Foster Family and Finding Place

What an incredible day! We first went to Enyi's orphanage to see where he lived before his foster family took him in...and he was there, again, for about a month before we came to get him. So while the orphanage holds recent memories for him, it is his foster family who holds the dearest place in his heart. On our way to the orphanage this morning, our guide, Kelly, asked Enyi if he knew the phone number of his Anyi (auntie) and Shu Shu (uncle). He blurted it right out. She had trouble understanding some of the numbers because he said some of them in Mandarin and some in Cantonese...luckily, our driver also spoke Cantonese and he was able to decipher the code. Kelly thought it would be best to see how he dealt with his visit to the orphanage before trying to see if the phone number worked to arrange a visit to his foster family. Enyi did great at the orphanage. The pictures include one of us with the orphanage director, one with his friends, his teachers, and passing out candy and stickers. We were able to see the bed that he slept in (great view by the window). While everyone there was happy to see Enyi, he was very proud to introduce us as his MaMa, BaBa and GeGe. After waving goodbye and getting back in the van, Kelly called the phone number that Enyi gave us and his Shu Shu answered! He said he would LOVE to meet us and offered to meet us in a well-known area so that we could follow him to their house. As we began to make the drive, Enyi started to give the driver directions and telling us what his uncle's car looked like and that his house had a red gate, etc. Enyi lived in an area named Conghua and it is about an hour northeast of GZ...and it is beautiful there. It is in the foothills of the mountains and is primarily a farming country. As soon as his uncle's van drove up, Enyi got VERY excited! He ran to meet them and his Anyi picked him up and started kissing him and hugging him. We all introduced ourselves to one another and then we were to follow them to their house. Enyi wanted to ride with them and I suddenly panicked about what to do...but I completely trusted that God had His hand in this opportunity, so we allowed him to go with them alone...but don't think that I didn't get a little freaked out when they made it through a traffic light and we didn't. However, their van pulled over and waited for us catch up.
When we arrived at their house about 10 minutes later, the whole family came out to meet us. While some of the family members did not want their picture taken, we did get some great shots of him with his Anyi and ShuShu and his NaiNai (grandmother). They were very gracious in their VERY humble dwellings. They brought out tea and Leechy (sp?) fruit, along with cookies and chocolate. They shared baby pictures with us and insisted that we take a few of the pictures (what a treasure...something we thought we would never have). In the end we were able to exchange addresses and phone numbers and promised to stay in touch. Our guide interpreted for us that Enyi told is Anyi and ShuShu that he is very happy with us and did not even cry when we left...just waved bye-bye! Now I, on the hand was a wreck...along with his Anyi. We hugged and cried. I told her thank you for doing such a great job with him and that I would love him and take good care of him, forever. It was very moving and something that we will be eternally grateful for!
We finished the day with a trip to Enyi's "Finding Place", which was near a train station and in the whole-sale clothing district. This place was CRAZY...and apparently not very safe at night. We are also grateful to the shopkeeper who found him and delivered him safely to the police. We took a few pictures from across the street...
FInally, we mad a quick trip to the clinic to have Enyi's TB test read...negative! We're good to return to the US!
I cannot explain to you the change that has happened in Enyi since we met with his foster family. It was like everyone got to approve of everyone and he was able to have some closure with his new family meeting his old one...my heart is full!
Please continue to pray for us as we make a new way as a family. While there are hourly ups and downs, we could not be happier!
Tomorrow, we will be able to meet up with the rest of the families from our traveling group, as they will be flying in from their provinces tonight. While many of them will be going to the medical clinic for exams (whew! did that, already), our family is planning on the tea house for a formal tea ceremony and a visit to the silk fabric market.
Love to all!