A Very Different Birthday Party

My friends and I posing with the celebrity of the party - JOLLIBEE!

Today, I went to my college friend's 25th birthday celebration. This party, however, is very different from the kind of party a young professional would normally have. No beers and adult stuff in this party... There were only kids, games, and....Jollibee.


My friend has a very generous heart. Instead of spending money on some lavish night out with her peers, she decided to throw a big birthday bash in an orphanage.


The orphanage is 20 minutes away from my home. It houses about forty seven children--all with different pasts, from different families, and with different stories to tell. It's a very interesting place to visit. The children are so fun to talk to. Sometimes, it's much more fun talking to children than adults. They have so many interesting things to say. And they rarely have any prejudice or suspicions. 

Karen! My favorite little girl in the orphanage.. I wish I
could just take her home with me....

My favorite little girl in the shelter is Karen. She's about seven years old and she has the most beautiful smile. She was not shy at all and was willing to make friends instantly. She had a very cute laugh and such a warm personality. I was very curious about her. What had happened to her parents? It seemed so unfair that this bright little child was left alone in the world. Didn't any one care enough to adopt them? How difficult would it be? What would it take to adopt a child? Time? Money? But some people have these. Heck, most of them spend so much time and money on their dogs. Why not spare some to adopt a child?




I am glad though, that Karen and many others had been found by the orphanage. It is difficult for me to imagine what kind of life she would live out in the streets. I wish I could adopt her. I wish it so hard it hurts. 


Adoption is nothing new in the family. I was still a fetus in my mom's womb when she and my dad adopted my older sister. Mama was a nurse that time, and she could not bare to give the abandoned child in the orphanage. They adopted her legally and we all love her as if we were blood sisters. I guess that proves the saying "blood is thicker than water" wrong. 


In 1998, this same orphanage had a program called "Adopt a Child for Christmas". Being the fatherly father my father was, he decided to take a child home for the holidays. Her name was Kris. I can still remember her clearly. She was about three years younger than I was at that time. I quiet little girl with plump cheeks and long thick, curly hair. It did not take long for her to be a part of the family and she clung to my parents as if they were her own. It felt a bit sad to send her back after the holidays. I saw her a few times again after that. But the last I heard about her, she had met a guy and had gotten married. I hope and pray her life is much better now.


Now, it seems as if we will be adopting another girl permanently. She's fifteen. She has been living with the family for seven years. She practically grew up here, became a young woman here. Made friends here. Her aunt in America has adopted her legally, but the girl refuses to leave us anymore. I guess she's part of the family too. I've begun calling her my "new sister".


When I was young, I vowed that I would adopt a child of my own in the future. Even if God will give my children of my own, I vowed that one day, I would do it. I remember the first time the idea popped into my head, was the day when my sister found out she was adopted. We were only seven. We were outside playing in the yard when one of our young neighbors said to her "You dad said you're adopted". My sister cried and sobbed at that fact. And even though the whole family assured her nothing was different, she still felt as if she did not belong. But I hugged her and said that she is my sister, even if we were conceived in different wombs. 


These all flashed in my head as we had the birthday party today. It felt so good to be able to give them one day of happiness. But wouldn't it just feel wonderful if we could actually provide them with love and a home? As we said goodbye, they hugged us and kissed us and asked us to return. I hope that we can. Maybe this Christmas...I hope to see their smiles again.