We are home! Even though we feel a world away, China is still very close in our hearts. Both girls are asking when we can go back. I told them we need to get through the jet lag first! The girls seem to have picked up some hand foot and mouth on our travel home, with sores inside their mouths. Better here than while traveling.
I have so many memories that keep running through my head. When I do get to sleep, I dream about the little faces I met on this trip. We are all operating still on China time, up from about 2:00am on. I forgot how hard jetlag hits when traveling from east to west. It never seems as bad when going from west to east.
Some things that I won't forget are:
Seeing the two oldest orphans at Desheng SWI riding their bike up to the baby building with the biggest smile on their faces.
Chun Miao eating chicken head...the best part she says!
Watching my girls with their nanny who took them home when they were babies, giving them extra special love and care.
Seeing the children with CP, and working with their therapists to help them.
Being in room 308 at Desheng, and seeing all of the babies in that room.
Seeing the little one in room 306, climbing out of her crib!
Being atop the Great Wall and meeting the manager of Run DMC. He took our picture!
Being sopping wet in Desheng as we drove around to get finding site photos.
Riding in the rickshaw.
Seeing the old "great wall" of Desheng, traveling along the ancient road there, and seeing the ancient well.
Laughing with all of the girls of GGEF, and seeing them have so much fun.
Hearing Matthew share the bible with others.
Seeing the "suggestion" of crosswalks and traffic lights!
Watching water buffalo walk down the streets of Desheng.
Working with Xiao Xiao, giving examples and helping the presentations make sense in cultural terms.
Seeing snails for breakfast (nope, didn't try them!).
Getting greeted at 2:30 am in Hechi by familiar faces.
Seeing the older orphans of Nanning SWI becoming self sufficient by selling their beautiful jewelry.
Riding on South Lake at Dusk in Nanning, and going under the rainbow waterfall.
Seeing so many beautiful people who look like my daughters and knowing that this is the place where they are from.
People have asked me why I would travel half way around the world with a 3 year old and 6 year old to do this trip. The answer is simple. Life is short. I need to seize all opportunities placed in my path. I want to do all I can do to make sure my daughters grow up to love their beginnings. I love their beginnings, and am so grateful that I've been given the chance to give back in such a small way.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Heading home
Today we will begin the long trek home. Our flight is an evening flight, for which I am grateful. I hope that we will all sleep much of the flight back to the US. We are expected to arrive in Washington Dulles sometime around 9:30pm, and get back into Boston sometime around 11:45 pm on Tuesday.
I asked Katelyn today if she was ready to get home. She said no. Lianna is ready to get back, saying she misses everyone. Katelyn has a wonderful time here, and it was great to see her loving the country where she was born. We experienced so much in such a short time that I am sure we will be processing it for a long time to come.
Everything we did was beyond my expectations. The trainings at both Desheng and Nanning SWI's went incredibly well. Nanning asked me to come back the following day, to work with their children who have CP. I was able to do that, and they hoped I could join them again the next day, which was impossible. I love working together as a team to help children, so I was certainly in my element. The little ones were able to go into the baby rooms and play with small babies as I worked.
We also were able to play with the girls of the GGEF program in Desheng (www.ggef.org)which we support. It was so much fun to play duck duck goose, hula hoops, and parachute games. XiuLi and MengLu were there (the older orphans of Desheng) which was so amazing. These girls have such a sparkle in their eyes. I loved that they could play with the other girls, rather than being ostracized for being orphans. All of the girls had smiles much of the day, and we all hated to leave.
And so our time here in China is coming to an end, as all things must do. We're heading home. And we all are a bit different people after experiencing life here for the past few weeks.
Zai Jian! See you soon!
Cindy
I asked Katelyn today if she was ready to get home. She said no. Lianna is ready to get back, saying she misses everyone. Katelyn has a wonderful time here, and it was great to see her loving the country where she was born. We experienced so much in such a short time that I am sure we will be processing it for a long time to come.
