Tell Me Again, Mama!

"Tell me again, Mama!"

Those four words are not uncommon around our household.  We've been hearing them for a few years now.

Apparently, there's been much talk lately, as there has been in the past, about the rights and wrongs, of what the story behind our children's life, before they came into our families, is.

I believe each family should find the words that work for them.  Our family has found that the truth is the answer, especially with our Chinese children.  But, it relates to all three.  As a matter of fact, it relates to all six of my precious babes.  

TRUTH.   There is such power in that word.

I've heard people tell their children from China that their Mamas loved them so much, that they were left in a place where they could be found, and that they tried to care for them, but they weren't able to.  That all may be true, but we have no 'real' proof'.  We may believe in our hearts the information we were given, because it seems like the logical explanation when a child is left in a very public place such as a hospital, train station or orphanage steps, but that still isn't enough truth for me.  I wanted proof of their story.  I wanted it to be true, not just what I wished or hoped it was.

So, when in doubt, I do what I always do.  I pray.  I search for God.  I seek His answer.

When we decided to adopt, I knew these were questions we'd someday face.  "Why didn't my Mom keep me?", "Did my Mom love me?", etc.  So, my praying began long before I saw their precious faces.

I skirted around a bit with the above suggestions, but something just didn't feel right.  That proof, that truth wasn't there.  I wanted to be able to look them in the eyes and with all my heart know that what I was telling them was solid, not just the desires of my heart to ease their loss.  

Then, one day while reading God's Word,  He clearly spoke the truth to me.  I had my answer!  A perfect answer.  A truthful answer that could not be unproven or denied because it had come from His infallible Word.

“All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before 

one of them came to be."  ~ Psalms 139:16 

That's where their story began.  It didn't begin the day their birth Mamas realized they were carrying a child in their womb.  It didn't begin the day that they gasped their first breath of air.  It began before time began.  It began before they were even a thought in the minds of any human. It began in the mind of God.  That's how special they are!  They were chosen.  Not chosen by us, but chosen by their Almighty Father and Creator.

The story pretty much goes like this:

Once upon a time, way before time began, God decided he would make a beautiful and perfect baby. A baby He knew would bring Him glory.  But first, He needed a very special lady to bring this baby into the world.  So, He searched and searched for someone special enough that He knew would say, "Yes!  I will bring this baby into the world."  

Then, He planted the seed in that special lady's belly that formed the baby and the baby began to grow.  Oh, how quickly that beautiful baby grew and grew!  Just as God had planned.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made, your works are wonderful.  Psalm 139:13-14

But God, who of course knows everything, knew that this baby would not stay with that special lady, because He had other plans for him.  Plans that were as special as the baby He had chosen.  

He didn't stop at just making the baby. God wasn't done yet.. That was only a small part of His plan.  As that baby grew and grew, God had more planting of seeds to do. This time, He planted seeds in hearts.  Two hearts in particular.  He planted seeds in the hearts of a Mama and Daddy.  He knew that the two people He has chosen loved Him very, very much.  So, one day He whispered into their hearts, "I have a beautiful and perfect baby for you." God smiled because He knew this family would do what He asked, and they really, really wanted this beautiful and perfect baby.  But most importantly, God knew this family would teach this baby about Him and His amazing love.  God also knew that the baby would love Him so much, that even as a small child learning about Him, this child would begin to share Him with the world. The child would speak to others about Him in places most grownups don't go to share Him, like schools and playgrounds. 

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5 

Time went by and finally, this baby was born into the world.  Because God had already placed in the birth Mama's heart that she wasn't keeping this baby, she followed through with another plan.  She chose for him to be adopted.  Yes, the same way that Jesus adopted us, His children..

The baby was watched over and protected by God until the perfect family He had chosen for him, was able to bring that baby home.  Boy, did it seem to take forever!  Although they were a little impatient, especially the Mama, they knew that sometimes God's timing does seem like forever to arrive.  So, they waited....and they waited,. and they waited, all the while trusting God.

The Mama and Daddy knew time was getting closer.  Every day they woke up wondering if this would be the day.  Then one day, there was a phone call!  The phone call they had waited such a long time for.  Their baby was ready and waiting for them to bring him home!  Oh, that Mama and Daddy cried lots and lots of happy tears, They also thanked God, over and over, for His miracle and His goodness, because they knew that God always keeps His promises.

Not long after, they saw that beautiful baby for the first time ever.   The moment they held him, they knew....it was perfect.  All of it.  God's plan.  The baby.  Their family.  God smiled from Heaven when the family was finally together, because He knew that indeed, it was perfect. (Of course, everything He does is perfect!)

"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good". - Genesis 1:31

At last, they all went home as a family.  The baby joined his brothers and sister and lots and lots of other family members.  He was loved and he loved back with all his heart, because he knew that God loved him so very much, that He made a special plan just for him.  A plan that He makes for all of His children that ask Him into their hearts.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

The best part of the story is that the baby grew up knowing the truth.  The real truth.  The truth that said that he was so loved by God, that He handpicked him and chose him, out of all the millions and millions of children in the world, to fulfill His purpose, and bring Him glory.  Wow!  Can you imagine what an honor is it to be chosen by God for something like that?!!

This truth filled the entire family with joy, and they all lived happily ever after.

The End.    
©Ohilda Bombardier    


Shortly after sharing their story with the kiddos, I hear those words, "Tell me again, Mama!"   What joy it brings into our  hearts that our children realize, not only that they are treasured and adored, but they know, that they know, that they know,,,,who they belong to, their real Father, Jesus Christ.  While the world may want to add all the messiness about their beginnings, how they were found, where they were found and even trying to guess the 'why' of it all, into the equation, the fact remains that their days were ordained for them, even before time began.!

So friends, that is our story.  No, not just the baby's story, but all of us who are blessed and honored to have been adopted and chosen into the family of God.

If you're not sure if you belong to that family, please don't hesitate to ask me.  I'd love to share i it  with you, and Jesus would love to call YOU His child.   Email me HERE.

