On March 28, 2005 a 9 month old baby girl was found in a basket, abandoned at a bus stop, on the streets of Shanghai, China.  She was sick and dying from pneumonia.  The person that found her rushed her to the nearest hospital.  There the doctors discovered that she had a very critical congenital heart defect.  They decided together that this little orphaned girl was “Inoperable”-  Surgery to repair her broken heart would be far too risky and far too costly!  They declared her “Terminal” and sent her to the orphanage to die.  Days… Months… Years… went by and that little girl defied all odds and continued to live!  

Finally, when she was 5 years old, the orphanage staff decided to list her for international adoption, in hopes that a miracle might be found for her heart in America.  Yet, still, she waited another two years, while each family that viewed her files decided that her medical needs and sad prognosis were more than they could handle.  

In April of 2011, while pursuing the adoption of a healthy 9 year old girl, I (Lori) saw this precious girl’s face amoung the hundreds of other special needs orphans that needed a home… that needed HOPE.  Each time I saw her photo, I’d open her file and see those words… “Critical Medical Needs”.  I’d remind myself that such needs were far more than I could handle and quickly close the file to move on.  It wasn’t until we lost that healthy 9 year old girl to another family that I was able to distinquish God’s whispering in my ears…  He was drawing me again and again- back to the little one whose needs were so great, I was convinced she belonged to someone else…

I reluctantly peeled myself from the recliner and forced myself to the chair in front of the computer.  I pulled up the photo I’d been avoiding for several days and I willed myself to dial the number of the adoption agency.  In what seemed like an “out of body experience”,  I inquired about that precious little girl with critical medical needs.  When asked if I understood that she was considered “terminal”, I smartly spurted back… “Aren’t we all?”  Less than 5 minutes later the HOPELESS details of this almost 7 year old orphan girl’s life filled my computer screen.  There was little doubt what God was asking me to do.  

I took my computer straight to Doug.  I turned the screen around, revealing the face of one of the most precious orphans he’d ever seen.  I told him her story and asked him what we should do.  He asked one simple question…  ”Are you OK with letting that little girl die in that orphanage alone without ever knowing the love of a Mommy and Daddy and without ever hearing about the love of Jesus?”  ”No”… I was quick to answer!  I was not OK with that!  ”Neither am I,” he said, “Let’s bring her home!”  And that… was that!!! She was OUR daughter!  Soon to be Rachel HOPE McCary!  And whether it meant we’d have her for a year or for a life-time,… this precious child would know the love of a family and the love of Jesus Christ with whatever time she had!

Valiant effort was made to get Rachel home as quickly as humanly possible, and only 5 months after that fateful night, we were on a plane to China to make her a part of our family.  I will forever marvel at the many miracles that took place within those months to   make it all possible.  It seemed that everyone that heard Rachel’s story wanted to be a part of bringing her HOPE.  And with the help of so many-  God let us be a part of that too!

We saw Rachel waiting for us the moment we got off the elevator at the Civil Affairs Office in Shanghai.  She smiled and waved and waited ever so impatiently while we filled out the required paperwork before she could officially become OURS!  She confidently walked into our arms, called us “Mommy and Daddy”, and the rest, as they say… is history!!!

Dr Fricker, the wonderful man who heads up the Congenital Heart Center at The University of Florida, was ready to see her as soon as she arrived home.  Tests confirmed that Rachel indeed had a very sick heart- actually, half of a heart! She had survived more than 7 years with a single left atrium, a single right ventricle, and too many other critical defects to list here!  All agree… she is a walking miracle!!!  Sadly, though, those initial tests were not very hopeful and we had to face the fact that she might really be “inoperable” after all.  But less than a week later, a heart catheter brought news of great HOPE!  Rachel was operable!  Life saving open heart surgery was performed on Oct 18th, and she came through it all with flying colors!  She would need a second surgery within the year to complete the work they had begun on her broken heart and to hopefully give her many fruitful years before she would need a heart transplant.

Unfortunately, Rachel’s heart began to weaken just a few months following surgery and another heart catheter in March confirmed that she is no longer a candidate for the second surgery she needed.  The cardiology team at Shands, that have come to love her so much, decided together that it was time to list her for a heart transplant on March 8th. Rachel’s blood type is B+ (how appropriate is that??) and she is presently at the very top of the list.  Her doctors have great HOPE that the perfect heart will be found for her soon!  

