FengduMission2006

Day 3 - Wednesday August 9

Wake up was about 7:00 am, with a combination of Chinese and American breakfast buffet. We boarded a bus for the orphanage about 9:00 am. As we drove around Fengdu going to the orphanage, I was struck by the way everything was large buildings and were brick. Most of the buildings had storefronts. You look at the people and you wonder, did some of these people give up their little precious ones to the orphanage?
The orphanage was up a hill with views of the Yangtzee. It was a combination orphanage and old age home. The children were upstairs in 4 nurseries, with a couple of other rooms. One of the rooms was a playroom with toy mats. This children were so adorable. The youngest children were in a small nursery with about 3 to a crib. The youngest child was about 9 days old. She was so precious, such delicate features. She seemed to have jaundice and slept most of the time. She had on a small pink and white hat to keep her warm. We wondered if she was born premature. Her crib mate was another infant who we believed had encephalitis. Not sure if they give any special care to any of the infants. In general the infants mostly slept all day on their backs. It helps explain why Nathan had such a flat head. The nannies were busy, they would check their diapers and occasionally hold the babies when they were crying.
There were two rooms that held about 6 - 8 cribs with two babies to a crib probably about 3 - 6 months old. Again the children were on their backs sleeping. The nannies would take them into the fourth nursery which had little chairs, walkers, cribs and a TV. Most of the kids were mesmerized by the TV. The kids would be put into the walkers and the little chairs. In the walkers they would get some exorcize, some of the kids were in cribs the other were lined up in their little chairs watching TV. We brought stuffed animals, which there appeared to be no toys or stuffed animals around the orphanage. Everyone picked up the kids, sometime two at a time. The were adorable the way they looked at everyone with the deep stares. We guessed that they would only be held for short periods of time. Some people were attached to one child or another. All of us ministering to the children in whatever way we could. It sad to think about the limited contact that the kids have with the nannies or adults. You look at them and wonder how if ever faced with the decision you could ever decide which child to adopt? It probably is better than you a given the choice of a child and decide yes or no. We found out that 8 of the kids were up for international adoption, what a blessing for theses beautiful kids. I held one child for a while, just providing comfort to her. She decided she didn’t want me to put her down. She spent most of the day in my arms until she went to sleep.
A lot of the people on the mission immediately pick up the children. The talked with them, played with them, held them, comforted them. It’s hard to imagine the limited one on one touching and holding that orphans have. There was a “playroom” down the hallway. The play room consisted of a foam rubber mat that the kids would crawl around on. No toys, no rattles, nothing for them to interact with. Everyone played with the kids. It took a while at first, not sure what the kids were thinking or if they have ever had play time with someone before.

posted by Byrne Family @ 4:39 AM