 

So sad, with a thankful heart.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. - John 10:10

Today, a friend shared THIS LINK with me. My eyes welled as I read of the agony that this mother must have gone through as the precious child she had carried close to her heart for eight months, was cruelly ripped out of her womb.

While China's one-child policy still very much remains in effect, this heinous act happens world wide.

After reading the article, I feel a need to take a moment to thank our precious angels' birthmothers for their courage and tenacity. I pray that God bless them abundantly. Although, we will never know the circumstances of what they went through to assure the birth of their baby, we do know it must have been a difficult path to walk. I pray that God fill their hearts with his unexplainable peace and that they may somehow know deep in their hearts how happy, loved and treasured their babies are. It is a gift we could never repay. We are reminded that the miracle of adoption blesses our lives every single day when we look into the faces of our sweet babies.

This post wasn't intended to be about the upcoming elections, but it is inevitable for me not to bring it up knowing that we can stop these atrocities from happening in our own backyard.

We are God's children. We have the opportunity to make our voices heard and remove from office those that agree on the killing of millions of innocent babies. We can make a difference. Please vote on November 2nd!

Celebrating Culture

Oh yes, folks. That's what this totally, creatively-challenged Mama did!

A few days ago, I posted a status on my FaceBook asking my worldy friends for suggestions on what to do with the little guys to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. I should not have been surprised by the huge amount of wonderful ideas that poured in, enough to fill our entire week of school.

So, I took advantage of that and we've been discussing China, it's people, and the culture including the Moon Festival, all week. Today, we culminated the event by celebrating during school time, going on a field trip and having a family celebration at home.

After getting reading and math out of the way, we read the legendary myth about Cheng E and Hou Yi.

Then, we discussed how the Chinese often celebrate with yummy goodies in China that include Moon Cakes. We talked about what they thought Moon Cakes looked like and they created their ideas of a Moon Cake with playdough. They really did look yummy!

Then we talked about Chinese lanterns and how these are used in many parades in China.

So, we colored:



and we cut:



and we pasted:



until we ended up with these beauties:



Which brought about lots of fun and giggles as they played with them!

Next, we went on a field trip to an authentic Chinese grocery store, where the elderly couple that own it, shared with us how they celebrated the Moon Festival in China when they were younger.

Of course, we certainly couldn't leave there without picking up the perfect yummies for our own little Moon Festival celebration tonight. So, we bought these:

On the left is a small, traditional Moon Cake, filled with Lotus paste and egg yolk. In the center is what we know as Moon Pies, and on the right are also some traditional Chinese sweet balls filled with red bean, peanut, or sesame paste.

Finally, when Daddy arrived home, we went out as a family, including big brother, Adam, to eat some yummy Chinese food. Then came back home for our little Moon celebration. We layed a blanket out in the yard and brought our goodies with us. The celebration began with a small lantern parade. They were so proud!

The full moon was shining bright and strikingly beautiful as we re-read the story of Chang E for Daddy and Adam to hear, while the little ones filled in all the details about the Jade Rabbit and the beautiful palace Chang E lives in.

We each ate some of the traditional Moon Cake, which I admit was not to anyone's liking except our beautiful Chinese Princess who, true to her style, loves to eat just about every thing placed before her.

That was followed by the chocolatey Moon Pies and everyone closing their eyes and making a wish upon the moon, hoping that Chang E fills it.

....and with that, our 2010 Celebration of the Mid Autumn Moon Festival, Bombardier style, ended.

It was a fabulously, sweet day in every sense of the word, from the company to the food, to the occasion.

This Mama could not ask for more!

quarantined

While the H1N1 virus has become a pandemic, the Chinese government is taking every precaution possible to prevent it's spread. This includes placing into quarantine American families traveling to bring home their children and different provinces halting all adoptions until further notice.

I fully understand that they must do this, but at the same time, I've been where many of those waiting families are. At a point that it seems like the time will never arrive that you will actually hold your child as true flesh and blood and not just in your heart.

Please pray for THIS family that has indeed been quarantined since their arrival in China and for my sweet bloggy friend, Tami, who was leaving in just a matter of days to bring home their precious treasure, Sophie, when they received the dreaded call that their travel plans had been halted.

As Tami stated on her blog, "Even when I don't understand. Always, God is good."

In addition, please pray for the families that are there now. May they remain healthy and travel safely back home with their blessings in tow.

Below is the latest travel advisory from the U.S. Department of State:

Travel Alert
CHINA
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of Consular Affairs

This information is current as of Monday June 22, 2009.

The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens to the quarantine measures imposed by the Government of China in response to the 2009-H1N1 pandemic that may affect travel to China. This Travel Alert expires on September 30, 2009.

Current quarantine measures in China include placing arriving passengers who exhibit fever or flu-like symptoms into seven-day quarantine. Although the proportion of arriving Americans being quarantined remains low, the random nature of the selection process increases the uncertainty surrounding travel to China. The selection process focuses on those sitting in close proximity to another traveler exhibiting fever or flu-like symptoms or on thosedisplaying an elevated temperature if arriving from an area where outbreaks of 2009-H1N1 have occurred. We have reports of passengers arriving from areas where outbreaks have occurred (including the U.S. and Mexico) being placed in precautionary quarantine simply because they registered slightly elevated temperatures.

In some instances, children have been separated from their parents because either the parent or the child tested positive for 2009-H1N1 and was placed in quarantine for treatment. This situation presents the possibility of Chinese medical personnel administering medications to minors without first having consulted their parents.

The Department of State has received reports about unsuitable quarantine conditions, including the unavailability of suitable drinking water and food, unsanitary conditions, and the inability to communicate with others.

Travelers to China are reminded that all foreign travelers, including U.S. citizens, are obliged to follow local procedures regarding quarantines and any other public health-related measures. The U.S. Embassy will be unable to influence the duration of stay in quarantine for affected travelers.

The Chinese government will not compensate people for lost travel expenses. Travelers to China are urged to consider purchasing travel insurance to protect against losses in the event they are quarantined.