Everything we did was beyond my expectations. The trainings at both Desheng and Nanning SWI's went incredibly well. Nanning asked me to come back the following day, to work with their children who have CP. I was able to do that, and they hoped I could join them again the next day, which was impossible. I love working together as a team to help children, so I was certainly in my element. The little ones were able to go into the baby rooms and play with small babies as I worked.
We also were able to play with the girls of the GGEF program in Desheng (www.ggef.org)which we support. It was so much fun to play duck duck goose, hula hoops, and parachute games. XiuLi and MengLu were there (the older orphans of Desheng) which was so amazing. These girls have such a sparkle in their eyes. I loved that they could play with the other girls, rather than being ostracized for being orphans. All of the girls had smiles much of the day, and we all hated to leave.
And so our time here in China is coming to an end, as all things must do. We're heading home. And we all are a bit different people after experiencing life here for the past few weeks.
Zai Jian! See you soon!
Cindy
Saturday, June 21, 2008
The Great Wall
Today we explored the Great Wall. We took a private van from the hotel, well worth the money when traveling with young children. We stopped at the olympic venues, which were spectacular. Big papi puffin from SHED was very impressed with everything. The driver took us to an area of the wall which was less crowded, and which has a tram to bring people up to climb. It was fantastic. The weather was hot,but not unbearable. We spent about an hour and a half, which was just enough time. We did a little shopping. People told me my Chinese was good! It was fun.
Tonight we walked down to the Forbidden City and walked around the outside. Tomorrow we hope to head to the Zoo to see the pandas.
Zai Jian!
Cindy
Friday, June 20, 2008
Beijing
We are here in Beijing and going to the Great Wall this morning. We've got a private van since we've got young children who might not like to do all of the scheduled government shops before getting there that the tours offer. We'll then come back and see the olympic birds nest where the games will be held.
There is smog here in Beijing, something we didn't see as much of in beautiful Guangxi. Beijing is MUCH more modern than it was in 2002. I feel like we are in New York. Our hotel is surrounded by posh shops, and everything is much more expensive. It will be fun for the girls though to see some of the history here like the wall and the forbidden city but I think that all of our hearts are still in Guangxi.
There is smog here in Beijing, something we didn't see as much of in beautiful Guangxi. Beijing is MUCH more modern than it was in 2002. I feel like we are in New York. Our hotel is surrounded by posh shops, and everything is much more expensive. It will be fun for the girls though to see some of the history here like the wall and the forbidden city but I think that all of our hearts are still in Guangxi.
More photos
Three posts in one day!
Here are more photos before we are off to bed. These are of Desheng town, Yizhou city...including Big Papi Puffin meeting some of the locals :)
Desheng orphanage photos
I know that everyone has been waiting for photos. Here are some of my favorites from the baby party at Desheng orphanage.
Goodbye Guangxi
By yesterday afternoon I had the familiar dreaded feeling that I would need to leave Guangxi soon. So much has happened in such a short time that it feels like a dream. The girls have done amazingly well, and have had such fun. My work in the orphanages has opened up more doors and invitations to come back. It looks like the orphans at Desheng will be getting water filtration systems to finally try to get rid of giardia. The many, many medicines donated by the SHED families are being translated into Chinese for directions to be used by orphanage staff. Big papi puffin (Katelyn's SHED friend) has experienced a night boat ride of South Park in Nanning, and went to the Great Wall of Desheng. We've laughed of the "suggestion" of traffic crosswalks and traffic lights. We all tried duck, and awed as a friend ate chicken head. I won't forget the faces of so many children I met, from newborn to teenagers living without families. It is humbling to think that somehow I was the one who was able to come to see these special children.
Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when things are experienced so powerfully as has been done on this trip. Part of who I am will always be here, with people who have become my Chinese family.
Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when things are experienced so powerfully as has been done on this trip. Part of who I am will always be here, with people who have become my Chinese family.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
More incredible days
The whirlwind of time filled with amazing days continues here in Guangxi. Our time in Desheng at the orphanage was just beyond our wildest expectations. We were able to get the trainings done and spend time having a party with the babies and some of the older children. Walking into the party room, a former room of the third floor of Desheng SWI, and seeing little toddlers sitting on chairs waiting for our arrival will be something I will never forget. There are twin boys there, with huge eyes to capture even the hardest of hearts. There was a little girl with spike hair sitting next to a little one with pony tails. These little ones had the sweetest smiles and they shyly looked at us and the cakes. One of the orphanage doctors, Ms Qin, told me of another heart baby like my Lianna Tingting. Soon, she appeared in the room with a tiny 7 month old sweetheart whose eyes could touch a soul. Her breathing was fast due to her heart condition, and her skin was so soft as I held her and rocked her gently. If I could only bring all of them home.
As the party was underway, Linda quickly summoned me to the window where we saw our very special older girls MengLu and XiuLi. They went running up to the third floor as we went running down the stairs. It was so nice to hug them again and see their beaming eyes. How much I had missed them and how much they had grown since 2006. They joined us for the party and easily engaged in a frosting fight with each other. It is good to see them playful and happy.
Katelyn loved the party, and her "Desheng sister" babies were the highlight for her. She walked around touching them, and begged to hold a baby. I found a safe spot for her to sit, and she tenderly stroked the baby as she held her on her lap.
All of the nannies and staff were so proud of their little ones, and showed them off and posed them for photos. We were able to take lots of photos, but the internet connection here is so spotty that I will not be able to upload them until we get to Beijing on Saturday.
Another highlight of the time here was spent watching the nannies excitedly looking at the photo album of former children they cared for. A large group quickly built around as they flipped through looking at the stunningly gorgeous girls. As I walked away and began playing with another baby who recently had abdominal surgery, I heard someone begin crying. She ran towards me, hugging me and crying speaking quick mandarin (which I could not understand). I would later find out that she was incredibly moved by a letter and photos of a child she had loved and cared for as a baby. These women truly love the little ones they care for, and just crave any little bit of information that can be given.
As we got ready to go, Linda and I went out into the hallway where Lianna would walk up and down as she played as a toddler. We watched the little ones walk back to their rooms, Mr Huang decided it would be ok for Linda and I to go with our three Desheng girls into the baby rooms. What a gift! In room 308, there were 13 babies in cribs or on the floor. One of them was the little heart baby I met hours earlier sleeping quietly in her crib. There was a newborn baby, so tiny and soft, sleeping quietly all swaddled up. A little 5 month old caught my eye, and as I speaked to her softly she began smiling and smiling. In room 306 we saw a mischeiveous toddler climbing out of her crib. Babies were playing on the floor. To be in the rooms where my daughters spent so much of their early months is still an indescribable feeling.
It is so hard to post this while including the feelings and emotion, but it is time I will never forget.
As the party was underway, Linda quickly summoned me to the window where we saw our very special older girls MengLu and XiuLi. They went running up to the third floor as we went running down the stairs. It was so nice to hug them again and see their beaming eyes. How much I had missed them and how much they had grown since 2006. They joined us for the party and easily engaged in a frosting fight with each other. It is good to see them playful and happy.
Katelyn loved the party, and her "Desheng sister" babies were the highlight for her. She walked around touching them, and begged to hold a baby. I found a safe spot for her to sit, and she tenderly stroked the baby as she held her on her lap.
All of the nannies and staff were so proud of their little ones, and showed them off and posed them for photos. We were able to take lots of photos, but the internet connection here is so spotty that I will not be able to upload them until we get to Beijing on Saturday.
Another highlight of the time here was spent watching the nannies excitedly looking at the photo album of former children they cared for. A large group quickly built around as they flipped through looking at the stunningly gorgeous girls. As I walked away and began playing with another baby who recently had abdominal surgery, I heard someone begin crying. She ran towards me, hugging me and crying speaking quick mandarin (which I could not understand). I would later find out that she was incredibly moved by a letter and photos of a child she had loved and cared for as a baby. These women truly love the little ones they care for, and just crave any little bit of information that can be given.
