Michelle's story is beautiful
Michelle is a little girl growing so beautifully in her loving Forever Family.
We are continually amazed and excited to see how the lives of children we have known in the Heart For Kids family have changed so dramatically when they have been united with their Forever Family. It’s encouraging, uplifting and often brings a tear to the eye.
David recently received a news item from a mother in the US. It came with a short video clip and was so wonderful to see.
While leading a team in early 2013 David was contacted by the orphanage director. If possible could he take any more children in our foster apartments called Doves Wings? Of course the answer we always want to give is yes but we have to consider the limitations of the apartments and our staff etc. We felt we could take 2 more children so the orphanage staff showed us 3 and asked us to choose. This is the common way things are done. This was the day Michelle and Charmaine came to Doves Wings and joined the ChinaHeart family.
Each girl had various challenges, both emotional and physical. But being in Doves Wings would give them a whole new opportunity to deal with these and prepare for their hopeful adoption, joining their Forever Family.
Our ayis (child carers) continued to guide Michelle in activities that would help her adjust to being in this new environment, which was quite different to the orphanage; and in living with the other children in more of a family situation.
In early 2014 our ayis wrote this update:
Starting this month, we take Michelle to the second home every day to play and live with others together, and she is so happy. She does not feel uncomfortable because of the new environment, however she quickly adapted into the new environment. She loves playing with other children. They play together every day, running around. The house is full of the lively sound of their play.
Michelle was matched
Not long after this Michelle was matched with her Forever Family, everyone was so excited for her. Around the middle of 2014 David was leading another team. It was around Michelle’s “Gotcha Day”, the day orphaned children join their Forever Family. Children are either returned to the orphanage shortly before their Gotchya Day or taken to a hotel to meet their new family.
David was in the orphanage that morning and went to see Michelle. She was a little anxious but very excited. Michelle and David played for an hour or so. Gotcha Days are very much a bitter / sweet time. Sad to be losing a child from the family but so excited for her and her new family. The child is unsure of their future; in the past some children have actually been told stories about being adopted that are actually very scary for them. But as we see their Gotcha Day coming we have a better understanding of just how dramatically their life is about to change, and this was just the case for little Michelle.
A year on, it’s mid 2015, and Michelle is growing so wonderfully. She has had an operation and prosthesis fitted to her leg. She is running around, dancing and singing and very clearly enjoying her new loving family, mobility and her new life. The message David received from her family said this:
This time last year Michelle was on the other side of the world, waiting on her forever family. While she was waiting, we were having Vacation Bible School at our church. Last year all of the kids at VBS helped raise money to bring Michelle home. Well, this year Michelle got to participate in her very first VBS, and she got to help take up an offering for someone else in need. What a mighty God we serve! The One who goes before us. The One who sets the lonely in families!
Her future is looking as bright as any other child living in a loving family, so different to a couple of years earlier. Michelle has a future where she can achieve all that she has been created for and we couldn’t be happier.
It’s so encouraging to see how life has changed for many children who have lived for a season in Doves Wings. Without the blessing of so many friends, who support through their prayer, encouragement, visits and gifts, we could not be there for these children.
Shared with the permission of Michelle and her parents.
A Pearl from Ashes, is a book telling the story of another little girl’s special journey, being the first HIV adoption from China to Australia, click here
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