For more information on U.S. Government policy during a pandemic, and for travel safety information, please see the State Department's "Pandemic/Avian Influenza" and "Remain in Country" fact sheets on www.travel.state. gov.

Further information about 2009-H1N1 Influenza, including steps you can take to stay healthy, can be found at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu, the U.S. Government pandemic influenza website at www.pandemicflu.gov, and the World Health Organization website at www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.

U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the Department of State's travel registration website. By registering, American citizens can receive the Embassy's most recent security and safety updates during their trip. Registration also ensures that U.S. citizens can be reached should an emergency arise either abroad or at home. While consular officers will do their utmost to assist Americans in a crisis, travelers always should be aware that local authorities bear primary responsibility for the welfare of people living or traveling in their jurisdictions.

NO HANDS BUT OURS

NO HANDS BUT OURS was designed to be a resource for special needs adoptions from China. This informative site has been a long time dream for an adoptive Mama, Stefanie, in order to help families considering, in the process or home from China who may need resources. Most importantly, it was created to help the waiting children of China possibly find their forever families. Along with Stefanie, three other great adoptive Mamas, Rebecca , Tonggu Momma , and Amie from Heart Smiles, collaborated in this wonderful mission.

Please check out the site. Here you will find information about specific special needs, links and resources, family stories (including our own sweet Kai's story - I'm working on Anna Grace's), agencies, as well as information about current children who wait. A place where anyone who is considering the WC program or at any stage of the process can find answers as well as encouragement to help them along on their journey.

As many of you know, I am the very proud Mama of two amazing special needs children from China. Adoption is my passion and special needs children are at the top of that list. My sweet Kai was born with a severe cleft lip and palate, and our Anna Grace was born with Poland Syndrome, which includes limb deformities. They have both been immense blessings in our lives. Words cannot describe the love I feel for our children, all 6 of them. But, as I've said many times before, there is something so very, very special about these waiting children. My heart shrivels up and dies when I think that Kai, coming from such a poor orphanage, would never have had his palate, with the degree of severity he had, repaired. He would have never spoken. I cry at that thought. Our Anna Grace would never have had her hand corrected and she would have had to live with a a disability for life that is so easily corrected in our country. Yet, so may children in China will have to live their lives without the medical care they need. That is their reality. It's heartbreaking. Especially when so many of these special needs are so easily corrected. Some children even have corrective surgery before coming home. Then there are the older childre who are placed on waiting list just because of their age. They are perfectly healthy, but with every day that passes, their chances of being adopted and belonging to a family become smaller and smaller.

Please, consider opening your heart to a waiting child, whether you are starting the process or are in the very long wait for a non-special needs referral. Visit NO HANDS BUT OURS and see if maybe your child is waiting there. If there is a special need you've been praying about, check out the resources or the family stories. Feel free to ask questions and inquire about your concerns. There are so many children still waiting for their turn to be a part of a family and your family may just be the one!

I know in our own lives, Scott and I often speak of our dream to someday go back to China and bring home another cleft-affected little man. That dream has been placed in God's hands because of China's restrictions. But, your dream may be just paperwork away.

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST!!!

Prayer Warriors,

This beautiful family is in China right now with a very sick little girl who has been hospitalized in Kunming. Her parents have not been able to hold her and literally met her on Gotcha Day at the hospital. The conditions in the hospital are dreadful and little Susannah is in dire need of getting medical help in the U.S. Please pray specifically that the Lord open every door for her adoption paperwork, passport and visa to be expedited as soon as possible. In addition, please allow her to arrive home without any further complications. God truly has to move mountains for all of this to occur, but we KNOW and BELIEVE that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD!

This family is holding on to every bit of strength and faith that they have. Please take a moment to read their story and send them some words of encouragement. It is a desperate feeling of being all alone when you are in a far away country and you're struggling with your child's needs. I can't even imagine what it must be like when your child is so sick. You just want to get them home!

You can read their story and leave comments/email them HERE.

Will you pray for China during the Olympics?

The eyes of the world will soon be on the Olympics. But the eyes of God remain on His children and especially those who suffer for their faith.

Despite what you may hear in the news, Chinese Christians who refuse to register with the government controlled church are being persecuted. Many have undergone horrific suffering.

I know that God has blessed us immensely by allowing us to teach two of His Chinese babies about our Savior, but so many are left behind that may never learn the truth.

Please Lord, protect your children who stand firm in your faith, regardless of the arrows that fly by them.

"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. - Matthew 5:10

Click HERE for more information and to order your own free Olympic Prayer band.

So much to share...

There is so much I want to share about our going-ons and the kids, but everytime I turn around, it seems like the little things in our life are so trivial compared to all that is happening around us, around the world.

More sadness, more tragedy, as the strongest aftershock since the 7.9 magnitude earthquake that rocked China, struck the devasted region again. I will post Half The Sky's update tomorrow.

Right now, I wanted to share a couple of articles. This one from The Tennessean as the Chapman Family said their final goodbyes to their sweet daughter, Maria Sue.

Please, I urge you to continue to keep this hurting family in your prayers. Prayer is something so very powerful and something that they desperately need right now.

Just feet away from her sister Maria’s tiny white coffin, Shaohannah Chapman stood with her parents and listened as her daddy read a letter she wrote.

It was addressed to two people up above: her sister and Jesus.

“Maria’s stuffed animals are going to be packed away and put into the attic,” Steven Curtis Chapman, a well-known Christian singer/songwriter, read in a steady voice that sometimes trailed off into a whisper.

“Enjoy heaven,” he continued, addressing some 2,000 mourners Saturday at his 5-year-old daughter’s funeral at Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville.

“I will see you soon, but not too soon. I hear the roads are made of solid gold and God waits for everyone. When you see that I’m coming, wait for me at the gate,” he continued as Maria’s pictures — smiling in huge sunglasses or sitting next to her birthday cake — flashed on two screens behind him.

Shaohannah’s was one of many tributes to Maria, a little girl described by her parents, siblings and friends as a “snuggle bunny” who loved to run around naked, draw flowers and play princesses.

