On Sunday, we made another visit to the "Orphanage" in Shanxi. Again, our hearts were deeply moved and broken. The last we had heard from the director or his wife was when little Hannah went to be with our Lord. So it wasn't going to be easy to walk back in through those doors, knowing that we would never see her sweet face again.
As we entered the town, and drove by the many shops and people, our hearts filled with excitement! We were almost there, where we would be the hands and feet of Jesus, holding, loving and comforting His dear children. We drove through the gate of where they live, and parked the van...We arrived! We walked though the rickety doors, as the smell of urine, vomit, and unbathed bodies filled the air just as before. Our hearts melted again as we walked into the first room where the majority of Children are kept. The mat hadn't been changed even once since our last visit. It was still covered in waste leaked from the Children's overfull under changed diapers. To the right of the room still stood the poor sweet Child who is tied up to the wall like a prisoner, eagerly trying to crawl over to us as the rope constrained her. She seemed to be around 6 years old or so. In front of us crowding the edge of the "bed" (Concrete bed with a thin mat on it, commonly known as a "Kang" bed here) The Children reached up their arms toward us, aching for love and affection. As we picked them up one by one, we felt saddened... for each of us only had two arms... Many of the Children continued to constantly stand on the bed with their arms extended out and in their sweet small voices asking to be held. "Pick me, hold me." They cried out to us. But as we tried to put one down to give another child a chance, they would cling on and cry. Oh the joy and laughter that was on their faces as we played with them. Although the pain in their eyes was still there, they only felt the joy of being loved. As I sauntered out of the room for a moment, I heard little cries coming from another room. I walked over and entered the next room that last time we had visited didn't have anyone inside. And on the bed I saw two bundles of blankets, and as I walked closer I saw two sweet babies wrapped up tightly in the blankets. I sat down on the bed next to them and observed for a time. I noticed the little one to the left was constantly coughing and choking on what seemed to be his own saliva, the baby to the right seemed motionless as she looked around blankly. I reached over to pick up the baby girl to the right. I gently lifted the blanket, as an unpleasant aroma filled the area, I felt something wet and cold on my hand. As I reached under her small little body, I realized quickly she hadn't been changed in a long time. I felt my heart cry for them as I realized in the middle of winter, they had been lying in their own waste, and no one seemed to care. I quickly searched the room for diapers and wipes. Although I found a few diapers a few sizes too big, I couldn'd find wipes. So I asked Daddy if he could get our wipes from the van to change this poor sweet girl. After changing her, I held her for a while rocking her and patting her back. She didn't show much response and the back of her head was practically bald from the neglect. I then lay her down and went to hold the other one. I wasn't surprised when I lifted the blankets to find the same thing. After cleaning him up, I held him close. Looking deep into his eyes I saw a precious child of God. Maybe he didn't smell good, maybe he didn't look like a perfect baby, but as I looked at him I saw him perfect in God's eyes. Later I found out the baby girl was only 5 months old, and the boy was almost 1 year old. Heartbreaking. These little ones should be being held by their mother, consoled and loved, but instead are left alone, abandoned, their voices and cries of pain unheard in the cruel world they live in.
Time flew all to fast, as we realized the day was far spent. Jennifer took out her medical kit and examined each of the Children for sickness, Bronchitis, Pneumonia, heart irregularity, or just wounds to be cleaned. She found a few Children that needed medicine. So we ran to the pharmacy close by and calculated out a weeks worth of medicine for each of the sick ones. The people at the pharmacy were quite friendly and had a lot of fun taking pictures with us. Foreigners are quite rare in that area, so I guess we were more like celebrities to them. After buying the medicine we went to the store next door and bought a bunch of diapers for them as well. As we returned and gave the medication, diapers and a few other gifts we brought we said goodbye, and told them we would be back again. As we walked out, I turned my head to take one last glimpse of the Children, reaching out, longing for love as they cried. Leaving was so painful, and what we had experienced was impossible to describe with words.... Oh how we longed to take each one of them home, to give them all baths, and do their hair, feed them a good healthy meals,hold them in our arms and care for them. But we felt helpless, because we can't. The laws of the cruel world, make it next to impossible. But at least we can love on them, and visit them as often as we can afford the long trip there. Each child deserves love, deserves to be held closely and given cuddles, deserves a home, deserves to be fed and bathed... Not treated like animals, and fed bottles just to stay alive.
As we began our 6 hour trip back home, there was a period of silence.... all we could feel was the pain those dear Children lived. All we could think was how badly we want to help and change the life that they are living. If you can call it living. This problem is huge here in China! There are babies abandoned constantly, and those who have them after they are found, hold very little value for their precious little lives.
