Packages of Hope - China - May 2007

Bengbu volunteer - Steven Tao - graduates

2007-06-24T14:29:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Steven Tao, our dedicated volunteer in Bengbu, on his graduation from Bengbu Medical College with a Masters Degree!

Update on Bengbu - Local volunteers!

2007-06-24T14:05:00.000-07:00

I'm so proud of our local volunteers in Bengbu!

After I left China, I am still in contact with the high school students. These fine young men and women have been volunteering in the orphanage, and have been spending time with the children, and have been teaching computer classes!

I am so proud!

Very high praise for the students and the new Chinese leaders of tomorrow for becoming involved in local charity for their community!

Here you can see Orphanage director Ms. Wan, the headmaster of Bengbu No. 2 middle school, who was once an orphan, and one of the students at the orphanage.

Last stop - Philip Hayden Foundation

2007-06-24T13:43:00.000-07:00

My last stop on my journey to China was the Philip Hayden Foundation (Shepherd's Field, Langfang village), right outside of Beijing, in Tianjin.

It is a premier facility, all due to donations from caring people and organizations.

I had the pleasure of visiting with Dr. Moody, and looking in on Baby Emily, a girl we (at Packages of Hope) had been helping to sponsor to get treatment she needed.

She is thriving now, thanks solely to the staff at Philip Hayden. It was a story that I was proud to be a part of!

Please click HERE to see a video of this precious girl.

Mongolian Dinner - Chifeng

2007-06-24T13:28:00.000-07:00

My time in Chifeng was painfully brief. But I was treated like an honored guest throughout my stay, and prior to my plane flight, I was treated as a guest of honor to a traditional Mongolian meal. During this ceremonial meal, a woman in traditional dress sang to me in a beautiful operatic voice, and by drinking 3 cups of Bijou, ensured that I would one day return again to this fair city.

You really do need to click HERE to see the stunning video of the sendoff I received, sung not in Chinese, but in the Mongolian language.

The ChiFeng SWI

2007-06-24T13:12:00.001-07:00

I was honored to have a look at the ChiFeng SWI, which is a central orphanage serving all of eastern Inner Mongolia.

Orphanage director Yu was kind enough to show us all around the facility, and showed us the Special Needs facility that was recently made possible by foreign donations.

We were able to make a donation of a boiling water maker, and due to the fundraising efforts of Cathy Rigsbee, we are able to make a donation of a solar water heater.

Click HERE to see some of the precious children of the ChiFeng SWI.

Scenes of ChiFeng

2007-06-24T12:45:00.000-07:00

The ChiFeng visit was due entirely to a beautiful boy named Nathan.

He was united with his forever family, the Rigsbee's, recently. His devoted parents wanted to do something for this orphanage, as it is relatively remote. We began correspondence with the orphanage director, and we found out the needs of the orphanage. I wanted to visit this place sacred to the Rigsbee family, in order to see how Packages of Hope could help.

While visiting, I was enriched by the Mongolian culture!

There were several interesting sights, that are definitely different than the other parts of China I have visited!

One of the things that was different was that the signs were all in dual languages. As you can see in the photo above, the bottom row is Mandarin Chinese script, whereas the top row is Mongolian (Manchu).

The food was also very distinct, and I was able to see the different food preparation techniques!

Click HERE to see these VERY interesting food preparation methods. Also, you can see me taking a look at how the city tends public parks by cutting the grass.

Also, while wandering down a street which was undergoing construction, I came across an interesting find - a pelvic bone. I'm pretty sure it was human, and I alerted a local attendant standing by a store front, but he didn't seem to want to do anything. (I photo'ed my shoe for scale)

We also visited the sacred mountain of ChiFeng, which has a very distinct red tint to the granite. We paid our respects to a buddhist shrine in a cave on the mountain.

Click HERE to see a video of this cave (username: packagesofhope, password: donate, you may have to enter it twice)

Train to ChiFeng

2007-06-24T12:16:00.000-07:00

After a lunch hosted by the orphanage staff, I said my goodbyes to Siping, and headed for the train station.

Hannah, Helen, and I boarded a train for our 8 hour trek to ChiFeng, Inner Mongolia.

On the first leg of our journey, we had to travel via 3rd class, or "seated class". While this was a short leg of the journey, the quarters were cramped, and there wasn't any space for my two huge suitcases. (there are no baggage cars for "seated class"). Hannah managed to have my bags jammed towards the end of the cars, much to the consternation of some of the passengers.

(note to others -- when traveling via train, either make sure you can get sleeper seating arrangements, or pack light!)

Then, switching trains at TongLiao train station, we journeyed on to ChiFeng.

Click HERE to see some video of the train ride!

Witness to an abandonment

2007-06-21T16:24:00.000-07:00

While at the orphanage, I was witness to an event that had a profound impact on me, and was of great significance to me as an adoptive parent – Abandonment.

Of course the event caused an emotional response in me that I had rehearsed in my mind several times, in the extremely improbable event that I would be faced with the “Truth” behind our daughters origins.

It’s one of those things that me as an adoptive parent am forever labeled as “unable to understand”. “The pain of separation” is something that only abandoned children must truly reconcile with, while I am left to read books and consult with therapists in order to prepare myself with the inevitable discussions with my daughter.

In many ways we are all left, at one point or another in our lives, with facing these unanswerable questions of loss and grief. I only am cursed with the fact that I will be unable to truly share this pain that my daughters will hopefully learn to cope with.

And while most of us adoptive parents are left to sift through the reports about our daughter’s abandonment, in those very nicely printed and sealed documents that are presented to us by the orphanage or government staff, we wonder what REALLY happened, and wonder if we really WANT to know what happened.

