I Heart U

Happy Valentine's Day!  Today is the last day for the I heart U necklace fundraiser to go towards Min's adoption fund:)  Click the link on the side of the blog to go to more information on the necklace.

We watched a documentary on China, in particular the Three Gorges Dam that was completed in 2008.  It is the largest hydroelectric project in the world and it displaced 2 million people when their homes were flooded.  China relocated an entire city across the river.  It was so interesting to watch.  The lives a a poor family were followed as their 14 year old daughter took a job working in the kitchen of a river cruise and her family watched their house (hut) be overtaken by the rising river waters. It was a sobering documentary, much different than the ones focused on the incredible bueaty of China's landscape or the awesome history of the Chinese people.  It was a message of burgeoning capitalism juxtaposed with extreme poverty and lack of education meaning no future for a class of people that are being left behind.  And yet there were strong family ties and love.  Our oldest son watched it with us, he is 10, he said he doesn't want to watch any more like that because it made him too sad. 

As my husband and I talked afterwords, we obviously reflected on Min.  We don't know what kind of family she was born into.  We are inserting our own opinions that Min was left because of her medical condition, but we don't truly know.  And yet, now, Min and the other orphans have less of a future than these displaced rural farmers.  If she is not adopted, she will die.  But even if she got the medical treatment that she needs, she still would have no future.  There is no place for her to go when she ages out of the orphanage.  There would be no family caring for her or checking up on her.  I am so grateful that she has a future and a hope. 

So on a day where we celebrate love, I think it is appropriate to spend a minute praying for those who are in this world without someone to love.  Whether it be a widow, elderly person, someone who is alone, or the over 147 million orphans in this world, how can we show our love for them today?  Whether it is a prayer, supporting your favorite charity, or hugging your kids a little bit closer knowing that we are so very truly blessed to have each other, we can share a little more love in this world.

I thank you for the love you have shown me and I promise to keep passing it along!