Current needs at Bengbu Orphanage

Here is a short list of the current needs at the Bengbu Orphanage:

1. A special needs therapy area - Right now the Bengbu SWI serves as a therapeutic center for Special Needs children all over Anhui province. Director Song wouldlike to see a SN facility built at the orphanage with a lot of equipment for thechildren. This project will be in the range of several hundred thousand US dollars.

2. A car for the children - Orphanage is currently using an ambulance to get some of the older orphanage children back and forth to school. A good quality minibus to carry the children back and forth to school would be between 4000 and 5000 USD. The director thinks that this would be a much safer option for thechildren, especially the disabled children, and the children that otherwise would have their parents/family guide them through the streets.

3. Playground bouncehouse - The orphanage director would like to get a bouncehouse (an inflatable play area for children ) for the children. Cost is between 3400 to 4800 USD.

4. Electric scooters - The orphanage would like to have 2 additional scooters for the older disabled orphans, similar to those we donated last year. Cost is $450 USD each.

5. TV - The orphanage would like to have an additional TV as was donated this year. Estimated cost around 400 USD.

6. As always, the orphanage welcomes donations of fungible items such as diapers, milk powder, and clothing.

Nannies viewing letters from families

I visited the orphanage again on the 7th of April, and during this time, Ms. Wan invited the nannies to come into Director Song's office and have a look at the photos and letters I presented to them from the happy families who are blessed to have children from Bengbu orphanage. I was very humbled by the fact that Director Song offered his office in which to invite the nannies. While I was videotaping the event, Director Song played instrumental music in the background. I think he understood what I was doing, and I think it was his way of communicating to the families. The choice of songs brought tears to my eyes. There was a rendition of "So Lost Without You" by Air Supply, and "What Child is This"(Greensleeves). The nannies remembered every face, and sadly there were some nannies in photos that had retired and the orphanage did not know where they lived to contact them. The nannies looked intently at the photos, and even shared with me some humorous anecdotes on behaviors that they remembered. One said with a giggle and a smile, "oh my, she was so stubborn! She always wanted her way!"

Of the photos I took with me where the nannies were featured, I had the nannies sign the photos so that I could deliver them back to the families.

Director Song even took the children in his arms and played with them as the nannies looked at the photos.

The meeting was unfortunately brief, the nannies had to return to their posts to take care of the precious children in their care. I was very grateful for Ms. Wan to have them meet with me.

Above - Cherished nannies of Bengbu SWI. The love and caring they give can be seen in the smiles and the happiness of the children.

Director Song with the two beautiful girls from China. Sorry folks, they're taken, and I'm the lucky guy!! :)

Visit to Dragon Lake Park

Ms. Wan and Ms. Sun then took us to a park on Dragon Lake, where we took a casual stroll among the throngs of people celebrating the public holiday of Qingming, or Tomb Sweeping Festival

Click here to see the location on Google Earth.

It was calming to walk with Ms. Wan, who asked a number of questions to me. "How many families are you in contact with?" she asked. We also spoke about the difficulty in trying to satisfy both the needs of the donors and the needs of the orphanage. Both parties have kind and passionate hearts, but there needs to be more understanding on both sides. There may be misunderstanding regarding what the orphanage really needs, or what they can actually do. On the other hand, the orphanage staff can also gain an understanding of the concerns and the desires of the donors who wish to support the orphanage. Sun Lele and I committed ourselves to serving as best we could as the link between these two groups who are forever linked.




Above - a sculpture at the park entrance.

Below - easygoing visitors to the Dragon Lake Park.

Ms. Sun Lele and Orphanage Director Ms. Wan, our heroes!

Pear Blossoms in Bengbu

The orphanage staff took my family out for a brief visit to the beautiful spring sights of Bengbu. At this time in April, the pear blossoms are blooming. Couples who are soon to wed take advantage of the blooming flowers to take some wedding photos. Family, friends, and photographers were gathered in this area in the gentle breezes and cool temperatures to capture some of the fleeting beauty of the pear trees in bloom.

Beautiful Children of Bengbu

Lovely beautiful cherished children of Bengbu SWI. All these children appeared very healthy and well cared for. The orphanage staff was doing a fantastic job. The orphanage staff were always hugging and holding the children, and all appeared very enthusiastic about their jobs, and were very happy to care for the children. This is my 4th visit to this orphanage, and I recognized all the same staff from my first visit 4 years ago.

