Huixin Orphanage.

she enjoyed run-by peekaboo!

lots of cribs.

he had the cutest dimples and loved rocking his chair. he had some mad strength too! he was blind.

he liked to move.

there's mr. smiley again!

he was a ham!

most of them were blind.

another happy camper! he loved being tickled!

feeding time. most kids were fed laying down. some looked asleep.

he was so happy! every time i tickled him, he squealed in delight!

the little blind ones in their plastic and wooden chairs

there were 3 floors and gates that were chained attached to each door on each floor

he was trying to open the door w his coin.

found him playing by himself

he was so happy to be held

the balloons were a hit! this kid ended up with 3!

these people were from CA and decided to visit an orphanage

first he didn't smile...

then i said Smile and he did!

You can't move to China and not visit an orphanage. I have been wanting to visit one for a while now. I decided to google Shanghai orphanages and found a group called BEAN that volunteers monthly at Huixin Orphanage. I was stoked! As usual, I get really into a subject and start doing research on it, like reading all about it online and in books, watching videos. I began to do research on Chinese orphanages and it was really quite sad. There was footage of people sneaking into them with cameras, there were vids of kids tied up in wooden chairs, with legs and arms bound, neglected, malnutritioned, some abused. It was called The Dying Room. They were such sad little creatures. The Chinese govt denies any abuse of any sort, and they are quite sensitive to Western criticism so it's a sensitive issue. But the videos speak for themselves. I was really looking forward to going today so I could brighten up at least one child's day. Once a month is so rare to these kids. It was sad and so much fun at the same time. The orphanage was in Hongkou, which is where the Jewish people lived during WWII. It was in the northern part of SH and took 2 subway transfers for me to get there. It was behind a gas station compound. I was honestly expecting to see what I saw in the videos but it was slightly better. It was still a pretty run down compound, very dark and hot, with no A/C, poor ventilation and the smell of urine and poop everywhere, babies crying and screaming. There were over 100 kids housed there but I did not get to see all of them. When I first arrived, I went to the outside patio where mobile kids were having a ball with balloons that these Californians had brought and were making animals and hats with. The kids had plastic cars to play in. They seemed to enjoy running around and the attention they were receiving. They seemed so happy! Then I went to 3rd fl where I spent the majority of my time with the infants and toddlers, who were sitting in wooden chairs and rockers or sleeping or laying in their cribs all day. Their clothes usually had candy, snot, food and saliva pasted on there. They all had the same clothes on. Most smelled like their diapers were soiled. One child kept throwing up on himself but laid there until I noticed and asked the staff to change him. I asked the staff why one child's hands were tied to the chair itself. She said it was to prevent him from biting his hands and clothes. The sad thing is most of the kids looked like special needs kids. Some had physical deformities, many were blind and rocking back and forth, some had developmental disabilities like Down Syndrome or were mentally retarded. The BEAN prez told me all were abandoned. When i asked if the parents brought them here, she said that is illegal but they somehow find a way to get rid of their children. There were more little boys than I expected b/c everything I read said most are girls (due to wanting to pass on the family name and the 1 child policy). I tried to give as much physical contact as I could to each child but a few kept crying but most seemed comforted with the love and attention. Many of them were so overjoyed and happy little children too, which warmed my heart. Perhaps some of their spirits were not broken. I spent some time in the older kids' room and it was feeding time. There about 4 children slept in one large crib together and most seemed to not be able to stand b/c they laid in a frog like position. One blind child had a strap tied around his waist and the other end to the crib. I played with him for a bit and tried to feed him the porridge and tomato and egg for dinner. Except he did not want to eat but instead wanted to move around, lay on the floor and play. Then I went to say hi to the other children in the room who had just eaten. They all had such different temperaments and were so loving. One child kept calling me ayi and mom. I just can't believe parents can leave their children like this, despite their disabilities. If we are still here at next month's visit, i will come back. I considered coming in weekly but it may be hard given we are going on vacation soon then moving. I also met some of the volunteers who were sweet people who were much more successful at feeding the children than i was. I walked back to the subway station with the BEAN president and another volunteer Stella, both of whom were very sweet people and fun to get to know. The president was sad i was moving and wouldn't be more involved with the organization. I told her how much fun I had and how glad I was to be able to come. When I asked her details about the orphanage, she said no one ever dared to ask. It would be so neat if we stayed in SH, i would come back monthly and watch the children grow. When i asked if anyone ever adopted these children, she said no.

Thank you kids for brightening my day. I hope i did the same for you! Keep that flame inside of you burning. Someday it will get better.