Today we had a wonderful visit with a representative from the nonprofit group that is working with special needs children in our daughter’s province. International China Concern. We also were able to deliver the clothing and knit hat donations to them directly…now we know for sure that the children in her orphanage will get them. They are a wonderful couple from Australia that moved to China 9 years ago. Justin and Lisa… we didn’t get pictures with them because we were so involved in conversation. They took us to coffee, it was nice to get out of the hotel. We have been cooped up here for several hours since the weather is so cold and we only have one two hour tour scheduled each day. They have such big hearts they have devoted their lives to these Chinese children.
Lisa and Justin had 3 failed pregnancies while living in Australia. Lisa met a representative from ICC and her and Justin knew they wanted to help these children in China, and also thought it would be a good way to be around children. They gave up everything in Australia came to China and studied Chinese for 2 years here. Lisa got pregnant while in China…the doctors here in China were able to figure out why she kept having still born children and now they have three biological children of their own. The children all go to public school here and speak Chinese better than they do. The organization has purchases 3 homes and now some of the severely disabled children that have grown to adults live there for free while learning a vocation such as card making. They just do amazing work. These children would most likely die on the streets when they aged out of the orphanage or be homeless and unskilled. This couple is one of the most Christ like people we have ever met. Their life work is all about service. They also take no salary. They are supported completely by donations to the organization. If you can please make a donation to ICC…I have seen firsthand where those funds go and we are so grateful to them.
We then came back to the hotel and had a nap before our visit to the embroidery factory. The Hunan province is world know for their work in silk . Many US presidents have ordered portraits from this factory. It takes the workers about 1 year working on a picture. Some of the art had two sides that were completely different, like a tiger on one side and a panda on the other. Just amazing!
SiSi has done so very well. She had her first real cry last night, just big tears and we couldn’t understand what she needed, and she was soooo frustrated
With us. Luckily it only lasted about 5 minutes we then distracted her with coloring and singing. She had to go wu baba…poop. I think her tummy hurt and she didn’t know how to tell us. We caught her going in her pull up and quickly put her on the potty…she was so happy to be on the potty. I think she was potty training when she was at the orphanage. We are glad she is not afraid of the toilet.
Our Chinese is improving out of necessity and so is her understanding of English. We are packing in the morning for our next flight to Guangzhou…this is where the US Consulate is. We are expecting to meet up with 10 other adoptive families from our adoption agency. It will be nice to speak English again.
I have my own Chinese accent now, the other day I said “werry werry spicy”… instead of very very spicy. Ha ha. This is our last in country flight, we will be getting Sisi’s visa to enter the United States. YEA!!!!
Dawn J
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