Orphanage Visit

I have an awesome guide! (guy on the left in the pic in front of CWI above)  He is so great with kids - even sticks around and plays Uno and other games to explain the rules to Jenny!!   He was so helpful with the kids at the CWI today - we met so many kids who need and WANT families - it was like finding a chest full of hidden treasures.  Rachel was so moved after the visit - she said, "Mom, so many kids are just invisible and forgotten to the rest of the world."

The CWI is run by the most incredible and kind man.  He knows all the kids by name and their stories and special needs as well.

His staff is also highly educated, kind hearted, and clearly cares for the children.  They have so many wonderful stories to tell about each child and know them well.  We stumbled upon a blind boy playing a beautiful piece on the piano!  I videoed the entire piece and he was such a sweet soul!  The director told me that if there was a chance for him to have a family, he'd love to prepare the paperwork. The boy had good manners, a sweet and mild disposition, and was clearly gifted in music!  His pretty young teacher had nothing but good things to say about him, and he came over to meet Rachel and hold her hand.   It was so sweet.  Only the prayers on our behalf kept me from weeping for this hidden gem of a boy - invisible to the rest of the world.  I was so busy with video that I didn't get his pic.  I will post his video soon - amazing playing after 4 years of basic practice.

Next, we interrupted a classroom to get a pic of a friend's daughter...

That's her artwork on the board behind her.  The girls in the class were full of smiles and giggles, and there were two there who needed homes.

They were sweet girls that would do so well in a family!  Both have a mild weakness on the left side - hardly noticeable.  They were so excited for their friend who has a family working to bring her home.

I met so many beautiful kids - and Rachel found a little down syndrome boy who was absolutely in love with her!  He got the biggest smile when she walked in and held her hand and followed her around - it was beyond cute. 

We were sad to find out that two dear friends' children were away for the day and we were unable to get their pictures.  Apparently the boys had a field trip of sorts and it was only little ones and older girls.  The director was hopeful that we could find homes for some of these children and asked if we could advocate for them.  They were so happy to hear of all the Wuhan kids coming home to SC - Jenny told them that there were lots of Chinese friends in our town, lol! 

We're back in our room - and fighting off boredom for the rest of the afternoon.  It's bitter cold out - it goes right through your clothing!  So walking outside is a bit of a challenge.  We're going to brave the elements so Rachel can practice piano later - but we'll eat dinner close tonight.  Please pray for creative ideas for fun - I wish I'd brought a beach ball or something sporty!! 

Blessings,
Kim