DAY 6 - A DAY OF CLOSURE

I know God is always in control of every day in my life, but today it was SO VERY OBVIOUS.  We left this morning around 8:30 to visit the orphanage where Molly Kate spent most of her first 17 months of life.  Evelyn, our guide, had arranged the trip for us---about a three hour drive one way to Ji'an City, with one of her friends, Coby as our guide, and Mr. Wong as our driver.  Evelyn had talked to the director of the orphanage on Monday when we were completing paperwork for the adoption about us visiting.  Normally there are some formalities that have to be taken care of before someone is allowed to go inside ANY Social Welfare Institute, but arrangements had been made to take care of these for us. The plan was for us to spend two hours at the orphanage, once we arrived, and have lunch there.

We had a good trip to Ji'an City.  Molly Kate slept most of the way, and was in a good mood once she woke up.  About the time we got to Ji'an City, though, Coby received a phone call from Evelyn.  It seems that a NEW director had been hired, and there were some complications and miscommunications about the arrangements for our visit, and we were no longer going to be allowed to go into the orphanage.  Evelyn said it was okay to take pictures outside the gates, but we couldn't go in.  When I asked if Molly Kate's nanny could come out, she said they had told her she couldn't.  I was disappointed that I couldn't meet her, because I wanted to thank her personally for taking such good care of Molly Kate.  It was just one of those things, though, that we had no control over.

We arrived at the orphanage, and Roger and Shea got out of the van to take pictures for me.  A guard walked up to the gate and told Coby that we couldn't take pictures.  Once Coby told him we had made prior arrangements, it was okay.  A few minutes later a representative from the orphanage, who we had met with on Monday to complete paperwork, came out to see Molly Kate.  We were standing there talking to him, when I looked up and saw a woman running toward us.  It was Molly Kate's nanny!!!!  What a sweet lady she was!!!  Of course, I couldn't understand a word she was saying, but Coby told me she said that Molly Kate was beautiful, smart, and very well behaved.  She reached out her arms for Molly Kate, but she wouldn't go to her. (WE HAVE BONDED!!!)

The Orphanage Gates

The Orphanage

Molly Kate's Nanny

I was just SO glad to be able to hug her nanny and thank her for loving and taking care of my daughter.  It's obvious that she WAS well taken care of.  More of the nannies and children began to come out to talk to us.  There were three other nannies who helped take care of Molly Kate, and they came to see her, too.  The children were precious, in their split bottom pants.  Even though I would have liked to have gone into the orphanage, I had already seen pictures of the inside, including Molly Kate's room, and and actual video of her in her bed.  I think God knew if I DID go into the orphanage, I would want to take every child in there home with me.

Before we left the orphanage, we got directions for how to get to the place where Molly Kate was abandoned.  She was found by a police officer at the gate of the Guangrong Old Folk's Home in Ji'an County on August 31, 2009.  There was a note left with her that had that date on it.  We had been previously been told that Molly Kate entered the orphanage on the day she was born.  However, we found out on Monday that she actually spent the first five months of her life in this home for the elderly, and was cared for my one of the ladies who lived there.As we pulled up to the gates, a flood of emotions passed over me.  Here was where our sweet baby was left by someone----a mother, a grandmother----no one knows.  I got out and took pictures.  One of the gates was open, and Coby said it was okay to go in and walk around.  It was a BEAUTIFUL place.  There were all kinds of flowers and trees planted, and the Old Folk's Home was HUGE.  It didn't matter who left my sweet Molly Kate there----it was obvious, though, that whoever did, loved her and cared about her very much, because he/she left her in a beautiful place, where it was known she would be cared for.  We walked on through the garden, and came upon an old man.  Coby explained to him why we were there.  The old man was very interested in Molly Kate.  We asked to take his picture, and I think it must have made his day.  We walked on to the back of the garden area where there was a huge fish pond, and then we decided we needed to be leaving.  I really wanted to go inside the Old Folk's Home----I wanted to know if anyone remembered Molly Kate.  I didn't ask, though.  It was such a BIG place, that I didn't really expect to find anyone who would remember her.  As we reached the gate, Coby looked back and saw the old man we had talked to coming our way, with an old woman almost running beside him.  We waited for them.  The woman was babbling something to Coby.  She told him she was the person who cared for Molly Kate for the 5 1/2 months when she lived at the Old Folk's Home!!!!!  She was Molly Kate's nanny there!!!!  She also said she was the one who sent her to the orphanage.  I had been told on Monday that children living in the homes for the elderly are not eligible to be adopted.  They had to first enter an orphange, before they could be made paper ready to adopt.  The old lady reached out and took Molly Kate out of my arms and hugged her close.  Again, Molly Kate cried and reached for me.  She was a sweet old lady, though, and I left knowing that not only was Molly Kate cared for her last 12 months, but she was also loved the first 5 1/2 months of her life, too.  That's all I needed to know....

The gate at the Old Folks Home

The Old Folks Home

 Molly Kate's Nanny

As you look at the pictures of these women who raised Molly Kate, you can see that adoption has changed her life greatly.  Even though I know she came from a good orphanage, I can't stand the thoughts of this beautiful little girl who is now ours, growing up in the places like she lived.  She deserved a family, and we are SO blessed to be the one God chose for her.  Little girls who grow up in orphanages literally have no hope.....  We are going to be able to give our little Molly Kate hope and a chance in life.  Roger and I are truly the lucky ones, though, to be given the great blessing of becoming parents again!!!

I will try to backtrack and share the happenings of Days 3 - 5 sometime.