No one left on the Island!!

One of my favorite Christmas movies of all time is Rudolph the Red Nosed reindeer. This year while watching it with the kids all cuddled on the couch, one of my favorite scenes suddenly took on new meaning. The scene I’m referring to is at the end of the movie when the brokenhearted toys are once again seemingly forgotten and left alone on the island of misfit toys. At one point the dolly laments “I haven’t any dreams left to dream”.

This scene struck me this year as almost allegorical for those of us who have waited and those who continue to wait for our children to come home from a particular province in Vietnam. This province has become notorious for taking an excruciatingly long time to process adoptions as compared to the rest of Vietnam.

Our family is beyond thankful that our daughter Honour finally came home a little over a month ago. But there were periods during our very long wait that we had a hard time dreaming anymore. There were times we felt alone, and even forgotten. We often wondered if Honour felt the same way. Other than some close friends, our life line was the handful of families who found themselves waiting on the same lonely island. Some of those families are still on that island. Still waiting. Honour has a foster sister who continues to wait in Vietnam. When Honour looks at her picture, she puts the picture up to her face and whispers to her sister. Maybe she’s telling her that she misses her. Maybe she's telling her to not give up dreaming.

As we all know, the movie version has a happy ending. Santa comes flying in with Rudolph leading the way and not a toy is left behind. I believe in Christmas miracles. I want to ask you to believe with me and pray for a miracle for these waiting families and children. Pray that a miracle would happen this Christmas, that these families would hear the good news of being able to bring their children home. Pray that no one will be left on what has come to feel like a cold and isolated island. To our friends still waiting…you are not forgotten.

And to the little ones still waiting… Don’t stop dreaming. Keep looking and listening. You may not hear the sound of sleigh bells, but you will soon hear the sounds of home. You probably won’t see a sleigh carrying a little fat man in a red suit, but instead...there will be a 747 carrying your Mom and Dad. And you will be the greatest gift to each other that any of you could have ever dreamed.



-Rob (AKA: Charile in the box-the official sentry of the Island of Misfit Toys)