Visit to Heng Feng SWI - Deb's post

This morning we had to get up and get going to meet Mary at 8 to take the van to Heng Feng, about a 3-3.5 hour drive. We quickly ate breakfast and were on our way.  The traffic in the city was heavier than we had seen, I’m guessing because it was “rush hour” type traffic. We made it through the city and after about an hour we were on what would be like a county type road in the US, except we shared it with tiny scooters and bicycles! The driving is very different from US, but our driver is cautious and I really haven’t been scared. I was concerned a couple times today though, one when we were passing going about 40mph and a car tried to turn in front of us from another road. Another time he had to hit the brakes fast and swerve to miss hitting a cow! Now that doesn’t happen to me in IL. But once we got on the highway it doesn’t look that much different than ours! Just the scenery! Thanks to technology, I am currently typing this on the laptop while little miss is sleeping. She was her usual chipper self at breakfast, but ever since we got into the van she has been very somber.

 We played a few hand clapping games and finger games and I put lotion on her hands and legs and feet and rubbed them, but other than those moments, she turns away from me and just looks out her window and doesn’t respond to much right now. I wonder what thoughts are going on in her mind? To me this is the “big day” more than any other during this trip. Both for us and for her. Hopefully I’ll get to finish this story and post before we leave for Guangzhou tomorrow! Our flight leaves at 2 pm Friday and we’re ready for the next step of this journey. (Well, let’s be honest, if they let me get on a plane for O’Hare on Friday, I’d be ok with that!) We are doing well, though! Pastor Rick, you’d be proud of how “flexible” I am being! It is all about Sophie for this 2 weeks, and that is the mindset I have and I know it is by the grace of God that I am doing so well emotionally and feel very stable! Sorry , I digress....back to the story:

We pulled up and got out and were greeted by a man and a woman. The woman took us upstairs to the orphanage  director’s office. We recognized him since he and the ayi brought LiZhen to us on Sunday. We just sat down when I thought to ask Sophie if she needed to use the bathroom. The woman took us and I got to witness my daughter using the squatty potty. (I did go back later for a picture!) We saw a lone toddler bundled up and out in the courtyard alone.

 Then we saw the doctor, Granny Zhu I  think is her name, that we recognized from the altrusa website. We went to talk to her and I thought to ask her what the rash was on Sophie’s legs. She told the guide, it’s ok, it’s almost healed now. Whatever that means! It is looking better from the hydrocortisone cream that we put on 3 times yesterday. And she’s itching less.

They took us to a room to see some babies. There were 7 little cribs, a little bigger than bassinets, lined up in the middle of the room. There were 2 beds, a TV and a table with supplies, formula, etc. There were 3 toddlers in walkers, one of them zooming around, grinning from ear to ear. There were a couple babies still in their cribs ALL bundled up.

 I had to feel his little hands, and yes, they WERE warm! That made me feel better. My feet were very cold and I had 2 pair of socks on, a winter coat, gloves and had only gotten out of a warm van about 15 minutes before!

 I realize now why they are so bundled up. It was COLD! Like 35 degrees. Ok, I am spoiled. I cannot imagine living without heat (that’s right, they have no heat.) Everyone just has their layers of clothes on with their coat and gloves and that is how they do their business through the day. The babies that were in their cribs were COVERED with layers and layers of clothes, coats and blankets. One their back and no way they could move. Understandable how they would be developmentally delayed if that is how they have to spend every day from autumn until spring. Then in the summer it gets HOT.

After visiting another room, we were told that her foster Granny had arrived! Sophie took off and me running after her with my camera! I wanted to capture the moment. Sophie went right up to her and talked to her but didn’t hug her. I came to her and shook her hand and said “thank you” and started to cry a little. The man who greeted us when we first arrived turned out to be the uncle that also lives with his mom (Granny) They have another foster daughter. We spend probably 20 minutes or so talking to them with our guide. We had granny tell Sophie something on video for us to have as she grows up. She was sure to tell our guide to tell us that she is very smart! We agree! She told us she was glad to meet us and that she knew we would take very good care of her and help her grow up to be useful. We told her how thankful we were that she took such good care of Sophie and taught her songs and loved her. It was an emotional time for all of us. You could see the emotion on Granny’s face and the uncle as well. I had tears in my eyes.

Then we walked out of the orphanage and said goodbye. Shawn and I both hugged Granny. I hugged Uncle as well! Granny said some words to Sophie and Sophie talked back to Granny and was waving goodbye. She was animated and loud, but never cried. I was crying and bent down to Sophie to show her and picked her up and she just smiled at me. I gave her a big squeezy hug and we were off walking to go see Sophie’s finding spot which was at the gate of the orphanage. This is where she was found at 3 weeks old 6.5 years ago. Apparently there is a new gate now so we walked past the SWI where the elderly live and through a small doorway with an iron door and the “old gate” which is now a concrete wall. 

We hopped back into the van and were shuttled off to lunch at a restaurant in Heng Feng. Just like that it was over!

We were joined by Mary, our driver, the orphanage director, Mr.Huang, 2 ladies from the orphanage and another man who magically appeared. I have no idea who he was! Jake thinks it was the director’s driver… Ok, I just found out it WAS the director’s driver. Jake was right!

We were seated at a large round table with a lazy susan in the middle. Dishes started coming and coming and coming.

 The first thing was like a crispy French fry. Sophie helped herself to many before Mom stopped her and then Mary said, those are deep fried, so she shouldn’t have so many! Out came a cooked tomato and egg dish, rice of course, many different vegetables that I have no idea what they were, green beans and eggplant, lima beans/peas, sticky rice cakes (sorry, they looked gross to me: gray with specks of black and white. Looked seafoodish and I don’t like seafood. Didn’t try that one.  Ate a dish that was good at first bite, then lit up my mouth like a fire! I don’t like spicy food, and even Shawn thought it was spicy! Shoveled some rice in. Course by then my hot tea was gone! Then at the end, yummy dumplings! Oh they were good! I tried a lot, though not everything. Jake sat by Shawn and didn’t eat much at all though he did try a couple things. He likes dumplings so had a few of those. I’m guessing he’s hungry now! It’s 2:45 and we started back at 1pm so probably another 1- 1.5 hours before we get back to the hotel. When we got in the van, Jake pulled out his head phones to watch a movie on Dad’s ipod, and Sophie wanted what he had. I finally decided to let her have a try at the DS (thanks, Josh, for sharing!) She has played Hello Kitty the whole time so far!