My Most Important Hours...

As mentioned in my last blog, I want to tell you a little bit about my recent volunteer experience at the Tianjin Orphanage. I have been there twice now and I plan on going at least once a week. One thing I can confidently say is, these hours will be some of my most important that I spend in China.
For any of you who have been to an orphanage before, you may have some idea of what it's like. For the most part, the facilities of this orphanage are satisfactory. They could be better but I have seen so so so much worse, especially in Jamaica. In Tianjin, each infant or toddler has their own crib - and there are anywhere from 3 - 14 children in one room. I spent a few hours last week with the infants. The heartbreaking part of this experience is seeing and knowing that the babies are laying in their cribs all day long. I don't believe that the workers are heartless or cruel, I just don't think they know how to love the babies. So, while I was there I went straight for the crying or fussing babies and picked them up. I rocked them, held them close, talked to them, and basically just loved them. It was amazing how within minutes of me holding them, they would fall asleep. As soon as they were asleep I would move onto the next baby who was crying. I was trying to show the workers, "Look! This works! They don't cry if you give them the affection that they need!" They need it so desperately.
With the exception of the newborns, most of the children at the orphanage are handicapped in some way. This can mean anything from very seriously handicapped (cerebral palsy, spina bifida, blindness) to things that can be fixed easily or things that are based on how the child looks (cleft palates, albinos, GIRLS). Most of them end up at the orphanage after they are abandoned in the hospital. Families are only allowed one child so if the parents are not happy with their child, they will leave them in the hospital after delivery. :( Some of the children are adopted and some are high functioning enough that they can go to school to get an education but the rest will likely live out there childhood/adolescence in the orphanage. I'm not sure where they go when they turn 18...
Anyways, if you want to find out more about the orphanage you can go to, www.tjicco.org and read about some of the things they offer there. Please remember these children in your prayers!