A Visit to the Orphanage

Looking our the window as we are taking the long drive to the orphanage

From the beginning I knew that I wanted to do everything I could to visit the places that Eve had spent the first 8 months of her life. Yesterday we did just that and it was the most difficult day here, yet I am so glad I made the choice to go. I know more about Eve and her reactions and behavior because of it.

Up until this point our guide had mentioned that the orphanage was 2 hours away. When we got in the van to go she let us know that in reality it was 3 ½ hours away. Chris looked at me with the “what have we gotten ourselves into” look. I wasn’t even sure I had packed enough formula and diapers for that long of a journey. That meant 7 hours in the car. It was going to be a long day. On top of that it was a dark, rainy and cold. Chris whispered, “are you sure you want to do this?” I did and felt it would always bother me that I had the chance to know where she had been and didn’t take it. So off we went.

We left the city and headed out into the countryside of China passing rice field, after rice field and many small villages. I was happy knowing that being in Nanchung, and then taking this journey into these small villages, we were getting the chance to go where tourists rarely went, and I loved that! Even in the city of Nanchung it was obvious that these people were not accustomed to seeing Americans.

The view on the way to the orphanage....oh these poor pigs are squished in....where is PETA when we need them. ha ha

One of the hotel staff, a 23yr old door man who could speak broken English, asked if he could take Chris and Eve and I out to dinner (this was the day that we received Eve). It was such a kind and generous offer we couldn’t refuse so we went with him and his girlfriend to a wonderful dinner. While there I asked him how many Americans he sees at the hotel. He said, “You are the first”.

The drive was long and interesting and much more raw than I expected. About halfway through we stopped for a bathroom break at a gas station and the bathroom was so dirty and smelled so bad it took squatter hole to a whole new level. That is how it was the whole day so, if you can believe it, I just held it the whole day. Yup from the time we left until returning at 7pm I didn’t go to the bathroom I waited until I got back to the hotel. I just couldn’t do it!

The orphanage where Eve spent the first month of her life was darker, dirtier, and sadder than I had expected. It could have also been the dreary day but it just felt so sad to me. The building was decent but so quiet and hollow. We asked the orphanage director how many children were currently there and he said 40. I was struck by the silence, where were these 40 children and why could I not hear a sound? As we arrived they set of fireworks to welcome us, it was very very loud and I thought oh my goodness they have just scared all the children who live here to death. We heard nothing, not one cry. They took us on , what I felt was, a sanitized tour of the building ending up in a room with fruit baskets for us to eat. The other family on our group sneaked into a room that they didn’t take us to where the babies were it was walls lined with cribs with little babies in side but absolute silence. Not a cry or whimper.

The Gate Where Eve Was Left

Front Door to the Orphanage

We were then told that to visit the foster families it would be an additional 30 min each way drive, wow this was going to be a long day but we could do it. They took us to have lunch first and at this point I will just say that not only did I not use the restroom all day, I also didn’t eat. I am an adventurous girl and up until now have tried most foods here. I do not want to offend or look arrogant so I will never totally turn something down, I will try to eat what I can and be gracious but this time I just couldn’t.

Chris is eating...rice.

Lunch!! This actually make it look better than it was.

We sat down and the first dish was served, it was a murky broth with pigs feet and other strange appendages, there was hair still on the skin and gristle and bone and fat and I couldn’t see anything that looked like meat. Next dish, some type of catfish partially ground up with the head and whiskers lying there just looking at me. Then a plate with hundreds of minature fish (head and tail on) that looked like they had been sautéed with lots of spices. At that point Eve started to cry, Oh thank heaven!!

Sorry, can't eat I've gotta take care of my baby

I threw Chris under the bus and left the room to take care of her. He was left to maneuver through the meal alone. I never went back and just excused myself as needing to take care of my fussy, tired baby. Poor Chris! Eve has been so good this was the only time since we got her that she has fussed for an extended period of time and I think the Lord blessed her to do so for my sake!

Later Chris told me that he just ate a little rice and just pretended to try a few things without really eating anything at all! Now it was off to meet the foster family!