'... when you find yourself in the place just right': Discerning God's will

Reading Camp is a Mountain of Fun!

Part of the Heart of Our Mission: Announcements from around the diocese

ACC affirms Communion-wide listening process, members' voluntary withdrawal

Dean Mombo, member of Eames Commission, speaks in Diocese of Lexington

Commentaries

From the Bishop: A Summer Memory

Reflection: Coming home with MaryChun

X-ercizing: Who hopes for something he can't see?

Editoral: Seeking facts in a posturing on-line world

Diocesan Calendar

Past Issues

Reflection: Coming home with MaryChun

Her passport reads Bai Chun Rong. She weighs 15 pounds, and is 27 inches tall. On June 20, she was one year old. 364 days of her first 365 days of life were spent in the Dianbai Orphanage in Guandong Province in southeastern China. On Thursday, July 14, she was one of three babies who made a seven hour car trip with their nannies from the orphanage to the Civil Affairs office in Guangzhou. At shortly after four o’clock, as her name was read aloud, this tiny girl child in a green sunsuit was placed in the arms of her new mother for the first time — the mother in whose heart she had been born many long months ago.

There are moments in life almost too intimate to bear. Moments when an ordinary place is made sacred. So began MaryChun’s journey “home,” enfolded in the arms of love in a government meeting room.

How might I feel to find myself suddenly, and entirely, in the care of strangers? Surrounded by faces so different from my own, voices speaking in words I cannot understand? Each morning in the ballroom-sized dining room of The White Swan Hotel, overlooking the Pearl River, adoptive families from literally across the world – (7,000 from America alone last year) – struggle to move through a transformative process in which a terrified infant might be able to receive the abundance of love that is being offered, and parents with so much love to give might be able to move at the pace of the small person on whom they so want to bestow that love.

“There will be tears…” the Chinese facilitator tells the parents.

And there are tears. Tears in the almond shaped eyes, tears rolling down small, round cheeks. And tears in grown-up, anxious eyes, as well. Between the tears, a small, solemn face breaks into a smile.
And there is love. An abundance of love. Love soothing sobs in the middle of the night. Love walking the humid, sun-baked Shamian streets, small warm body strapped near the heart. Love bearing kongee, Cheerios, watermelon…bottles and sippy cups. Love’s inflections reaching beyond where words can go. Love masquerading in stuffed Eyeores, rattling balls, pull toys and climbs over mama’s knees.

And then … love in little arms reaching up in universal gesture: I know you. I recognize your face. I trust you. Please hold me close.

Each day, the balance of tears and smiles shifts.

Love incarnate.

It pulls at human hearts.

Airport security and customs officials take time to smile. Flight crews call their congratulations over the loud speakers, and gently touch the little heads as they walk the aisles. Strangers offer funny faces and finger games, and want to know the story.

As a late evening flight settles over the fence-lined bluegrass fields, MaryChun presses nose and fingers against the window. Perched in her mother’s arms, she moves down the escalator to her gathered family waiting. Love….waiting.

Bright eyes take in another new scene. More new people. Signs. Balloons!
MaryChun smiles.

“I believe she knows she’s home,” someone says softly. “That we’re her family.”

“If there is more love to feel than this,” said one adoptive mother, “I don’t think I could bear it.”

Always, that more love waits…for me to come home…through my fears, my tears, and all of the miles that I must travel. Coming home with MaryChun, I know.

Amen! sing the tears. Amen!

Dr. Collier McLaughlin is proud to have accompanied her daughter Diane Slone to China to bring her daughter MaryChun Rong Collier Slone home.

Advocate Online Staff:

© 2005 The Episcopal Diocese of Lexington

The Advocate is mailed free to all Episcopalians in the Diocese of Lexington. The Advocate is published 10 times a year (monthly Sept.-Mid-Summer, bi-monthly Mid-Summer-June, July-Aug.) by the Diocese of Lexington, a non-profit organization.

Additional subscriptions: $10 per year and address changes should be sent to: The Advocate, P.O. Box 610, Lexington, Ky. 40588-0610.
The deadline for submitting articles, photographs, announcements, and letters is the last Friday of the month prior to publication. These should be sent to:
The Advocate, Kay Collier McLaughlin, Ph.D., Editor, P.O. Box 610, Lexington, Ky.
40588-0610 (Kcollierm@diolex.org).

Member: Episcopal Communicators; Associated Church Press Office: The Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Lexington, Mission House, 203 East Fourth Street, Lexington, Ky. 40508-1515. For information call (859) 252-6527.

All rights reserved. The Advocate reserves the right to refuse publication and to edit all contributions. Permission required for reprinting.