November
2009
    November 19
     Zoe, Beth and Shari fly to Taiyuan and Visit
    the Orphanage Director
Nov 19 6pm  (China time)

From Shari:
Today was quite a day!  After hearing of his reputation from certain people around Beijing,
I equated meeting "The Director" akin to meeting the Chinese head of state, but that was
not the case.  He was kind, gracious and welcoming and seemed only concerned with
making us happy.  (I have come to find that hospitality with most of the people of China I
have encountered.)  I was pleasantly surprised that The Director called us family after
Beth had only met him once previously.  Apparently, Beth had quite an effect on him.  I
can see that Beth's passion for the children of China translates as unconditional love
and everyone here seems to trust that love and is greatly moved by it.  As we drove from
the hotel to the restaurant with The Director and our entourage of paparazzi and
reporters, I felt proud to be part of "team Beth".  I was glad The Director gave Beth a gift of
the scroll.  I told our translator to tell The Director that the gift was very special in that Beth
stuffs every inch of her suitcase with gifts for children, orphanage staff, kids back home,
and never thinks to get herself anything.  She deserved it.       


From Beth:
5am arrives quickly.  Dress, head to airport, find the counter. Ahhh.  But the person
traveling with us, Tangxia, "Hannah", was running late.  I started to stress out a bit but
then realized worst case scenario was that we take a later flight.  Tickets. Security. Plane
(at last call).  Arrive.  We get off the plane and wham!  The Director is standing there
himself to pick us up.  He said he'd send a car (which we thought was more than we
needed as we were happy to arrange a car ourselves).  But he decided late last night that
HE himself should pick us up.  He even drove!  (Later he asked about what I thought
about his driving ... I told him it was great and next time would be MY turn.  We all laughed
but he agreed that I could drive him around in America.  DEAL.)

He said we were family now  and forever ... so why WOULDN'T he pick us up?

Off to the hotel - which was a scene in itself.  Apparently, this is a B I G deal that Zoe is
back ..  The first of all the Taiyuan children to be adopted.  The director has contacted
Beijing (not sure why) and they sent a reporter.  There were also reporters from the local
area.  I don't know how many people but there were a LOT snapping pictures.  We felt so
famous! LOL

They all watched as we checked in, took up our luggage, then sat us down and
interviewed us for about an hour.  Meanwhile, TangXia was talking in the corner with the
Director.  (THAT is where *I* wanted to be!)  But I answered the reporters' questions
nicely.  (Some were "normal" some were not.)  

I was then handed this amazing scroll.  It's HUGE and so incredibly amazing.  The
interpreter, Catherine, read it to us and even interpreted it's meaning.  I'm going to ask
her to tell it again so I can write it down.  But I was speechless. The picture shows PART
of it ... there is more rolled up at the top and it flows to the floor for a ways.  HUGE.  And
the meaning is pretty cool too.  

The Director eventually declared it was time up and time to go to the restaurant.  So off
we went.  We drove up to this very fancy restaurant and straight upstairs where the room
was all set for us ... including all the reporters!!  Food kept coming and coming.  Mostly
unrecognizable things.  Many that the Chinese didn't even know what it was.  We had
vinegar and a sampling of like 6 different noodles - famous in Shanxi province.  

During lunch, the Director declared it was time for me to speak with him about anything I
wanted.  So I took my moment to carefully word my request ... which is basically ... how
can we help you?  But I can't say it in a way that would be disparaging to him or the
orphanage.  I truly believe the orphanage is doing an AMAZING job!!  We just want to see
ways we might be able to ADD to it.  

He gave some ideas and we will discuss them further tomorrow.  

After the lunch, the director had a private car and driver waiting for us.  He also sent his
interpreter with us.  We went to the famous temple around here (the name escapes me
but I can look it up later).  Completely beautiful ... blanketed with about a foot of snow.  
Truly amazing.  But of course it was also C O L D.  So we didn't stay all that long.  

Then off to the local market to buy fruit and drinks for our room.  As always, it was an
experience!  But by the end, we had what we needed.  

We're resting in the room tonight.  Tomorrow, we meet early with the director to go to the
Children's Home.  We're not allowed inside (government regulations on foreign visitors
due to swine flu right now) but we can tour the facilities, etc.  Then we're supposed to see
one of their local foster families.  Oh, and did I mention ... the reporters will be there again
tomorrow?  Yup.

At 3pm, we go to the train station to pick up Zoe's foster mother!  Cannot believe this
moment is about upon us.  We don't know all the plans but we know we will spend as
much time with her as we can.  

So enjoy the pictures ... it truly doesn't even BEGIN to capture the madness that was
today.  
Beth will also be
blogging at
destinyshousechurch
.blogspot.com


    Thanks for joining us on this
    journey!  Should prove to be
    an interesting one.  
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