The Warriors of Xian

During the same October break (2011), we left Xinjiang province after a few days, and headed to Xian.  We went there to see the terracotta soldiers, but that is not the only thing about Xian that was memorable.  For about a month before this trip, I had been following the blog of an expat family living in Xian.  They have 3 kids of their own, and are foster parenting a chinese orphan who is HIV+.  We had also been foster parents in the past, and I felt a sort of connection with them.  Since we were going to visit Xian anyway, we e-mailed them to ask if they wanted to meet up while we were there (hopefully that wasn't against any unspoken rules of blog-followers!).

This family graciously invited us to dinner, and we were able to see firsthand how they have turned their home into a warm, loving place.  It is obvious that they want to reach out with love to the lonely and abandoned, and they have a real gift for hospitality and parenting.  Later in the year, they fostered 2 more HIV+ children for several months; this means they were caring for a total of 6 children!  We were so impressed and inspired by their selflessness.  It's even more impressive to note that this couple is younger than us!  We know that being a foreigner in China is not easy, and that being a foster parent can be incredibly difficult.  But this family chooses to face the daily struggles and challenges, because they know their lives serve a higher purpose.  They are some of the true "warriors" of Xian. We know several people like this in our own city, our own province, and I know that there are others like this in Xian, as well.  They give of themselves so they can make a difference, even if it's one child at a time. Obviously, I have so much respect for these folks!

For those of you who are wondering about the warriors of the "terracota" variety, here are some pics.