Today was a wonderful experience ... We took a three hour ride south to Zoe's orphanage. On the way, we passed mile after mile of farm land with workers in the big round triangle-type shaped straw hats. They were bailing hay by hand or putting out fish nets. Their machinery is the water buffalo ... very big animals, by the way!
Once in Yangjiang City, we went straight to the orphanage and were given a tour. It is a very small place ... The "street" is more like an alley. You go through a gate and the building is on the left. They led us first to the outdoor courtyard behind the building. Immediately, all the nannies started waving from the windows at us. One nanny was crying.
We went up to the baby floor next. On the first floor are the older residents. They were so friendly and happy to join in the "party" with the nannies to welcome us. The baby room was about 50 cribs all lined up together. They showed us Zoe's empty crib ... 2nd row, 2nd crib. They are just plywood bottoms with a blanket and pillow for each baby.
To the left of the crib area is a small play area with about 6-8 roll around walkers and a few toys ... and it looked like a room behind that where they make the bottles (a work room).
We met lots of nannies and some office staff. They also introduced us to our first little referral. She is very pitiful looking ... I won't go into it all here ... but, just say that we wouldn't have been prepared to adopt a child in that condition had we arrived and not been given a new referral at that point. Please pray for our first Zoe ... that she will find the care she needs.
Two of the nannies went with us to show us where each child was found. The picture of Zoe and I together is in the exact location that she was found. One child was found right at the gate to the orphanage ... Zoe at the hospital (the building in the picture above) ... one at the gate to the middle school and another a phone booth in front of their equivalent of a mall. I had to fight back a tear or two at the finding spot. There was a woman watching us who appeared to be crying ... we wondered if she had given up a baby and was realizing her loss at seeing us.
All in all, this was a great experience. It is very sobering to see the living conditions of the Chinese people ... so below the American standard ... and to think about all the babies without parents and without a home of their own ... but we are just glad to be able to bring one of these lost girls into our home! What a blessing she will be to us!!
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