Orphanage work

We went out to an orphanage about 4 hours away from the city earlier this week, and my heart broke.  With rumors of children being fed once a day (reasons ranged from lack of money to not wanting to change diapers as often), I was surprised to find a clean facility with heated rooms, and all the children dressed in winter clothing, being attended to by their ayis.  My initial impression.

Then we started the medical checks.  With the exception of a handful of children, the rest of the children were grossly below their growth curve for height, weight, and head size.  Stripped of their thick layers of winter clothing, what was left revealed arms and legs that were just skin and bone.  Not to mention those children who, at a quick glance looked about 8 or 10, were in reality 11 or 16 years old, respectively.

Then we started noticing the little things.  Like how the ayis didn't know the ages of the children they were responsible for, ayis who had been in this place for more than 5 years.  Or the ayi who took a cookie from a child and ate it, cookies that were given as gifts to the children.  (One of our teammates specifically made cakes for the ayis in order to prevent this behavior.)  Or the room with school-aged ambulatory children and NO toys, books, tables, chairs.  NOTHING except for 4 blank walls.  Or how the orphanage director could not be found in the afternoon because he had too much to consume at lunch.  I could go on.

I'm not sure why I'm sharing all of this.  Perhaps it's a way to help me process through the shock, anger, and helplessness I feel.  Perhaps it's to give these children a voice.

And perhaps it's my way of asking you to get down on your knees for these children, and ask for a rescue, a transformation, a miracle.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is crazy over here!  It reminds me of Mardi Gras (without the risque behavior) and maybe even New Year's - the streets are closed off to cars, there are people everywhere, and vendors line the sidewalks selling everything from candy to grilled meats to toys/clothing to fun headgear with flashing lights.  Not to mention that everything goes on sale the week of Christmas and the malls are full of shoppers.  Remember where I am...so when I say full, I mean FULL.  Oh, and in the midst of this, you hear songs like Jingle Bells, Winter Wonderland, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas blasting left and right.  Christmas has arrived and, boy, is it commercialized.

Christmas Eve is the night out, and Christmas Day is spent with friends.  Whereas we tend to spend this holiday with family, it's not such a big deal here.  But there is still the exchange of gifts, or apples.  It is tradition to give apples to one another for Christmas to signify peace.  The word for apple is "ping guo" and the word for peace is “ping an".  Christmas is called Ping An Jie.

Merry Christmas everyone!