Leaving Qianjiang - more work needs to be done!

With a heavy heart we bid our host goodbye and headed to the bus station to take a bus back to ChongQing. At the bus station we were given gifts of food for the journey back. Handshakes and smiles were exchanged, and they looke forward to the time again when we would meet in Qianjiang. The orphanage founder thanked again the families for their donations and hoped that we could continue our work in the future together, for the sake of the children. There was also mention that while there were many children in the orphanage with cleft palates.

The government allots money for the orphans one by one to get this corrected in ChongQing, but we need to help the orphanage director for the travel expenses and incidentals for the trip. They said that they would try to let us know when one of the children was being prepared for this operaton and then I told them I would do what I could try to insure donation funding to assist these children.

Kay and I were exhausted after our journey and looking forward to the trip home. Once again we were greeted with the passion of the Chinese people on the bus. An animated discussion ensued between passenger and driver when one of the bags of the passenger was, in the passenger's opinion, mishandled by the the bus driver. The discussion became more and more heated until eventually some the the passengers intervened and tried to diffuse the situation. Finally one of the other passengers said something and everyone had a good chuckle. This seemed to diffuse the situation and the two arguing men backed down. Kay later told me that the joking passenger had said something along the lines of "hey we have a foreigner on board and you'll make a bad impression, so you two knock it off"...

I wonder if something like that would happen here in the USA???

The rest of the 4 hour bus trip went without incident. (me at a potty stop along the highway. Our bus in the background, and the cloud covered mountains of this beautiful country)

On the bus we had a lot more room than in the taxi ride TO Qianjiang and there was only gentle swaying of the bus as we ambled back through the countryside on the modern superhighway. The rain was steady and we occasionally opened the window to gain a picture vista of the mist covered mountains of this area, their tops covered as if by the shrouds of Olympus, capturing my heart with their mystery, majesty, and beauty.Our time had been brief in QianJiang but was productive. This was due in no small part to our preparation and planning and the coordination of our volunteer in China without whose help none of this would be possible.

We still have more to do. The Qianjiang orphanage staff are doing a fantastic job in caring for these children, and it is clear that they have their hearts devoted to the happiness and well-being, and the bright future of these children. However, the children still need our help. With the help of the donors, our Packages of Hope volunteers, and the gracious, open, and trusting staff at the orphanage, we CAN do more for these children. These ARE our extended family, and although the orphanage staff are doing a great job, they could use our help in providing clothing, medical assistance, toys, mattresses, and help with physical and education. We are making a difference! Let's continue to do more!!

I express my deep gratitude for the orphanage staff and government officials who have so graciously opened their doors to us to gain a rare view into the orphanage. Their objective is the same as mine - a sole purpose to help the orphan children in Qianjiang have a better life. We thank them, as well as the donors for their continued support for the children.

Qianjiang - return to the orphanage

We returned to the orphange where we saw the donation made from Packages of hope for Milk powder. We estimate that this donation will feed the current children for approximately 4 months. They were extremely appreciative. It was there that I met the new director a young woman named Yang Ai Huan.
(me and Yang Ai Huan, the orphanage's new director)

Sitting in the orphanage director's office, we had a look at several of the letters that the families had sent for me to present to the orphanage director. It was touching to go over these photos and to discuss the familiy's questions. The staff in the room recognized the children readliy and were all smiles to see how happy the children were now.

Of particular interest was a little boy named Jonathan. His story was particularly touching because of Jin YongMing's effort to help the child. The orphanage director had wondered why Jin Yongming had not keept in usual touch with yearly cards of well wishes. We informed the founder of Yongmings untimely passing. and he was affected by great sadness with the news.

We had all worked together so hard as a charity, including the great efforts of Cherrie Turner, as well as the orphanage staff to get help for this child.

It was at this time that we also made a donation for children's undergarments and I was able to see the unfortunately unused water purification system installed by Leane Welsh and A Child's Right. The orphanage director told us that they boil the water for sterilization for the children these days. I have since been informed that A Child's Right is on their way to fix this purification system at the orphanage.

