Great Sons are Born on Both Sides of the Wall

 

As Alex's birthday was yesterday, I marvel that God entrusted him to us 14 years ago.  I am so thankful.  In the new year of 2000, I never imagined that our eldest son would be picking up our youngest son in the land of the Great Wall in 2013.  The seven year wall separating brothers came down a few weeks ago and the physical distance was spanned by a choice to adopt.   In a blink of an eye, God took the Great Wall and laid it across the ocean as a bridge so that an orphan could become a loved son and brother.  Who could have dreamed that big? 

December 15, we climbed the Great Wall.  We became heroes and heroines according to Mao. Mao would have demoted our status if he had known that we had attended a Bible-believing church that morning in Beijing.  We sang Christmas carols to Jesus with believers from all over the world and my eyes teared up with the beauty of it.  It was the first time in China that I felt like I belonged. 

 

In the afternoon, we took on the Great Wall and I think the Great Wall won.  It was a labor intensive, mind-dizzying climb.  The stone steps were worn unevenly by travelers, and the distance between the steps was crazily skewed.  Sometimes it was a five inch rise, and the next step would be a 16 inch rise.  I held onto a railing most of the way up and down.  I am glad it was cold enough to wear gloves.  Touching the rails was like rubbing dirty pennies for hours.

 

A new chum (or a complete stranger) who wanted his picture with the boys.

An Asian with bleached hair.  Orange hair is the only way of branching out from black. A great number of the male professional photographers in China had orange hair.  Ben called them "roosters" because the way they styled it.

 

 

A black Chanel purse in the background.

 

The astonishing part of the Great Wall was the flocks of women who were dressed Asian cute, which is frilly and feminine. You don't expect such a fashion show when you are laboring up a wall cut into the mountains.  The girls were often escorted by a male who would carry their powder pink Hello Kitty purse or something equally cute.  The man would hold the girl's elbow to steady her while she took the stairs in her fur-lined designer boots, diamond sweater and leggings. 

 

Steep.  The even steeper parts I was afraid to take photos for fear of falling backwards to my death as I focused the camera lens.

 

Taking a much needed rest.  The man in a business suit with a cigarette dangling out of his mouth had passed us long ago.  What's with that?

 

 

Along the walls, there were signs saying if you suffer heart issues or have brain problems you should not climb.  With views like these, you can see why.

 

Emily and Jane wanted to pet every stray cat from Beijing to Guangzhou.

 This cat had a necklace on.