A Book You Must Read!
I recently had an opportunity to read an amazing book. It’s called The Little Girl by author Phil Wong. Phil’s wife Kristin is an author as well and contributing writer to Precious.org. The Little Girl is an amazing book aimed at helping Chinese father’s fully embrace and love the little girls that God has given them. Read on to hear from Phil himself about this amazing book in an interview between Phil Wong and myself!
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Jason: Tell me a little bit about yourself.
Phil: Kristin and I will celebrate our 20th anniversary this summer. We have two birth daughters, Kathryn and Clara, and two sons adopted from Vietnam, Ben and Josiah. I am a mechanical engineer serving the medical device industry. Our family attends Knox Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Jason: Phil, I’ve read your book, and it’s amazing. Tell our readers what it’s about.
Phil: In The Little Girl, a Chinese man adopts an abandoned baby girl and experiences the joys and trials of fatherhood. The story culminates with a glowing young woman ready for a family of her own.
Jason: What can you share with us about the illustrator, Fenlin Lee?
Phil: It was a rare privilege to work with an artist as talented as Fenlin. Her realistic watercolors really make the story come alive. By the end of the journey, she had become a sister to me.
Jason: What’s your favorite illustration?
Phil: In the opening scene, a dazzling being holds the little girl while singing to her. Fenlin did a tremendous job by starting the book with a lot of zing!
Jason: How are you similar to Li Feng, the father figure in The Little Girl?
Phil: Like Li Feng, I’ve had internal struggles to do the right thing and to overcome the frustrations and perplexities of life. It’s all very humbling and I hope to end as well as he did.
Jason: What was your inspiration for writing your book?
Phil: Kristin and I had just landed in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. We arrived at the hotel and were whisked off to an orphanage. It was a thrill to finally meet Benjamin, our new son, and offer him a lollypop. Our facilitator took care of paperwork while we were left to get to know Ben and the other kids. We just wanted to give them as much joy as we could in the short time we were there. We played with the kids and had a great time. But then, all of a sudden, it was time to go. Walking out of that orphanage, holding Ben and leaving behind the rest of the kids, was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life.
In a little while, we would return to Vietnam to adopt Josiah. But it slowly dawned on me that I couldn’t adopt all the orphans in the world. And, although I didn’t know it at the time, these little ones that I couldn’t adopt would lead me to embark on a book writing adventure.
I wanted to help as many children as I possibly could. After doing some research, I found that China’s one child policy combined with a cultural preference for sons has lead to a gender imbalance. In 2004 there were an estimated 41 million more men than women in China. Where did all those women go? Sadly, many were killed at birth. Many more baby girls were abandoned, left at orphanages, markets, or train stations. Some survived childhood but committed suicide as young women.
All this motivated me to write The Little Girl.
Jason: What impact do you hope it will have?
Phil: I hope every child that reads my book will know that they are deeply loved. I also hope that it will inspire families to consider adoption.
My great dream is to publish a Chinese language version of The Little Girl and distribute the book in China to turn the hearts of fathers and mothers towards their daughters. Perhaps The Little Girl will be a piece of the puzzle that will heal China of her gender imbalance.
Jason: Your book addresses the Asian culture specifically, yet it seems that fathers around the globe struggle to find time for their children . . . Any advice for dads here in the U.S.?
Phil: One ancient poet wrote, “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” The span of a human life is really short when you think about it. Enjoying your children is a gift too precious to give up. Once we believe that, the hard decisions and the details will work themselves out.
Jason: You’re an adoptive father yourself Phil. What advice do you have for people seeking to adopt? With all the doom and gloom news about the economy, some people may be dealing with the question, “can I really DO this?”
Phil: Adoption isn’t for everyone. It’s really a matter of calling. The question I would ask is, “Do we have the faith to welcome a child into our family?” If the answer is “Yes!”, then I wouldn’t let the economy weigh very much in the decision. I’m reading “The Long Winter” by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Her pioneer era family nearly starved and froze to death during a blizzard in Montana. Laura and her father twisted hay into sticks to burn in the stove after the coal ran out. The coffee grinder was in continual operation to make flour out of wheat. They had a quiet dignity and perseverance that got them through it. Their family was quite an inspiration!
On the practical side, be aware for filing year 2008, the the US government provides a $11,650 tax credit to adoptive families. Also, there are a lot of people who want to help. Check out Tomorrow is a Gift at http://www.angelfire.com/journal/adoptionhelp/adopthelp.html
Jason: How can people get a copy of your book?
Phil: Amazon (www.thelittlegirl.info) carries The Little Girl. If you buy it from New Earth Enterprises (an Amazon seller), I’d be glad to sign the book for you or your loved ones.
