It was Wednesday, July 14, 2021. I was at the Costco gas line when I received a text message….“Would you and Matthew be interested in adopting a Chinese baby boy with these symptoms” followed by a screenshot of various conditions. Within two hours, Matthew and I were on the phone with the lawyer handling the private adoption of a 20 month old medically fragile and developmentally delayed little boy, here in Southern California. As we heard his medical conditions, Matthew had lots of questions about the sequence of events. After an initial phone call with the father, we schedule to meet the baby. The following Saturday, we spent a few hours getting to know the father, baby, observing the nanny and asking questions.
The birth father is an international student from Kunming, China with a visa that will expire in March 2022. The baby was born with a rare liver condition that made him allergic to protein. At 1 month old, the mom left the baby at a doorstep of a church and abandoned them both. Thankfully, dad was able to reunite with the baby and has been caring for him with the help of various nannies. At one year old, the baby had a liver transplant at UCLA. The plan was to bring the baby back to China after he recovered from his liver transplant. However, this past January, three months post liver transplant, the baby unexpectedly had a brain atrophy that left him developmentally delayed and on a feeding tube. With the setbacks, the father explained that China does not have the medical technology and medication his child needs to survive. Leading him to consider giving his son up for adoption to remain in the US and with a Christian family.
The situation seems so tragic in so many ways. A father, who loves his child, yet needs to give up his child in order for him to have a chance at living. When we said goodbye, the father said to me in Mandarin…“我要他好好的会下去。你们可以给他我不能的，一个家。” Translation: I just want him to keep on living. You can give him what I cannot give him, a family/home.”
As we prayed for clarify and unity, we both felt confirmed to adopt the baby boy. He will likely join our family after Christmas.
As we move forward, we would like to ask prayer for the following:
Please pray for the dad to put his faith and trust in God.
Please pray for the baby to continue adjusting to a GJ feeding tube for food and medications.
Please pray for us to continue bonding with Phoenix the next few months.
STRIPE charges an online processing fee (2.2% +.30 USD per transaction). Your donations will be decreased by this amount. You may also send a check payable to “Lifesong for Orphans”. In the memo line please write “Bond 09737”, to ensure it is credited to our account. Please mail to Lifesong for Orphans, PO Box 9, Gridley, IL 61744.
Lifesong has been blessed with partners who underwrite all U.S. administrative and fundraising costs (TMG Foundation and other partners). That means 100% of your donation will go directly to the adoption.
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