Getting there….

"This is the Lord's sign to you that the Lord will do what he has promised…"

Isaiah 38:7

 

I have been asked numerous times "How was China?" My quick response up to this point has been "amazing". Not because I haven't wanted to tell everyone every last detail, but I am still processing everything I experienced while I was there. One of the therapists I work with helped me out one day when she said "It is just something you can't explain; I get it". She had been to India the year before to help out with cleft lips and palates, and she understood my lack of words. There are also privacy laws that go hand and hand with adoptions and orphanages, and I wouldn't want to say or do anything that would jeopardize families waiting for their children. I also want to make sure I respect a country, that although is very different from my own, invited me in to their culture and allowed me to love on their children. I am going to do my best though to explain what I can. Many of you supported me in this trip, and I was representing you there. I felt you there with me and for that reason I want to share my story with you. Instead of one long post, I am going to divide this into a few to make for easy reading and writing…..
    I woke up the morning I left for China ready to go. I had been nervous about leaving my family up until that morning, and then, like He always does, God gave me peace. I dropped the kids off at school and then Jeff and I hung out for the day. We decided to go to lunch. He suggested Chinese, which I vetoed, knowing I would get my share of it the next 10 days. We settled on Tex Mex. We went to the airport, checked in with the airline who informed me my checked bag was going all the way to Beijing (yikes), and then I walked thru security alone. I was to fly to Houston and make a connection to fly to Newark. Spend the night in Newark with 3 other team members that I had yet to meet and then fly onto to Beijing with the rest of the team the next morning. I often hear people say that love ones that have passed away are watching over them and send them signs. I do not believe in this personally. I hate to think of my grandfather watching me and being worried about my life. Besides, I can pretty much hear his response to me signing up for China. I like the thought of him hanging out in Heaven or Paradise or whatever it is for right now (I have heard compelling arguments for both and I'm not going to pretend I have Revelations figured out) at peace and full of joy. I do, however, feel like God will send you signs if you ask for them and sometimes if you don't =).
    The first leg of my flight was delayed. The person at the gate said the "captain saw something he didn't like and wanted Maintenance to check it out". Ummmm, ok?? My hour or so layover quickly got cut to 30 minutes. Then my carryon had to be gate checked because it was a smaller plane, and it wouldn't fit. Great! More of my connection time cut. I went to my seat and next to me was a priest. Now, I am not Catholic, but I took this as a good sign. I am pretty sure he was Spanish speaking only, but he smiled at me a lot. God had sent another one of His children to ride next to me to remind me that this trip was for Him. I landed in Houston, got my luggage, and ran to another terminal and made my next flight in time. My carryon again had to be checked since I was the last one getting on the plane. This time I would have to pick it up at baggage claim. So much for skipping that step in Newark. This time the guy next to me on the plane was reading some kind of Christian tract. I smiled at him; him not so much at me. I decided he was from New Jersey and not Texas =) but was again grateful for the little sign I had been sent. I got to my hotel that night around 1 am. Met three of the girls and crashed.
    The next morning our flight to Beijing was delayed from 11 to 4 pm. We met up with the other team members and had lunch over our $7 voucher we were given for our inconvenience due to the delay. The rest of the team seemed very nice. Several adoptive parents and people who had travelled before. Most of them younger than me. We loaded the plane for the long flight to Beijing. I got to sit next to the sweetest little old man. He was from Canada and we spoke for a little while. As soon as the plane took off, he folded his arms, bowed his head, and slept for almost the entire 13hours. It was impressive. While he was awake, he told me about all his travels to China. Gave me some pointers on things to buy there. Told me not to use my cell phone or the bill would be crazy. Suggested I take the train if I wanted to go somewhere because it was really nice and super fast. As we were filling out our cards to enter the country, I looked down at his and his name…"Jay B". Kid you not. For those of you that don't know, my grandfather's name was JB. He was an amazing man who I dearly miss. Now I don't believe my grandfather sent me that sign. But I do believe my God did. He gave me that last little bit of reassurance that I was exactly where He wanted me to be as I departed the plane and stepped onto Chinese soil…..