(the current therapy room for the children with Special needs)

(the current play toys for the children. they were inside due to the rain)

(a view of the orphanage staff - from left to right, A nanny at the orphanage He Zhao Qing, former orphanage director Mrs. Cai, a government SWI official, me, the orphanage founder Mr. Yu, former orphanage director Mrs. Lu, and current orphanage director Mrs. Yang)

The orphanage director had a message for the families of Qianjiang: Mrs. Lu spoke first, and she said "Thank you for adopting the babies. I wish angel(babies) and the families much happiness."

It was difficult for me to translate this passage, because the literal word she used was "angels" to refer to the babies, but we are left to interpret the intention of her words in this colloquial expression. It was explained to me that the word was meant as endearing, such as the phrase "precious little angels".

Director Cai said: "I wish the babies from Qianjiang will grow up healthy with the adoptive families with the parents care. It is my wish that all the babies when they grow up, can return and visit Qianjiang." It is my interpretation that this is a formal and heartfelt invitation for the families and children to return back to this place for a visit.

It is my humble opinion that this invitation can be taken by the families as a token of peace and tranquility to the families and their considerations for the hometown and clouded sacred beginnings.

Qianjiang - new orphanage location

(a museum in the center of town)

We sped off from the hotel, and I was happy to take in the sights and sound of town. I had a few requests from families to take some photos of finding spot locations. As an adoptive parent of 2 children born in China, I must say my pulse quickened at the prospect of this task. Buildings whizzed by and my host was busy chatting with Kay in the back seat as I contemplated the nexus of time and space of such an incredibly momentous event. I can only imagine pain and fear, sadness and despair. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, trying to identify each smell that came to me. Damp moist air, a bit of must from inside the car mixed with air freshener. I rolled the window down, and smelled the green of leaves and trees. The mechanical sound of cars passing by, the faint and acrid smell of car exhaust, and the smell of wet asphalt after the morning rain.

The car came to a halt, and the chatting stopped. Kay words threw me into my senses as she said,

"we are here".

I didn't want to leave the car, as I saw the gate and address mentioned in the email. "She was found at the gate....." the email read.

Tears welled in my eyes, and a confused passerby carrying a blue umbrella watched me approach this sacred place.

I stood for a moment wanting to scream. Wanting to pierce the darkness and haze of unknown pain. I could hear my own scream in my ears, my throat becoming raw with massive exhale and yell.

But there was only silence, and a small prayer.

I stayed there a moment, and looked all around, and took as many pictures as I could for the family. Their daughter was with their forever family now, and I knew that this was ultimately the Reason.

It was time to leave this place. Without a moment of reflection, I startled my hosts. "Let's go. There is nothing here now."

We continued on in our journey, and our next stop was the new orphanage.

(Three beautiful women of China - from left to right - former Qianjiang director Cai Sheng Hua, former director Lu Jun Lan, and Packages of Hope volunteer Mrs. Zhang Yuan - Kay)

In October 2005, I visited the orphanage in Bengbu SWI in Anhui province, and saw it under construction. (see my blog post from 2005 here and 2007 here ).

This site was very similar, and visiting this place and seeing what was to come in the next few years filled me with a sense of joy as to what was to come for the orphan children and the people of Qianjiang.

To see the video of the new Qiangjiang orphanage, please click here.

The the buildings were covered with scaffolding. The site was a hodge podge of construction workers, raw building materials, and power lines going everywhere.

The building who's frame was erected before us was for the foster care family children. I was shown some blueprints where they showed me the different buildings of the SWI, which would include buildings for the children as well as the elderly population for the SWI.

The surrounding area looked so beautiful. The hilly terrain, and the deep orange clay soil reminded me a lot of my new home in North carolina and the nearby smoky mountains.

It was there that I was introduced to the orphanage founder, Mr. Yu. He presented me with a small gift, and his bright eyes and smille conveyed a desire to be connected to us and the families of Qianjiang. It was my impression that the man was a visionary with a real heart for the children.

Mr. Yu had started the orphanage with his own funding and had operated the facility privately for many years. However, now it has been taken over by the government and become a full SWI. However, it is clear that Mr. Yu still has a heart for the children, and still is involved with the orphanage's future.