As we got ready to go, Linda and I went out into the hallway where Lianna would walk up and down as she played as a toddler. We watched the little ones walk back to their rooms, Mr Huang decided it would be ok for Linda and I to go with our three Desheng girls into the baby rooms. What a gift! In room 308, there were 13 babies in cribs or on the floor. One of them was the little heart baby I met hours earlier sleeping quietly in her crib. There was a newborn baby, so tiny and soft, sleeping quietly all swaddled up. A little 5 month old caught my eye, and as I speaked to her softly she began smiling and smiling. In room 306 we saw a mischeiveous toddler climbing out of her crib. Babies were playing on the floor. To be in the rooms where my daughters spent so much of their early months is still an indescribable feeling.
It is so hard to post this while including the feelings and emotion, but it is time I will never forget.
Monday, June 16, 2008
There are no words....
to describe the past few days. Words like amazing, incredible, awesome just do not do any justice.
We arrived in Hechi at 2:00am on Thursday to be greeted by the young woman who fostered both Katelyn and Lianna. We were all bleary eyed, but happy to be there. Xiao Xiao, Linda and I were to be up and at Desheng SWI for the trainings at 9:00, so after a few hours of sleep we go onto the van and headed there. Driving up to the place where my daughters spent their infancy is still surreal. Seeing familiar faces of the officials and staff smiling with excitement and giving a heros welcome was also surreal. The training was beyond my wildest expectation. The staff craved every word and suggestion. They were incredibly thoughtful about everything said and applying it to life with the babies they take care of that it brought tears to my eyes. I had forgotten how powerful being present with others can be in this world. Not only to the staff, but also to me. What a difference can be made, even in small ways.
The rain poured during the training, which flooded the street in front of the orphanage. We watched local people wading down the road, and saw homes with floors of water. Yet, people still smiled and said "ni hao" (hello). As we walked in front of the orphanage, people offered us into a car to stay dry.
The training the next day included a chance to have a party with the orphans. The next post will focus on that :)
Good Night from Nanning,
Cindy
We arrived in Hechi at 2:00am on Thursday to be greeted by the young woman who fostered both Katelyn and Lianna. We were all bleary eyed, but happy to be there. Xiao Xiao, Linda and I were to be up and at Desheng SWI for the trainings at 9:00, so after a few hours of sleep we go onto the van and headed there. Driving up to the place where my daughters spent their infancy is still surreal. Seeing familiar faces of the officials and staff smiling with excitement and giving a heros welcome was also surreal. The training was beyond my wildest expectation. The staff craved every word and suggestion. They were incredibly thoughtful about everything said and applying it to life with the babies they take care of that it brought tears to my eyes. I had forgotten how powerful being present with others can be in this world. Not only to the staff, but also to me. What a difference can be made, even in small ways.
The rain poured during the training, which flooded the street in front of the orphanage. We watched local people wading down the road, and saw homes with floors of water. Yet, people still smiled and said "ni hao" (hello). As we walked in front of the orphanage, people offered us into a car to stay dry.
The training the next day included a chance to have a party with the orphans. The next post will focus on that :)
Good Night from Nanning,
Cindy
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Off to Guangxi!!!
Good morning everyone,
I am a bit more coherent here this morning after getting some sleep! Both girls are still asleep now, and we've missed breakfast. Good thing for instant oatmeal :)
Yesterday's travel went extremely well. Traveling with young children is so fun, especially seeing it through their eyes. As I mentioned before, the girls were star travelers. Lianna got some wings from one of the flight attendants. On the long leg to Hong Kong, one of the flight attendants came up and said "would you like some lunch princess?" (For those of you who don't know, Lianna's nickname has been princess ever since she was a baby...I was calling her princess Tingting when waiting to travel for her in 2006 and after her heart surgery here in China in 2005the nurses were calling her the same...so from around the world she was known as princess). Katelyn loved seeing the sights from the window of the plane. She and Big Papi puffin (from the amazing SHED) described clouds and liked seeing the rocky mountains from above. As we got close to Hong Kong, she loved seeing more mountains growing out of the water.
Our time in SanFrancisco was short. We had to go through security (again) to get into the international terminal. In Boston the security was easy even though we had a lot of bags. The workers cleared Lianna's baby dolls and then showed them up to her asking "who belongs to these". Katelyn liked having her crocks cleared. In San Francisco, it was a bit more like a cattle line, with different workers coaxing all of us through to checkpoints. Luckily, it went smoothly and we got some lunch. The girls loved the people movers going through the airports. Imagine, a floor that moves!
