Finding Treasure
In my last post, I shared my internet search for info regarding Travis' home. Well, I was wrong about him living in the Jiangle County. I was also wrong in my January post showing the "castle" SWI.
Perusing the Chinese website for Sanming City SWI, I found photos that are certainly from his home. I've put out some questions (in three different languages, mind you) to find out where the "castle" SWI is compared to the white building where Travis lives.
On the homepage, there is a slideshow of 4 different photos. One of those is our son! Why wouldn't he be their poster child? Look at that face! That smile!
My heart was racing with each click and I found more and more photos of Travis. The photos were exciting, but as I continued to explore, I found even more about him and his life over the past 2 years. I noticed they had a "profiles" section. Clicking through those, I saw his profile. There was a little more information there about his "finding" than we have now, so it was exciting to get.
The more I clicked, the more treasures I found. The SWI publishes newsletters every few months and in addition to his photo being in at least 4 of them, he is specifically highlighted in one of them. The website can be translated through Google Translate, but the .jpg file of the newsletter could not, so at about 1:30am, I sent the file to our agency. I knew it was a highlight of him because it was a photo of him, framed with a fancy font text, then a blocked-off story with 4 more photos of him with various friends in the SWI. Within an hour of waking up this morning, I got an email back with the translation! It was his story, written in first person from his perspective. It was thrilling and heartbreaking. In this story, there is much more vivid detail about his relinquishment, his finding, his first adoptive family, his second relinquishment, and his life in the SWI. More than anything, I'm happy to have some specific details for him. We just don't know about his first year of life, but to have so many accounts of how he came to be at the Sanming City SWI is a true gift and treasure.
The grand finale was watching a video and seeing our son in action! It was crazy that we got a video of Tian, but to now have one of Travis, too!? That's a blessing beyond words.
We copied and saved and printed everything we could from the website so that we can add it to Travis' life book. The Sanming City SWI looks like a lovely, happy place. We now have a ton of photos, not just of him, but of his home, his friends, Shushus (uncles) and Ahyis (aunties).
In the next few days, I will blog about some things I have learned about his SWI. Right now, I'm thanking God for his provision. From the beginning, He has answered our prayers of protection over the boys. Tian was in a very special SWI and is now in a good foster home. Seeing Travis' SWI gives me only peace and joy. One look at his face tells the story.
Note: As if this couldn't get better...before posting this, I was googling, trying to find a better picture of the SWI. In doing so, I stumbled upon the blog of the family who adopted the little girl Travis is pushing in the walker. That is also her in the other photo on the right! They had 13 photos of Travis in their Picasa album. Amazing! What a gift this will be to both kids to have some connection. I'm in awe. I'll post more when I hear back from them.
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31
Perusing the Chinese website for Sanming City SWI, I found photos that are certainly from his home. I've put out some questions (in three different languages, mind you) to find out where the "castle" SWI is compared to the white building where Travis lives.
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| Sanming City SWI |
On the homepage, there is a slideshow of 4 different photos. One of those is our son! Why wouldn't he be their poster child? Look at that face! That smile!
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| Rockin' the 'hawk! |
The more I clicked, the more treasures I found. The SWI publishes newsletters every few months and in addition to his photo being in at least 4 of them, he is specifically highlighted in one of them. The website can be translated through Google Translate, but the .jpg file of the newsletter could not, so at about 1:30am, I sent the file to our agency. I knew it was a highlight of him because it was a photo of him, framed with a fancy font text, then a blocked-off story with 4 more photos of him with various friends in the SWI. Within an hour of waking up this morning, I got an email back with the translation! It was his story, written in first person from his perspective. It was thrilling and heartbreaking. In this story, there is much more vivid detail about his relinquishment, his finding, his first adoptive family, his second relinquishment, and his life in the SWI. More than anything, I'm happy to have some specific details for him. We just don't know about his first year of life, but to have so many accounts of how he came to be at the Sanming City SWI is a true gift and treasure.
The grand finale was watching a video and seeing our son in action! It was crazy that we got a video of Tian, but to now have one of Travis, too!? That's a blessing beyond words.
We copied and saved and printed everything we could from the website so that we can add it to Travis' life book. The Sanming City SWI looks like a lovely, happy place. We now have a ton of photos, not just of him, but of his home, his friends, Shushus (uncles) and Ahyis (aunties).
In the next few days, I will blog about some things I have learned about his SWI. Right now, I'm thanking God for his provision. From the beginning, He has answered our prayers of protection over the boys. Tian was in a very special SWI and is now in a good foster home. Seeing Travis' SWI gives me only peace and joy. One look at his face tells the story.
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| This was part of the highlight article about Travis. If you recognize any of these other kids, please contact me! |
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31
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