Monday, November 9, 2015

Day 5- Gotcha Day!

 Everyone woke up excited to start the day and finally meet Ziliang!  Unfortunately it was way too early as usual, so we made the most of the extra time by working on all the homework Shu and Jie brought with them.  We found many issues with our hotel that will make our week here even more difficult than it will already be.  One being they have no rooms with adjoining doors so we will have to be in two separate rooms tonight when Ziliang joins our family.  It is also in a very run down area of the city that is under construction.  There is a lot of noise constantly and really no where to walk with the children outside of the hotel.  We told our guide that we need to move today to a hotel that is more accommodating to a foreign family.

After another wonderful "Chinese breakfast" we proceeded to the Provincial Adoption Center.  We were the first family there but after a few minutes the other families we met at the airport filled the room all anxiously waiting for their children to arrive.  The children were arriving from several different orphanages and I'm not sure if any other children came from Zhumadian City with Ziliang.

 Adoption receiving room.


Waiting with their little brother's backpack filled with toys and distractions!


Soon the babies and children started to arrive and the room was filled with chatter and crying.  This is an overwhelming experience for all involved and we tried to prepare the girls for all the emotions they might feel as much as possible.  When Ziliang arrived the door area was blocked with several other families so we were unable to notice him right away.  We were in the back of the room near some couches and our guide Cindy directed him over to us.  He was accompanied with the orphanage director and two male caregivers who we found out later helped to raise him.   He entered the room the happiest child of all and was saying a big "HI" to everyone and smiling like he was coming to a big party and everyone was there for him.  It was the cutest thing ever and a breath of fresh air for all the families that were having a difficult time with their children.  Everyone was snapping pictures of him and it looked like the paparazzi surrounding  him.  We went over to him and he said "Hi Baba" (which is Daddy in Chinese) and "Hi Mama" to us!  It appeared as though he recognized us from the photo album we sent him in his care package.



We gave him some toys from his backpack and he immediately fell in love with his little toy I-phone.  He hasn't let it out of his sight since we gave it to him.


The two male caregivers that accompanied him spoke very good English and told us they had taken care of him since he was an infant.  They gave us a "priceless" photo album of pictures of him since he was found at around 5 months old.  They told us he lived in a big house with many children.  It appears as though it was a foster group home that was near the orphanage.  He had many friends there and they pointed to pictures in the photo album of him with different children telling us that a few of his friends also were going to America and maybe we could find them for him.   They also gave us a qq number (like our facebook) and asked if we could stay in touch with them. We told them of course, we would love too!  Ken gave them a business card so they knew we were serious. They seemed like they loved him very much and were very close to him.




Now here comes the amazing part!  I asked the young man in the green coat what name they called him and he said "Mo-shes" with the e being long.  Or "She She".  I was confused because it didn't sound anything like Zi liang and asked for him to repeat it.  He said again "Mo-shes" like from the Bible.  I said the Christian Bible?  He said yes, we believe in Jesus.  Ken and I both looked at each other as tears swelled up in our eyes and said "We are Christians and we believe in Jesus!"  The caregiver smiled back at us and opened his photo album pointing to a picture of Mo-shes.  We were overwhelmed with emotion that he was from a Christian foster family that gave him the name Moses!  Now the question is "Do we call him Moses or Adam?" 



The caregivers gave their last hugs then quietly slipped out of the room.  All the commotion of people everywhere and babies crying was starting to affect Moses and the girls.  He also realized no one familiar was there anymore and a tear started to roll down his cheek.  Fortunately our paperwork was done and we were able to leave.  Our guide Cindy was able to book us in a different hotel so we were on our way with a quick stop at the local Walmart for a few essentials.  Moses started to cry in the van but Cindy told him we were going to buy new clothes and he thought that would be OK.  We are in love with this little boy already!



Shu Shu found her favorite chips from when she was a baby in China.
Mexican Tomato Chicken Lays!




Enjoying the ride in the cart . . . so far so good, no tears.  Of course the sucker helped!

Rice for sale!