Nanchang Orphanage

Today we took a second bullet train to Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi Province, where Julie is from. Our first stop was the Nanchang Orphanage where about 300 children currently live. Julie was in the Jianxin Orphanage which is about an hour away. It closed as an orphanage in December 2013 because almost all of the children were adopted into families.  A few of the children with special needs were then transferred to the Nanchang Orphanage.

We visited with some of the younger children who ranged in age from 2 to 7.  We saw their classrooms and gave them lollipops, pencils, and stickers. They liked the candy the best. Many of the children live with foster families who have small apartments at the orphanage site. Each family cares for 5 or 6 children in a homelike setting. The children go to school at the orphanage until 5 and then go home with their families who are paid to care for them.  The director told us that most of the children have special needs, and some are on waiting lists to be adopted.

The saddest part of the orphanage visit was when we went upstairs to the infant room. There were four or five rows of little cribs next to each other with a little baby in each. We weren't allowed to go into the room because all of the babies have medical conditions. It was heartbreaking to see them lying there. I hope and pray that more and more people will consider adoption as a way to grow their families. Adoption isn't always easy, but I believe every child deserves to be part of a family.

Tomorrow morning we will visit the former Jianxin Orphanage which is now a home for elderly people. We will then drive to Yudu, Julie's hometown, in southern Jiangxi province.