I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to know or understand these things, but during my time in Siping I had the distinct honor of being part of a story which few beyond the orphanage walls are privy to, which is the beginning of the great story of a baby.

I named her “baby Joyce”. Of course Joyce isn’t her real name, but it was the name I gave her. I know that her forever family will have a name for her, and I can’t wait to hear what it is.
It started with Hannah and I preparing to leave the Siping orphanage. The director thanked us for our donations, and in particular, for our support of needed surgeries.

I had my camera, videocamera, and notepad tucked away in my backpack, when Hannah and the director began chatting vigorously between each other. Hannah looked very intense, and when they spun on their heels and went back towards the orphanage, I knew something was up.
When Hannah began to talk back at me as she was climbing the stairs, a chill gripped me, and I felt unable to breathe. Hannah said there is a foundling upstairs, who is less than 3 days old. She was found only hours ago, and has a special need, which is the suspected reason for her abandonment.

Hannah’s eyes locked with mine as she said, “We’re going to take a look.”

I knew that look from Hannah. I had seen it many times before. Hannah doesn’t “take a look”. Hannah is an Angel, and she saves lives. I knew right away that we were now path of destiny, one which now involved a little girl.

The head of the orphanage was a few paces ahead of us, and as we finished our climb up the steps, I saw her duck into a room at the end of the hall. When we arrived, I saw a room full of spare equipment, and looked down and saw only a pile of clothes.

Only it wasn’t a pile of clothes. It was an oblong and white, and was angled on a bouncy seat. Only when I saw a tiny head move did I gasp in surprise.

All alone in the little room, the tiny girl lay swathed in blankets. Hannah knelt down beside her and stroked her face, and little tiny eye slits parted, revealing crystalline brown eyes.

Hannah chatted with the orphanage director, as they discussed the child.

She still had amniotic fluid dried in her hair. Her bellybutton still had the remnants of the umbilical cord.

My eyes went wide as I realized that the mother of this child was probably still nearby. She would still be recovering from the birth of the child. While I am not worthy to even speculate as to her thoughts, I began to grieve for her (which I know is still presumptuous of me).

I closed my eyes and said a silent prayer. I am near to the nexus of the most unknowable part of this child’s life, of the causes of why and how. And I know that even as this girl comes of age, and I am able to talk with her and share with her all the photos and pictures, and memories, and thoughts and opinions I have, I still will not be able to provide her with any answers.

But I will be able to tell her that we found solutions.

The director and Hannah came to an agreement that Hannah would be able to care for this child in the short term. I can only hope I played a part in the decision, letting her know that we would do what it took in order to make sure this child received the operation she needed.

We took her to Hannah’s facilities where she was cleaned up and placed in a crib.
Hannah continues to monitor her progress, and I look forward to seeing her surgery go through successfully.

Click Here to see a video of this really cute child

Siping Park in the Morning

2007-06-21T15:55:00.000-07:00

I spent one night in a very nice hotel in Siping.

The next morning I awoke early, and took a walk around a nearby park.

Even on just an ordinary day, the park was alive and bustling with people.

There were several elderly people engaging in various social activities, like singing, or playing the erhu and singing opera, or exercising. There were young people running around looking bored and up to various mischief. And there were young children being escorted around by elder family members, no doubt on their way to school.

The park was really neat, a mix of a carnival theme park, and a quite area of respite for those looking to take a meandering journey through gardens.

Click Here and Here to see some video of the park

When I returned to the hotel, I ate breakfast in the lobby, and saw that there was a wedding reception going on. A great group of people were together, and the bride and groom, still in fancy dress, were walking around greeting people, and serving BEER and BIJOU (the strong stuff). All still before 9am!

The Siping SWI

2007-06-19T20:48:00.001-07:00

I had a lovely visit to the Siping SWI. Not only had Packages of Hope provided a hot water heater, some books and bookshelves (Libraries of Hope), some tables and chairs, an incubator, a digital camera,

and needed surgeries, but we had also formed a good relationship with the staff there. This is primarily due to Hannah, who, over the years has been through thick and thin with the orphanage director. We've achieved a level of trust that I'm very proud of, and thus we are able to do more for the children there, and stay informed of the real needs of the orphanage.

We found out that the orphanage is visited, on average, once a month by foreign visitors. Many come from the USA, but they also come from Norway and Sweden, and also from Taiwan. I am trying to see if we can coordinate some of these groups, in order to see if we can maximize our impact for the children there. There is certainly a lot of need there, in terms of surgeries and care for the children. If anyone would like to coordinate efforts, please let me know! I'm here to help!

Click here for more video of those lovely Siping cuties!

The Siping School for the Deaf

2007-06-19T20:35:00.001-07:00

Right next door to Hannah's facility is the Siping School for the Deaf. Two of the students here are from the orphanage. Many of the others are children of very poor farmers in the area. Generous donors have provided sponsorships for these students, and we are very grateful. There are still students than need sponsoring, so if you feel so inclined, your donations are welcome!

Again thanks very much to the donors for helping out with these very bright children!

When I returned, many of the students recognized me! One in particular, a boy named Zhang, just ran up to me and gave me a big hug! We helped to provide a hearing aid to him in 2005 (see the blog post here - under "Siping School for the Deaf")

I had a GREAT time with them, and you can see my video with them here

I think you'll find the video very amusing. The kids were marveling at the presence of hair on my arms and chest, and then pointing out the lack of the same on my head!

We had such a fun time!

