One of the ways we have available to us to try and make a connection with Sparrow before we go to China is by sending care packages.  It would most likely be costly and difficult to get anything through customs, so one of the guides who helps families while they are in China also offers care packages which families can order for their soon to be adopted children via email and paypal.  Despite being hard work, sometimes adoption is just plain fun… like emailing our order to Helen the other night at midnight, but since it was 2:00 in the afternoon (the next day!) for her, she quickly replied, and then sent us a paypal bill (in Chinese)!

We chose a little photo album for Sparrow.  We emailed Helen 14 pictures of our family which we captioned in English with things like “our family,” “mother,” “father,” “big sister Becca,” “big brother Spencer,” “big sister Hanna,” “little brother Michael,” “biking at the park,” “swimming at the lake,” and “sisters cooking.”  Helen printed them and translated our captions into Chinese.  After assembling the album, Helen sent us this picture so we could see it.  Don’t you love the Chinese characters?

We received word today that Sparrow’s orphanage did indeed receive her care package and we are praying that they will share this little photo album with her and that she would be able to see it often.  We pray it will help to begin to prepare her heart for the adventure and transition she has ahead of her.

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. 

Isaiah 43:19