Adventures with Andrew: Why China?

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Things are progressing in our journey to bring Andrew home.  We have been able to gather and get the proper notarization, certification, and authentication on the necessary documents for our dossier.  Earlier this month we tracked the progress of our paperwork from Delaware to China.  It was exciting to see our packet travel across the ocean and know when it was signed for in China!  After a week’s wait, we received word we were officially logged into the Chinese system.  The next steps are for our papers to be translated and reviewed by the proper authorities.  Once this is done we are praying we receive our official letter of approval (LOA) so we can move forward in the adoption process.  The wait for our LOA is a process that is currently taking 60-80+ days.  If I’ve figured it right, we are on day 6 of our LOA wait so we still have a ways to go!  As we have shared before, waiting is one of the hardest parts of the adoption process, but it's so worth it! 

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We have also received a new packet of information from our adoption agency, Madison Adoption Associates, outlining the next series of steps in the adoption process.  It was a bit overwhelming, but we were incredibly grateful for the detailed step by step instructions!   The most exciting thing about that packet was it outlined the process from our LOA to bringing our sweet boy home!   There is a light at the end of the waiting!  We have heard from other families who have already been through this process once you get your LOA things really do go quickly.  Sounds great to me J! 

The papers we worked diligently on filling out, gathering, getting notarized, certified and authenticated!
They are now in China!  Come on LOA!!!

This journey has opened up doors for us to get to know a whole new community of people.  It has been encouraging to network with others going through the same process or who have already been through this process.  We rejoice along with others as they reach milestones and pray for challenges that come along.  We seek out answers to questions and concerns from those who have been there.  It’s so exciting to read, hear their stories, and see first-hand what God is doing in their lives and the lives of their families.  It’s also been wonderful for Brad and me to share our story with others and hopefully raise some awareness to the needs of the many orphans around the world.  It’s been an opportunity to share what God has done in our own lives and the life of our family.

Understandably, over the past several months we have also been asked a lot of questions.  One of the questions that has come up several times is why we have chosen to adopt internationally from China when there are so many children right here in America/state of Illinois in the foster care system that need a home and a family.   I want to clarify up front and say that most of the people who have asked me this question have done so genuinely wanting to know and are not being ugly or trying to make some statement or judgment.  They don’t know much about adoption or foster care and are curious.  So I decided to write today and share our answer to this question, “Why China and not the U.S.A./state of Illinois?”  Notice….I said “our answer”.  Adoption and foster care are not things you enter into lightly because it will impact you, your spouse, your children, and your life as a whole.  Adoption and foster care are personal decisions and each family that chooses to do either has their very own story and reasons for why they chose to adopt or foster.

Love this sweet boy!

Here’s our answer – God made it clear that Andrew is our son.  Andrew currently lives in a foster home in China and not the United States.  So we are going to China to bring him home.  That’s it!  It’s that simple!  No earth shattering deep theological or philosophical answer.  We are being obedient to what God is calling us to do.  It is a personal journey we are on with our God and we LOVE it!

God used the years we spent praying, moving to Rochester to meet Marshall and Michelle McGowan, In His Hands Orphan Outreach, Rochester Christian Church, Madison Adoption Associates, and awesome families in our small group to help us become aware of the needs of orphans worldwide and those here in the states.  Adoption and foster care are a part of the culture at Rochester Christian Church an in our local community.  There are many families in our church and community that do both.   Brad and I both agree that God had bigger plans for the Ferris family when we moved here a few years ago.  It just wasn’t only for Brad to be the senior pastor at RCC.  It was so we could find Andrew!  



One of my favorite pictures from the summer!  Brad and Madeline with Andrew.  This was the last picnic we went to before he flew back to China and he was starting to relax and smile more and more every day! 

After sharing this answer with people, most are satisfied and are very excited for us.  There have been a few who have chosen not to support us and been critical.  I have to say those were the times I was hurt and angry.  It’s hard to respond with grace and love when someone is critical of your decision.  However, I have had to remind myself, and Brad has had to remind me that we are following God’s plan for our family and that is what matters.

We are all made in God’s image, and the great thing about our God is that He sees no difference between the American orphan, the Chinese orphan, the Haitian orphan, the Russian orphan, etc….  He sees a child that needs a family.  Period.  God’s love has no borders, boundaries, or limits.  He loves the world (John 3:16).  He has called us to care for the orphan and the widows (James 1:27).  One of the ways we can care for the orphan is to be a forever family or a foster family.  God has called many families to adopt internationally, but He has also called other families to foster/foster to adopt children right here in the U.S.A.   Both are equally important, and neither one should be criticized because God does not call all of us to do the same thing.

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God may not be calling you to foster or adopt, however you can still make a difference in the life of a child.  Here is a link to In His Hands Orphan Outreach webpage.  It has all the information on what they do around the world and here in Illinois to reach out to orphans.  There is a great video on the home page that is well worth your time to watch showing exactly what they did to help orphans this past year.  There is also an event tab you can click on to learn more about the upcoming orphan banquets.  The 2015 summer hosting program is another program well worth your time to read about and get more information about!  http://www.inhishandsorphans.org/   This is a great organization to partner with.  You can pray, donate, help educate others, volunteer, and so many other things. 

God has a very personal plan for each of us (Jeremiah 29:11), and God revealed to Brad and me that Andrew is our son.  Andrew lives in a foster home in China, and so we are going to China to bring him home!  It’s a very exciting time for the Ferris family!  Our process progresses and we are moving forward; each day is one day closer to bringing Andrew home!  Now we count the days for our LOA!