Beijing Day 2

Today started out with a great time of prayer with all our travel group families. We then headed to Tian An Men Square and the Forbiddan City. The highlight was a visit to old Beijing neighborhood, a Hutong, where we road a rickshaw and then had lunch in a house restaurant. the sightseeing ended with a trip to a pearl factory. The characters in the one icture are 2 of the 5 Olympic Mascots. They were located outside Tien An Men Square. Tommorrow on to Lanzhou (pronounced Lon Joe). Our next post will have pictures with Adam!

Ni Hao! from Beijing

After a 6 1/2 hour layover in Chicago and a 12 1/2 hour flight we made it to Beijing. Even though it was only around six PM local time when we got to Beijing we all crashed. Today we went to the Great Wall and the Summer Palace (and we ate Chinese food!). We have four other families traveling with us. Only 1 of those will go with us to Lanzhou. The others will get their children in different provinces and we will meet up in Guangzhou. More sightseeing tomorrow and then on to Lanzhou the next day.

Gansu Dragons Win Big! Prepare for First Home Game

OK, the Gansu Dragons are not a real sports franchise, but they are Jeff's Fantasy Football team with a record of 4-2 and 1 game out of first place. But when next Sunday's games are being played, Jeff's mind will be on Adam, and we will be in the Gansu province of China.

As you go off to sleep Saturday night, please remember us in your prayers as we will be receiving Adam around midnight eastern time (we will be 13 hours ahead). When you wake up Sunday morning, we hope to have a post sharing this exciting event. And when you wake up next Tuesday morning, hopefully the Gansu Dragons will be 5-2 (sorry Dad).

This is our last post before we head out tomorrow morning for Beijing. We may have a post or two from there, but don't know if we'll have internet access there. Adam, we're on our way!

Isaiah 43:5-7

Wow. Just 2 days to go and we are on our way. God has been faithful. The three travelers (Jeff, Karyn, and Jeremy) have been battleling colds and sinus infections. But it appears we are on the mend. Thank you for your prayers.

Someone in our travel group shared with us Isaiah 43:5-7:

Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."

We are coming from the west to get our child from east. God has prepared Adam for us ahead of time and secured the necessary approvals. Praise God for His work on our behalf.

Where is Adam Part 2?

Adam is in the Gansu province of China in Zhangye (which is not shown on either map but is about 200 miles north and west of Lanzhou). Since Lanzhou is the capital of Gansu, he will be brought there to join up with us.

More Pictures of Adam

We are not exactly sure when these pictures were taken but they are probably at least a year old. We can't wait to see what he looks like now!

Why We Adopt

It is always amazing to see how God work's in each family when it comes to adoption. Each story is different, but God's purposes are the same. He really cares for the orphans. Our story began several years ago shortly after our son was born. We were told we probably would not have more kids and were lucky to have him. God had introduced the idea of adoption to us (especially to Karyn), but for several reasons (finances and getting comfortable with just 1 child) we never acted on it. Well, when our son was fourteen years old God blessed us with the birth of a daughter. We truly were not expecting that. After about a year God hit us again with the idea of adoption. What's your excuse this time? After raising an only child for 14 years the idea of raising our daughter with a sibling and playmate seemed like the right thing to do. Two years ago, Makayla came into our lives. She is a beautiful healthy Chinese girl from Nanchang. She has truly been a blessing and Makayla (3) and Mackenzie (4) have been sisters and best friends ever since. But after the long trip home from China we told ourselves we were done. God knew differently - and Jeff couldn't keep Karyn away from our adoption agency’s (A Helping Hand) special needs list. Last March God put Zhang Bei (Adam) on our hearts. And we are not sure if he is to be the last member of our family. It's amazing how many families go back and adopt again. Once you understand the heart of an orphan, and have seen what God can do, it's hard to forget them. We have also started volunteering with AHH held an adoption seminar at our church last month. God has truly given us a heart for adoption. We covet your prayers in this journey.

This will truly be an amazing adventure.

James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Our travel itinerary

BEIJING, CHINA

October 19 - Arrive in Beijing 2:25 PM after 14 hour flight frm Chicago
October 20 - Visit jade market, Great Wall & the Summer Palace
October 21 - Visit pearl market, TianAnMen Square & the Forbidden City

LANZHOU, GANSU, CHINA

October 22 - Gotcha Day! - Fly from Beijing to Lanzhou - Get Adam in the afternoon!
October 23 - Register adoption at Civil Affairs office
October 24 - Visit Five Springs Mountain Park
October 25 - Visit White Pagoda Mountain Park
October 26 - Visit 1st Bridge of the Yellow River

GUANGZHOU, CHINA

October 27 - Fly from Lanzhou to Guangzhou
October 28 - Get visa photos, medical check-up, and do some shopping
October 29 - More shopping
October 30 - Paperwork goes to Consulate in AM & Pearl River cruise in PM
October 31 - Oath ceremony at Consulate
November 1 - Fly to Hong Kong then to Chicago then to Dayton - Adam is Home!!

This is Adam

This is Adam. Right now he is at the Zhangye Social Welfare Institute (SWI) in the Gansu Province of China. Adam, know as Zhang Bei, was found as an abandoned boy in September 2003, approximately 2 months after his birth. He was found at the gate of the Bank of China at Dong Da Jie where it is estimated he had been left for 2 days. A passer by found him and called the SWI. Adam was born with a cleft lip and palate. His lip has been surgically repaired. A few months after he gets home we will begin the process of repairing his palette. We will be traveling to China in mid October to bring him home. Our travels will take us to Beijing, then Lanzhou (the capital of the Gansu province where we will adopt Adam) and Guanghzou.

Where is Adam?

Adam is in the Gansu province of China. From Wilepedia, Gansu is a province located in the northwest of the People'sRepublic of China. It lies between Qinghai, Inner Mongolia, and theHuangtu Plateaus, and borders Mongolia to the north. The Huang Heriver passes the southern part of the province. It has a populationof approximately 25 million (1997) and has a large concentration ofHui Chinese. The capital of the province is Lanzhou, located in thesoutheast part of Gansu. Gansu is a multi-cultural place. Han Chinese form the majority inits population of 23 million, but there are also many Muslims,Tibetans, Mongolians and other minorities - 41 ethnic groups intotal. Gansu occupies an area of 454,000 square kilometres. Within Gansu Province there are 18 colleges and universities and33,000 tertiary students. Gansu is thought of as the birthplace ofChinese agriculture. Farming began there around 3000 years ago. The Great Wall of China ends in the Gobi Desert in the north westernend of Gansu Province. As no rock was available in the area the hugestructure was constructed from earth. We will be traveling to Lanzhou. Lanzhou is the capital of Gansu. It is the second largest city in northwest China, and also thepolitical, economic and cultural center of the province. It is listed in Frommer's travel guide as the most polluted city in theworld. Adam's orphanage is north and west of Lanzhou.