Orphanage in China

It has been a few months since our trip to China, but I wanted to include some pictures I just received. These are pictures of the orphanage I got to work at while I was there. My mom had been working there a few times a week, so I went with her. You aren't supposed to have cameras in there, but my mom's friend snuck one in and sent these pictures to us recently. This was an experience I will never forget. The children were so beautiful and so sweet, but there was also something so sad about them. It is hard to imagine that most of these kids have absolutely nothing wrong with them (and it wouldn't even be ok if they did have disabilities) and yet, they were abandoned. As I spent time holding the babies and playing simple games with the kids, I couldn't help but think that those children were God's children and that they were loved by Him, if by none else. I wondered why their plan had taken them to this orphanage and what would become of them as they grew older. Would they be able to make it on their own? Would they be given opportunities that the rest of us have? I longed to rescue each and every one of them and to give them the kind of life that every single one of them deserves to have. I wanted to just put them in my suitcase and carry them home with me. And yet, at the end of the day, I had to drive away with my heavy heart, praying that God would take care of these special children. It was a really emotional day for me, but I also feel so lucky to have met such sweet little ones. The two little boys that my mom and I are holding were soooo attached to us. They would not let us put them down. We became their safety net for the day, I guess. They were just the cutest boys you have ever seen!