I do not know what it is like to be deaf, but I do know what it is like to have the absence of a sense. I am severely myopic, and without contact lenses, I'm basically blind. So I understand that there's different ways in which one can process information from the outside world.

When the school children came up to me, they recognized me immediately from when I was there nearly 2 years ago. They were so happy to see me, and this made my heart soar.
Then, they surrounded me, and began to touch me. The teachers started to scold them away, knowing that this is not "proper" behavior, but I told them not to worry about it. I understood that a lot of their world is tactile, or touching. I can understand this, because without my contact lenses in the morning, that's the only way I'm able to get around - by touch!!

It was so endearing how they were touching me, although I was a bit embarrassed when they wanted to see my stomach to see if there was hair there!

But they wanted to see all the things in my bags, and wanted me to empty my pockets. They carefully went over everything, just absolutely curious about every detail. I even gave them some of my hand sanitizer, which was met with great discussion amongst the kids.

Hannah's Siping Center

2007-06-19T20:12:00.000-07:00

I returned to Hannah's Siping center, and was happy to again visit with the Nannies that I had met over a year ago.

I was able to meet a feisty little boy, who we had assisted in provided surgery for. He is absolutely too cute for words. So, I'll include some pictures!

This little boy had a tumor on the back of his head removed, and he is doing just great!

Click here for a video of this brave little boy! (username:packagesofhope, password: donate, you may have to enter it twice).

Hannah has 9 children here, and utilizing western style care, has yielded amazing results. Thanks to all those who have donated to Hannah, so that she can keep her doors open, and provide hope for these needy children!

(I was captivated by this girl's eyes!)

(this little girl was afraid of me, she only allowed the nannies to hold her. But she was too curious, and couldn't go down for her nap. She kept creeping out of her bed to nudge the door open to look at me, but then quickly closed it!)

(finally, we found a way into coaxing her to pose with me for a picture -- CANDY! I enticed her with a treat, and she decided she would put up with me enough for a quick snapshot. She is SO cute!!)

On The Road to Siping

2007-06-13T21:08:00.000-07:00

The following day, we made our way to Siping!

On the way, we saw some interesting sights!

I also wanted to share with you my "hidden camera" view of life in a elementary schoolyard.

This was outside the window of the Siping Center. Click HERE to see the video on the way to Siping! (username: packagesofhope, password: donate, you may have to enter it twice)

Click here to see some of the Siping SWI! (username: packagesofhope, password: donate, you may have to enter it twice)

Hannah's Changchun Center

2007-06-13T20:42:00.000-07:00

I visited Hannah's Changchun ASCCAC center (American Special Chinese Children Assistance Center).

Hannah receives children from orphanages all over China, but mostly in the Jilin area. The children she receives are mostly special needs children, many of whom are in need of immediate care, or those who are recovering from surgeries.

Funded entirely by donations (most of which come from America), Hannah provides western style care to these children with astounding results.

I hope to relate to you a few of these miracle stories, and plead with those of you who really want to make a big difference for orphaned children in China:

Hannah needs our help!

Only through our support is Hannah able to bring many of these children from the brink of death, and in a few months time, have happy, healthy, thriving children to give to the world. The GREAT news is that many of these children have been matched to parents, and will be going to their forever families SOON!

We appreciate ALL that Hannah is doing for these children, and we will work for Hannah for the children of China!

Click HERE to see a video of Hannah's center in Changchun!

Baby girl in the hospital - and a touching story

2007-06-12T20:33:00.000-07:00

A Packages of Hope team had visited Changchun earlier this year. At this time, Hannah had just received a tiny little infant girl to her center. She had a tumor on her back (a meningocele - Spina Bifida). She was in need of a surgery, or else she risked infection due to complications from this tumor.

We sprang into action, and along with other wonderful donors, sponsored this girl's surgery.

The surgery had been performed a few days before I arrived, and I was able to visit this girl after her surgery.

It is important to note the inner workings of the Jilin Provincial Hospital. I must admit, this is the first time I've dealt in this much detail with a hospital in China. Apparently, for good or ill, there's no such thing as "Medical Insurance", "Medicare/Medicaid", or nearly the amount of paperwork that we're used to dealing with.
- you enter the hospital
- the doctors give you a look over, give you a diagnosis
- they give you a quote on the cost (in this girl's case, for example, for one of the shunt surgeries, they said "10,000 RMB"... interesting - not "9995.99", Not "8541", just a flat 10K. It makes you wonder how much accounting goes into the calculation...)
- They demand a certain percentage "down" prior to the surgery (in this girl's case, 20%)
- You pay a flat rate for the hospital room, post operation
- you have to have someone to come in and care for you in a hospital bed, like a family member or whatever. That person has to help change your bandages, feed you (YOU have to get your own food!), and change your bedpan.
- in the case of this girl, Hannah's had to hire a nanny from her center to stay with the child, TWENTY FOUR HOURS/SEVEN DAYS PER WEEK! And this girl has been there over 45 days this time!

Just to give you an idea of what Hannah does for these kids.....

She's just an angel!!

I have to relate to you another very touching tale:

The room that this baby girl was in was a "head trauma" post-op room. There were about 8 beds in there. In those beds were people with various head/brain issues, with patients ranging from (I'd guess) mid-30s to the elderly. In addition, each patient had at least 2 family members sitting either WITH them in the bed, or beside them on chairs. They were firmly planted there, and looked to have been there for a great length of time, and looked like they were going to be there a long time more. They had their shoes off, reading books, napping, playing cards, knitting, and eating various foods. One of the foods (that I have noticed) that is what I call a "knitting food" is melon seeds. They are seeds that look a lot like big watermelon seeds (dark, round, and hard), but when you crack off the husk, there's an inner seed that looks a lot like a pumpkin or sunflower seed (and tastes very similar). I know that people often buy this not only as a food source, but to provide them a way to expend nervous energy, or pass the time. Also, you frequently see people with a small notch in their front upper tooth. This is caused by this habit of eating these hard seeds.