Today we head to Guangxi. We'll be meeting our Chinese friends Matthew and Xiao Xiao. Our friends from Scotland are also here waiting for us. We've got a "big van" to bring us from the Nanning airport up to Hechi city tonight. We should make it to Hechi by 1:00am local time, in time for my first presentatio to Desheng SWI (where Katelyn and Lianna are from) tomorrow morning.
It is surreal to think that later today I will be on the precious land where my girls were born, where their birthfamilies could still be, and where the orphanage staff who loved them still are. Each time I come back to Guangxi, I get this same feeling..it is as if it is a second home. It is such excitement and joy and gratitude. I can't believe I have this amazing opportunity to be here.
And so tonight we will head from Hong Kong to the reason we all are here. I couldn't be any happier.
Love from China!!
Cindy
I am a bit more coherent here this morning after getting some sleep! Both girls are still asleep now, and we've missed breakfast. Good thing for instant oatmeal :)
Yesterday's travel went extremely well. Traveling with young children is so fun, especially seeing it through their eyes. As I mentioned before, the girls were star travelers. Lianna got some wings from one of the flight attendants. On the long leg to Hong Kong, one of the flight attendants came up and said "would you like some lunch princess?" (For those of you who don't know, Lianna's nickname has been princess ever since she was a baby...I was calling her princess Tingting when waiting to travel for her in 2006 and after her heart surgery here in China in 2005the nurses were calling her the same...so from around the world she was known as princess). Katelyn loved seeing the sights from the window of the plane. She and Big Papi puffin (from the amazing SHED) described clouds and liked seeing the rocky mountains from above. As we got close to Hong Kong, she loved seeing more mountains growing out of the water.
Our time in SanFrancisco was short. We had to go through security (again) to get into the international terminal. In Boston the security was easy even though we had a lot of bags. The workers cleared Lianna's baby dolls and then showed them up to her asking "who belongs to these". Katelyn liked having her crocks cleared. In San Francisco, it was a bit more like a cattle line, with different workers coaxing all of us through to checkpoints. Luckily, it went smoothly and we got some lunch. The girls loved the people movers going through the airports. Imagine, a floor that moves!
Today we head to Guangxi. We'll be meeting our Chinese friends Matthew and Xiao Xiao. Our friends from Scotland are also here waiting for us. We've got a "big van" to bring us from the Nanning airport up to Hechi city tonight. We should make it to Hechi by 1:00am local time, in time for my first presentatio to Desheng SWI (where Katelyn and Lianna are from) tomorrow morning.
It is surreal to think that later today I will be on the precious land where my girls were born, where their birthfamilies could still be, and where the orphanage staff who loved them still are. Each time I come back to Guangxi, I get this same feeling..it is as if it is a second home. It is such excitement and joy and gratitude. I can't believe I have this amazing opportunity to be here.
And so tonight we will head from Hong Kong to the reason we all are here. I couldn't be any happier.
Love from China!!
Cindy
We're Here!!
In Hong Kong, that is. It was 29 hours of travel, and the girls were stars. All of us ended up sleeping on part of the flight from San Francisco to Hong Kong. We're here in some fancy hotel for the night before leaving HK to go to Nanning tomorrow night. We'll get picked up from the airport by friends, and then we'll make the 4 hour drive to Hechi.
We are all really excited to be here in HK,but even more excited to get to Guangxi tomorrow!!
Goodnight from Hong Kong,
Cindy and the girls
We are all really excited to be here in HK,but even more excited to get to Guangxi tomorrow!!
Goodnight from Hong Kong,
Cindy and the girls
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Packing frenzy
We leave tomorrow morning at 3:30am for the grueling trip to China. Our flight departs from Logan at 6:00am and goes to San Francisco. We'll have a 3 hour layover before making the long leg to Hong Kong. We arrive in Hong Kong at 6:00pm. Yup, it's over 24 hours from start to finish. Both girls are already fast asleep, and I am finishing up the last of the packing frenzy!
