A Chinese-American Story of Love (Part VI - section 2)

By Douglas Wagganer

On Sunday, November 25, 2001; I received a very special gift from a very special friend. Dywatt Gantt the Director of Children's Hope International. On that morning he fulfilled a promise he had once made to me. It had been during the long adoption process, when I asked Dywatt to please be at the Airport when we arrived back in St. Louis with our daughter. I had explained to him that I wanted him to be the first person my new daughter would meet from Children's Hope International. That it was him that I wanted to share that first brief moment with, and it was to him I wanted to say my first "Thank you" to. 

Well, in those many months before our trip began, Dywatt made me that promise. But, then just two weeks before we were to leave for China, Dywatt suddenly informed me that he would not be at the Airport when we returned to St. Louis. He and Melody Zhang the Assistant Director at Children's Hope International would be leaving the week before our return, for a three week trip to Vietnam. I was disappointed to say the least. I told Melody and Dywatt I understood, but they each knew I was still disappointed. Then on the day before we left for our trip, Melody told me that she and Dywatt would meet us in Guangzhou on the morning of November 25th. Those two special people had rescheduled their trip, so that they could be in Guangzhou while our group was there.

In a touching moment for me I got to introduce my daughter to both Dywatt and Melody on that sunny November 25th morning in Guangzhou, China. The two of them will never truly know how honored I was by their actions in coming to China to meet with me. Rarely do people have so many blessings in such a short period of time. This was one such moment for me, amongst so many I had now experienced since coming to China, this would be in my heart forever.        

The next morning we had a hearty breakfast in the Hotel's Restaurant. Maribeth continued to amaze us at how much she could eat. She would eat three scrabbled eggs, along with fruit, French toast, and hot oatmeal. Then be ready for lunch two hours later. She also loved the Juices from the Breakfast bar. Apple Juice proved to be her favorite.

After breakfast we went with our adoption group to a local photo shop, where we got four pictures of daughter for her Visa and Immigration paper work. We only needed two, but Jane and I wanted some for a couple of etched stone picture blocks that several local artists would make from photographs.

During a sight seeing trip of Guangzhou, our group went to a Bird Sanctuary. The place was located on Guangzhou's highest surrounding elevation, which is known as "Mount Binyan". It is a large park with a large lake nearby and walking trails and a sky tram to the Mountaintop. The afternoon was relaxing and the views of Guangzhou worth the day's trip. Maribeth enjoyed watching the birds perform in a short show, and we enjoyed the afternoon of pushing her around in a stroller.

The Hotel gave us a special gift when we got back to our rooms that afternoon. The Hotel is owned by the Mattel Corporation or so I was told, so they along with the Mattel Corporation gave our Daughter's a Special Edition Barbie Doll. The doll is called "Going Home Barbie". It is a blond haired Barbie Doll with a small Chinese baby in her arms. Jane loves Barbie Dolls, so the gift was well received.

Later that night, along with another St. Louis adoption family, we ate dinner at an outdoor restaurant near the hotel. The food was not the best, but we were seated at a table alongside the Pearl River, which made for a memorable night. After eating we again went shopping in nearby neighborhood. A wonderful day ended with a bath for each of us and a good nights rest.