Thursday Blog from Hong Kong

Today we took a shuttle from our hotel into a shopping mall where we would find some restaurants for affordable dining. We had breakfast a McDonald's and lunch at Pizza Hut. How is that for fine dining? Actually it all tasted pretty good. The lasagna at Pizza Hut was mashed potatoes rather than noodles in between meat/sauce layers. A bit different but after our last two plus weeks of dining in China, we are up for just about anything. We had such a great night’s sleep at our Marriott Airport Hotel. I believe that this was the first night that Art and I slept the whole night through. The beds were soft and the fan works in the room for some white noise. It is very, very clean as well.Our trip on a gondola into the mountains surrounding Hong Kong was amazing. Even more amazing was to see a village and the world's largest bronze Buddha overlooking the city. The pictures can't begin to give you the vast dimensions of this monstrous structure that people come from all over to see and worship. We however enjoyed the hike through the village and the awesome views albeit a bit limited by the haze/smog. Did I mention that our gondola has a glass bottom? It was breathtaking to ride up and down the mountain viewing top to bottom through glass.After our half hour ride back down the mountain we ended up having some ice cream treats that made everyone happy. Art and I enjoyed some hot coffee and desserts as well. Our excuse is to stay energized to keep up with the boys.
It is getting on towards evening here. We pack up and leave after breakfast tomorrow and tough out the fourteen hour flight arriving into Chicago Friday afternoon.
We value your prayers for us as we close the door on our China adoption trip and head back into the mainstream of family life. Prayers for safety and Benjamin's introduction into family life.
Blessings to you from Hong Kong,
Wendy, for Art, Christian & Benjamin

Train Ride from Guangzhou to Hong Kong

Last night we said our goodbyes to the friends we had made while in Guangzhou. Christian shop owners, other adoptive families, foster family, and Steve Shattuck (from Grand Rapids) traveling on business. Each one has played a special part in the precious memories made while waiting for Benjamin's paperwork to be completed. Today after packing up, we along with the Meyer family and their newly adopted son, Eli, left for the train station located in the heart of Guangzhou. Our interpreter went to retrieve our son's passports while we waited for the four o'clock train that would bring us to Hong Kong. Four adults and three kids lugging six large suitcases, six backpacks, one stroller and some art work. We were a motley looking group standing out with our fair hair and skin, lugging our baggage with three Asian kids in tow through customs, into elevators and finding our way out through the train station into the major metropolis of Hong Kong. We didn't exactly know how we would get to our hotel as we'd need more than one taxi for our family alone. Up walks a man who offers to take us to our hotel 35 minutes away for 450 Hong Kong dollars($60 U.S.) Art does the math and realizes that two taxi's would cost even more money so we said our good byes to our traveling companions whose hotel reservations were different from ours. We loaded up our excessive amount of luggage into the trunk of his 1948 Mercede's limo and off we went to the Marriott Skycity Airport Hotel. Viewing the city lights and spectacular mountains surrounding Hong Kong held our rapt attention for the precarious ride. I later asked Art how he knew it would be safe to hop into someone's car without having made a prior arrangement. He said, "That's easy, I asked God to provide something."
We just fed and bathed the boys tucking them in for the night. Once again, we have a bathroom big enough for two chairs which allows us a place to talk after the lights go out for the boys. Together we run through the events of our day. We realized how each detail had worked out in order to get us where we needed to be. We thanked God for allowing us the opportunity to see Him make Himself known even down to the details of our ride to the hotel. We marveled together over His goodness as we processed the past two weeks. We asked ourselves what would it take to continue to live more daily by faith once we leave this place rather than living life with such determined self sufficiency as we tend to do when life is daily or predictable. As we continue to process, we hope to never forget the miracles of His hand at work here in China.

Guangzhou shopping day

Today is our first completely free day to play. We chose to meet up with another couple using Heartsent Adoption. They too adopted a four year old named Eli. He came out of Seping Center foster home in Guilin, China.
We had one 5 minuted out by subway to an ancient art and history museum. There were some lovely gardens around it which we really enjoyed. The sun was shining and some winds had brought in cooler temperatures. Perfect for site seeing.
We saw Christian's foster family last on Sunday night. We will meet up again on Tuesday afternoon to say good bye. We found a playroom on the third floor of the Victory Hotel. The kids love it. There is also a ping pong table there. Art, Feng and Li Ying ( Christian's foster family) played ping pong with Christian for the longest time. It was a great memory for sure. We ordered Papa John's Pizza (yes, they have a Papa John's franchise here in Guangzhou too) which they delivered. We all enjoyed the pizza, a nice switch from our usual fare. Feng and Li Ying treated us to a very impressive Chinese style banquet the night before. Every meat served still had the head attached. The delicacies were three doves, 1 whole chicken and fish. I will send some pics.

