When Ted realized his mom had arrived he was so excited. He was running with his caretaker across the campus yelling ‘mama, mama!’.
Moments later they were hugging for the first time.
Ted’s mother works with kids everyday and is great at connecting with them. She had this really cool harmonica necklace that Ted loved playing.
Ted is blind so music was a great way for them to connect. She also brought a few electronic bugs that were a huge hit with Ted and his friends.
This is not a typical picture of an adoption day. Adoptive parents have been preparing for months and learning all about their child. However, the child doesn’t always get a lot of information or chance to get ready for the meeting and move.
Especially for a blind child this would be scary.
This is one of the reasons we love Bethel China. They do a great job helping the child get ready for adoption and learn about his parents. Instead of it feeling like a strange person taking them away, it can feel more like a reunion.
Ted’s dad wasn’t able to come because he was taking care of Ted’s sister but his grandmother was able to come. It was fun to see them connect.
After they first met they had a few hours to get to know each other in Bethel’s playroom. Here Ted is showing his mom some of the toys he has played with at Bethel.
For lunch Ted and his mom went out to a restaurant in town.
After lunch playing in the parking lot.
In the afternoon, after the kids all got up from nap, there was a party to celebrate Ted’s adoption.
At the party they showed pictures of Ted’s life at Bethel.
The party also included singing. Here Ted is singing a song.
The highlight of the party for everyone is the cake.
Here is the video documenting the day and Ted’s Adoption Story.
PROJECT SUMMARY:
Project Goal: The goal of this project was to capture the memories of the day for Ted and his family. The secondary goal was to inspire people to consider adopting a visually impaired child.
Project Scope: Ted’s story was produced in collaboration with Bethel China.
The full project included:
- Short film documenting the day Ted met his parents
- Photos documenting the day
- Short Video encouraging people to sponsor a child through Bethel China
I first learned about Sharing Dots after watching Finn’s adoption story. My husband and I had been thinking about adopting a visually impaired child from China, but still had some reservations. After watching Finn’s adoption story, we felt compelled to move forward. We inquired about Ted, who was living at the same foster home for blind and visually impaired children where Finn had been living.
Soon after starting our adoption process, I contact Bryon and Lorilee to see if they were still living and working in the Beijing area. I learned that they had since moved to Cambodia, but they encouraged me to keep in touch once we found out our travel dates.
As luck would have it, Bryon and Lorilee had plans to be in China around the same time that my mom and I ended up traveling to meet Ted. When I asked if they’d be willing to film our story, they responded with such encouragement. Despite having to make special travel arrangements to be there, Lorilee and Bryon seemed genuinely excited and grateful for the opportunity to share Ted’s adoption day with us.
Shortly after arriving in Beijing, my mom and I met up with Bryon, Lorilee, and their two amazing children. They took us on an epic tour of Beijing, and introduced us to all of their favorite Hutongs (narrow alleyways). They also spent some time talking with me about my hopes and dreams for Ted. That obviously ended with us all in tears! I was struck by how easy and comfortable it was to talk openly with them.
Early the next day, Bryon and Lorilee met my mom and I outside the gates of Ted’s foster home. I was nervous about all that was about to unfold, especially since my husband hadn’t been able to travel with me. It was such a relief to know that Bryon and Lorilee would be there capturing the day for us, and that I didn’t have to worry about trying to take photos or videos myself.
Bryon and Lorilee spent the entire day with us. They filmed the moment we met (priceless footage that we will always cherish), followed on a tour of the Ted’s foster home and school, joined us all for lunch, and filmed Ted’s adoption party. They took both photos and video, and were eager to share previews with us just days afterwards.
It was such a privilege to get to share Ted’s adoption story with Sharing Dots. Bryon and Lorilee are kind, personable, professional, and have such a heart for children. Their work inspired our own adoption journey, and through our partnership with Sharing Dots we’ve been able to connect with and help support others exploring the adoption of a visually impaired child.
Scholarship Fund Recipient