another great day in Chengdu

We are leaving for Guangzhou in a few hours. That is where the U.S Embassy is and we need to do a few things there before we are allowed to leave China.

Here we are two days ago in the center of Chengdu. Caleb (and most of the kids in China) do this silly "peace" sign whenever they have their picture taken. It really doesn't mean anything...kind of like our "say cheese" routine here in the U.S

Anna, Nathan and Kara...can you spot the chicken feet?

We went to see the Pandas yesterday

Another one of my favorites

Lost in translation...this sign was near a small pond

At the Panda Reserve, there was a pond FULL of fish and I think Caleb liked them just as much as the pandas

On the way home from seeing the Pandas (and fish!) we stopped to see the temple where Caleb was left as an infant...otherwise known as his "finding spot". I don't particularly love that term. I'm not sure how to put into words how it felt to stand in the same spot where he was lovingly placed to be found and taken care of. At the orphanage we were given a note that was left with him here. It was a small handwritten note that basically said "please take care of this baby and find him a home". I have not doubt that we was deeply loved by his family. He was placed near a very sacred and safe place. After driving through this area we have seen firsthand the poverty and hardships of life here. I can only imagine that his family had no way to care for him and his medical need. Of course, there are strong and prevelant superstitous beliefs here in China that likely could have been why his family could not keep him. Either way, I feel like the moment that he was placed in front of this temple God began to work in his life and ours to bring us together.

The street that the temple is on

The entrance to the temple. The lady in the wheelchair is being lifted over the entrance. There is a long standing belief here (as seen in the Forbidden City) that you can stop the entrance of evil spirits from entering into buildings/rooms by "blocking" them at the threshhold. You literally have to step over these beams (of sorts) to enter into a lot of places in China. Many of the Buddhist stores in this area had similar beams guarding their entrances. The higher the beam, the more sacred or important the place is. This is a Buddhist temple so it is quite high.

Lovingly placed here by one family, lovingly in the arms of another now.

The end of a very long day