By Judy Stout
July 2003

April 1st 2003 began like any other April Fool’s Day. After routinely logging onto the computer, which lately had become somewhat of an obsession, we found the adoption groups buzzing with excitement that referrals had finally arrived. Finally, at 4:40 p.m., we received our referral call that our beautiful new daughter Natalie, was waiting for us in Jiangxi Province. Little did we know, our journey to bring her home would feel like one cruel prank after another. The pneumonia type virus, SARS, had just been given an official name and was running rampant in Guangdong province and Hong Kong.

Over the next few weeks, we were deluged with images of mask wearing business people in Hong Kong and watched the numbers of suspected SARS cases increase daily. Well meaning friends and family sent us newspaper articles about SARS and silently worried, secretly hoping our travel would be delayed. Still, we waited patiently for our travel approval from the CCAA. On April 29th our travel approval arrived and we were given a travel date of May 29th by our agency. Other families in our group were still waiting for travel approval but were assured they would be forthcoming and to prepare to travel with the group. In the meantime, SARS had infiltrated Beijing. Thousands of Chinese had fallen ill and been quarantined. Schools, restaurants, theaters and government offices had been temporarily closed. Many provinces followed suit in an aggressive attempt to stop the spread of this unknown virus that was killing hundreds throughout China. On May 6th, the CDC issued a travel warning advising no non-essential travel to China. Everyday we waited, afraid to exhale, for fear the other shoe would drop.

On May 15th, the other shoe did drop. The CCAA suspended issuance of any further referrals or travel approvals. Fortunately, we had our precious travel approval already in hand, and for the moment we could still breathe. Our agency continued to plan and support our travel to China with some restrictions. There would be no touring in Beijing, which is usually part of the itinerary. Additionally, we were required to sign a travel release acknowledging we were aware of the seriousness of SARS and the CDC travel warnings. We bravely signed the release stating we would not hold our agency liable for any costs in the event we had to be quarantined while in China. Again we held our breath, hoping we were not being the fools. Many other families would now have to endure an interminable wait. Adoption from China had been temporarily halted and hundreds of Chinese babies would now have wait a little longer for their forever families.

On May 29th, with N95 masks and bottles of Purell in our carry-ons, we boarded our flight, which would take us into Shanghai via Tokyo, Japan. Admittedly, we were both a little nervous and filled with trepidation as to what to expect on this journey. The media the last few weeks had been relentless in their pursuit to instill the fear of SARS. One thing we knew for sure, we were going to bring our baby Natalie home and not even the threat of SARS could stop us.

Upon our arrival in Shanghai, we were subjected to our first experience in the Chinese attempt to contain SARS. We each had to have our temperature taken before we could de-plane. We again waited in line to have our temperature taken before we could enter the airport. We completed health declaration forms stating we did not have any fever, shortness of breath, or coughing. Signs were posted in public restrooms and hotels indicating the premises had been disinfected. Air conditioning in the airport terminals and hotels was turned off in an attempt to stop the spread of contaminated air.

In Shanghai we met up with the rest of our travel group and our agency appointed guide. We were assured that "the SARS" was not in Shanghai and we were safe there. Our travel group, sensing we were all in this together, seemed more relaxed. We began to loosen up and even joked a bit. The next day at the Pudong airport where we would board our flight to Nanchang, you would have thought we had the plague. The Chinese travelers and airport staff, most of whom were wearing masks, avoided us at all costs. One member of our group who was prone to allergies cleared out an entire seating area in the terminal by simply sneezing 5 times in a row. We decided that we would take precautions by washing our hands often, and using Purell when out in public. We were very conscious of not putting our hands on our faces. Other than that, we resolved to make this as memorable a trip as possible.

The temperature taking and health forms continued at the Lakeview Hotel in Nanchang. The hotel doormen were armed with temperature taking guns. They would point them at your forehead each time you entered the hotel and to check for fever. Additionally, the hotel Doctor was sent on rounds twice a day to check temperatures of all the guests. On June 1st, at 6:30 p.m. eight babies from the YongFeng Orphanage arrived at the hotel with orphanage staff. As we anxiously watched them enter the hotel, each forehead met the laser beam of the gun. Fortunately, all babies passed with no fever and we were soon united with our Natalie. She was placed in our arms and all thoughts of SARS evaporated!

The next morning, the provincial officials came to the Lakeview Hotel to process the adoption paperwork. They were still very nervous about having us in their offices where we might put their employees at risk of SARS, so they came to us. It all worked out in our favor. Natalie and the other seven babies were happy, healthy girls who had been lovingly cared for. We delighted in every smile and SARS was officially on the back burner of our minds. By the third day in the hotel, the air conditioning was on full time again and we had not seen the hotel doctor for our "head" checks. The hotel that just a few days earlier had seemed deserted had begun to pick up with local Chinese coming in for dinner in the restaurants.

The rest of our journey went without incident. We again had to do the "temperature thing" and a health declaration when we flew to Guangzhou, but once in Guangzhou, SARS was mostly forgotten. We shopped, ate in public restaurants and went on day tours, without thoughts or fear of SARS. We stayed in the luxurious White Swan Hotel where we never had to have our temperature taken, and the disinfection notices were discreetly tucked into a folder on the desk. Although this China adoption was very different than our first trip in 2001 to bring home our 3 year old daughter Maggie, it was every bit as exciting and memorable. Natalie is a very happy girl who continues to wile us with her charms daily.

So if SARS rears it’s ugly head again this fall when the seasons change and you are nervous about an upcoming trip to China…remember this:

Article originally appeared in "Families with Children from China" and "Adoption Today".