We ended up with 4 bags to check. Three large, rolling bags and one small suitcase. There is actually very little for us in the suitcases. Thanks to the generosity of so many people, we have lots of resources, medicines, skin creams, and toys for the orphans. It was actually quite overwhelming to see everything in the suitcases and think about the love and support of everyone which went into filling them. I am one very lucky person.
The bags are now all under 50 lbs, which means that I shouldn't break my back trying to grab them off the carosel :)
So tomorrow we will head off!
Cindy
We ended up with 4 bags to check. Three large, rolling bags and one small suitcase. There is actually very little for us in the suitcases. Thanks to the generosity of so many people, we have lots of resources, medicines, skin creams, and toys for the orphans. It was actually quite overwhelming to see everything in the suitcases and think about the love and support of everyone which went into filling them. I am one very lucky person.
The bags are now all under 50 lbs, which means that I shouldn't break my back trying to grab them off the carosel :)
So tomorrow we will head off!
Cindy
Monday, June 2, 2008
Visas finally!
After 4 weeks of waiting, our visas have finally returned from the New York embassy. The visa process was interesting, to say the least. We sent off the applications with flight confirmations as well as hotel reservations. We also needed a letter from our employers. A week later, we got a call saying that another letter from the employer was needed to verify that they were giving us permission to use vacation time to go to China. Then, they needed a letter from Katelyn's school saying that she was in fact a Kindergarten student at West Elementary, and that she was in good standing. Luckily, nothing was needed to verify Lianna at her preschool.
Alas, the visas were issued and we can travel. That is all that matters :)
Alas, the visas were issued and we can travel. That is all that matters :)
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Government approvals!!
Hooray!!! We heard overnight that we are officially approved to do the trainings at both Desheng SWI and Nanning SWI. This is just amazing news! We will do two days of trainings at each orphanage, going to Desheng first. We are hoping to do a party in the baby rooms too, but didn't get official permission for that. We'll just keep hoping that it can happen.
Our itinerary is looking tight. We fly into Nanning on the 11th at 9:00pm and will make the 4 hour trip to Hechi City (outside of Desheng) to the hotel. The first training at Desheng is the next morning :)
We're coordinating with Matthew to have a big party at a local Desheng park for our girls with GGEF (www.ggef.org) We have almost 70 girls in the Desheng area who are sponsored to go to school. Without GGEF, it might not be possible for the girls in this very rural area to stay in school until graduation. Matthew has done an amazing job with this incredible program. We are so excited to be able to get all of the girls together to play!
Our itinerary is looking tight. We fly into Nanning on the 11th at 9:00pm and will make the 4 hour trip to Hechi City (outside of Desheng) to the hotel. The first training at Desheng is the next morning :)
We're coordinating with Matthew to have a big party at a local Desheng park for our girls with GGEF (www.ggef.org) We have almost 70 girls in the Desheng area who are sponsored to go to school. Without GGEF, it might not be possible for the girls in this very rural area to stay in school until graduation. Matthew has done an amazing job with this incredible program. We are so excited to be able to get all of the girls together to play!
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Getting Ready
We are in major preparation, planning, and packing mode right now. Only 17 days until we leave, and so much to do! The suitcases are out and already filled. I've got lists in every room of the house to help me remember things I need to finish or things I need to make sure I pack. The girls are getting really excited now. Katelyn has started the countdown of days of school left before we go (she's in single digits now). I'm not quite sure Lianna gets what is happening but she is happy to put things into the suitcases, and then take them out again.
Our friends in China have been working on our plans for when we arrive in Guangxi. Luckily, the area has not been affected by the earthquake in Sichuan, but everyone is devastated by the tremendous loss and suffering. I wish that we would have time to go help with the relief effort there, but it seems that our time in China is packed with work already.
Our friends in China have been working on our plans for when we arrive in Guangxi. Luckily, the area has not been affected by the earthquake in Sichuan, but everyone is devastated by the tremendous loss and suffering. I wish that we would have time to go help with the relief effort there, but it seems that our time in China is packed with work already.
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