The Second Most Important Day

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”  -Mark Twain

        Before I knew it, I was about to embark on a fourteen-hour flight to Beijing. My mom promised me as a child, that when I got to high school we would make the journey back to my hometown. She kept that promise. On June 2013, we made it half way across the world to venture the beginning of my story. My fourteenth day of traveling around China, my mom and I made it to Hangzhou, the city where my life had changed forever, and the city where I united with my forever family.

Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China

       On the tenth of July 2013, I had an overwhelming yet incredible lunch with my foster mom, orphanage director, and forever mom.  I found out how I got my name, and the personality I had when I was young. Seeing my foster mom standing on the steps of outside the building we met at in Lanxi is something I could never forget. I can describe this moment as similar to seeing family that I missed but that I do not remember, but yet still has had a deep impact on my life and has blessed me too. As we were waiting for our food to arrive, my foster mom took a napkin and gently dabbed my head as beads of sweat were forming on my forehead. I teared up with a feeling of a loss I could not explain, I missed her, after all she took care of me from almost the start for months.   She bought a brand new princess rolling backpack for me, a treasure. 

She saw me as still a child. She told me that she had been waiting seventeen years to see me again, and to imagine I was there at that time and place, knowing this was a hope when I was a child is a feeling beyond words. My foster mom showed much concern in making sure I got enough to eat and constantly serving me food during our lunch at a local restaurant. I could tell she bought all new clothes and dyed her hair in preparation for seeing me. Though I could also see that my foster mom has had a hard working life. Those moments with her seem so far away, and so short, but also some of the best moments of my life.

       During that day not only did I reunite with loved ones, but was able to see my hometown, Mada. I saw the beauty and simplicity of my town. I would say it was more like a village than a town. There were rice fields surrounding the town with old houses in columns, some leading to dead ends. As I peered in the houses I saw families; some playing games others talking. I saw kids outside playing, and one girl squatting and drawing in the dirt. I thought, that could have been me.  I absolutely fell in love with this little town, and to think I am standing within miles of where I was possibly born, brought tension and awe. To ponder on the fact that I could be passing or be within meters of my mom was a difficult thing to comprehend. This was the second most important day of my life as it gave me a new and brighter insight of a purpose my life holds.

       This trip has altered my viewpoint and perspective. This trip let me see a glimpse of the view God sees. My purpose here is greater than I know now. It’s view of hope and an impact.  My life from the beginning to 10 months after, have been missing, erased, forgotten, and left in the hands of the unknown.  Growing up I wondered what my purpose is here. Was I a mistake, because obviously I was not wanted.  Was I not the fit of an ideal child because I was not born the preferred gender? Was I a disappointment, or disgrace to my birth family because I would not be able to carry their name? Though after that day, I had more of an acceptance that there is a chance my family did not leave me because they did not love me, but maybe because they did love me. They possibly realized that my safety and health was so important to them that they loved selflessly and chose to make this decision. The possibilities became broader and filled with more hope.

       My time back to where my story began has let me truly believe that where I am standing there is a purpose. My purpose in life is far greater than I can begin to imagine, and to think about it is a bit scary, but I will keep trusting in the Lord because of what he has done already. I may not have had the happiest beginning, but the time back in my hometown has shown me that I am determined, and have a life ahead that not only will be pleasing to God but also will make my first family proud. So that one day, if I ever see them, I can share what my life has been like, and tell them to never feel regret, because my life and purpose here has been amazing and they, my forever family, and God have been the reason for that.

 ~(兰兰)