(from Left to Right - Kay, me, and orphanage founder Mr. Yu)

(What the main building will look like following construction. The highlights of the translation reads "Qianjiang social welfare institute Zheng Yan street beside of the office of community government. 1849.76 square meters land area. building height is 15.75m, 4 floors, height of first floor 4.5 m, 3.6 meter height for 2nd floor and 3rd floor.")

Qianjiang morning market

The next morning, I awoke early and had some breakfast. Afterwards I took a walk outside the hotel, and found myself in an alley way with a few vendors selling some vegetables. I was so intrigued, that I follewed it further, and soon found myself in a large abandoned warehouse that was filled with people selling all manner of fresh food. There were large sections devoted to fish, others to various tubers (potatoes, ginger and others). I also saw tables for cooking and selling of tofu, and a big block of what appeared to by soy bread. There was a section of the market devoted to roast beef and raw beef. Still others were selling spices and noodles I found a few Chinese cuties, and very respectfully took their photos, remembering to ask the subject, or their parents, if I could be honored to capture their faces

(a boy eating at his family's shop, studying before school while eating breakfast)

(a very happy baby with an equally proud grandmother. It was so cute how the grandmother would continually stuff bits of fresh vegetables in the the girl's hands to eat as the grandmother went on with her business)

(a young girl with a typical basket on her back loaded with fresh vegetables for the day's meals)

(Spicy dried chile peppers! The smell was absolutely amazing! It was making my mouth water!)

(a girl and her spice shop. Such amazing mouthwatering smells!)

(I was proud to pose with the shop owner)

(noodles!!)

(fresh Tofu!)

(soy bread! Steam was coming from it, it was still warm from being freshly cooked!)

(shallow ponds of fresh fish for sale)

(fresh potatoes for sale from smiling women! so beautiful!)

I couldn't take my eyes off the children and the mothers, with ther cute backpack baskets loading and carrying food from shop to shop.

I received an expected phone call from Kay that the orphaange director had arrived to the hotel and was present and ready to start the day.

With great reluctance I left the market and found my way back to the hotel. the rain had stopped, and it was now just a threatening gray outside.

For a video of me looking through the market, please click on this link

A late night visit to the orphanage

Our final approach to the hallowed ground of the QianJiang orphanage started with an unlikely turn off of a main street, punching through the long line of shops and 3-4 story buildings which hugged each other in the pouring rain. The cones of light from the car headlights illuminated the houses lining the road, and reflected large droplets of water like falling diamonds. The car nosed upwards quickly, as the car fell into low gear, the driver winding the wheel as we followed the road snaking up into darkness. With each switchback, the rough road had more and more water flowing downards at us, until I became a bit alarmed that we were actually traveling against a flowing river, rather than a road. Water began to approach us in waves, and waterfalls began appearing at the edges of the switchbacks. I was putting my trust in the driver that the concentrated streams of water formed by the curving road had not eroded any of it into treacherous potholes.

With each jolting dip and splash of the wheels, I was preparing for a log flume ride back down the mountain. Old style Chinese dwellings lined the road, and saw that if the water flow would increase just a bit more, that soon a river flow would be at their doorstep.

I had seen several photographs of the orphanage in daylight (and without rain), and had thought that it would be discernable once I approached it.
But without notice, the car jerked to a halt, and with a lightning strike, I recognized the building facade as we stopped in front of it. The orphanage (formerly a restaurant) was here!

In the moment the car stopped, I had a shudder that washed over me, as I contemplated this sacred place. My mind was transported to another world, one I could only imagine.

I am looking up towards the ceiling, my arms and legs wrapped snugly in well worn clothes. Late at night the light turns on, and I am jolted awake. Sometimes I cry out, sometimes not, because only sometimes my cries are answered. Unfamiliar voices come out of the darkness, and I can hear a commotion of unrest. My friends around me cry out in alarm and discontent.

A very strange face hovers over me and smiles. Is this my parent? No. It couldn't be. It never is, it seems. He looks so strange as he smiles and has such a comforting voice. Does he hold me? No. He just brings out a strange metal thing, and brings it over me, and then a bright flash of light appears. A cry from another bed distracts him, and he moves away from me. I wonder what that was? When will someone come to hold me?

