Crazy Guest: Fire Engine Red

Each time I look down at my hands a grin spreads across my face and a prayer is lifted in my heart. You see, my fingernails are painted a fire engine red and the polish is chipping off in most places. For some, painted nails are the norm, but not for this dishpan hands type of Mom. Just two weeks ago while I was visiting, playing, teaching and working at a Special Needs orphanage in Beijing a sweet 10-year-old asked to do my nails, and how could I refuse her? So fire engine red they became, and now each time my nails catch my eye, my heart just about bursts with gratefulness for all God accomplished in the short week we were able to serve in Beijing.

Our trip to this particular orphanage was really five years in the making. It was five years ago that we began the process of adopting from China through All Gods Children’s International. Five years ago we had no idea the blessings and stretching, the joy and the heartache that God had in store for us . . . but we are so thankful for each step He has directed.

As we began the adoption process in December of 2004 our little family of four also began our education into the world of orphans. We had no idea that outside of our door was over 100 million orphans that all desperately need the love and care of a family. Our then 10-year-old daughter Kelsey was dismayed and overwhelmed as she learned that children her age lived their entire lives in orphanages, never enjoying the love and security of a family, never knowing the joy of simple gifts or treats. Kelsey’s broken heart led her to action and she was moved to find a way to send simple gifts of love to older orphans. We contacted our adoption coordinator at AGCI and asked if there was a way to partner with them to send gifts to an orphanage in China. What was born out of those conversations became known in our community as The Knitting Project. Kelsey coordinated the youth and adults of our church congregation to knit scarves for older orphans, and knit they did! Over 100 scarves were knit, and as they were knit, orphans were prayed for. We packaged up the scarves and with the help of AGCI sent them off to a Special Needs orphanage in Beijing that they support.

Fire Engine 1

We were so thrilled to be a tiny part of God’s love story towards these orphans, but God wasn’t finished with the story yet . . . .

Just a month after we sent the scarves we received an email with pictures of the children receiving the scarves. Our hearts almost exploded with joy! To see these smiling children, enjoying their handmade treats was such a gift from God. How good of Him to allow us to get a glimpse of His story! Those pictures became our computer wallpaper and we prayed for those children daily for over a year as we waited for our referral and future daughter, Katie Mei.

Fire Engine 2

It was in May of 2006 that we finally traveled to China with AGCI to bring home our daughter. We loved telling The Knitting Project story to our travel mates and giving them a glimpse of God’s story for these orphans, but God wasn’t finished with the story yet . . .

One of our travel coordinators was a young gal named Annie who lived and worked at The Knitting Project orphanage! She looked at our pictures and told us the names and stories of the children we had been praying for. Again, we were in awe of God’s goodness towards us and how He so graciously allowed us to “know” these older orphans even more. Another chapter was added to God’s story of these precious orphans.

In the years since our adoption we have been privileged to share our adoption journey and the way God blessed The Knitting Project. We loved to share how God worked out so many details and how He kept giving us more and more details of His story . . . and last fall we realized God still wasn’t finished with the story yet . . .

We received an email from AGCI’s Embrace Missions department announcing a Missions Trip to none other than “our” orphanage in Beijing. It took Kelsey and I all of 5 seconds to recognize that God was going to write another chapter in our lives! Wit blessings from my husband and younger daughters, Kelsey and I boarded a plane this April with fresh scarves in our suitcase, headed for Beijing!

Fire Engine 3

To say that loving on the children at the orphanage was life changing would be an understatement. Never in all my life have I been so dependent on God. Never in all my life have I so clearly seen the Gospel lived out in front of me. Never in all my life have I so fully understood God’s redeeming love for me.

The orphanage is full of children with medical and mental special needs. Children from ages 2 to 18 call this orphanage their home and it is here where they live, sleep, play, and learn about the love of Jesus from their precious caretakers and directors. We were privileged to come alongside and present a Vacation Bible School to these children. We spent our days teaching God’s Word, singing songs of His love, coloring, playing, hugging, kissing and praying for these children. It wasn’t always easy. My heart broke and tears fell more times than I can count, but it was a glimpse into God’s heart that was worth every hard moment and more.

Fire Engine 4- Our first day at the orphanage was a shock to us all. We longed to snuggle and kiss and love on these children, but many having just arrived at the orphanage from other institutions within the last few months did not know how to receive such affection. As we picked up the children, they would hold themselves stiff against us. No little legs came wrapping around our bodies. No little heads lay upon our shoulders. It was a surprise to most of the team . . . but for myself it was a reminder of how our little Katie Mei was when she came to us. She didn’t know how to be held, we had to teach her. She didn’t know how to snuggle, we had to show her. And so it was with these little ones. We had to dig down deep and give love and affection even when it was received with resistance.

Some days it was hard to love on every child at the orphanage. In some cases we were overwhelmed by runny noses and dirty faces. Other times we were unsure how to reach out to the children with mental difficulties and to interact with them in ways we were accustomed to. But then the Lord graciously gave me a picture of myself before He adopted me into His family. My sin was more vile to Him than the runniest nose or the dirtiest face. My sin kept me from stretching out my arms and receiving His love. But He persevered. But He continued to love. And my sin was forgiven, and I was made clean. So we would persevere and we would continue to love. We would continue to wipe noses and kiss dirty faces and stretch out our arms and place them in our laps.

Fire Engine 5

And the change we saw in 5 days with those children both broke and expanded our hearts. By the end of our trip they were crawling into our laps for post-nap snuggles. They looked us in the eye as we said over and over, “Wo ai ni.” They grabbed hands and gave hugs, they laughed and accepted affection. One little guy who began his week by hitting me to get my attention ended the week by crawling into my arms, placing his forehead against mine, lifting my hand to his cheek and motioning me to lovingly stroke and love on him. And so I did just that . . . as I gently rubbed his cheek I prayed for him, asking God to show this little guy His love, to grow this little guy into a man of God, to provide this little guy with a forever family and to use this little guy to reach people for Christ.

Fire Engine 6

I know someday soon my red nails will fade and the physical reminder of all God accomplished both in and through our team will not be as easily seen. But my heart will never recover. I will never be the same. I will never stop telling the story of how God used one little girl to knit scarves for older orphans to write an ongoing story of His love and redemption and His heart for orphans. Our family is already praying and asking God that there be many more chapters to this story . . . may God be gracious and allow us many more years of love and service towards these precious children.

[read more on Karen’s blog]