She died Wednesday evening after what authorities called a “terrible accident.” One of Chapman’s two teenage sons was backing down the family’s driveway in a truck. He didn’t see the child in the driveway and struck her. She was pronounced dead later that day at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University.

The little girl was one of Chapman’s three adopted daughters from China and joined the family in 2004. Chapman and his wife, Mary Beth, also have three biological children. They were celebrating the eldest daughter Emily’s recent engagement.


But the Saturday service, sometimes pierced by spontaneous laughter from the pews caused by funny Maria stories, also served as a reminder that another life, that of the teenage boy who drove the truck, has been shattered.

“I haven’t always been a good brother,” one of the Chapman boys said. “Just like my dad helped Maria, I hope I help my brother. … (God) healed Maria in a way we don’t like, but he’s going to heal (my brother) in a way we’re going to like.”
Those in the sanctuary got up and applauded.

And then Chapman recalled how he tried to fight for his little girl in the hospital, how he told the doctors he needed to pray, he needed to save her.

“That’s what you do as a dad,” he said, his voice breaking up. And how he asked God for a sign to know that his daughter was OK, and the frustration when it didn’t come. Not right away, he said. And then he found a card Maria painted but never finished. When he turned it around, it read “see.”

“I heard her little voice and the voice of God,” he said. “She said: ‘See, dad, it’s OK.’ ”

The second is from the Chapman Blog and written by Jim Houser, SCC's manager.

Maria's Memorial Service

For those who couldn't be here, I thought I'd share a rundown, the best I can remember it as I was a bit emotional. It was a beautiful and moving celebration of this little girl's life. And in typical Chapman fashion... God was honored, the Gospel was presented, and... It went long. : )
Throughout the service, pictures of Maria were shown on screens above the platform. There were about 2000 people present and the program was just over 2 hours.

Michael W Smith provided a beautiful prelude and then sang "Still" to open the service. Then a prayer of invocation was offered, and a Pastor at Christ Community Church, the family's home church, Scotty Smith called us to worship with a congregation responsive reading of a portion of The Heidelberg Catechism and the question What is your only comfort in life and in death?
Matt Redman, who was in the airport in Atlanta preparing to fly back to his home in the UK when he heard the news of Maria's death, left the airport rather than board his flight and drove to Nashville to serve the family anyway he could. The Chapmans not knowing Matt was in the country had discussed him being a part and we're overwhelmed to hear he was able to be there. Matt led worship along with Christy Nockels singing several songs including two that Redman has written out of his own loss and sorrows, "Blessed Be Your Name," and "You Never Let Go," as well as the hymn "It Is Well."

Then Matt explained that Steven and he had penned a song "Close To Your Heart" a few months ago for a close family friend of the Chapmans just after the loss of their child. Little did Steven know it would bring comfort to him and his own family on this day, as Matt shared it at Maria's service.

One of Shaohannah's Hope's orphan care partners in China, Robin Hill flew in for the service and he offered a prayer.

Then family and friends stood just feet away from Maria's tiny coffin and shared stories about the spunky, adorable little girl. A few here...

Family friend Karen sharing how Maria loved to wash dishes butt naked, and loved when her family "was altogether,"

The unpredictable Mary Beth with a few stories including how Maria loved her nicknames and running the sweet list down.

Family friend Melissa challenging us to live like Maria and love others like she did, not holding back!;

Caleb sharing how he had prayed for God to heal Maria after the accident, and how God did it in a way that he didn't like very much (taking her to heaven) but that he has never been more convinced that Jesus is real,

Miss Meagan, Maria's pre-school teacher, commenting on her love of art, drawing flowers, her classmates and her family,

Emily telling the story of how when she told Maria that Tanner had asked her to marry him that Maria asked her "whacha say?" and Emily went on to challenge us with the picture God gives of how the groom Jesus has asked his bride, us, to marry Him with a relationship through the cross, "whacha say?"

Lastly, Steven sharing that Maria had professed Jesus as her Savior and those moments; as well as a moving story from him about how he had asked God to help him see that Maria was safe, and how God showed up. (I'll let him tell it soon).

Next, children in the service brought flowers to Maria's casket as SCC's best friend Geoff Moore sang "With Hope," a song Steven wrote 10 years ago for a family that lost a child, that same family the Mullicans are now walking he and Mary Beth through this now shared tragic experience.

Scotty Smith then took a few precious minutes to challenge us on the Gospel, that Maria's story is our story and we can be adopted into God's family and see Him and Maria at the end of our lives. (I'm not able to do Scotty's words justice).

Tammy Jensen then sang "Jesus I Am Resting, Resting," close family friends mentioned above the Mullicans prayed to close our time. And then the video of "Dishwashin Daddy and "Bellyflop" that has gone around the world was played.

Friends, it was such a difficult, yet sweet time. I urge you now to pray for this family. Be intentional. Set an alarm to go off on the 21st of every month, or anytime you see an SUV let it be a reminder, or whenever you hear a Steven song... whatever you feel is best. As someone who has experienced a difficult loss, some days ahead will be difficult for this family because the rest of the world moves on and forgets. It's very understandable of course. If you can though, remember to keep them in your prayers.

I too echo Caleb and his wise beyond his years comment, after having the privilege to walk with so many of their family and friends next to the Chapmans through this time, I have never been more convinced that Jesus is real, that the Gospel is true. Despite this tragedy that could seem to contradict He is a good and sovereign God, we know the truth that is on the front of Maria's Memorial Service program! That He has plans for us "plans for peace and not evil, to give you a future and a hope."

The Chapman family needs our prayers!

© 2007 Tucker Photography.

Left to right Will Franklin, Maria, Steven, Shaoey, Mary Beth, Stevey Joy, Caleb and Emily.

Dove Award winner, Stephen Curtis Chapman and his wife Mary Beth have been huge advocates for the children of China since the adoption of their first daughter, Shaoey. This loss has affected not only this wonderful family, but the entire adoption community. Our prayers are being lifted that our Lord grace them with His inexplicable peace that surpasses all understanding. May they reach out to Him for comfort as their hearts mourn the tragic passing of their youngest daughter, Maria.