A thunderclap jolts me to open my eyes, and I struggle to steady myself for going inside. I can't help the tear that forms on my cheek. It trickles down to my chin, and I open the car door. The ground is alive with water jumping up with each raindrop. My tear falls, and is lost in a dispassionate sea. I must steel myself to go inside.

I grabbed my backpack and dashed inside.

Once in, along with Kay, Ms. Lu and Ms. Cai, I recognized the surroundings as had been described by the others who had been here before me.

I was greeted in the hallway by a large bulletin board which showed all the photos and letters of families who had adopted children from QianJiang, We were able to take photos, and also see a board which listed the donations from charities. Please click the link to the video of donations and entrance to the orphanage HERE

A small woman came out of the darkness and the din of the rain, and she was carrying what was the reason for all of our journey... a precious baby!

We were led into one of the rooms where we were introduced to about 10 children, most of whom were asleep, but many who had been awakened by the rain.

I looked at a few of the children, and finally held a few. I wished I could have taken them all with me home.

The director asked if we wanted to see some of the other children, and we went out to a courtyard where I've seen so many phtotos taken before, where the rain was coming down hard enough to make a shallow pond out of a large courtyard. The next room was filled with children in cribs.

We talked a bit about the what we could do to help the kids further in addition to our milk powder donation. We had calculated that our donation was enough for approximately four months of milk powder supply. The donation enabled the orphanage to free up funds for other needed items. We offered an additional donation for the children to buy them underclothes, as the clothes we had bought them for Spring Festival were currently being worn only and no undergarments were close to their skin. The director also asked if we could find mattreses that acan be better washed, in stead of the cloth ones thay have which are more stinky and difficult to clean. I told them that we would work on it.

It was getting late, and we were all exhausted. We said our goodbyes for the night, and went back to the hotel to end our rather long day.

I offer this below photo at the end of this post, as I write this many days after the event, and tell you that the image of this child whom I did not hold, is burned forever in my mind.

Dinner with the Director

Mrs. Lu was accompanied by Ms. Cai. Ms. Lu had been an orphanage director in years past, and I had seen her once in Beijing when we at Packages of Hope had coordinated a trip for her and a disabled child from her orphanage to a facility in Beijing. At that time, she had met with Cherrie Turner, and together they were able to have the child seen by a doctor there. Since that time, that child in question has been adopted.

Ms. Cai was also an orphanage director, two years earlier. Both women looked very young, although I must admit a jealousy in that the Chinese face hides age very well to me. They apologized that the current orphanage director, Ms. Yang Ai Huan, could not be here but that we would meet her tomorrow.

Even though our volunteer Kay had spoken several times over the years to these two women, these three had never met. However, there were smiles and joyful chatter all the way to our hotel. The rain began to come down in earnest as night began to fall as we checked into our hotel. After hastily putting down our things, we rushed off together for meal. We settled on local restaurant, and dashed from the car to the smells of the delicious food in the dry restaurant, dodging large cold raindrops.

(the view of my hotel room)

(the "minibar" in my room - cigarettes and playing cards included)

The tile floor was slippery, and we all watched our step as we went up back stairs to a modest private dining room. I was carefully watching my step and clutching the papers I had prepared from the families who had sent me emails curious about their child's origins. My large Wolfskin boots were sliding a bit, and I wondered how the women with their high heeled smooth leather soled shoes could nimble so quickly up the stairs. I occoasionally caught the stares of shocked restaurant workers as they eyed the foreigner in their midst. I was mostly concerned with watching my step and making sure I didn't fall and break my neck.

(the cook of our restaurant, and two large kettles filled with hot soup!)

At last I sat down at the table, noticing that the three women were all silent staring at me. I feel like I hadn't exhaled in several days. The whirlwind of planes, (not) trains, cabs, and perserverance had been screaming in my head like an opaque white tornado of events. In a blink they were gone now, as my shoulders slowly sank in relaxation, and the silence of the stare of the bewitching orphanage director faded into the steady sound of rain attacking the ceramic roof above us.

I sat savoring the moment for what seemed like a very long time. Finally, I was shaken out of my stare by a lound and bone shattering thunderclap, as if some Upper Hand boomed out, "ok, son, you made it... Now get on with it!"

I began to speak.

