We are finishing up day three as a family of 6 and we've already seen the beginnings of the beautiful transformation that He will bring about over time.
As you might imagine, day 1 was pretty difficult. Pierce has spent all his life in an institution and has little ability to connect or interact in healthy ways. In the morning we spent about 2 hours at the civil affairs office signing papers after our initial meeting with him. He wept, screamed, and shouted over and over again "I want to go home. Mama, please let me go home." He was terrified of us and desperate to return "home". Once we left the office to return to the hotel he screamed at the top of his lungs all the way up the elevator and for the next hour in our room.
Eventually he began to calm down. We ate noodles in our room and spent 4 hours at the hotel pool. Pierce loved swimming! Throughout the afternoon we got many smiles and much laughter out of the little guy. He continued to ask about going home but the question wasn't accompanied with the tears any longer. The day ended well as we sang songs and prayed as a family. Each night we sing this song together inserting a different family members' name for each verse: "Pierce, Pierce, Pierce, you are very special. With your black hair and your brown eyes God made you very special." By night 2 Pierce had begun trying to sing along and as I type this post, he is singing it to himself in the bed next to me while looking at books. We look forward to the day that as a result of the Father's love he knows for certain the truth of those words.
Sheldon was somewhat confused by hearing Pierce's constant pleading to go home. Finally he asked us, "why don't you let him go home? He says he wants to go home." It was really confusing for the little guy. We did the best we could in explaining to him that it is good for Pierce to have a family and that he will grow to love us all. He still seemed a bit skeptical.
Day 2 began with a trip back to the civil affairs office where Pierce was to see some of the workers of the orphanage again. It was a night and day difference from the previous day. Instead of screaming and crying as they left or as we left, he calmly said goodbye to them and happily held our hand down the stairs and into a taxi. The tense, nervously shaking body we had held on day 1 was now calm and relaxed. Already trust was being built.
We continue to shower him with love, smiles, gentleness, and prayer, and know that the Holy Spirit will renew, fill, and redeem the hurts and voids of his past.
As one might expect, he has numerous behavioral issues that are quite difficult to see and deal with. In other words, we have a long way to go. But whether it's his "Wo ai ni" (I love you) response to us telling him we love him, or his "please" and "thank you", or the returned smile, or the joy he shows occasionally after obeying us....we already see glimpses of what's to come. Each night we go to bed exhausted because of the need to constantly watch his every move (he's a very active child, with very active hands, and isn't used to boundaries and expectations). But each night we can sense progress has been made.
We continue to praise God for bringing him to us and know that He will continue to supply all we need.
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