Anyway, there were a lot of those seeds being eaten in this room.

Everyone was of course fixated at the strange foreigner talking a strange language, and taking lots of photos of the baby girl in the corner.

As I sat and chatted with Hannah, and held the hand of the dutiful nanny that had sat by this baby girl's side for SO long, I gazed across the room. Normally, when my eyes met the family members, or the patients (that were awake/conscious), they turned away or looked down. Whether it was because of the shame of infirmity, or whether they were proud and didn't want me to pity them, I don't know. But even through whatever illnesses they or their loved ones were combating, they were all smiling when they looked at the only infant in the room, and the foreigner hovering over her. Although I can't say for sure if they understood why I was there, I'm sure they must have been thinking, "lucky baby".

However, one person in the whole room was different. In the corner of the room next to the window, there was patient on her back. At first it was difficult to tell if the person was a man or a woman, because the patient had no hair, and the head was covered in a white fishnet bonnet, which seemed standard for all patients in this room that had some sort of head operation. The patient was also covered up to the chest in a white light hospital blanket, which masked any types of body curves underneath.

But it was a woman. And although the Chinese age wonderfully (in my opinion), and it is difficult for me to tell age, it looked as if she was no older than 35.

It wasn't because of her rich, full, red lips. It wasn't because of her femininely applied makeup for her eyebrows, or her silky smooth skin over her high cheekbones.

It was her eyes.

Her brown almond shaped eyes dwarfed the rest of her face. They were intensely crystalline, and it seemed that light reflected off of them in such mirrorlike gloss, that there must have been some eerie mysticism held within them. Only a woman can have eyes like that.

Her face shone with a thin layer of perspiration, and her lips formed niether a smile, nor a frown, which meant to me that she must have been in true pain. She lay on her back, but her head was turned on its side, looking directly at me. When I scanned the room, her gaze was the only one that held mine. She remained focused on me intensely, as if she was burning a hole through me, peering into my very soul.

At first I thought she might be in a daze, or in a semi-conscious state, and not really "here". I relaxed my face and smiled as if to say "hello". To this, she only replied with a slow blink, and she cleared her throat in a very "conscious" way, and remained fixed on me with her stare.

After a while with the baby girl, I got up, and breached the "personal space" with the rest of those in the room. As if I was entering into a private home, I stepped beside each bed. With each final step towards the bed, the downward stares, pursed lips, and hands held in laps, turned into familiar smiles and open handshakes. Some of the patients were asleep, or worse, and their families were all too happy to merely shake my hand, if only to break the monotony of their vigils.

But when I came to the woman's bed, I was greeted with niether a welcome or a repulsion. With a vulnerable ambivalence, the woman's eyes once again greeted me with a locked gaze, and her mother greeted me with a mournful smile, as she hovered closer to her daughter, stroking her covered arm.

I asked Hannah to ask the pair what the problem was. I realized that this was a very improper thing to ask of my friend Hannah, as this obviously was a personal matter, and it was none of our business. But I just had to know.

Hannah very somberly asked, clearly uncomfortable in doing so. She stood behind me as she did so. The mother spoke some words, and then spoke to the daughter. The daughter merely shook her head a little (in which direction, I couldn't tell), and grumbled in a low, and painful way. Hannah told me that the young lady had some sort of tumor in her head. Hannah said that the mother had asked the daughter to speak, but that she was not in a very good mood, and had a slight fever, and was in pain.

Everyone thought that the conversation would end there, but just then, the woman took her hand out of the blanket, and put it down in the open, close to her body. She again held my gaze.

In a moment of brazen boldness, surprising everyone, and sat down on her bed, and reached out and grabbed her hand.

She gripped my hand back.

Firmly.

Pools of water formed at the huge rims of her perfect oval eyes. She said nothing, her expression and gaze unchanging.

Her mother's lip started to tremble, as began to speak again to Hannah, for a great long time.

As she was speaking, the daughter coughed a little, and adjusted herself in her bed. The mother, still talking to Hannah, dipped a cloth in water, and dabbed it across her head. The daughter's eyes closed momentarily when her mother did this.

I thought she might want me to leave, and so I began to pull away. But as I did so, her eyes jerked open, and burned through my eyes, as she gripped my hand even harder, stiffening her grip.

She wanted me to stay.

And I stayed.

I put my other hand over her hand, so that I was holding all of her hand, in both of mine.

The mother was speaking loud enough for all to hear. The others were silent, but not overly somber. Everyone here had a story, and they most likely had heard hers a few times before, in the countless hours that these people had been here, beside their loved ones.

Hannah spoke:

"This woman here [indicating the shaven beauty looking at me] is her daughter. A long time ago, this woman and her husband were married, and they tried a long time to have children. But they couldn't conceive. Desperate, she tried various medical treatments. As it turned out, as a result of the treatment, she developed tumors. She's been in a number of different hospitals for treatment, including a hospital in Beijing. The mother says that she's getting better, slowly. Her husband is working because they have to pay for hospital bills. They have had to borrow money from all their relatives to help pay for the hospital bills".

My heart sank in my chest, and it felt difficult to breathe. I didn't know exactly what this woman was trying to tell me with her gaze, but I now know why she held fixed on me.