I remember when I first came to China on business, and when I spoke via an interpreter, I was nervous, and fumbled. I remember when I first was introduced to an orphanage director, and the reverence I felt and the tightening I had in the pit of my stomach.

My stomach was still in knots this time. The woman sitting opposite of me was sacred to many families and to many children. I was in the presence of greatness, and many families had entrusted me with their donation money in order to do my best. However, this time, I had some experience under my belt, and I knew what I needed to do, and what I needed to say.

This was my moment, and it filled me with a profound sense of purpose and meaning.

I thanked the director for meeting with us, and introduced myself and Kay and provided some background to our organization and who we are. I stopped and paused for Kay to translate. The orphanage director then spoke and returned the greeting and the thanks for our coming from so far, and thanked us for our past donations for the children of QianJiang orphanage.

I told her about what our intentions were during this trip, and how I had some letters and questions from the families. All of these discussions were laced with the awareness and trust that had been built up over 5 years of working with this orphanage and doing our best to help the children there with the donations that we had.

As we shared dinner of delicious local foods, and as the lightning and thunder harangued us and occasionally caused us to jump and pause our conversation, we talked. It was so amazing that so much information was able to be exchanged in those few short minutes of face to face conversation, that took months and sometimes even years to accomplish by emails and phone conversation. The ability to see each other's faces, to enjoy the other aspects of non-verbal communication, further deepened our relationship, and was doing some real good.

We talked about some questions that the adopted families had for the orphanage, which I carefully documented in order to provide to them. We talked about how there are now 37 children at the orphanage, most of whom have special needs. Some are currently with foster families. The orphanage director said that there is a vision to provide disabled children physical therapy and education in order to integrate successfully into society, but that is a far off dream that could use our help. We talked about the new orphanage that is being built, and how we would be meeting the orphanage founder the next day.

The Qianjiang orphanage has undergone a number of political changes, recently converting from a privately run institution to being part of the government (as an official SWI). This orphanage is the only one in the city (countering a query I had made asking if there were any other countryside orphanages in the area that the director knew of). The current orphanage was started in 2002, after the founder converted a restaurant into an orphanage building. The new orphanage's completion is dependent on funding, but it is hoped that it will be completed in the next two years. The orphanage management has recently changed and is bound to change again in the future. They also mentioned that the water purification system that had so painstakingly been installed a few years earlier by A Child's Right, had not been working for a long time, and they could not read the instructions on the equipment to repair it. They had it set aside in a storage room that I would be able to see.

They told us that there are only a few other charities helping out in the area as well.
At the conclusion of the meal, with the rain still pounding down, the orphanage director asked,

"it's getting late now, would you like to go to the hotel and get some sleep, or would you like to visit the orphanage and the children now?"

.....and in a New York second, what do you think my answer was??

Getting There - Arriving in Qianjiang!

At this point, with all I had been through, it seemed that someone really didn't want me to end up in Qianjiang. But I wasn't about to give up now, and besides, I didn't have much of a choice. I wouldn't have been about to turn around and go back if I wanted to. There is a Chinese saying that goes "po Fu Chen zho", which translates as "smash the cauldrons and sink the boats" . It basically means the same thing as caesar's famous words Alia Iactus Est! - "the die is cast".
I was committed, and there was no way else to go but forward. I was just wondering when I was going to start making headway.

Qianjiang finally appeared to us like shangrila through the mountain mist. But this wasn't a romance movie, because as each moment passed, nerves frayed more and more between cab driver and passengers. Luckily the woman in the front had calmed down, and became our warm friends when Kay explained to her our mission. She was offering to help us and show us around town if needed.

As we approached our destination, Kay called ahead and coordinated a dropoff point. Within a few minutes driving in town we stopped and I saw the familiar face of a previous orphanage director, Mrs. Lu. She was also accompanied by another former orphanage director, Mrs. Cai.

Our Fellowship of Weary Traveler bond was broken gladly by both sides when we paid our share to the taxi driver, and he was only too happy to speed on his way with the 2 other women waving goodbye.

The mist turned to rain as we sped off in a large nice new Honda Odyssey minivan. The director told us that they had borrowed it from the local government office especially for our occasion.