Amazing Discoveries

This past week has been full of amazing discoveries regarding Ava and where she lives.  When we started our adoption, I joined a Yahoo Group for Waiting Children where people advocate for children, answer questions and are full of wonderful knowledge about the adoption process.  I was not having any luck finding any facebook groups for adoptive families from Hunan province or from Ava's specific orphanage.  So I decided to post a question on the Waiting Children yahoo group asking if any one has children from Hunan, Hengyang City SWI or knows of others who have adopted from there.

I quickly got a couple of responses!  One gal said they have a daughter from Hengyang City so we started emailing each other back and forth.  In an amazing turn of events, she is from West Alexandria, Ohio which is where I was born and grew up before we moved to Arcanum.  She now lives in Eaton, Ohio where we still have family!  How awesome of God to orchestrate this detail, giving us further affirmation that Ava was intended for our family. In fact, we believe that my Grandpa Harold Bell sold feed to this family's grandparents!  (Remember that Ava's middle name is from Grandma Ruth Bell!)  I am amazed by the fact that Ava will have a connection to her China hometown in my US hometown!  We look forward to the day when we can connect with the family once Ava is home.

At about the same time of discovering this Ohio connection, I found out that there is a Christian organization that works in Ava's orphanage.  It is called International China Concern (http://www.chinaconcern.org)  and they do amazing work!  They help the orphanages with skilled nurses, therapists, teachers, volunteers, medical funding, provide group homes and a whole host of other awesome projects.   I started searching the ICC website a little more closely and came across a video titled Hengyang Christmas 2012.  The picture showed several boys who are in Ava's birthday pictures, and I knew I was onto something!  I watched the video and saw small glimpses of Ava!  It was so wonderful to see their Christmas celebration, and it filled my heart with hope for the care she is receiving.

Hengyang Christmas 2012  Video courtesy of ICC and Youtube.  Ava is wearing a purple snowsuit and sitting in a nanny's lap near the Christmas tree.  You can see her at 1:11, 2:32, 3:21 and 3:43.

The boys dancing are about the cutest thing I have ever seen.  All these children are precious, and we pray that the Lord will bring them forever families.  I am so thankful for all the caregivers there, and the work they do caring for the children.

After seeing the video, I contacted ICC via their website and hoped that my message might make its way to the correct person.  I had the most amazing email waiting for me on Tuesday that said "Hello from Heng Yang."  The gal who started and has been running the Heng Yang program for 7 years was writing to follow up on my contact and see if we were Ava's family.  She told me quite a bit about the program, explained that she can help us get photos and other information after our adoption is complete, and get us general updates on Ava.  I knew that ICC also has child sponsors, and just found out yesterday that we can sponsor Ava!  How wonderful and amazing!

Yesterday morning I was greeted by another amazing message that was posted on my blog.  Someone who was a volunteer at ICC found my blog, and she knew Ava when she was smaller!  She provided some wonderful information about Ava's living arrangements.  What an amazing blessing to know these details before we travel.  Many families do not know much about the living conditions of their children.  This person, whom I hope will contact me again, said that Ava lives in small family unit with several other children.  This is such great news because it means she has been exposed to the family concept.  This is so important for the children as it teaches them bonding and attachment.   She also said that the staff, workers and volunteers all love the children greatly!  Thank you anonymous commenter for taking the time to find our blog and comment.  I hope that you can reach out to me again at my email address - cor867@yahoo.com

Praising God for His evident hand in bring Ava to us, for His provision in her life, for leading the development of ICC and for the volunteers and staff!  Do you stand AMAZED with me?