I am excited to finally share the first of several short films that were produced following my trip to China.
I had the privilege of interviewing, filming, and watching CCAI adoptive parents meet their beautiful Chinese babies for the first time. There were so many emotions wrapped in the moment. We had been warned there would be lots of screaming and tears from the children, but that was expected because the kids had been well loved and didn’t want to leave their nannies. It was total chaos, but in the midst of it all, some of the most precious moments I witnessed on this trip occurred.
It was said that although this is the greatest day in the parents’ lives, it is the worst day in the children’s. They are leaving their home, their language, and faces they knew for a world yet to be revealed. For me, watching the commotion was very unnerving. Towards the end of the day I was exhausted from sharing the joy and sadness alike. I watched these families retire to their rooms early with sweat-drenched, swollen-eyed children, and I also longed for refreshing sleep to let the madness go.
By breakfast the next day, you would have thought their new parents raised these kids. They were smiling, waving, laughing, and holding on the their ba-bas and Mamas so tightly. In less than 14 hours a bond had been formed, and happiness abounded. I am not sure which day made me cry harder.
Each of these children has special needs—cleft pallets, heart conditions, missing limbs, or HIV. They were all welcomed into their new families as perfect additions.
A big thank you to all of the families that let me document their amazing journey. It was a life-changing experience for me.
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