Goodness moment of the day --

I met a family here in Guangzhou, husband and wife and their adopted daughter. She is 13 and is a special needs child/teenager. I can't get these people out of my mind. Their daughter that they adopted has a very terrible story. She has visible burns all over her face so bad that part of one of her eyelids is melted together so that she cannot fully open one of her eyes. Her face in a word is "melted". Her hands are also badly burned and I cannot really get a good look at them because she hides them, but it looks as if she does not have any fingers. Her new father I overheard mention that she was held over hot coals -- just terrible and heartbreaking. Really I don't want to know what happened, I just know she is an example of "the least of these". I mean really, she is burned almost beyond recognition plus she is an older child, not a cute little cuddly baby. Her new mother and father saw beyond the "special need" which is absolutely obvious and always will be and they don't care. They have taken their hearts and given them to her and want to love, love, love. These parents adopted a baby 2 yrs. ago from China with a cleft lip/palate just like Nathaniel's and they saw this girl. God placed her on their hearts and here they are 2 years later to add her to their family. Wow. Please keep them in your prayers. I talked with the father today who told me he doesn't care about her "special needs" but he does care about the discipline issues they have already been having. She is very head strong which I'm sure she has needed to be to survive and I'm sure she wants a family but how hard would it be to be taken from everything you know and placed on a farm in Ohio. She has the world at her fingertips and a family that wants to love her so pray that God fills that family with grace. I wish I could show you a picture, not to show off the "girl that was burned" but to show the goodness, you all know what I mean. I decided not to take one out of respect.

I am going to try and send a picture of another family in the group that adopted a 2yr. old from Tianjin. She is very mall and looks like a 12 mnth old. I think they said she is only 14 pounds. This little one has scoliosis and spina bifida. She will need a few surgeries and physical therapy to get her going but I think she will be fine. She is soooo cute, big chubby cheeks and lovely little lips and a smile that is terrific. They are an awesome family and have a 4yr. old biological son. The mother is from Bogota Colombia and she brought with her her mother and a cousin. They all speak English great because they've lived in the U.S. for a long time but it's a hoot hearing them speak Spanish to each other. Her husband is from Texas and the little boy, Andrew, is bilingual but is just starting to use his Spanish. Their Chinese baby will also be bilingual. How cute will that be, a little Chinese girl speaking Spanish and English!

Today Nathaniel had a physical exam which was a joke. Basically we know he is Chinese! Other than that I learned he is now 23 lbs. When I got him he was 20lbs on the hotel scale so I guess he has gained 3lbs., the kid can eat!

Well, Good night. Talk to you tomorrow.

Katie