Junior nursing major, Natalie Wills visited her homeland of China this summer to learn more about her heritage. Natalie visited China three years ago and went on a tour to learn all about China for the first time. She caught a glimpse of what her life would have been had she never been adopted.
Natalie was adopted from China when she was five months old. She and her family now reside in Tampa, Florida. Natalie has two cousins who were also adopted from China at a young age. Growing up in America, Natalie always knew she was adopted but maintained a positive attitude about her life. “I like to think that my mom wanted a better life for me, not that she didn’t want me,” said Natalie.
During her eleven-day journey in China, she visited the Longmen Grottoes caves, the Great Wall of China, Temple of Good Harvest, and had dinner with a family in the district of Hutong. Natalie was able to spend most of her time working at an orphanage with 25 other adoptees. They worked alongside nannies, played with the children and showed them love. “ I was really able to gain perspective while working in the orphanage,” said Natalie. “It’s hard to believe that I was once in these kid’s shoes. God has truly blessed my life and given me amazing parents and a wonderful life.”
Natalie wants to visit China again in the upcoming years and hopefully visit the orphanage where she lived when she was a baby. She would like to spend more time in the country learning more about the people and doing mission work there.
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” –Psalm 139:14
