truly sent to this boy by God. I'm so impressed with you, and so thrilled for his Chinese family to know that he has been well cared for. I wish you all the best!
ReplyDeleteJulia,
ReplyDeleteI just found out about your trip and blog. I am so happy for Christian to have this knowledge and to have some of those voids in his memory and heart filled. I hope the rest of your trip is joyful and that you arrive home safely.
Blessings,
Petrie M.
So touched by his grandmother's reaction. I hope one day to be able to find my children's birth parents. Maybe in the future it might be something you can guide us in. Thank you for sharing your story.
ReplyDeleteJulia and Christian,
ReplyDeleteHurry and get to Xian (or wherever there's the internet) - I can't wait to hear more!!
God bless EACH of you... may He work all things for good in this amazing story.
Agree with others, you're simply gonna have to adopt Granny too, cuz she's not letting go of Christian's hand.
Tell your sibs we all say thanks for going with you, it must be such a comfort to have them there.
With love and prayer,
Toni, for the Benton's
touched story. I googled your stories and read your stories many times. You are a great mother.
ReplyDeleteI came from China 13 years ago, and I have a son who is 16 years old. My hometown is Henan.
I totally understand Christian's birth parents. He is their 2nd son. That's illegal! If they told people that they have another kid, they would lost their job permanently, had big penalty(manybe 3 years salary),and all of their colleague's salary would be decreased!.
In China people have different human value with the U.S. In China, people see a child just like a goods. They can steal it(him/her),sell it to make money, and many parents see abortion just like a small surgery. They do not think a life is ruined.
I am lucky that I have an opportunity to immigrate to the U.S. I am blessed that I have the opportunity to know God, learn God's word from the Bible, and I can know what value human being is. I am lucky that I can freely have another two kids here.
Julie, thank you. You love Christian so much, you love a Chinese so much. Christian is lucky to be your son. You changed his life and his future, no, you saved his life and his future.
You show your big heart to Christian's parents, his relatives, to all Chinese. You showed them your love is a big mountain. People can live differently.
God bless you, Christian, your daughter and everything you have.
Sherry Wang
Julia, this story must touch the hearts of every adoptive parent out here! I would love to know how to contact "Baby Come Home." While my daughter was left at 4 days old, I would still love to be able to say that I have done all I could to help her find her birth family. We are deeply bonded and I have no fear of being replaced. But she does long to know her birth parents, and how could I live with knowing I DIDN'T do whatever I could to help her find them? If you possibly could help with a contact or idea, that would be such a blessing! Nancy Johnson (mama to the amazing ShaoXi, who turned 13 TODAY!) email: shaoxi@aol.com
ReplyDelete