MARIA SUE CHAPMAN, DAUGHTER OF STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN, DIES IN ACCIDENT AT FAMILY HOME.

"At approximately 5pm on the afternoon of Wednesday May 21st, Maria Sue Chapman, 5 years old and the youngest daughter to Steven and Mary Beth Chapman was killed last night by a car driven by her teenage brother in the driveway of the Chapman family’s Williamson County home in Tennessee.
Maria, Chapman, youngest of six children, was playing in the driveway when she was struck by a Toyota Land Cruiser. Several members of the Chapman family witnessed the accident.

More than five years ago, Chapman and his wife, MaryBeth, founded The Shaohannah’s Hope Ministry after bringing their first adopted daughter, Shaohannah, home from China. The ministry’s goal is to help families reduce the financial barrier of adoption, and has provided grants to over 1700 families wishing to adopt orphans from around the world.

The Chapman family is so grateful for the incredible outpouring of love and support at this difficult time."

WORDS & VIDEO FROM SPECIAL BLOG SET UP FOR MARIA.

Maria Sue Chapman (2003-2008)

Maria Sue Chapman, adopted and youngest daughter to Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman, was killed Wednesday night in a tragic accident in the family driveway on Wednesday evening. She was LifeFlighted to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital but for only reasons God can explain she went home to Him... not to Franklin as we all so desperately wanted.

Your prayers are needed for all in the Chapman family. This is a family who has so generously loved and given to so many. Just hours before this close knit family was celebrating the engagement of the oldest daughter Emily Chapman, and were just hours away from a graduation party marking Caleb Chapman's completion of high school. Now, they are preparing to bury a child who blew out 5 candles on a birthday cake less than 10 days ago. These words are unthinkable to type. - Jim Houser (Manager)

(Please remember to turn off background music to watch video.)

In lieu of flowers, the Chapmans request any gifts be directed to Shaohannah’s Hope.

More orphans, more sadness. more updates

Beijing motorists stop and stand beside their cars honking their horns for three minutes to honor the victims of last week's devastating quake

Such sadness fills my heart as we hear of heroes such as Teacher Zhang Huibing and the devastation that continues as countless orphans continue to appear daily.

Please continue to join me in prayer. May our God hold each person affected by this disaster in the palms of His hands and may He fill those that have lost family members and friends with the unconditional peace that only He could bring.

Here is the latest news from Half The Sky Foundation.

Dear Friends,

It’s Monday afternoon here in China. As I write this, the entire country just held 3 minutes of silence to commence a 3 day period of national mourning. It began at 2:28 pm, marking the very moment the massive quake struck in Wenchuan County, Sichuan. Flags flew at half-staff, the people wore white flowers and, heads bowed, held hands. Across the country, horns and sirens wailed in grief.

There are 32,477 people confirmed dead, more than 35,000 still missing.

Sadly and predictably, we are getting more information about children newly orphaned. We are now bringing together people and resources to prepare and train caregivers to help children through the next difficult phase of recovery. Unlike emergency relief (not our specialty but we're learning fast!), this is an area where HTS does have great expertise to offer. We will give all we can to these children who have many hard days ahead of them. I will be sharing our plans as they evolve.

Meanwhile, we continue to focus our attention on the most urgent needs of affected children – children in institutions and children orphaned or displaced by the disaster.

What follows is our most recent news. I’ve posted a few photos on our website:

http://halfthesky.org/work/earthquake08.php and will update as more arrive.

Ziyang Social Welfare Institution – Building sustained severe damage. They care for 48 children, 20 of them under four years-old. They request 50 cribs and cots, bandages, 10 milk pots, children’s clothes, 100 sets of bedding, bowls, spoons, chopsticks, toys and stationary supplies.

Deyang and Nanchong Social Welfare Institutions both have received notification that they should prepare immediately to receive newly orphaned children. All the children are living in tents. HTS will provide additional tents, beds and other requested items.

Guangyuan SWI – The children remain in tents. They were notified that they will be receiving several newly orphaned children (perhaps 50-60)very soon.

Shifang saw many of its schools destroyed, hundreds of children and their teachers buried. They sent us this heartbreaking story during the rescue efforts at Hongbai Primary School:

‘We found him!’ Teacher Zhang Huibing’s body was finally discovered,frozen in a posture of pushing against the door frame. According to the students saved by him, when the earthquake happened, Teacher Zhang was on the platform of the classroom on the second floor, which was very near the door. He yelled to the students, ‘Run outside! Hurry!’ And he somehow held the door frame up with both arms as the children ran out, one by one.Just as all the students were safely evacuated, the building collapsed on him. Teacher Zhang, who was only 30 years-old, had a four-year-old child of his own.”

As I mentioned in my last note, Mianyang has become a major refugee center. Of the more than 20,000 refugees in the city’s Jiuzhou Stadium,“scores” of them are young children. We are told, but this is not confirmed, that the entire center area of the stadium is reserved for toddlers and infants. Most are said to be from Dujiangyang, Beichuan and Mianzhu. Ma Lang is on her way to Mianyang now, so we will learn more soon.

Many children who have lost or become separated from their families are being brought to Chengdu, but not yet to the Chengdu Children’s Welfare Institution. Some have been taken to the Sichuan Children’s Center (an after-school and weekend activity center for children.)

About 30 children, from Yingxiu and Dujiangyang, were taken a Chengdu city park, the Qingyang Sports Center, which has been converted to a refugee camp. Some children have been united with family members. We’re told that some from the media are actively trying to reunite families. Most of the children in this camp who survived were in their teens. They told us that many younger children in their town did not survive because those in the primary schools and kindergartens were napping when the quake hit and could not run.

The youngest camp resident was 16 days-old. The military police made a special effort to bring her and her very young mother down to the camp from Yingxiu. The baby was only 11 days-old when her daddy perished in the earthquake.

Perhaps today's most heartbreaking story was about some of the 70 injured children who’d been carried down from the affected areas to Huaxi Hospital. Most of the children were reunited with parents or relatives; some were even well enough to leave the hospital after treatment. But a few children remained alone and unclaimed.

