My sister and wonderful brother-in-law have considered themselves Lydia DanQing's parents since October 11th when they saw her picture, but tomorrow, TOMORROW, they will finally hold her and be recognized as her parents and be allowed to physically welcome her into their lives. They have prepared a place for her to sleep in the hotel and they are ready for her. They are SO ready to be Mom and Dad to her.
Little Wu Dan Qing has no idea that when she awakes tomorrow morning in her orphanage in Xinyang it will be a day that will change her life forever. She has no idea what is waiting at the end of the 2 hour train ride she will take with her orphanage officials. She has no idea that train will take her to Mom and Dad. She has no idea what parents even are, and MY OH MY is she in for a treat with the parents God has found for her.
Wu Dan Qing will be handed into the arms of love tomorrow. And she might cry, or be afraid, but that's OK, because deep true unconditional love IS overwhelming, especially when you haven't experienced it before.
And Wu Dan Qing will not only meet her parents tomorrow, she will meet her brothers (over a phone/computer)...5 and 7 year old brothers who already adore her and are so excited for her to come home. Since she was 6 days old Wu Dan Qing hasn't had a home of her own. But home is waiting for her now...a lovely, warm, welcoming, joy-infused, God-filled home with 2 big brothers is waiting for her. And in the meantime, home will be the arms of her parents as they all get to know each other and finalize the adoption in China over the next two weeks.
Little Wu Dan Qing also has no idea that beyond the forever family who will live with her and raise her, she has an enormous and awesome (if I do say so myself) extended family. She has 4 grandparents, 6 aunts/uncles, and 8 cousins in 4 states who would do anything for her, who have loved her and longed to meet her for months. Wu Dan Qing has no idea what is coming. She will literally be overwhelmed with love.
Love sometimes looks like prayer. Wu Dan Qing also has no idea how many have been praying for her, praying for years, praying for her safety, her health, her day, her birth mother, her caregivers, her spirit, her heart. Wu Dan Qing has so many people praying for her who are waiting to see that first picture of her in the arms of her parents. Hundreds of people following her journey to her forever family, involved in her journey through prayer.
As I have been thinking about this adoption, the parallels between my/our adoption as children of God are so clear, so striking, to me. Among many Biblical references to adoption is John 1:12, "But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God." I have been adopted too. A good and great God has welcomed me into His family and allowed me to call him Abba Father. I receive undeserved unconditional love that is overwhelming and hard to understand every single day. I have received countless brothers and sisters in faith to call family. The Bible says we will get a new name in heaven, a new name that is our true identity. A new name, a huge family, unconditional love, a new identity, a new life, security, comfort, unparalleled joy and peace…these are realities of adoption…mine and Wu Dan Qing's.
Wu Dan Qing gets a new name tomorrow too. She will be Lydia DanQing Stromberg. Her name honors her birth country, and ties her to her new family (named after a great-great-grandmother). Her name was chosen by her loving parents, who have filled out many papers, waited many months, cried many tears, and traveled many miles to get her. And tomorrow morning they finally get her, they get to hold her and love her and adopt her and bring her home (on January 26th).
Wu Dan Qing sleeps in her orphanage for the last time tonight, alongside so many others, and she has no idea that when she awakes on January 13th a new life awaits her.
There is an ancient Chinese belief that has been reclaimed by the adoptive community and it goes something like this: "An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break."
Thank you God for adoption, for the red thread that connects Wu Dan Qing with Katie and Lars.
Thank you God that you do more than we could ask or imagine
…like bringing these three together tomorrow morning in China.
…like bringing these three together tomorrow morning in China.
Here is my sister's adoption blog if you want to follow their journey: http://strombergadoption.com
