Packages of Hope - China 2009: Visiting the orphanage

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)