Found in a Box

September 20 is the day we celebrate Allison Min-Joy Tate’s birthday. Her birth certificate technically states that day as her birthday, so it will always be our celebration day.

However, I don’t know when Allison Min-Joy Tate, aka Tong Min-Min, aka “A black-skinned baby girl found in box, with a blanket and a carton of dry milk” on September 29, 2003 was born. She was found outside a warehouse, in the city of Tongling, in the providence of Anhui, China. The people at the orphanage ran an advertisement in the paper, announcing this child was found, but no one stepped forward to claim her. Not at all a surprise, since it is illegal to abandon children.

The caring women at the Tongling Welfare Institute (www.adopttongling.com) gave this child her identify. They gave her the birthday of September 20 - perhaps they thought the little baby was 9 days old or perhaps 9/20 was a lucky day. They gave her the last name Tong, for the city and orphanage she came from, and they named her Min-Min, which meant “agile.”

September seems to be a reflective time for me. Lots of natural changes as we move into fall, but mostly because I think so much about Allie’s China mom and family.
I find the story of baby Moses found in the basket, watched from a distance by his older sister so familiar and real. I wonder if this is not Allie’s story. Was there an older sibling, an aunt or perhaps her mom or dad that hide at a distance, watching over the cardboard box to ensure nothing happened to this child? What time was she left, what time did someone happen to find the box? What must it be like to feel like you have no options but to abandon your daughter?

I am thankful for this China woman who had the courage to give life to our daughter. I can’t imagine my life without Allie. She is so incredible.

Nobody can hug you like Allie.
She squeezes your guts out!
She makes you laugh, she drives me crazy!
She tells these great stories.
She sings her songs with melody that is uniquely hers!
She makes great pancakes.
She has a smile and giggle that will take your breathe away!

Our family was not complete, until Allie come along on May 23, 2005.