They were required to sign their own consent forms so that the doctors could amputate their limbs to save their lives. Half the Sky spent much of the weekend purchasing requested supplies and shelter, organizing distribution and continuing to assess needs. In addition to the much-needed and wonderfully generous monetary donations from our amazing community of supporters, we have been flooded with offers of in-country help from from volunteers.

As you can imagine, many requested items are getting harder and harder to come by. Just today we doubled our refugee tent order to 200 – all that was available immediately – and already have requests for more. Shoppers in Chengdu have begun filling a no-longer-habitable room at the Chengdu CWI (Children’s Welfare Institution) with everyday goods destined for hard-hit areas.

Others around China are working on fulfilling our giant shopping list. Some are flying in to Chengdu, hand-carrying items from our medical wish-list. Our wonderful friends at Gung-Ho Films, a Beijing-based film production services company, are offering logistics support, including shopping, shipping and door-to-tent delivery!

I can’t really express how moved we are by your generosity and your trust in Half the Sky to ensure that the children benefit from your gifts. Today 3 more HTS Beijing staffers and 2 Gung-Ho staff traveled to Chengdu to help facilitate our relief efforts.

We all feel privileged to be able to help. If you would like to donate to Half the Sky’s Children’s Earthquake Fund,it would be great if you would do so at Global Giving as (even though they take 10% for processing and we do not (100% to the kids but at cost to our programs) it allows HTS staff to focus on relief efforts while keeping our programs going.
http://www.globalgiving.com/pr/2100/proj2086a.html

If you prefer to donate directly to Half the Sky, of course that’s fine. Here are the various ways: You can donate by calling Half the Sky (+1 510525 3377) or on our website: http://give.halfthesky.org/prostores/servlet/Categories?category=Children

Many companies have announced they will match employee gifts for earthquake relief. Please check to see if your company will double your gift!

If you would like a Canadian tax receipt, please donate at
http://www.canadahelps.org/CharityProfilePage.aspx?CharityID=s86248

If you would like a Hong Kong tax receipt, please call us at +852 25205266 or online at https://www.paydollar.com/b2c2/eng/charity/payInfo.jsp?charityId=4947

Thank you so much for your kindness and concern.

with love,
Jenny

Jenny Bowen
Executive Director
Half the Sky Foundation
www.halfthesky.org

Update from Half The Sky Foundation

Dear friends,

I know you have been waiting eagerly for more news of how the children are faring during the aftermath of the disastrous earthquake in Sichuan.

When something terrible like this happens, confusion is everywhere and rumors spread. All of us are so worried about the children. We are trying to be scrupulously careful to pass along only information that we’ve been able to verify.

We have now set up a procedure whereby we can get an update from the Ministry of Civil affairs each day. They are supervising all relief efforts so have the most complete and accurate information available. We also now have contact information for all affected welfare institutions and have begun the process of reaching out to them directly to see if theyneed help.

I will write daily with any new information that has been given to us. Again, please do not contact us to inquire about individual institutions. We will give you all of the information we have. If you do not hear from us about a particular place, it likely is not affected. At any rate, we don’t have any information beyond what I am passing along to you.

As of now, Wednesday afternoon in China, there are 12,012 people dead and 7,841 missing in Sichuan alone, and the numbers continue to rise. 26,206people are living in temporary shelters. Only 30 children of 900 have been rescued from the collapsed high school in Dujiangyan, Sichuan. At least 20 children were buried in the collapse of a primary school in Liangping, Chongqing.

What follows are the welfare institutions closest to the epicenter: Mianyang, Zitong County, Dujiangyan, Deyang and Guanguan.

The following is a preliminary, and not necessarily complete, list of institutions which are also potentially affected: Wenjiang County, Neijiang, Rongxian, Zigong, Ganzizhou, Panzhihua, Luzhou, Santai County,Leshan, Suining, Nanchong, Guang’an. We will have a full list later today or early tomorrow. While we’ve heard rumors about some of the above, we won’t pass on that information until we’ve made direct contact and verified. I want to stress that we’ve heard no reports of children in the welfare institutions being injured, only that some have been relocated for their safety.

An update on the Chengdu CWI: There has been some foundation damage to the rehab building and some cracked walls in other buildings, which are being carefully inspected. The children’s building is in the best shape and all children have been moved to the first floor but spend most of the day outside, weather permitting – or in the institution buses if there israin. All institution staff and HTS staff are working around the clock to care for the children and keep them safe.

In cooperation with China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs, Half the Sky has set up the Children’s Earthquake Fund. The Fund will provide direct aid to the thousands of children who are suffering in the wake of the earthquake and aftershocks. Donations will be used to provide emergencyand long-term relief to children affected by the disaster, including emergency shelter, food, and medical care for children orphaned or separated from their families, as well as temporary or long-term fostercare or, if necessary, temporary institutional care. The ministry has guaranteed that the funds will be used only to help the children.

You can donate to the fund by calling Half the Sky (+1 510 525 3377) or at one of two dedicated sites online: Global Giving:
http://www.globalgiving.com/pr/2100/proj2086a.html or

Half the Sky website:
http://give.halfthesky.org/prostores/servlet/Categories?category=Children%27s+Earthquake+Fund

If you would like a Canadian tax receipt, please donate at
http://www.canadahelps.org/CharityProfilePage.aspx?CharityID=s86248

If you would like a Hong Kong tax receipt, please call us at +852 25205266 or online at https://www.paydollar.com/b2c2/eng/charity/payInfo.jsp?charityId=4947

We are juggling a lot these days — doing everything we can to help out here as well as keeping our existing programs operating, AND opening model centers in 5 new provinces this year to bring everyday care to so many children still waiting for us to reach them. But somehow we must find away to do it all.

This is just a devastating, heartbreaking situation. We are so moved by your desire to help.
We feel fortunate to be a conduit for so much loving concern. Thank you all!

with love,

Jenny

Jenny Bowen
Executive Director
Half the Sky Foundation

www.halfthesky.org

Praising God!

