A Life with Hope

Elizabeth Ledford

Franklin, TN 37064

Ledf92@bellsouth.net

As I enter the orphanage I am flooded with memories from over a decade ago when I came to Beijing on a mission trip with my parents. I recall the despair in my voice as I used my teenage charm to convince my parents that I couldn’t possibly go to China; I would miss the biggest party of the year (not to mention a date with the cutest guy at school).

Apparently my parents did not find my argument incredibly persuasive because, several weeks later, we were thirty thousand feet in the air headed for China. I tried to keep up my best theatrical façade, squelching any of their attempts to sway me with the “tremendous rewards” I would reap from helping forlorn orphans.

But their wishes were fulfilled the moment I set eyes on the children. I still remember the tears in my eyes as I prepared to leave, to return home to my pampered and hollow life.

My determination to save at least one of these orphans, which has intensified through the years, has led me to where I am now; in a room full of impoverished Chinese children all yearning to be loved. As I pace across the room, I try to finalize a name for this precious little one I will be bringing home with me. When I lock eyes with the face of an angel, being placed in my arms, I immediately whisper “Hope.”

As I sit with the social worker and make plans for our departure, she pointedly says, “You are such a wonderful person.” And I, looking deep into Hope’s eyes, reply,

“No actually, her grandma and granddaddy are the special ones. They led me to Hope years ago.”

That night, I telephone my parents who are eagerly awaiting my call. I give them our flight information and they say that they will be waiting at the gate. We reminisce about our mission trip to the orphanage in Beijing long ago and I fill them in on the sad fact that not a lot has changed.

On the airplane, as Hope sleeps in my lap, I am in awe of this beautiful creation. I cannot keep my eyes and lips off of her sweet face and, for the first time, believe in love at first sight. In her sleep, she whimpers and I comfort her by whispering, “Mama’s here, baby.”

After we land and are entering the airport, I hold Hope close to me as I search for the familiar and loving faces of my parents. When I find them, their eyes fill up with love and tears. They are careful to approach Hope slowly but I can see what a challenge it is; they look like they can’t contain themselves.

As they take in the beauty of her, my mother looks at me and says, “You finally made it happen.” I tenderly pull each of them toward us and whisper, “No mom and dad, you

did.”