Tonight, the precious little girl from my computer screen, who I thought had needs I could never meet, is sleeping peacefully in her bedroom down the hall.  Taking the risk to love her and bring her home as my own has been one of the best decisions of my life!  She’s taught me so much about LIFE and about what it means to really LIVE!  But most of all, she’s taught me the true meaning of HOPE… and I’ll never be the same!    

Rachel’s life rests securely in God’s hands.  I find peace there, because I know that regardless of what lies ahead… HOPE is fully ALIVE!

Visitors

I know it sounds like the impossible, and I suppose it is!  But we have had such a JOY-filled year, even in the midst of waiting!  I admit that there are parts of the wait for that perfectly matched heart that get old… really old!!!  Like packing, unpacking, and repacking our hospital suitcase each time the seasons change; and not being able to plan anything short-term, long-term, and anything inbetween-term because the phone could ring at any moment and all those plans would be scrapped!

But the wait has had some benefits that we are soaking in and learning from.  Most of all the wait is teaching us to make the most of every opportunity to really LIVE!  I wish that we could see this with our everyday eyes… but we most often don’t.  Knowing that Rachel is living on borrowed time brings that all back into focus… and for that, each one of us is very grateful!

Another benefit in the waiting is coming to terms with the fears of life and death.  This is HUGE to get your arms around- even as an adult.  But when you throw an 8 year old child in the mix that spent her first 7 years in a horrid institutional setting, it seems like a mountain to get over.  The time has helped all of us with that and I marvel at all God has done in our hearts.

Rachel is not afraid.  Period.  She says that if a heart doesn’t come in time- she’s the lucky one, because she will be the first to heaven!  (Now THAT is perspective!)  She loves Jesus with all of her heart and lives completely in the “present”- so thankful for life, for family, and for home.  We could all learn so much for her sweet, trusting spirit!

I understand like I never have before, the way God intends for us to live…  ONE DAY AT A TIME and glorifying HIM as we go!!!  We are choosing to do that as a family on a spiritual level and with Rachel on a physical level as well…  She remains “stable” as she waits, though she still has only gained one or two pounds since she came home from China.  I didn’t know it was humanly possible for her little arms and legs to be any skinnier, but with each inch she gains in height, she loses it in her arms and legs…  But “stable” is more than we can ask for and we are grateful!

Continue to pray for Rachel as she waits for that perfect match… and pray for the family that must know such loss in order for Rachel to have life.  We are most grateful for the friends God has brought alongside us for this difficult, yet JOY-filled journey!  Thank you!!

January 23, 2013 ~ How is that possible?  I can hardly believe that the new year is here and after over 10 months of waiting, we’re STILL WAITING!  I’m embarassed that I haven’t posted in so long, but honestly, how much is there to say about “waiting”?  I remember my first born son writing a song once entitled “This is my last song about waiting!”  He was tired of writing song after song about the woman of his dreams and simply couldn’t bring himself to write another one!  The love of his life did, finally come, and in muy opinion, she was well worth the wait!!

I continue to trust in God’s perfect timing for Rachel’s new heart too, and yet I continually struggle to think of the incredible loss another family will bear in order that our precious daughter might live.  You can read all of my thoughts on this difficult subject on my recent blog post at www.LoriMcCary.com  (Heartbroken…)

In short-  I have released my precious daughter into God’s all-loving hands!  He loves her even more than I do, and by His grace… she loves Him too!!!  No doubt, our Rachel has great HOPE, regardless of whether that heart comes in time or not!  We live day to day with immeasurable peace!  This comes only through the grace of God and we’ve never felt Him so near!

Thank you for continuing to pray with us for Rachel!  She goes to the Doctor for testing every single month and is declared “stable” each time!  Praise God for the way He continues to sustain her as she waits!  Rumor has it that the list has completely cleared ahead of her and she is next in line for either a B+ or an O+ “matching” heart!  Staying vigilantly by my phone 24/7, but beginning to long for the day that I no longer live out of a suitcase!!!  :-)

August 28, 2012 ~ God has been so gracious, and kept Rachel strong throughout the summer! We are so grateful to have spent this special time with her. We continue to wait on God’s perfect heart for Rachel. Several days ago, she asked one of the most beautiful questions I’ve ever heard…