An email received this evening from Half The Sky Foundation:

Dear Friends,

We have received many emails and calls about the terrible earthquake thatstruck Sichuan and Chongqing yesterday. We have reached the threeorphanages where Half the Sky operates programs: Chengdu, Chongqing andYibin. All is well. At each place, the children were all evacuated until the tremors passed. The buildings suffered no great damage. And no child was injured. We will reach out to other welfare institutions in the province today. Should we learn of any problems or earthquake-related needs, I’ll post another note.

Some of you have also written regarding the EV71 hand-foot-mouth virusthat has affected many, particularly young children, in several provinces. The orphanages are taking special precautions and no child in aninstitution has been reported infected. We are monitoring this also.

While Half the Sky exists first and foremost to provide nurturing care andeducation to orphaned children, we are pleased to be in a position to the eyes and ears on the ground in China for all of you who have such concern for all aspects of the children's welfare. We are so grateful to those of you who make our presence in China possible.

with love,

Jenny


Jenny Bowen
Executive Director
Half the Sky Foundation

China and its families needs our prayers

This morning the western world awoke to the new of a devasting 7.8 magnitude earquake that struck central China. It is reported that 900 school children are buried beneath the rubble in in Sichuan province. Click here for the news report.

I know a few families in China right now bringing home their little ones who have not been heard from yet, and several more who are scheduled to leave in the next few days.

Please join us in prayer for all those affected by this horrific earthquake and for the families that have suffered the loss of family members.

My heart goes out to the people of this country. They are still dealing with an intestinal virus, making it way from province to province, that has claimed the lives of more than 28 children.

May our Lord especially watch over the orphans whom have no family to hold them while they are hurting or filled with fear from all that is happening.

Specific Prayer Request: Please lift up 3 Heritage (the agency we used with Anna Grace) families that are devasted by the news of the earthquake. They have 3 sweeties waiting to come home in this region. Two are in Nanchong, just east of Chengdu and one is in Deyang, right near the epicenter. May they hear news soon that their babies are safe.

We have to believe there is hope for the ones left behind!

If you've read my blog for any length of time, you know my love for China and especially for it's children. Tonight, I was quite shaken. My feelings range from relief that my precious babies are home, yet sick to my stomach to think that there are still millions of babies and children who live the horrors of what some orphanages offer.

A friend sent me the link to a documentary that for years I have been hearing about but had never seen, The Dying Rooms. I must warn you, it is extremely graphic. But, the reality of what life is like for millions of orphans in that land that I love, the motherland of two of my beautiful children, cannot be denied. Brutal neglect was captured by a British investigative team of journalists who set out to find the truth. The evidence could not be ignored. One particular scene made me cringe as they saw a child with layers of clothing wrapped around her, held by cords so tight that it they couldn't be moved. It flooded my mind with memories of the day we received Kai. When we first undressed him, he had a similar rope that was around his hips holding up his diaper. It was so tight that I, too, could not remove it. We ended up cutting it. To this day, my sweet angel bears the scars of that rope as a memory of his past.

I wept through much of the movie as I sat in disbelief that these attrocities could and do occur. Now, more than ever, I am even more grateful (if that is possible) that the Lord has blessed us with two beautiful Chinese children who at this moment lay safely tucked into their beds and are loved unconditionally in our home, having escaped any tragedy such as what this film entailed.

This film was created in 1995 and much has changed in China since that time. But, the fact remains that the one-child policy that was put into effect in 1979 to curb population growth, is still very much alive, especially in rural areas where male offsprings are highly desired to help work the fields, to provide protection in old age and to assure continuity in lineage.

On a more positive note, in April 2000, The New York Times reported that "many 'illegal' children are born in secret, their births never officially registered." And "as more women move around the country to work, it is increasingly hard to monitor pregnancies . Unannnounced spot checks by the State Statistics Bureau have discovered undercounts of up to 40 percent in some villages, Chinese demographers say." (See Elisabeth Rosenthal, "China's Widely Flouted One-Child Policy Undercuts Its Census", The New York Times, April 14, 2000.)

According to a February 2005 report in the Weekend Standard, a Chinese business newspaper, demographers in China found a ratio of 117 boys per 100 girls under the age of 5 in the 2000 census. Thanks to China's one-child policy and a strong cultural preference for male children, this gender gap could result in as many as 60 million "missing" girls from the population by the end of the decade. With less than 5% of Chinese orphanages available for international adoption, those "missing girls" will literally never be accounted for. They are non-existent.

The traditional thinking is best described in the ancient "Book of Songs" (1000-700 B.C.):

"When a son is born, Let him sleep on the bed,

Clothe him with fine clothes,

And give him jade to play...

When a daughter is born,

Let her sleep on the ground,

Wrap her in common wrappings,

And give broken tiles to play.

In a 2002 survey conducted in a central China village, more than 300 of the 820 women had abortions and more than a third of them admitted they were trying to select their baby's sex. The abortion of female fetuses and infanticide was aided by the spread of cheap and portable ultra-sound scanners in the 1980's. Illegal mobile scanning and backstreet hospitals can provide a sex scan for as little as $50, according to one report.

The International Planned Parenthood Federation stated in 1999 that there are about 7 million abortions in China per year, 70 percent of which are estimated to be of females. SEVEN MILLION! Those numbers are astounding and yet, the Chinese Center for Adoption Affairs (CCAA) is making it more and more difficult for orphans to find families outside of China's limited domestic adoptions. I just can't seem to understand it when there are an estimated 13 million children in Chinese orphanages.

It is through media coverage and documentaries such as these that awareness is raised across the world in order to bring changes with lasting efffects to particular issues, and the plight of children being neglected and/or abused should probably rank up there as number one, since they are the most vulnerable and innocent of the human race and of God's creations.

I know that there is not much more I can do except advocate for these children, pray and help wherever I can. I can't emphasize enough to anyone who is considering adoption to please take that leap. It has been, three times over, the best decisions in our lives. The blessings received from these children are endless.