Our short weekend ute stop at the medical center today to see how Benjamin's TB shot looked. The area was a bit pink but didn't seem to concern the nurse. That was an answer to prayer. From there we ventwith Peace blew by. She is such a dear and kind friend whom we met when she attended Calvin College many years ago. We had the honor of being her host family while in the states. She teaches English at Wuhan University. She had a fourteen hour train ride ahead of her once she left this morning to head back. It was a tearful good bye.
We go to the Consulate tomorrow (Tuesday) to swear an oath of citizenship on behalf of Benjamin. What an amazing gift to us and our son. On Wed. afternoon we pick up the visa/passport that allows Benjamin into the U.S. Then from there we take a two hour train ride into Hong Kong. From Hong Kong we will catch our flights back to the U.S. and arrive into Grand Rapids on Friday afternoon.
Benjamin is increasingly becoming more content with life in our family. He knows that we will provide for him and like any four year old, tries to push the limits at times. His heart is tender and receptive. We feel so grateful and blessed to experience this time with him and look forward to introducing him to all our dear friends and family.
Once again, thank you to all who have been following us and keeping us covered in prayer. We feel so honored to have been allowed this time to travel here in China to meet our son. God is so good.
Wendy for Art, Christian and Benjamin

Saturday: Medicals and paperwork for the consulate appointment

Friday we flew into Guangzhou, China. It is the tropical section of country where the consulate resides. It is so nice to be able to walk around and see plants, flowers and green trees. The boys enjoyed swimming so much at our hotel in Tianjin that they hurried to see the pool here at the White Swan Hotel. The pool happens to be outdoors and is closed for the season. We are so grateful to be at this point in our adoption journey.
We are getting closer to wrapping up all the requirements necessary to leave this amazing country with Benjamin. Shortly after eating an amazing breakfast at the White Swan breakfast buffet, we gathered up paperwork and walked to the medical clinic where Benjamin received his medical exam to prove that he meets the criteria as special needs according to his paperwork. Also, he received a TB test which he needs to pass in order to wrap up here. Things were a bit chaotic at the clinic but everything went as it should.
I neglected to mention that during breakfast, Feng (Christian's foster father) and Peace, my long time Chinese friend who studied in the USA walked in and sat with us. It was the most joyous reunion as Feng hadn't seen Nao Nao since he was 3 years old. Christian now age 7, referred to as Nao Nao by Feng, lived in their home for two years. He came to Feng and Li Ying as a malnourished 1 year old. They loved on him and nourished him until the day we adopted him in October, 2006. There were many tears when Nao Nao left their household. They didn't eat for three days until we agreed to meet with them, then they began to come to terms with relinquishing him to us. They are the reason our son is alive today. We are so grateful to them for their excellent care of Christian. They loved him as a son. We promised to bring him back for them to see some day, so HERE WE ARE. God just happened to put another adoption together in order to make it happen.
We walked around Shaiman Island today with our friends taking in the sights and sounds. We found a stroller for Benjamin to ride in as he gets heavy to carry when he gets tired. The boys are delighted to be running around the park and finding fun boy things to do. It is Saturday so all the families are out with their children enjoying the festivities. Feng keeps his eye on Nao Nao as we walk. Christian slips his hand into Fengs and says, I have two BaBa's. BaBa in Chinese means daddy. This brought a great smile to Feng as you can see him hold back in respect to our family. He is beaming with pride over the loving kindness that Nao Nao offers him. If you met him, you would find it easy to do as well. We have yet to meet Li Ying as she is flying into Guangzhou as I write. By the way, Feng doesn't speak a word of English. No one needs language to show love.
We are overwhelmed not only with how well Benjamin has adapted to our love and family life but also his capacity to love us in return. We are feeling dizzy with God's goodness as we are witnessing a circle of love that God planned before time and is allowing us to be a part of, not only in Benjamin's adoption but in closer for Christian's adoption as well.
Overwhelmed by His Goodness, Wendy for Art, Christian and Benjamin David Docter

