A birthday

Today a very special little boy is having a birthday.  He is 9 years old.  He has spent all his life in an orphanage in China.  He is Julia's best friend.  I first heard of Da Peng when we received Julia's file.  He was mentioned in her file as her best friend.  Of course we were curious.  When Kevin travelled to Julia's orphanage I had him ask about this little guy.  Every time I have heard of someone visiting there I have had them ask about him.  Julia cries for him almost daily.  When she first came home she was very homesick.  That has faded with time......but still she worries about Da Peng.  She prays for him every day.  She tells me she told him when she left that she would find him a family.  He wanted to come with her.  She told him she would try to have us bring him here so they could be together.  She considers him her brother.  This summer he was transferred to another orphanage.  A better one from what Julia tells me.  She got nutritional assistance and physical therapy when she went there.  So that is good news!  His file is being made, too.  This is beyond good news!  He will have a chance to be adopted.  But his chances aren't too good.  He is a boy.  People want girls.  He is older.  People want a cute baby.  He has Spina Bifida.  That's a challenge.  What he does have is a best friend praying for him.  And that counts big time.  So tonight we will make a cake and sing happy birthday to Da Peng.  We are hoping this is his last birthday away from his family and that he is safe and happy.  Julia doesn't take no for an answer so I'm thinking his chances are pretty good after all!