How long had she stared at the tiny baby, fighting for life on the other side of the room? What was she thinking, as she lay fighting for her own life, while looking at this child, fighting for hers. What did those bright crystalline ovals see, as the baby, in want and need of a mother, lay helpless in the corner?

Two women....Chinese.... Strong.... In Pain....Alone.....Fighting....Both in an agonizing struggle, and what they both wanted most in the whole wide world --- was staring them in the face.

I was overcome with humility and sadness. I felt so insignificant, so inconsequential. I was in the presence of Giants, of Heroes. I was witness to two people's Hell, and two people's Salvation.

I told Hannah to translate: "Please tell this woman that I am so very proud that this baby shares a room with such a brave and noble woman. This baby can see by her example, the true strength of a Chinese woman."

Hannah did this, and the woman gazed at the baby, and then back at me, and then finally, faintly, ever-so-slightly.... smiled.

Click here to see the video

Arriving in Changchun

2007-06-12T19:19:00.000-07:00

I had a very uneventful afternoon flight from Nanjing to Changchun. I like the word "uneventful" when it comes to flights, don't you?

No big bumps, no hard landings, no lost luggage.

Uneventful.....

Yea!

I was met by my good friend Hannah! Hannah and I share a long history together! Please be sure to check out these posts (Here and Here) for a brief history.

I was so happy to be reunited with my good friend and guardian Angel.

She was sporting a new hairstyle, which I've come to expect every time I see Hannah.

After lugging my now-nearly-empty massive suitcases to the car, we sped off, chatting away, catching up, and discussing plans for the following day.

We met her son Michael, and Hannah's sister Helen for dinner at a Hot Pot restaurant.

You know what's coming next ---- YES, the food was DELICIOUS!!!...

It was such an interesting dinner experience, I wish I had taken more photos, but I think that Hannah and the rest of the people there would have thought I was nuts for doing so.

It was sort of like a fondue style of cooking and eating meat (shaved pork, meat, and chicken, along with awesome shrimp). Instead of a fondue pot with a sterno can heating from beneath, imagine a copper bowl filled with water, but with an inverted funnel poking through the bottom of the pot. Very difficult to describe. Maybe stated another way - imagine an upside-down funnel with a lip of metal welded around the edges which can hold a ring of water.

Anyway, this metal-water-holding-funnel-contraption sits in the middle of the table, where a pieces of fiery hot coal heat the water from the inside. The exhaust from the burning coal goes up through the narrowing funnel, and connects to a flue duct system that connects all the tables, and then goes outside!

The server then deposits a big plate of raw shaved meat, some chunks of vegetables, some shrimp, and at last, a Sauce tray. The sauce tray consists of one big bowl of a sort of soy based paste (one bowl for each person). Then there are other mini bowls with spices that you can add to this paste for your liking. There's one that has spicy chili peppers, one that has cilantro, one that has a ginger-type sauce, and I think there was another peanut-oil-spice based sauce ( I stuck to my favorites - the chili pepper and the cilantro!).

After the meats/vegetables were cooked in the boiling water, you'd take your chopsticks, and dip them into the spicy paste! It was SO GOOD!!

Click here to see the video

Breakfast in Bengbu - on to Nanning

2007-06-12T18:41:00.000-07:00

The next morning I checked out early, and met my trusted companion Steven Tao. Our car left for our 1 hour ride to Nanning. The car and driver were donated by the orphanage!

Not eager to leave Bengbu, I asked Steven if we could eat breakfast at a “local place”. Up to this point, I had never really encountered a “fast food meal”, as I was the guest of honor at every location I visited, which meant a lot of socializing during the meal. However, I knew from my experience working in China years ago, that there are many “mom-n-pop” local “hole-in-the-wall” places for people to get a quick bite. Steven diverted us to a non-descript street corner where people of all walks of life were grabbing a quick bite of breakfast.

For about 20 RMB (a bit over 3 USD), the three of us (Steven, the Driver, and I) ate a DELICIOUS, nutritious, and hearty meal of dimsum, and flavorful egg-drop soup.

Please have a look at the farewell video I made with Steven Tao, and how he welcomes all the families back to Bengbu!

see it here

(Steven Tao wishing me farewell from the Nanjing Airport)

Last Evening in Bengbu

2007-06-12T18:24:00.000-07:00

After my talk at the high school, my work in Bengbu was done. The students were dismissed, and the high school headmaster apologized for her passionate boy. “He’s ALWAYS like that,” she said with a smile. I too smiled, and said, “It’s really not a problem, I really enjoy people with a passion, especially young people.”

And with that, I heaved a big sigh. I had my entire trip planned out in great detail, and my next appointment was to travel to Nanjing early the next morning to catch a flight to Changchun , which was the next destination on my itinerary. I had the rest of the evening free, which was the greatest amount of free time I had had available, since landing in China over a week ago.

And while I would have loved to just sit back and relax in my really luxurious hotel, I knew I had to savor the time I had with the volunteers who had worked so hard for me, and for Packages of Hope. And not only savor the time with them, but thank them. They had done SO much work for Packages of Hope, amidst their busy lives. PLUS, they shadowed me during my entire stay, staying by my side constantly, attending to my every need, and translating everything for me. From paying for multiple meals, to making donations out of their own pockets, to asking favors from family (to provide cars, borrow cameras, or borrow money until I could wire them our donations), these people were true gems of friends.

So, I quickly dropped off some things at the hotel, and went off with Kerrie Suffolk (who had worked so hard to completely arrange all the school meetings), Sun Lele (who stayed by my side during my entire stay in Bengbu, from early morning to late at night, who had helped with all our donations to the orphanage, and communicating with the orphanage), and Steven Tao (who also stayed with me the entire time, served as video and cameraman, paid for meals, donated some of his own money to pay for gifts for Children’s Day on behalf of Packages of Hope, and sacrificed his time away from his beautiful and patient wife Amanda).

