Yesterday we traveled
by train to Hengshan and then on to Zhuzhou. We left the hotel at 7 a.m. and returned at 9:30 so a wonderful LONG day!
by train to Hengshan and then on to Zhuzhou. We left the hotel at 7 a.m. and returned at 9:30 so a wonderful LONG day!
at the airport
Another day filled with tears and laughter, sadness and
joy……..emotions going from one extreme to the other. Truly…..a beautiful day in
every way.
joy……..emotions going from one extreme to the other. Truly…..a beautiful day in
every way.
Our purpose in Hengshan was to visit the orphanage and meet
their new director then to love on the three Pearl River
babies… and love on them we did. They were so precious and loved getting candy
and sunglasses of course. It is apparent that these children are very loved by
their foster parents.
their new director then to love on the three Pearl River
babies… and love on them we did. They were so precious and loved getting candy
and sunglasses of course. It is apparent that these children are very loved by
their foster parents.
The added bonus was
that Diana got to meet her daughter Sienna’s foster mother and father since
they are still fostering children for Pearl River.
It was truly beautiful to witness. The other added bonus was that it was
Diana’s birthday. We celebrated all day. I mean really, who gets to lunch and
dine with two different orphanage staffs on their birthday???? The Hengshan
director ordered wine with lunch to toast her. Ms Meng and Julie brought a
cake.
that Diana got to meet her daughter Sienna’s foster mother and father since
they are still fostering children for Pearl River.
It was truly beautiful to witness. The other added bonus was that it was
Diana’s birthday. We celebrated all day. I mean really, who gets to lunch and
dine with two different orphanage staffs on their birthday???? The Hengshan
director ordered wine with lunch to toast her. Ms Meng and Julie brought a
cake.
Over the years I have
seen pictures of children in orphanages celebrating their birthday and they
usually have the icing on their faces. Julie put icing on Diana’s face and said
it is “Chinese tradition”. Who knew, I never could figure out why these kiddos
had icing all over them!!
seen pictures of children in orphanages celebrating their birthday and they
usually have the icing on their faces. Julie put icing on Diana’s face and said
it is “Chinese tradition”. Who knew, I never could figure out why these kiddos
had icing all over them!!
My favorite part of
lunch was when Julie poured the rest of the wine into her glass, toasted the
director and downed the wineJ She said it is “custom” to show your appreciation to
someone. It has been such a blessing to get to know Julie, she has the sweetest
heart!!
lunch was when Julie poured the rest of the wine into her glass, toasted the
director and downed the wineJ She said it is “custom” to show your appreciation to
someone. It has been such a blessing to get to know Julie, she has the sweetest
heart!!
a few random pics from the city
this was sitting on the counter at the restaurant we ate lunch at…
Julie said they do eat snake…..
but she does not:)
next up was a visit to a temple….
We were asked to not laugh before we went inside….
we may or may not have!!
just get an image of jet lagged teenage behavior and you get the picture:)
After lunch we hopped onto the train again and went to
Zhuzhou and met up with the new orphanage directors there. Mr Pang was a hottie! Julie turned to me and said “he has a good face” and yes he did! You can decide
for yourself from the picture lol
Zhuzhou and met up with the new orphanage directors there. Mr Pang was a hottie! Julie turned to me and said “he has a good face” and yes he did! You can decide
for yourself from the picture lol
The Zhuzhou orphanage was the Cadillac of orphanges, very
clean and the staff let us tour all the areas. The difference in this orphanage
and the ones in Hengshan and Changsha
are drastic, yet they are all orphanages with orphans. We loved on some sweet babies…..and saw a
wide range of special needs. There were several down syndrome children. This
orphanage had therapy rooms, a music room, school rooms ect. We saw kids
playing on keyboards and singing and others in classrooms. One minute I was laughing and playing with a
sweet child and the next minute I could have cried a river. Diana called me
into the baby room since more babies were crying than could be attended to by
the nanny. I leaned down and touched a crying baby’s face and spoke to him. He
stopped crying and stared at me for a moment and then started cying again. My heart
broke for this little soul. One orphanage my be a “Cadillac” and another not so
much, but the fact remains the children in them are orphans regardless.
clean and the staff let us tour all the areas. The difference in this orphanage
and the ones in Hengshan and Changsha
are drastic, yet they are all orphanages with orphans. We loved on some sweet babies…..and saw a
wide range of special needs. There were several down syndrome children. This
orphanage had therapy rooms, a music room, school rooms ect. We saw kids
playing on keyboards and singing and others in classrooms. One minute I was laughing and playing with a
sweet child and the next minute I could have cried a river. Diana called me
into the baby room since more babies were crying than could be attended to by
the nanny. I leaned down and touched a crying baby’s face and spoke to him. He
stopped crying and stared at me for a moment and then started cying again. My heart
broke for this little soul. One orphanage my be a “Cadillac” and another not so
much, but the fact remains the children in them are orphans regardless.
Diana got some great pics in the orphanage…
Next up we headed up the hills to visit the Pearl River babies. Think four wheeling on pot holed dirt roads!! I can’t believe I’m not sore from bracing myself over those holes! Our visits were fast and furious, handing out goodies and loving on those sweet precious babes.
this little girl was so excited to meet foreigners!
The emotions I am experiencing here in China have been
extreme. One minute I am saddened by the surroundings these children live in and
the next I see such joy radiating from a child regardless of her surroundings
or health condition. The next minute I see a precious girl sitting on a couch
in her little den not really interested that unusual foreigners have entered
the room. The director tells us that her best friend has just been adopted and
she is very sad.
extreme. One minute I am saddened by the surroundings these children live in and
the next I see such joy radiating from a child regardless of her surroundings
or health condition. The next minute I see a precious girl sitting on a couch
in her little den not really interested that unusual foreigners have entered
the room. The director tells us that her best friend has just been adopted and
she is very sad.
I am having a hard
time processing all I have seen this week, so much to take in. Mostly I have
seen the beauty of God at work in each and every tiny detail of this depraved
world. I am honored that God chose me to be the mother of 2 precious girls from
this country, orphans no longer but children adored by a mom and dad, sisters
and brothers. It is my hearts desire that these sweet babies I am meeting get
that forever family as well.
time processing all I have seen this week, so much to take in. Mostly I have
seen the beauty of God at work in each and every tiny detail of this depraved
world. I am honored that God chose me to be the mother of 2 precious girls from
this country, orphans no longer but children adored by a mom and dad, sisters
and brothers. It is my hearts desire that these sweet babies I am meeting get
that forever family as well.
you can take a girl out of China
but you can’t take the China out of a girl!!!
Paige
I can't even imagine the emotions y'all have experience in the last couple of days. SO thankful y'all have been able to blog, sharing your sweet pictures and stories! Seeing the pictures of these Precious children, some smiling and some sad. Precious little ones y'all were able to love on!!
Continued prayer for the rest of your journey!!
I posted on your blog before…not showing for some reason?
Blessings
Lori