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Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Rose's Story



  Three years ago, January 18th 2010, we bundled up our three children in their heavy coats and rode through the streets of an unfamiliar city to meet their new sister, Dang Xuehua.

Our family had been working toward this moment for more than a year.  Our decision to adopt came after much prayer and after hearing the founder of Reece’s Rainbow speaking about the needs of children with Down syndrome around the world.  Through the Reece’s Rainbow website, we saw the sweet face of Dang Xuehua and began climbing the mountains of paperwork to bring her home with us.

We felt assured we were following God’s will.  It was easy to see the whole adoption through our eyes.  Here was a little girl in need of a family and we wanted to be that family.  She would join us and become a part of our lives, our story.

But when we got to China our eyes were opened to see that she wasn’t joining our story as much as we were joining hers.  Before we even met Xuehua, we were able to visit the China Little Flower house in Beijing and meet many of the people who had been her advocates and protectors.  She had been sent to China Little Flower for hospice care.  Xuehua badly needed surgery as an infant to repair her heart.  Beyond all odds, this was obtained and she began to grow and thrive.  I think with gratitude of the many people who cared for her while her fragile body healed.


When she was strong enough, Xuehua was sent to live in foster care until the time of her adoption.  We did not meet her foster family, but it was easy to see that she had been loved and well cared for.

Xuehua, now Rose Xuehua, has been with us for three years and God continues to work on her behalf, through dedicated teachers and therapists and doctors.  She has been strong through ear tubes, a tonsillectomy, and a bout with pneumonia.  Her winsome spirit shines through all the hardships.  She loves to play and laugh with her brothers and sister.  She is eager to help around the house and has the personality of a little "mama", trying to keep everyone in the family in line.  Her birthday falls in the lunar year of the dog and she has always loved dogs, especially the cartoon dog Scooby Doo.  She tries hard at school and has learned so much in her three years in the U.S.  Her life already has touched so many others, she teaches us daily the truth of the mission of China Little Flower:  to recognize the beauty and dignity of each person.

Rose Xuehua with her family in China



Rose Xuehua today



(Many thanks to Rose's family for sharing their story!)