In closing, I'd like to ask you to take 40 minutes out of your day to watch this film, if you haven't already*, and when it's over, ask your heart "is there something I can do to help"?

THE DYING ROOMS

*Be aware that it contains scenes that you may find upsetting.

Love's Journey 2 is here!

I am so thrilled that our copy of the beautiful Love's Journey 2 book has arrived!!!

Love Without Boundaries is an amazing organization that dedicates every cent raised to help the orphans of China.

While we were waiting on Kai, I purchased the original Love's Journey Book and have sat many times pouring over each story as I wiped away tears.



Well, this time is no different, except that we are honored that our adorable little man, Kai, and big sister Amanda, and "didi", AJ, are in the book!

I had submitted 2 photos and two entries, and they were both published. The first is on page 62, (click on the pictures to enlarge) which has my journal entry just hours before I held Kai for the first time.



The second entry is on page 153, which includes the miraculous story of how God orchestrated every detail in uniting us with our precious son.

This beautiful book has over 250 full color pages, filled with hundreds of photographs, essays, and poems about the Chinese adoption experience, and one of the things I love most about it, is that in the back there is an index of all the entries by family name. I have found so many friends and acquaintances that I have met along the way. What an awesome feeling to relive that magical moment, not only with my own child, but reading about and seeing the love in each and every child's face through pictures.

This is truly such a marvelous keepsake that I will cherish forever. I cannot wait until Kai (and Anna Grace) are older and we can share with them, through this book, the love that we had for them while we waited to hold them.

There are only going to be a limited number of copies published, so please do not wait to order yours. Not only will you be the proud owner of such a beautiful piece of work, but you will be helping a child in need since 100% of the proceeds go directly to the children of China. Click HERE to order your copy! I promise you won't regret it!

God's grace is bringing them home!!!!

Yes, friends. What awesome news to wake up to. This morning is was posted by a travel mate of Sandi Sheldon's that she and Hannah were present for the swearing in ceremony this afternoon (China time)! She is to return to Michigan on Saturday, as originally scheduled!!!!

This was written by one of her travel mates for all that helped. (with permission)

"Sandi and her family (and her China travel family) are extremely grateful for all you have done on her behalf during this stressful and difficult time. Your actions and God's abundant grace have moved mountains for Sandi and her family half way around the world. We are giving thanks to our Heavenly Father for His FAITHFULNESS and His love! Sandi thanks you from the bottom of her heart. Please do not forget her and Hannah in the coming weeks and months, as they will> need our continued love and support!"


PRAISE GOD and thank you to all that took the time to email, call and most of all, pray!

Prayers being heard....

Thank you to all that have called and are praying for this family! This brief article appeared on the Sheldon's local hometown news station, WILX. Here is the link: http://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/11384376.html

The article reads as follows:

This picture, taken just days ago, shows an overjoyed Sandi and Dennis Sheldon, who have just adopted Hannah, a 17-month old special needs child in China.

This picture will now be one of the few memories the family will ever have together.
Dennis Sheldon died in China this week from diabetic shock, just days after being united with his new daughter.

"These are one of those emotional things that just tear your heart out. It's hard enough losing a husband, now you have a baby who won't know their father," says Congressman Mike Rogers.
If that weren't tragic enough, now the U.S. government is saying the family's status has changed, and they won't let Sandi bring the baby back home to Lansing until brand new paperwork has been filed.

That process can be long and complicated, so Congressman Rogers has gotten involved.
"Our real work starts Thursday night at about 7:30, first thing in the morning in China," says Rogers. "We'll try to get them home as quickly and as dignified as possible."

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, the congressman is doing all he can to make sure the family gets back in time for that holiday.

"You can imagine the challenge," Rogers says. "She's [Sandi] going through the grieving process, losing her husband, at the same time as she's adopting a new baby."

Friends say the only thing keeping Sandi going is the hope she'll bring her new daughter home.

URGENT: Mom in China needs ours help!!!!!

UPDATE: The squeaky wheel indeed gets the grease! The family has requested that for now, the phone calls be halted. (THIS IS THE TIME TO PRAY HARD!!!)

The U.S. Rep's offices received over 1,000 calls in 1 hour from adoptive families urging them to move on this matter immediately. In addition, apparently Congressman Roger's office have called the Sheldon's adoption agency and asked to help the calls cease. They are diligently working on this and are having a tough time doing so because of the flood of calls. :)

We now need to continue to lift the Sheldon's up in prayer. Lord, you're in control and we trust you to bring another of your beautiful babies home to a family that will show them your uncondtional love.

A few days ago, the Sheldon family had a tragic loss occur in their lives. Sandi and her husband had already completed their China portion of the adoption of their beautiful daughter, Hannah, when Sandi's husband unexpectedly died from his diabetes. Again, the Chinese side of the adoption is complete. It is now OUR government refusing this poor Mom the chance to bring home her daughter.

The US Consulate in Guangzhou has denied her permission to complete Hannah's adoption. They want her to fill out a new I-171 and even after that is done, no guarantees are given.
Sandi, of course does not want to leave China without her daughter. (Would you?) She desperately needs our help!

Please start a massive campaign of calling her US Congressman and US Senator and urging them to intervene on her behalf. Sandi, the adoptive mom has asked for the adoption community's help. Please pressure these elected officials to contact the State Department and straighten this out. No mother should be denied bringing her daughter home because her husband passed away unexpectedly. The Chinese have no problems with this, since the adoption has been already been finalized. It is the US government holding the baby back, which is crazy!

Sandi's congressman is Mike Rogers. His numbers are:

Washington - (202)225 4872.
Michigan - (517) 702 8000, and a toll free number 1-877-333-MIKE.

Sandi's US Senator is Debbie Stabenow.

Washington - (202) 224 4822
Michigan - (517)203 1760.

Please take a few minutes to make these life changing phone calls, and of course, let's unite in His name and storm the gates of Heaven with our request that both Mama and baby soon arrive safely back in Michingan.

I just can't even imagine what she must be going through. first losing her husband, and now being told she is losing her daughter also.