While I don't intend to begin a discussion of the innate value of mankind aside from a relationship with their Creator, I would say that last night I sat among some people who clearly reminded me that mankind are the Image-bearers of Him. In this world of catastrophic news and evil done among humans, one to another, I was quite literally awestruck by being in the presence of some "hao ren" (translation is "good people") who have done great things in this our host province.
Our morning began as usual, hustling out to school for Monday's start to the week. But, at 3 pm, after changing clothes at the school, Daddy and two of the H kids (The Bug and Potato) were picked up by a van and taken to the annual broadcast of a provincial TV station recognizing the top news stories involving "good people." We were deeply honored to sit among these beautiful people whose stories were each examples of good works done to benefit others.
The story of our family and the make-up of it (five biological children and soon-to-be six adopted children), has overwhelmed our life here since October. We have done over twelve TV interviews/special programs, on various stations, multiple newspaper interviews, and radio as well. Each time, we've been thankful for the opportunity to talk about love, His love, that is given to us to give to others. We've enjoyed being a living, breathing, visual aid illustrating adoption, a concept little understood or accepted socially, Here. It has been quite amazing to have so many people interested in our family, that in the West, is not so unusual.
Our story placed us within the company of twenty-two other stories of "good people" who were adjudged as "moving" the hearts of our province. We were WAY, WAY, WAY out of our league! It was such a gift to be involved in the live, two hour TV special last night, as eleven of the stories were developed more elaborately through video, music, and staging. We sat among greatness. We were terribly out of place, as we are just a family, but the access to those who truly were inspirational, was breathtaking.
One woman helped to save a little girl from being hit by a truck, herself then being struck and sustaining an injury that cost her both her legs below the knee. Another mother, whose daughter had been badly burned, gave her own skin, literally having it removed from her body to be grafted on to her daughter's, to allow her daughter to be healed. A man I sat next to, lost his only son a few years ago from some sort of blood disorder. While in the hospital, his family received some money from unknown individuals, to help pay the medical bills. On his son's deathbed, the father promised that he would honor his son by continuing to help others. Now, his meager salary is given out to help with college tuition for students in need, to help with medical bills for the poor, to help neighbors who need money. Another man, a teacher, who himself suffers significantly as he is unable to walk unassisted by crutches, teaches daily in a very poor, rural school. The countryside, so impossible to navigate in a wheelchair or crutches, that often his wife must carry him on her back up the rocky hill to the school on her back. No matter his pain, he is dedicated to helping the children receive the best education they can, for as long as he is able to give it.
The tears flowed from many of the hao ren as the stories were told. But, as we waited to walk in on the red carpet to the TV studio, we were greeted by a man, another of the hao ren, who said HE'D been waiting to meet US. He said some beautiful, kind words to us, and encouraged us and our family greatly. His face was so peaceful, strikingly kind, and he was so soft-spoken. We were then able to hear about he and his wife, who live in the countryside of our province, about seven hours away from our capital city. They saw the need of dozens of children in their village and surrounding area, who were left-behind, when their young parents had to go to the cities to work. This is an enormous social issue now. Young adults who marry, must leave their ancestral hometowns in the countryside to go to the cities to earn money that will support their parents and grandparents back in the villages, all year round. Of course, those young adults, who marry, are responsible to their families to have a child, too. Often, that child is left behind with the aging grandparents, or in some cases great-grandparents, to be raised in the village. The impact of this, these babies, being left behind and raised by often much older relatives, alone, is staggering. Their educational opportunities are limited...but the greatest of all...their education as people, family members, their emotional development, their awareness of societal norms...is greatly lacking.
This man,Lu Ping, and his wife have taken in over 180 children into their home to raise. Currently, they have 32 children living in their home. The video showed the children's shoes all lined up outside the rough exterior of their countryside dwelling. More shots of his wife and some children cooking, hands chapped and red, washing dozens of potatoes in frigid well water...the clothes area with plywood shelves built to organize the children's layers of clothing...the open courtyard where the children play with sticks and their imaginations...
Another child they have taken in, could not walk at five years of age when he came to their home. Lu Ping, having no formal training, began doing physical therapy with the child. After an extended period of time, the child is now able to stand and take a few independent steps. Lu Ping told us that he plans to use a swimming area, near their village home, once the weather warms up, to take the boy for more therapy using swimming. He beamed with love as he spoke about this boy who would have had, quite literally, no prospects for anything but begging, in his future.
I was awestruck.
I wept and held Potato tightly on my lap.
They brought a young couple to the program, who presented their comments about their own daughter, that they cannot raise, who is living in Lu Ping's home. They bitterly wept as they talked about the pain of separation from their child, but the gift that the Lu family has given them, knowing that their child, is being cared for compassionately and intentionally.
The end of the program brought the announcement that Lu Ping's family will receive the funds to build a proper school building on their property so that the children can further their education.
After the program, we found ourselves face to face with this man, so slight of stature, so immense in his love for others...and I was compelled to hug him...he warmly received it and then hugged Daddy, Bug and Potato...he has invited us to go to his home and to see first hand the work there. I can assure you, we will. He said that he will also bring some of this children to visit us, and our school, to talk about ways we can work together with our common hearts for children.
I know that this connection was divinely orchestrated.
This week I was feeling really sorry for myself. I'm often really tired...and there is never any rest to be had. Daddy and I often feel worn thin. Nothing gets done without a monumental effort on my part (this is where the descent into self-pity always begins.) The simplest task are quickly unmanageable once the variables of nine family members are brought to bear. There is all this cooking, cleaning, organizing, layering upon layering of clothes to dress everyone, and then those classes to teach, too. Wow, the pity party (as I'm sure you can feel from my previous comments) was really in full swing. I was certain that as
martyr mom, my life is really hard with these kids...and two more coming very, very soon.
But, I was corrected, deeply, powerfully, by the example of Lu Ping and his family. I was reminded again how soft I am, how I desire comfort over sacrifice, how I demand respect instead of willingly offering service, how I esteem myself as one requiring "a break" instead of putting my head down and joyfully living each day to the fullest.
In reality, the Word teaches that I am a slave, and I was bought with a price.
Lu Ping's wife lives in a home with no heat, in the mountains enduring frigid temperatures. She cooks for thirty-four people, three meals a day, in a kitchen with no modern conveniences. She manages dressing child after child after child in layers upon layers upon layers to keep them warm. And her face...is radiant.
We did not deserve in any way to sit among those people last night. Yet I am so grateful that we did because we were able to see up close, beauty in suffering, heroism in sacrifice.
Oh Lord, grant that I will never forget the lessons learned last night...may I surrender willingly, joyfully, to the life you've called me to. May I embrace all the burden that is brought by loving others. May your Kingdom come, among us, as we readjust our identities as slaves to a compassionate master.
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