On the way to dinner, we saw a vendor selling puppies!

We went to the restaurant owned by Lei Cheng’s mother. It was delicious! Later that evening we strolled the bustling alleys of Bengbu , where I saw all sorts of delicious foods being prepared, including a typical “Chinese pancake”, which is semi-sweet, and is very thin. It’s almost like a hard crepe. (click here to see the video. )

(from L to R: Kerrie Suffolk, me, Sun Lele, Lei Cheng's mother, Lei Cheng's father, and Steven Tao)

With a sad farewell, I said goodbye to Sun Lele and to Kerrie Suffolk (for now). I fell asleep to the sound of the streets far below my hotel room window.

By the way, if anyone is staying in Bengbu , I HIGHLY recommend the hotel I stayed in - The New Century Hotel - No. 1028 Huai River Road (Bengbu China - 233000). I believe it is classified as 4-star. It is very modern, the rooms are beautiful (although I stayed in a suite at a very discounted price), and hotel buffet on the top floor is delicious!

(A statue in a park in Bengbu)

Students get to the point in Bengbu

2007-06-11T13:50:00.001-07:00

Speaking at the Bengbu No. 2 middle school was quite a memorable event. The students there were so enthusiastic about participating, that later on, in June, a group of students visited the orphanage, and spent some time with the children!

I visited yet another high school following my talk at Bengbu No. 2. The other high school also had bright and energetic students, who wanted to discuss various topics, ranging from dating, to student workload, to politics, to everyday life for high school students in America. The session started out a bit slow, and I wasn’t able to stimulate much conversation at first.

I carried with me a lot of ½ dollar pieces to get the children to open up. It finally worked, as students started to participate in discussions with me. As each student raised their hands to ask me a question, I would offer them a coin, as a token of thanks for their question.

Finally, a boy in the front row of the auditorium in which I was speaking, raised his hand. I walked over to him and he stood up. His face was very serious, his eyebrows furrowed, and his lips pursed in a frown. He asked, in a staccato angry tone, “What do you think is the meaning of true friendship?!”

I paused, a bit surprised at this question. I thought for a moment, but as I did so, I offered a coin to him in advance, for his participation.

He then blurted, “Keep your money! I don’t want it! What are you doing giving all this money to all these students, when you say you are trying to help the children?! Are you trying to bribe us? We can’t even spend this money! And you are so easily giving this away! Do you believe in actually becoming friends here, or do you think that your money will just solve everything!”
The crowd went silent, and I could see the jaws of the administration (including the headmaster) clench from their seats in the corner of the room.

But I thought to myself, “YES! THIS is what I want!”

My heartbeat quickened and I was elated – “Young sir, you are absolutely correct. And I need to apologize. To be clear, the coins I’ve given out are just good luck tokens, and was used to encourage discussion. But you have an excellent point, and I will put my coins away. I realize that our donors supply a financial solution to many of the problems of the orphanage. But I could have supplied this money from afar. I came here because I, and the families that have adopted from Bengbu, have a connection to this place. It is forever a part of who we are. I am not only here to provide money, but I am also here to try to understand.”

I continued,” You are a fantastic student, and passionate! That is just great! You are the future leaders of China, and PASSION is what is needed to change things for the better! Thank you for speaking your mind, and keep it up!”

The young student did not look pleased with my answer, as I had thought, and in angst sat back down.

Another girl shot her hand up, and I called on her. She asked a question about high school students in America, and I did my best to answer her (high school is becoming a long distant faded memory for me!). I then turned to answer a question from another student, but the girl called back to me – “excuse me Mr. Kircik!”

“Yes?” I replied.

In a meek voice and a broad smile she said, “Erm, well…. I would like a coin please!! I collect them!”

There was a big round of laughter from the audience, as the sullen boy in the first row, arms folded tightly, sunk down in his chair.

Local Community Involvement at the Orphanage

2007-06-10T19:47:00.000-07:00

One of the things I wanted to do was try to engage the local community in supporting the orphanage.

Over the internet, I had met an Australian woman teaching in Bengbu by the name of Kerrie Suffolk. She had helped me to arrange a presentation to 2 local high schools.

She had told me about the very prestigious Bengbu No. 2 High School, and the headmaster there.

I was thinking that I was going to receive a similar welcome thatI did in Lanzhou. It started out that way, as I was given a warmwelcome with a large placard of my name on it by the front gates.

But when I entered I was greeted by a small group of staff, including the headmaster.

Kerrie had told me that the headmaster was extremely touched by our efforts in Bengbu, because he himself was abandoned at the age of 3.

When I told him about my presentation on what life was like forhigh school students, he was disinterested. His main focus was toorganize long term student volunteer support for the orphanage. He stressed repeatedly that he wanted this to be a long term project,with children dedicating their time to this community effort.He told me I would be presenting my speech to 100 of the top students in the school. The creme of the crop. He used wonderfuland soft words with me, which really endeared me to him. Through a translator, he said, "when you get done talking with these children, you will love them."

It was clear to me that he REALLY cared for these students, and for our cause.I entered through a room and was greeted by a few rows of students who were situated around a large table. There indeed were around100 students. I showed my presentation to the students, and then started a dialogue with them. Fearing that I would face nervous children unwilling to speak, I came prepared with a cache of half-dollars as gifts to those who spoke up and asked questions. I realize now that these were not needed (although the children really liked the coins).