Here are a few pictures from our trip... Please pray for these precious little ones. And if you feel led to donate to our ministry of helping these Children, and our other ministries please click on the donation link below. God Bless! Every donation helps.
As we entered the town, and drove by the many shops and people, our hearts filled with excitement! We were almost there, where we would be the hands and feet of Jesus, holding, loving and comforting His dear children. We drove through the gate of where they live, and parked the van...We arrived! We walked though the rickety doors, as the smell of urine, vomit, and unbathed bodies filled the air just as before. Our hearts melted again as we walked into the first room where the majority of Children are kept. The mat hadn't been changed even once since our last visit. It was still covered in waste leaked from the Children's overfull under changed diapers. To the right of the room still stood the poor sweet Child who is tied up to the wall like a prisoner, eagerly trying to crawl over to us as the rope constrained her. She seemed to be around 6 years old or so. In front of us crowding the edge of the "bed" (Concrete bed with a thin mat on it, commonly known as a "Kang" bed here) The Children reached up their arms toward us, aching for love and affection. As we picked them up one by one, we felt saddened... for each of us only had two arms... Many of the Children continued to constantly stand on the bed with their arms extended out and in their sweet small voices asking to be held. "Pick me, hold me." They cried out to us. But as we tried to put one down to give another child a chance, they would cling on and cry. Oh the joy and laughter that was on their faces as we played with them. Although the pain in their eyes was still there, they only felt the joy of being loved. As I sauntered out of the room for a moment, I heard little cries coming from another room. I walked over and entered the next room that last time we had visited didn't have anyone inside. And on the bed I saw two bundles of blankets, and as I walked closer I saw two sweet babies wrapped up tightly in the blankets. I sat down on the bed next to them and observed for a time. I noticed the little one to the left was constantly coughing and choking on what seemed to be his own saliva, the baby to the right seemed motionless as she looked around blankly. I reached over to pick up the baby girl to the right. I gently lifted the blanket, as an unpleasant aroma filled the area, I felt something wet and cold on my hand. As I reached under her small little body, I realized quickly she hadn't been changed in a long time. I felt my heart cry for them as I realized in the middle of winter, they had been lying in their own waste, and no one seemed to care. I quickly searched the room for diapers and wipes. Although I found a few diapers a few sizes too big, I couldn'd find wipes. So I asked Daddy if he could get our wipes from the van to change this poor sweet girl. After changing her, I held her for a while rocking her and patting her back. She didn't show much response and the back of her head was practically bald from the neglect. I then lay her down and went to hold the other one. I wasn't surprised when I lifted the blankets to find the same thing. After cleaning him up, I held him close. Looking deep into his eyes I saw a precious child of God. Maybe he didn't smell good, maybe he didn't look like a perfect baby, but as I looked at him I saw him perfect in God's eyes. Later I found out the baby girl was only 5 months old, and the boy was almost 1 year old. Heartbreaking. These little ones should be being held by their mother, consoled and loved, but instead are left alone, abandoned, their voices and cries of pain unheard in the cruel world they live in.
Time flew all to fast, as we realized the day was far spent. Jennifer took out her medical kit and examined each of the Children for sickness, Bronchitis, Pneumonia, heart irregularity, or just wounds to be cleaned. She found a few Children that needed medicine. So we ran to the pharmacy close by and calculated out a weeks worth of medicine for each of the sick ones. The people at the pharmacy were quite friendly and had a lot of fun taking pictures with us. Foreigners are quite rare in that area, so I guess we were more like celebrities to them. After buying the medicine we went to the store next door and bought a bunch of diapers for them as well. As we returned and gave the medication, diapers and a few other gifts we brought we said goodbye, and told them we would be back again. As we walked out, I turned my head to take one last glimpse of the Children, reaching out, longing for love as they cried. Leaving was so painful, and what we had experienced was impossible to describe with words.... Oh how we longed to take each one of them home, to give them all baths, and do their hair, feed them a good healthy meals,hold them in our arms and care for them. But we felt helpless, because we can't. The laws of the cruel world, make it next to impossible. But at least we can love on them, and visit them as often as we can afford the long trip there. Each child deserves love, deserves to be held closely and given cuddles, deserves a home, deserves to be fed and bathed... Not treated like animals, and fed bottles just to stay alive.
As we began our 6 hour trip back home, there was a period of silence.... all we could feel was the pain those dear Children lived. All we could think was how badly we want to help and change the life that they are living. If you can call it living. This problem is huge here in China! There are babies abandoned constantly, and those who have them after they are found, hold very little value for their precious little lives.
Here are a few pictures from our trip... Please pray for these precious little ones. And if you feel led to donate to our ministry of helping these Children, and our other ministries please click on the donation link below. God Bless! Every donation helps.