Visit to Ankang Orphanage

Today, we took a 4-hour train ride through the mountains from Xian to Ankang in order to visit the Ankang City Orphanage (former home of our Karly Grace and many other precious children who have been adopted). Travelling through the mountains is spectacular, with many small villages, beautiful scenery, and the Han River running alongside the train tracks for miles and miles. This is my third visit to Ankang, and each time is special and I notice more spectacular scenery on the way down there. It is difficult to count the number of tunnels we went through but each time you reach the other side, there appears a new village.

After obtaining special permission from Shaanxi Civil Affairs yesterday, we were able to travel to Ankang and tour the orphanage. Mr He ("Hu Yeh Yeh") met us at the train station with the orphanage driver and took us through the city center on our way to the orphanage. Most people do not realize that Ankang is a city with over 2,000,000 people! The city sits along the mighty Han River, so it has a few beautiful bridges we crossed on our way.

When we arrived at the orphanage, I noticed there were about 10-15 special needs children playing in the courtyard and waiting for us. Some of them were playing on the playground equipment donated by A Mother's Love! It was heartwarming to know they still use this every day and the kids seem to really love it. The orphanage is undergoing renovation on one side and the other seems to have been recently completed. I could not tell how much of the buildings were new additions and how much were remodels. I was able to video the children playing outside while JR snapped many pictures with his camera.

Once we went inside, we were able to see the smaller babies in the cribs -- some has special needs and some did not. Wen Wen was helping the nannies with the babies, especially the few toddlers who were wandering around between the cribs. It was SO great to see her again and to let her see the photo album I brought to her and the nannies showing many of the kids who have been adopted from Ankang with their families in America. To say the nannies and Wen Wen were very excited would be an understatement!!! I was very emotional when I saw Wen Wen and gave her a hug from some of the older girls who have been adopted like Ya -Ya and Fei-Fei. I want to bring her to America so badly to see if there is anything we can do for her medically but I do not think it will ever be possible. But then again, through God ALL things are possible! MeiLing was at school and did not return back before we had to leave, so I had to tell the staff to tell her hello and give her a big hug! Almost all of the nannies are still there and seem to love the kids.

After playing with the babies, I was able to take pictures of the rehab equipment A Mother's Love purchased for Ankang in 2008. The equipment was being stored in a smaller room while the orphanage is being renovated but they assured me the equipment is used regularly. The equipment they bought was exactly the same as I had seen in the pictures. We then had a quick dinner at KFC (yes, KFC was suggested in order to keep me from getting sick from Chinese food!). It was on way back to train station so that made it more convenient for all of us. We then said our goodbyes to all and headed to an incredibly crowded train station and left back for Xian. It was the most crowded and clostrophobic I have ever been in a large room but people were pushing everywhere.<

It was an emotional day for me and I was able to keep it in check most of the time, but when I saw Wen Wen for the first time and when I said my goodbyes I could not help but lose it. She is such a sweet girl (she is now 20 yrs old!) and has helped raise all of the babies that lived in Ankang. I just want the very best for her and to help her walk someday if that would be possible. Enjoy the pictures!!!!!

Xian City Orphanage

Today, we took the train from Luoyang to Xian (5 1/2 hours!) and arrived at Xian Train station at 1:45 pm. We were ready to go see the Terra Cotta Warriors before touring the Xian orphanage but we were informed at the last minute that we needed official permission to go to Ankang from the Civil Affairs office. After an hour interview, we were cleared and are heading on train to Ankang tomorrow!!

We then went to Xian orphanage, but stopped to get the kids some snacks and fruit before arriving. That is where we stumbled upon some nice old ladies doing exercises on the side of the road. JR and I just had to join them -- it was too tempting! The Xian orphanage is well-run (by the lady pictured with Jeff) and houses approximately 600 children ranging from newborns to 18 yrs old. After briefly touring the building caring for the younger kids (many of them are special needs as you can tell from the pictures), we went over to the facility which houses the older kids and has the Mother's Love library. As you can see, the library is used every day by the older and younger children. The orphanage director told us how appreciative she is to have educational books for the kids to learn. The staff told us they need about 30 new large dictionaries and we agreed to purchase them as soon as possible. It was awesome to see our project working right before our eyes!

The older kids were attending school and so Jeff was not able to re-connect with the children who helped him put the library together in August 2006. Many of these kids have graduated from high school and are working or attending university. But.....they still have no parents and that is very sad!

Again, thanks for your prayers and support and we hope you enjoy the pictures. We hope to have an icredible day tomorrow in Ankang. It will be a long day back and forth in a day with a 4 hour train ride going down and 4 hours coming back to Xian. But it will all be worth it!!!

Luoyang Trip (Maria's Big House of Hope / Pallative Care Unit)

Today was another incredibly busy and emotional day for us. We started the morning by attending church (Capital Community Church) by the airport with Robin Hill. This church is a branch of BICF and is only allowed for foreign passport holders. The service was great and JR and I were able to serve each other communion.

We then headed to the airport and flew 90 minutes to Luoyang, a city of approximately 6 million people southwest of Beijing. We drove about 10-15 minutes and immediately recognized this bright blue building with white clouds off on the horizon. It was obviously Maria's Big House of Hope being built by Shaohannah's Hope (Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman)!!! From the pictures, you can tell it is a special place and is different from any other building you will ever see. And the inside is what makes it more special, for this is where over 120 special needs children will be loved and cared for under the direction of Joyce and Robin Hill at Hope Foster Home.

JR and I toured the 6-story facility and were in awe at the quality of the various rooms. A Mother's Love is sponsoring the Operating Theatre here and it will be incredible! Most of the equipment will be delivered in the next few weeks and the on-site / resident physician will be moving into the building in a month or so. Robin and Joyce are so excited about the potential of this operating room and the surgeries that will be performed here (instead of sending these children to other hospitals). All of the floors have big play areas which are being painted in bright colors for the children. We were even able to catch the artist painting a Disney scene on one the walls. AML has also purchased most of the cribs which were assembled a few weeks ago by Emily and Caleb Chapman and others at Shaohannah's Hope. It is difficult to describe how nice this building is and the potential it has for providing incredible care to these orphans.

Next, we headed downtown to tour the 5th Floor of the Luoyang City Orphanage (home of the Hope Foster Home Pallative Care Unit). The other floors of the orphanage are operated by the Chinese but they have allowed Hope to remodel the 5th Floor and care for the special needs children. Words cannot express the emotions we felt when walking into the playrooms and seeing the orphans being loved by the nurses and nannies. The children range in age from newborn babies to a 9 yrs old and most of them have serious medical conditions ranging from Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, and heart failure. Two of the newborn babies were in a special ICU crib hanging on for their lives. Not all of the children survive their conditions but most do and are hopefully adopted. But ALL are loved! This entire floor will be moved the new facility at Maria's Big House of Hope in a few months.

Our favorite part was the short time we were able to play with the orphans and show them some love. You can tell the nannies and nurses really love these kids and want only the best for them. I pray these pictures will give you a glimpse of what we experienced today. Again, let me say that A Mother's Love IS making a difference for these children! I only wish all of you could be here with us to hold these orphans and give them hope.