First Letter to My Daughter

First Letter to My Daughter

Posted by Candace

We received our preapproval for Jessica Faith this morning.  For all those who don't know, a preapproval from China is kinda like what you get for a loan.  You give them an overview of your info and based on that, they decide whether to let you continue in the adoption process for the child you are requesting.  Our preapproval for Jessica Faith meant something else as well!!  We are able to attempt to correspond through organizations in China that are set up to help families do so.  As soon as I received this document I ordered a cake for her and am sending her photos of our family.  Though I'm sure this news will carry some fear with it, it is still something worth celebrating, right??? 

I also sent her a letter.  So out of my comfort zone on this... how do you minister to your 13 year old child whom you have never met and lives half a world away.  How do I comfort the fears of the unknown?  How do I convey how much I long to hold her and wipe away any tears that might come with this news, whether of joy or sorrow?  I want to be there NOW, but only my words can travel there.  Hopefully the Holy Spirit will saturate her with every one of these words and she will feel the truth of them.

"Dearest Xiao Qi,

How do I even begin this letter?  How does a mother introduce herself to her daughter?  I will do my best.  You have a Mom and a Dad.  We are finally going to be together, and yet I know that this must make you sad and scared.  You have never been to America…you have never met the people who are coming to get you…the ones you will call “Mom” and “Dad”.  It makes me scared and sad too, because I know that you must love your foster family and your school and your friends.  I know that you will probably not understand our language and that we will have to get used to each other.  Can I also tell you, though, how excited that we are?  We are so excited, Xiao Qi, because God has placed such a love for you in us… we love you with all our hearts…and we know that love will make these sad and scary things a little bit easier.

We want to make a promise to you.  We will love you as our very own daughter for the rest of your life.  We will teach you our language and our customs and we will let you teach us yours.  We will take care of you, give you a home, an education, brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles and grandmothers and grandfathers.  We will show you America and we think that you will love it.  We will give you an American name to add to your Chinese one…we would like it to be Jessica Faith.  Jessica means “God sees” because God has been watching and protecting you since the day you were born… Faith because the path that will bring us together will take much faith.

Please do not be afraid, sweet girl.  So many people here love you and are waiting for you to come home to us.  I cannot imagine how scary it might be to be promised to a family that you do not know, but I promise you that we will walk this scary road together.  You will never be alone again.  You now have a Mom and Dad, 2 brothers (Jordan is 12 and Nathan is 10), and 2 sisters (Kate is 3 and Naomi Grace is 2 and is waiting in China for us like you are).

I would like to thank your foster family with all my heart for loving you these 13 years and taking care of you until God could bring us together.  He has an incredible plan for your life, my sweet daughter…and your dad and I and your brothers and sisters are privileged to be a part of it.

We love you,

 

Mom (and Dad, Jordan, Nathan, Kate, and Naomi Grace)"

 

Please pray with us that we might get a response, since this letter will be delivered with a self addressed stamped envelope. :)