August 1999

Fall Newsletter 1999 

Charlotte provided this trip report

Charlotte & Clark MacFarlane of Schumaker ON travelled
to China to bring home their daughter Hannah

The FOI August ‘99 adventure took us to Hefei, in the Anhui province, and to Beijing. We comprised what must have been one of Yulin’s largest groups 16 babies and their wildly ex-cited parents and yet the trip was remarkably problem-free. The smoothness of those two weeks can be largely attributed to the amazing efficiency of Yulin and her capable staff. As a bonus, we counted among our number several health care professionals; two ministers; an eagle-eyed professional photographer; a healthy smattering of experienced parents, and 100% good-natured people. Baby supplies, great advice and helping hands were shared generously and frequently. If one of us needed help of any kind, another stepped up to assist.

As I reflect on this trip I experience a swirl of emotions and memories. I remember a meeting room suddenly filled with euphoric parents and bewildered babies, moving personal stories of life during the Cultural Revolution, the beautiful everydayness of the Chinese reliance on pedal power, the sometimes dramatic preparations for National Day (e.g. the here-today-gone-tomorrow restaurant), and the Chinese people’s warmth and humbling gratitude for our love of our new daughters.

I suspect that all prospective parents spend a great deal of time imagining the relationship they will develop with their child. My husband and I were preoccupied thinking about that prior to our daughter’s adoption, and now we marvel as that relationship deepens daily. But my heart was caught off guard for the other relationships that adopting from China would forge for us those with our fellow adventur-ers. Although our homes speckle the Canadian map, our friendships will always be held fast with the powerful glue of a shared life-altering experience.

The most amazing part of our trip however, is that each family brought back to Canada the world's most perfect, most beautiful child.