Thursday, June 24, 2010

visiting luchuan


the market in Luchuan

here we are with all the items we were able to donate to the orphanage as a result of the Mark Schultz concert: one large a/c unit, one small a/c unit, 4 walkers, one stroller, 2 cases of formula, & 30 towels! Grace for Orphans team, how awesome is this!!!???

the view out from jenna's orphanage

Jenna's finding spot; under the tree right outside the gates of the orphanage, she was found wrapped in a blanket inside a paper box and 9 days old.

jenna's orphanage

the market in Luchuan

on the drive out to her village; looking adorable. She has become very fond of her panda bear. :)


it was about 3.5 hours out to luchuan. had to go right through yulin to get there. yulin is the biggest city around luchuan, although luchuan is bigger than i expected. there was alot of farmlands and very small villages in between each place. all the way from nanning (heading to the east) were beautiful mountains as the backdrop in front of rice fields and small villages. very beautiful. on the back in even better as it was raining and foggy and misty looking. reminded me alot of NC and blue ridge parkway. big green mountains; except with rice fields, water buffalo and farmers with those pointed bamboo hats. :)

first thing we did was meet the nanny and director from yesterday in the market area at the shop to purchase air conditioners, and then the other baby supplies. We got SO much with the money: one large a/c, one smaller a/c, 2 cases (which was alot) of formula, 5 walkers, 1 stroller and 30 towels. that was awesome. we then followed them back to the orphanage. we couldn't go inside the building; apparently gov't won't allow that for anyone; so the main director and another worker came out and we all sat and talked and fed jenna and hung out waiting for a/c delivery. right when we first got out of the car in the village, the nanny asked to hold jenna for awhile, if i didn't mind. i didn't know what to do. i wanted her to have that time to say goodbye but didn't want jenna to be confused. she was fine with her and keep looking at me too. kind of sweet. once in the shop, the nanny needed to talk with shop workers when paying and stuff so she handed her back to me, and jenna came right to me and didn't cry at all!!! YAHOO!

so after we fed her and walked over and took pictures by her finding spot (literally, right outside the gates of the orphanage.) this person would have had to GO to the orphanage to abandon her there; it's not right in the center of town or anything. not terribly far, but kind of off on its own a little. it's some kind of banyan tree, and I took several leaves off of it to press and keep. When david tore the leaf off, it had a ladybug on it. I couldn't get my camera on fast enough before it flew away but it was something i'll remember forever, as much of the day was.

went back up to the orphanage as the truck came by with delivery of a/c units. while i went to the restroom i asked the nanny to hold jenna. she is very afraid of david, directors, maybe men? (uh oh jas!) so after i came out we were getting ready to leave and so i went to take her back, and she again came right to me without crying! all the orphanage people were like "aaahhh!" excited and I put up one hand as though victorious!! it was awesome. then right after that the one nanny called up to ask her other nanny to come out and say goodbye. apparently these 2 were her closest nannies there and she also held jenna for a moment but did great coming back to me again. i think we're getting there. us three are the only ones i've seen her be ok with, so even if she doesn't know i'm mama, she does know i'm safe.

Photobucket

5 comments:

Football and Fried Rice said...

amazing.

i can't believe that you stood in the place where Jenna was (likely) born and raised for 2 years.

nine days old.

i wonder what those nine days were like for the person who left her under that banyan tree to be found?

One more week and you will be home!

Valerie and Jeff said...

How extra special to visit the actual spot where Jenna was placed to be found ... what love her parents had for her in the heart ache they must have had as they gave her to another. Just as Jenna is coming to trust you I am hopeful that God will put peace on their hearts at this moment knowing that she is safe and well loved. It was probably a huge step for Jenna to see the nannies and you all holding her and freely letting each of you share in her care and love. She is so smart and perhaps this will help bridge this transition and in her time open up more to you. I love the ladybug on the leaf by the way!! What a gift from God at just that moment!

jennifer said...

sounds like an amazing day! I got chills when you talked about taking leaves from the tree. That is so sweet. I wish we had been able to see Wesleigh's finding spot. I guess we'll have to return someday! so glad things are going good!

RocĂ­o said...

Thank you very much for these photos , they mean a lot for me so I can show them to Lu ming Wei when she gets older.

My sister wasn´t allow to visit the orphanage so thank you a lot.

Unknown said...

The picture of the finding spot is moving. I can't imagine how hard it must have been for that person to walk to that spot and walk away from this perfect child. Oh, Lord, be with her birthmother and birthfather.