For the last couple of months, every Friday my friend Courtney and I have been volunteering at a local orphanage called Shanghai Healing Home. It is run by an expat lady named Christina who is amazing. They take in little Chinese babies with cleft lip and palate, usually from other orphanages, and then take care of them while getting their surgeries all set up. It is an awesome place and I have really loved going and helping out there. And we have the best job ever! All we have to do is hold and play with these adorable babies.
Courtney playing her guitar for one of the babies.
This is Anna. She is the first of the babies to have the surgery for her cleft lip. She has to wait until she is older to get her surgery for the cleft palate. Isn't she adorable?!
When I went today, I got to spend the time I was there holding one of the newest babies. (Didn't have my camera today) Her name is Joy and she is 5 weeks old. But she is the tiniest little baby I have ever seen! She was extremely malnourished when she got to the Healing Home- she is still the size of a newborn, poor thing. Today though, she was the most alert I have seen her! She was actually looking and focusing on me. She seemed to respond to me singing to her and she just seemed to look so much better. Before, she didn't even seem to have the energy to cry, her mouth would open but nothing would come out. This is a really great place and I think Christina is doing a great thing by helping these babies. I wish I could be here longer to see what happens with each of the babies.
Today was my last day volunteering there which was a little sad. I am going to miss those cuties! Unfortunately, our time here in China is quickly winding down. We fly back to the US in just two weeks. Today is Eric's last day of his internship and then next Tuesday we are off on our little China tour before heading home. Time is just flying by!
1 comment:
i landed on your site somehow... and if it brings any happiness to you in leaving those kids- you can know they are going to have perfectly normal lives! In fact, they can be on the honor roll, be amazing at playing instruments, and do everything any other child could. Cleft lips might just look different but that's about all they are. I will say, they have a long road of surgeries in their lifetime- and it is challenging to accept sometimes. But God willing, they will not let it impede their progression in life. I know from experience! What a nice thing you did!
ps. I shared this because not a lot of people understand much about what cleft lips/palates mean for people. Take care!
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