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One of my favorite writers on Chinese Adoption - Jeff Gammage
Has gotten a follow up story published today -
We wait until night to telephone, because of the 12-hour time difference. The number I have for the orphanage is wrong. We dial again, reaching people who have no idea why we’re calling. Eventually we get through to the orphanage, and Ma Guoxing’s co-workers, who tell us he’s off. Then we reach his wife, who says he’s out. Finally we reach his daughter — who provides his cellphone number.
“It’s ringing,” Sunny says, adjusting the mouthpiece on her headset.
She begins to speak in Mandarin, then turns to me and nods — it’s him.
Sunny laughs, her voice light. I think, This is good. Ma Guoxing is not annoyed that we’ve called his personal line. He does not insist we obtain official permission to speak with him, or refer us to some faceless government functionary. He’s happy to chat.
Sunny starts into my list of my questions, saying “Oh …” and “Ah …,” listening more than talking, scribbling down every word, the how and when and where of my daughter’s discovery. I feel like I am watching the opening of a lost crypt, that buried secrets are about to be revealed. China has 1.3 billion people, but only one of them found my baby on the street, and now he is on the phone.
I hear Sunny say, “baba,” meaning, “daddy.” She hands me the headset.
I speak only English. Ma Guoxing speaks only Mandarin. But I want to hear his voice, and I want him to hear mine. I need to say the words: Thank you. Thank you for holding my baby close when she was alone, for taking her to a place where she would be safe, for helping her when I was not there to help her.
“Hello?” I say. My mouth has gone dry. “Ni hao?”
“Ni hao,” he answers.
Ma Guoxing’s voice is strong and deep.
Something I also love about Jeff's additions to this body of work - that of a firm, resolute, loving male presence.
Ma Guoxing? After making the initial contact, only wanted to know more - and wished to remain in contact. When Jeff's daughter is ready to go see the country of her birth - there will be someone waiting to show it to her.
You can always ask for more. But if you ever wondered if persons not connected by blood to a child, can love them as much, respect and value them as much - or more - than biological parents?
They can. Not always, of course. But oh very yes. They can.
We wait until night to telephone, because of the 12-hour time difference. The number I have for the orphanage is wrong. We dial again, reaching people who have no idea why we’re calling. Eventually we get through to the orphanage, and Ma Guoxing’s co-workers, who tell us he’s off. Then we reach his wife, who says he’s out. Finally we reach his daughter — who provides his cellphone number.
“It’s ringing,” Sunny says, adjusting the mouthpiece on her headset.
She begins to speak in Mandarin, then turns to me and nods — it’s him.
Sunny laughs, her voice light. I think, This is good. Ma Guoxing is not annoyed that we’ve called his personal line. He does not insist we obtain official permission to speak with him, or refer us to some faceless government functionary. He’s happy to chat.
Sunny starts into my list of my questions, saying “Oh …” and “Ah …,” listening more than talking, scribbling down every word, the how and when and where of my daughter’s discovery. I feel like I am watching the opening of a lost crypt, that buried secrets are about to be revealed. China has 1.3 billion people, but only one of them found my baby on the street, and now he is on the phone.
I hear Sunny say, “baba,” meaning, “daddy.” She hands me the headset.
I speak only English. Ma Guoxing speaks only Mandarin. But I want to hear his voice, and I want him to hear mine. I need to say the words: Thank you. Thank you for holding my baby close when she was alone, for taking her to a place where she would be safe, for helping her when I was not there to help her.
“Hello?” I say. My mouth has gone dry. “Ni hao?”
“Ni hao,” he answers.
Ma Guoxing’s voice is strong and deep.
Something I also love about Jeff's additions to this body of work - that of a firm, resolute, loving male presence.
Ma Guoxing? After making the initial contact, only wanted to know more - and wished to remain in contact. When Jeff's daughter is ready to go see the country of her birth - there will be someone waiting to show it to her.
You can always ask for more. But if you ever wondered if persons not connected by blood to a child, can love them as much, respect and value them as much - or more - than biological parents?
They can. Not always, of course. But oh very yes. They can.