(here you can see the students, normally full of smiles, were VERY serious when the headmaster encouraged them to engage in community service for the needy in the area! Such great young people!)

The questions started out slow, but then covered a multitude of passionate topics:- How do you feel about the Iraq war- How do students in America compare to Students in China- What is your impression of Bengbu?The students were articulate and passionate. One particular girl gave a short speech herself talking about her political views, andhow she hoped for a more peaceful world. She appeared to be a bit nervous about the time she had taken in order to state her question,but she was obviously very passionate, and her fellow students even applauded her question. One student said, "I'm very sorry, I don't mean to offend you orcause you pain, but I'm very interested to discuss the terrible shootings of the students [at Virginia Tech] by the student who was Korean".

And more importantly, even SO MANY students asked me, "how can we get involved to help the orphans of Bengbu!"I ended the speech by thanking the students, as we had to go to another school to give the same presentation.

But the students wouldn't let me leave. They kept asking me questions, asking for my email address. Many of the students wanted to get a Packages ofHope T-shirt, and many promised me, "I will be the best volunteer inall our school! I want to help!"

The students concluded by having a student proficient at signlanguage stand up and everyone in unison made the sign which stated, "I want to be a volunteer!"

I nearly cried! The headmaster was right, I did fall in love with them!

That evening I received a number of emails from the students.

But one was extremely touching, and has gripped me.

I present this to you in unedited form:"Dear Jeff,I'm a student from No.2 High School. my name is Yang Xueqi and you can call me Neyki.I'm so sorry that I couldn't communicate with youbecause the time was limited today. Although there were lots ofquestions in my mind about America and the Hope Project . In fact ,my father used to be a high school teacher,So does mymother.We led a happy and rich life.My friends always regarded me asa princess and they admired me .But when I was ten years old,myfather died of the cancer.Since then,I realized that I'm not a princess any longer.And I know that life doesn't always go my way.SoI must learn to face up to this on my own.Because of my experience,Ican understand these children who are lack of parents' love well.Ithink they would rather live a meaningful life than be caught inhopeless.I also like children very much.I really wanna try my bestto help them,so that I always take a big interest in your PackagesOf Hope. I used to think if there were chances to help others I wouldmake no bones about being a volunteer.Now it's you who give this chance,I'll hold on it.By the way,there must be some mistakes in my article ,could you please help me point them out?Indeed,I believe we can become good friends in the future,can't we?

yours,Neyki"

(Nyeki -- a true Princess)

Continuing the blog!

2007-06-10T19:05:00.000-07:00

I'm back from my trip, but now I will continue on with my posts!

It was such a whirlwind trip, I had to give something up, so it had to be the posting to the blog!

But I have new video for you to see!

Click here to see video of me at the Chen family's school, where I met with some of the students there. I had such a fun time to meet with the kids!

Click here to see a gift that Bengbu Director Song gave to me while in Bengbu. He had some nice words to say about all the donors that have provided for the children of Bengbu SWI. Also, you can see a gift that I gave to Director Wan, including some special hand-made blankets made by a very special mom!

Click here to see some wonderful auction items that the children of the orphanage worked VERY hard to put together for us, in order to help raise money for the orphanage.

Click here to see more of those great children from the Bengbu orphanage!

Click here to see some of the older children of the Bengbu orphanage!

Click here to see more of Meng Lu, and his beautiful artwork!!

username:packagesofhope
password:donate
(you may have to enter it twice)

Meng Lu - dreams of visiting America

2007-05-21T08:50:00.000-07:00

I met an amazing young man today who has touched my heart - Meng Lu.

He is an orphan of Bengbu SWI, and has been living in the SWI since he was an infant. He has a disability which prevents him from walking, but he can get around well in a hand-pedaled wheelchair.

We could really use to get these replaced with electric carts!

He is now 18 years old, and very articulate. He can speak good English, but he's shy in front of the camera. He is a very talented artist, and painted some wonderful watercolors which Packages of Hope will use for auction to raise money for these children. He's also dabbled in contemporary Japanese art.

While he sat and gave me a touching rendition of "Auld Lang Syne" on his harmonica, I was drawn to this remarkable young man.

Wiping away tears in his eyes, keeping as strong a composure as he could, he told me that it is fervent wish that he could one day visit America.

I'm going to work to make it happen!

If any of you know how I may be able to do this, please let me know!

Click here to see some video of this remarkable young man!

Bengbu - The new Orphanage - POH donations

2007-05-21T08:41:00.000-07:00

I was able to get to have a look at the new orphanage today, and have a look!

It looks to be about 90% complete.

However, Director Song says that the officials have given an edict that says that they must be moved into the new orphanage by the end of June 2007, so we'll keep our fingers crossed!

As representative of Packages of Hope, today I've committed to purchasing 25 new desk/chair combos for the new orphanage!

Bengbu - Returning to Hallowed Ground

2007-05-21T08:10:00.000-07:00

With great pride and pleasure I visited the Bengbu orphanage today!

I was greeted with a great reception from SWI director Mr. Song, and from Orphanage director Ms. Wan.

We exchanged gifts, and I presented her with our present from Packages of Hope.

They recognized every single photo on the photo I gave to them.

I conveyed best wishes from the families that had sent me items to deliver to the ophanage.

They presented me with a beautiful piece of embroidery, as well as artwork from the orphanage children in order for us to raise money for Bengbu Orphanage. Each piece contains a photo and a synopsis of the orphan's history. They are truly amazing!

I took some photos and some video of cute kiddos whose parents are on their way.

It was great to take a peek at the kids!

She mentioned that the toy rocking horses are a HUGE hit, and they could use approximately 50 more.

