Love Without Borders

(AKA: Love across International Boundaries)

跨越国界的爱

by Gaoyou Mayor Ni Wencai

Love Across International Boundaries = Kua Yue Guojiedi Ai = 跨越国界的爱

In early December 2006, just after we returned from a visit to Gaoyou, Ni Wencai first approached me about his plans for a book. He included a thoughtful list of questions about why we adopted a child from China and what the process was like. His questionnaire was also distributed on the AdoptGaoyou message board and many other families from around the world told Wencai their story and sent pictures.  

The Mayor spent two full days with us when we visited Gaoyou in 11/06. He has also personally greeted, and spent time with, many more adoptive Gaoyou families when they visited Gaoyou. All this time spent with the families, and e-mail correspondence with many more, has gone into his book "Love Without Borders". At 167 pages Love Without Borders is full of photos of the children adopted from Gaoyou, their families, activities, and stories of their adoption journeys. While the book was originally only available in Gaoyou I did bring 100 copies back from a visit to Gaoyou in 2008 and still have some available for sale. The text is almost entirely in Chinese but a translated version is available in pdf form.

The translation was performed by Vivian Ling, a retired professor of Asian studies. Vivian spent over a year working on the translation and working to find a publisher for the book. She meet frequently with Mayor Ni by Skype and even traveled to Gaoyou to meet him in person. Ultimately, she was unable to find a publisher, but she has shared the fruits of her labors with us.

When Wencai first told me of his book idea he described his plan to make my family's story to be the foundation for the book. It appears that he did do just that. We are humbled and honored by this, but grateful that so many other families stories, and pictures make up the bulk of his book. This book celebrates the love that all the families have for their children as well as the love that the people of Gaoyou extend to their children abroad.

The adoptive families of Gaoyou are blessed to have Ni Wencai as a friend in Gaoyou. In my limited knowledge I know of no other city in China where a local official has reached out the adoptive community as he has. I know that many adoptive parents wonder how the Chinese people really view them. With Wencai's book, and his continuing work to encourage visits to Gaoyou, I know that we will always be welcome there.

One of my goals in raising our two children adopted from China is to instill in them a pride in their heritage and a connection to their roots. Wencai's work is priceless to reinforcing that bond. My heartfelt thanks go out to him.

Charles Day

查尔斯天

View a complete pdf of Love Across International Boundaries here. Notes This file is fairly large (14 mb). You may need the latest Acrobat Reader 9 to view properly. Use the Bookmarks feature to access links to chapters and pictures in the book.

Download a English translation of Love Without Borders here. Notes The file is a 1.3 meg PDF As of 6/22/09 the translation is complete You may need the latest Acrobat Reader 9 to view properly.

Table of Contents