Visiting Fuzhou

001bThis morning Gongzhan, Rocky, and I headed out to Fuzhou.  We were hoping to take the train but it is closed down for the year for repair work.  It was about a four hour trip to get there, but I enjoyed talking with Gongzhan and again, just looking out the window and taking in China.  We met Jack and his assistant at the Lakeside Hotel where I stayed last time in Fuzhou, and we had lunch together there.  I gave him a special photo I had framed of us with him when we were here in July, and then also presented to him a certificate for $10,000 on behalf of AGCI to help with a future training program in Fuzhou to help the orphans here.  I learned that in Fuzhou last year, 2013,  they did 72 adoptions, a drop from 99 in 2012, due to the 2 month delay with the database issues at the CCCWA. I was not surprised to hear that since we had delays in our office over this too.

I told  Jack with excitement the placements of all the kids, and told them many of the stories of the families who are adopting the kids on our first list, from Gabriella, to Enoch to Ayla… I tried to tell as many stories as I could!  He was so happy to hear that we had seen a precious little girl with Down Syndrome(DS)  placed. He said in the whole province only one child with DS was placed last year.  I told him we will do our best to change this, since there are many children with DS in Fujian and we want to help the kids.  He asked if I can do some research and get some information to him for training on how to care for kids with DS that we could get out to the orphanages.  I learned that there are a lot of orphanages in Fujian, I believe it is about 57, but only 10-15 do adoption paperwork.  I really like Jack a lot and he seems to really care about the kids.  I love getting the question, why do families care to adopt children with special needs kids? It was at this lunch I got asked this question for the second time this week.  I love telling them about our amazing, loving, China families and how for many, they are Christians and want to help orphans.

004bWhen we left, I was told we would be able to stop and visit the Fengzhe orphanage.  I have thought of the kids there almost daily since July!   They have not received the cerebral palsy chairs so we checked on them today and they will be there soon.  They remembered us and allowed us to take pictures this time and allowed us to walk through and talk to them about which ones we recommend they do paperwork on asap, they were very open to our suggestions.  They actually pulled the paperwork out of the kids while we were there and took notes on what we were saying and said they will follow what we suggested.  And guess who I saw? The sweet one week old newborn baby from last time with clubbed feet, and one little one with DS, stole my heart.  They had about 5-8 kids I think would be minor to moderate needs, and I urged them to get the paperwork done so an adoption agency could place these kids.