Passport Day in Tianjin

Good news! Art and our guide traveled over to the police station in Tianjin to pick up Benjamin's passport just hours ago. The passport is the reason we have been sitting in this city for no less than seven business days (at least, so we thought). The passport is Benjamin's ticket to leave the provincial capital and travel to South China, Guangzhou, where we will meet with the U.S. Consulate in order to receive clearance to travel to the U.S.A. These final meetings allow Benjamin to be received into the city of entry as a U.S. citizen. That's worth rejoicing over.

We celebrated passport day with some special friends from our humble abode here at The Westin. We ordered up spaghetti, pizza, soup, pop, and french fries for all those who shared in our joyous celebration. Benjamin was clueless of our reason for celebrating but thoroughly enjoyed the luncheon fare and festivities.
Take some time to read Psalm 34 today as this happens to be one of the chapters we have chosen to read daily over the course of our trip. Picture with us our great God victoriously making a way for His children to be placed in families and given a hope and a future. God's plan will prevail. God keeps His promises.
As we travel to Guangzhou tomorrow, please continue to pray for us as we have appointments with medicals and the consulate. Our dear Chinese friend whom we have known for almost fifteen years will be meeting up with us for the weekend. This will surely be a sweet reunion.
We are so ready to wrap up our business and prepare to travel back to see our family in the states. The difficult part of adoption travel is having to be separated from our loved ones for so long. We are so thankful for our married children who have helped us out by staying with the family back home so we could be about this business.
Please pray for God's strength and special blessing upon them while we are apart.

Wednesday in Tianjin

Today I type in a quiet hotel room on the 18th floor of the Westin. I am looking out the floor to ceiling glass wall viewing the city of Tianjin. The city goes on as far as the eye can see. The sun is shining today and the horns are honking but at a distant now. Yesterday we moved over to this hotel (thanks to a friend from the states who made connections for a "special price.") We now share two double beds rather than twin beds. They actually call them "heavenly beds" which is an accurate description. It has an amazing edgeless pool for the boys to play in. It is so relaxing to watch them spend hours busying themselves pool side with various toys. Christian played water games with other Chinese boys his age. No language barrier stopped them from having a good time and interacting for hours. Benjamin walks gingerly around the pool area cautiously as to not fall down or in. There is a children's wading pool perfect for him. He is gaining more confidence as the days go by.
His little hands, though deformed, are so quick in response, snatching just about anything he sets his mind to. Art says it's like a little lizard tongue whipping out to snatch it's prey. We still have a constant switching off and on of the light switches (low to the ground of course.) The electric blinds and two sets of draperies move up and down, back and forth, as his little fingers operate everything in sight in this state of the art hotel room. Yesterday Art had to go down to the concierge desk and get someone to come up and stop our room safe alarm from alerting the whole floor. Benjamin the "operator" had pushed so many buttons that a warning signal could be heard out into the hall. It's as if he had waited all his life to operate mechanical and moving devices. For sure he would be operating elevators as his life's occupation if he had the opportunity to do so.
Benjamin is very infatuated with Ultraman. He must be some kind of super-hero here in China. The department store has a complete floor of various toys. It is here that we first learned of "ULTAMA" as Benjamin refers to Ultraman. Needless to say, we could hardly leave the store without two videos and two laser guns from the Ultraman display. It actually has some nice orchestra music as its sound track.
Art and the boys went down to the bakery just outside our hotel to get some breakfast for us this morning. The European type bakery encased lovely warm croissants with various meats inside, delicious breads, jellos with fresh fruit and excellent coffee. What a delightful way to begin our day. We will meet up with our interpreter today for a visit to the Ancient Cultural Street. A couple of hours touring is about all the boys can appreciate.
We are extremely grateful for your prayers as we wrap up our the next few days here in Tianjin. We are more than confident that God has ordained this time and the many divine opportunities to touch the lives of others and be blessed by their thoughtful words and deeds as well. While we miss our family and friends back home, we know now that it is just a matter of days before we will all be reunited again with this precious family addition.
Experiencing His goodness here in Tianjin, Wendy for Art and the boys.