Gwangju Day post #2

As you know we were still looking for a toy store, and now I was even more determined, how amazing would it be to buys gifts for Zinny from her birth city!? Time was slipping by so quickly, we wanted to catch the 5:10 train home to get back to the hotel by 10:30 (yep, 5 hours !) (and we missed that train anyway and didn't get back to hotel until 12:30, up again at 5....but that's for the next blog.) So at this part of the story we were frantically trying to find appropriate gifts from Gwangju (apparently Koreans are not so into the idea of t-shirts with city names on them, but darn if we didn't ask like 50 people, you'd think we would get the hint after the 12th person looked at us like we are mental).
Still no dang toy store, at this point I'm wondering what the heck Koreans do for childrens birthdays for petes sake! But i told Anne that i just knew God would send someone to help as He has so many many times in this trip. Its is just perfectly woven by Him, our trip. As we headed down yet another street chock full of the 4 types of shops in Korea (that I have seen so far, no disrespect, just frustration) we see what appeared to be an American lady. We did the usual: double take, eyes wide, mouth agape, sputter out the word 'english??' when we see someone of European descent. And what a lovely lovely lady!
We exchanged pleasantries and she said she has lived in Gwangju for 7 years! Isn't that perfect? And she wore a tiny angel pin. We asked her what she knew of toys stores, she said they really don't exist, except Lotte mart and those are way too expensive she said, but she thought there was one tiny one but it was a 20 minute walk, did we have time? It was cutting it close but we said yes, and she was OFF! This lady was in her sixties I'd say, and I had a hard time keeping up!....have I mentioned my leg situation? Ugh! At least no stairs in Gwangju! This lady was awesome! We traded stories on our sprint/hike. She welled up with tears, held my hands, was just so happy to hear about Zinny. We exchanged email and skype info, and then we were at the toy store YAY!!!
We said our goodbyes, I asked if she would pray for Zinnias grieving heart, and I was crying, and she grabbed my hands, looked deep into my eyes and said that it will be OK. That this is right, and I have a mothers heart. You see, I am carrying a heavy load of guilt for tearing Zinny away from foster mother and her country. And God sends this woman to me to tell me His words"it will be OK, it is right, I have made this."
I have freedom from the guilt now. But my heart is heavy still at what must happen.

Gwangju was very emotional and beautiful day.

Tomorrow is the big day. Prayers are very welcome and needed. Thank you.


On subway, 7:30, headed in for City Tour and Insadong. Meeting up with another Holt family, foster sister family. We move to
DMCville hotel tomorrow...yay! This is our last 2 hour ride in to Seoul. Will blog tonight, in early to rest up and pray and prepare. Thank you all for your prayers, God's peace is like a drug, I'm totally an addict!



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