6 years ago today Sasha and I were in China completing the miracle adoption of Annie!
The Race to China started 6 and 1/ 2 weeks before Annie turned 14! At that time, 6 years ago, Chinese orphans aged out on their 14th birthday. If you arrived late- even a day after the child’s 14th birthday even because of flight issues it would have been to late for an aging out child. There was no wiggle room for any mistakes or unforeseen circumstances! That child would be forever an orphan and no longer eligible to be adopted.
We only learned of Annie about 8 weeks before her 14th birthday and sensed the Lord say “GO”!
WE HAD NO ADOPTION FUNDS, NO CLEARANCES, NO CURRENT HOME STUDY AND ANNIE DID NOT EVEN HAVE A FILE IN CHINA. At that time an average China adoption would take approximately 8 months to a year or more. Our next adoption of Brittan and Hope a year later took almost 2 years to put the miracle into perspective!
The Lord brought in every penny needed for her adoption and every necessary document and had us on a plane from D.C. to L.A. and then onto Guangzhou and finally to Changsha in less than 7 weeks time. I am not sure there was a single soul who believed we would make it to Annie on time. But God knew and urged us onward. Sasha and I arrived in her City on the 26th and adopted her officially by 5 pm June 27th and she turned 14 at midnight in the 28th.
God did it! There is no other explanation except Him.
Fast forward 6 years- what a gift He has given us in our Hannah “Annie”! The first moment Annie was placed in the van beside Ellianna, upon our arrival home 2 weeks after our finalized adoption in her city – they became best friends and sisters. Ellianna and Annie have remained best friends. God made them for one another. Annie is 4 years older and from China and Ellianna is from Taiwan but we often get asked if they are twins. In personality they are polar opposites. Ellianna is a fireball with never ending energy. Annie is calm and patient and prefers to read to being active all day. Ellianna prefers black and navy colored clothes and Annie prefers pink and sparkly! Annie cognitively is very bright but her body doesn’t want to do what her brain would like( moderate to severe cp) where as Ellianna may not walk or hear ( also cp and brain injury) but her upper body is a powerhouse with very good dexterity. Her brain injury however has affected her ability to read and learn academics. Annie helps Ellinna to sit and do schoolwork and will tell her what to cut and paste and Ellianna can do the fine motor skills. Annie has difficulty feeding herself and Ellianna steps in and lovingly feeds Annie when Annie needs help. They have developed their own type of language and can communicate very well even though Annie’s hands keep her from doing sign language for Ellianna to understand.
Annie was considered an older child for adoption and often times there is fear in adopting an older child. We can not imagine our lives without this beautiful, kind and passionate daughter of ours. She has spunk if needed and patience when needed. She accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior and was baptized last July. She loves to read and listen to sermons on her IPad. She has a card ministry and loves to encourage others by the cards she writes. She asked for a pink study Bible for her birthday.
Annie we celebrate you today!! We celebrate the miracles God has done in your life and in ours by giving you to us in such an extraordinary way. We celebrate your 20th birthday today, tomorrow and all week.
You can help Annie celebrate by giving to those in need. The adoption of children has slowed down terribly since 2020 but there are many that are working to make a difference in the lives of children and needy souls in other ways. I do have some friends also needing prayer for adoptions that are happening but are terribly slow right now.
Annie helps in Ting Ministries by praying and writing!
She asks that in honor of her miracle adoption and her 20th birthday that you would consider a gift to Ting Ministries in her name. She will send every penny to the country that you would choose.
Here are her ministry focuses for prayer this week to which you can donate in her honor:
1. Pakistan – to complete the first ever of the Ting Homes so the Gospel will be preached to the Hindu colony where the homes are being built. $1,000
2. 120 days of feeding the Muslim children living on the streets in the Philippines $2,500
3. To build a shelter in Romania for the rescued animals who were beaten and starved before the Ting Director saved them and to fix the roof of the House of Salvation $2,000
4. To feed the orphanage children in Bagladesh $500
5. To continue Lera’s Dance for the poor village children in Russia for the month of July $400
6. To allow a group of Indonesian Ting missionaries to travel through the mountains to reach unreached people with food and the Gospel $500
7. To help a Ukrainian family to pay 4 months of rent that a landlord said did not need to be paid monthly but now wants all 4 months at one time and due to the war they have not been able.to work and have no money and grandma is not well and was diagnosed with cancer$800
Happy Birthday Annie! Thank you Annie for being a bright light in this dark world!
Ting Ministries
29 East Poplar Street Lebanon Pa 17042
James 1:27 seems like a fitting verse for today
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