Packages of Hope - Pride of accomplishments

I'm very proud to have been a part of the orphanage in Bengbu. The Bengbu Orphanage has been very happy with our efforts! A few tokens of thanks for our group!

Baby bouncers and blankets:

Visiting the orphanage - Part 1

On our first of two days in Bengbu, my family was taken to the orphanage where we had a tour of the orphanage.

I have been to a few orphanages in my charity experience, and usually I am met by a driver, or I take a taxi to the orphanage.

However, with Bengbu, it was a bit different. The SWI director (Mr. Song) himself came in his own personal car to drive me to the orphanage. Keep in mind that this is a man who has several dozens of staff members working for him, and he oversees not only the orphanage for infant children, but also the departments which oversee older orphaned children, the adult mentally disabled, and the elderly. IN ADDITION, he came to see me on his personal holiday, which was the tomb sweeping festival. As many in our tight adoption community know, Director Song lost his only son in a tragic boating accident several years ago (when his son was 19), and so I was extremely touched and honored that he met with us on this very sacred day.

He greeted me very warmly, a testament to our long relationship together in helping the children. I cherish this relationship, and pledge always to work diligently to maintain the trust we have developed.

Also greeting us was orphanage director Ms. Wan (a Doctor of pediatric medicine), who is the director of the SWI that deals with children under the age of 3. We have also known each other since 2005, and we greeted each other with a warm hug. I was very proud to introduce the staff to my family, and to let them know that although our daughters were not from the Bengbu orphanage, I was very proud to take them there as their very first visit to an orphanage since their adoption.

Our arrival there was very low key, given the fact that it was a holiday. We visited the children and had a look at some of the recent donations from Packages of Hope, thanks primarily this time to Suzanne Erstand and the Oslo International School, located in Norway. Suzanne is very voracious fundraiser, and has a deep passion for Bengbu, given that her and her husband are proud parents of a Bengbu beauty!

Check out some of the donations she's made possible! -

Below - new sheets (on the beds that POH has donated in 2006)

New clothes for the Bengbu cuties!

new airconditioners for the intensive care area of the orphanage

more sheets!


A microwave oven!

Bengbu - Steven's new baby - Mylie!

As many who have been following and supporting Packages of Hope charity in Bengbu over the last 4 years know, our efforts are made possible by a fantastic team effort. One of our cherished team members, Steven Tao, recently welcomed his new daughter into the world. I was honored to meet this beautiful little baby of this noble man. Steven has been selflessly helping Packages of Hope in delivering items to the orphanage for us, and helping us to assist the children without any pay or benefit. I am honored to know Steven and his family.

Below is my wife with Mylie!

Below you can see the happy Tao family - Steven, Mylie, and lovely bride Amanda.

Below you can see a photo I am very proud to be in. From left to right - Amanda (holding Mylie), Steven, Jeff, and Sun Lele. Sun Lele is also a cherished member of the Packages of Hope team. She helped me throughout my journey this time, and has helped us many times in selflessly volunteering her time and effort for the children of Bengbu. Watch out local Bengbu men, this young beautiful woman is still single! Lele is Bengbu native, and is very happy to live her life in Bengbu.

On our Way from Hefei to Bengbu

We started our trip from the Hefei airport to Bengbu. We were very lucky to have the assistance of Jane, who offered to help us arrange transport from Hefei to Bengbu. She is a wonderful person with great reputation, and has helped a number of families travel in Anhui. If you ever need to contact her, please email her here. She did a fantastic job by us!

On our way, we noticed a few graveyards in the fields along the way. These are not common in the city, but can be seen from time to time along the highway in the countryside. These had special significance on the day we traveled (April 5th), as this was the occasion of the "tomb sweeping festival", when families traditionally visit the graves of their ancestors to clean their grave markers, and offer ceremonial yellow paper money (which is burned - thus delivering them to their loved ones in heaven), and offering of ceremonial food and other tokens of devotion.

On the way we stopped at a truck stop for a potty break, and noticed that there was a poster outside warning people against the hazards of unsafe driving. It was quite graphic, but I'm sure that a few people got the message! Have a look by this link to my video on youtube. The video also shows some images of our arrival to Bengbu city.