Robert and I had the opportunity to see the movie, "Somewhere Between" this past weekend. We sat back and watched as the first scene played before our eyes. That's all it took for tears to form in our eyes. And the tears stayed for the remainder of the film, and on the ride home, and every time we think about it. The tale of 4 teenagers adopted from China, some as infants others as young children, now living in America with their adoptive families. There were a couple of commonalities between the girls. One was that they are living with the realization and heartache that they were abandoned by their birth parents and have now tried their whole lives to prove their self worth. The other was that they look Chinese on the outside, but are American on the inside. They don't look American, but don't act Chinese, they are somewhere between. Seeing their tears and heartache hurts me to the core. Thinking that my baby will most likely feel this way one day kills me. I know there is nothing I can do but pray for her and love her. But oh how my heart hurts for everything she has lost and will have to grieve as she grows old enough to understand it. I know all the right answers and all the comments that we hear from people, God has a plan, adoption is a miracle, she is so lucky to have us, what a blessing etc... I am fully aware of God' perfect plan and His plan for restoration. I know that every adopted child's journey and how they face it will be different. However, it doesn't take away from the reality of what our daughter has lost and the pain she will feel. And the reality of that hurts me. I couldn't get home to her fast enough and hold her in my arms. We snuggled on the couch and watched a movie together that evening in our pj's. She sang and danced along with the princess in the movie. Oh how I hope she always dances and always finds joy in the life she has been given. I pray that through the heartache and confusion, she will trust in God's perfect plan for her life. I pray that she will know how valuable she is in God's eyes.
Short Synopsis
In profiling Chinese adoptees in contemporary America, Linda Goldstein Knowlton (THE WORLD ACCORDING TO SESAME STREET) has created a deeply moving documentary illustrating that even the most specific of experiences can be universally relatable. Of the roughly 80,000 girls who have been adopted from China since 1989—a decade after China implemented its One Child Policy—the film intimately follows four teenagers: Haley, Jenna, Ann, and Fang. These four wise-beyond-their-years, yet typical American teens, reveal a heartbreaking sense of self-awareness as they attempt to answer the uniquely human question, “Who am I?” They meet and bond with other adoptees, some journey back to China to reconnect with the culture, and some reach out to the orphaned girls left behind. In their own ways, all attempt to make sense of their complex identities. Issues of belonging, race, and gender are brought to life through these articulate subjects, who approach life with honesty and open hearts.