She mentioned to me that there are 90 children in the 0-3 year old orphanage building, and 60% are disabled.

With her staff of 40 nannies, Ms. Wan provides great care to these children! They looked happy and healthy!

Here's some video of the orphanage for 0-3 year olds used from about 2003 to 2007:

Click here

Made it to Bengbu

2007-05-20T10:22:00.000-07:00

After a long train ride from Shanghai, I made it to Bengbu.

I was greeted by Lei Cheng's father, and also by my good friend Steven Tao, and also by our new friend, Sun Lele. After checking me into a nice new hotel, I took a quick look around the city, and then had a really nice dinner with the entire volunteer group.

Director Song will be meeting us tomorrow for a trip to the orphanage!

Click here and here to see some nice Bengbu scenes!

Also click here to see our great volunteers!

Suzhou Orphanage -NEEDS

2007-05-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we visited the Suzhou orphanage. I went with YongMing and with Lei Cheng.

(from left to right: Jin YongMing, Perry Perse, Karen Perse, me, Director Shu, Lei Cheng, Nan Yian - Siemens Hearing Aid)

YongMing drove us in his new car, assisted by his new handy-dandy GPS/cellphone. This all-in-one device sat neatly on a holder on the dashboard, and with the aid of downloadable maps, guided us all the way to our destination.

We visited Karen and Perry Perse, American ex-patriates that are part of an ex-pat association that are doing organized volunteer work in the orphanage. They have some 40 women that volunteer at the orphanage, going in 2 shifts per day, 5 times per week from 9 to 11am, and then again from 2-4pm. Currently they work in the infant rooms, just holding the babies and feeding them.

Currently there are 60+ children there, 80% of whom have special needs, from cleft palate, to heart defects, to mental disabilities.

Karen is a really sharp woman, and she looks to have a lot of local ex-pat support, but she could still use our help.

She's currently trying to figure out how to reduce the mold and mildew in the orphanage, caused by the pads on the beds, and the wooden frames at the base. I told her we would help with brainstorming some solutions.

She also is in need of rash creme.

Also, there are 4 older children with mental disability that are in need of special wheelchairs which will get them up and about instead of just laying on a bed all day. They have the money to support such an orthopedic chair, but they just need to find out where they can get one.

We also were fortunate to have along with us Ms. Nan Yian (Nilly), from the Siemens Hearing aid facility in Suzhou. We took some photos of some children we have sponsored in the past for hearing aids through Siemens discount.

I was also able to take a look at a young girl that YongMing and I have been working on to assist with since 2004. She looks bright and healthy! I just wish she could find her parents soon!

We also verified donations of a Library and bouncy seats

Hotel Beds in Shanghai

2007-05-20T09:41:00.001-07:00

Now I know why massages are perfected in China.

Click here to see my hotel bed.

Leaving Lanzhou for Shanghai

2007-05-20T09:32:00.000-07:00

It was very difficult to leave Lanzhou this time.

I just couldn't say "thank you" enough to my host, Joe Huo, for his support and hard work in helping Packages of Hope.

He coordinated the audience with the Mayor of Lanzhou, he coordinated our trip to DingXi, to the Chen family, to the No. 34 middle school, AND his office paid for my hotel (including those delicious breakfasts)!

We all owe him a great debt of thanks for all he has done!

On Friday I journeyed to Shanghai, where I was able to spend an evening with Jin YongMing, our dedicated volunteer in China. A truly amazing man, who has selflessly given us so much of his time and effort to distribute our aid in China.

Later, I was able to meet Lei Cheng, another one of our volunteers.

We are really lucky to have such great folks supporting our cause (on a total volunteer basis), in China.

You can see them both here

Teaching Chinese Children -- English teachers wanted

2007-05-20T09:08:00.000-07:00

In the afternoon of May 17, I went to visit a good friend of mine, Yellow Rose. She is teaching English to Chinese students.

She gave me a brief introduction to how kindergarden-aged children are taught Chinese. I thought this to be a very interesting video!

You can see part 1 here, part 2 here, and part 3 here.

Also, here's some children rehearsing at a local art school.

Click here

Also, Lanzhou is always looking for English teachers! If you know of anyone that would like to teach English there, please let me know!

Yellow River Green Restaurant

2007-05-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

I went to lunch at an absolutely incredible place called "Yellow River Green Restaurant".

Because Lanzhou is cold and dry in the winter, the people have set up a sort of "tropical greenhouse getaway".

Quite literally the place is a greenhouse, complete with complete sunroof and enclosed on the sides. But it not only houses multiple streams, manmade rivers, ponds, trees, and tropical plants, but it also has a restaurant, a gathering area (for sit-down events like parties or card games), a kids play area, and a tiki bar.

This place is a MUST VISIT if ever in Lanzhou!

You can see it here (part 1) and here (part 2)

Meeting with the Students of No. 34 Middle School - Lanzhou

2007-05-20T08:23:00.000-07:00

When my host, Foreign Affairs Director Joe Huo, told me he thought it would be a good idea to meet with local high school students, and speak some English to them, I jumped at the chance.

Before I left for China, I had a work colleague contact a local Orlando school teacher to have his students prepare a DVD for my trip, which showed what life was like at a local high school.

They put together a 20 minute presentation, and also gave me a used textbook to share with the faculty.

Little did I know what I was in for when I arrived at Lanzhou No. 34 middle school.

Here's a photo of the front of the school:

Now, Check out what's on the lower banner, in 3ft high letters:

I met with members of the press, with the Minister of Education of Lanzhou, with the headmaster, and the English teaching staff.

We exchanged gifts, and I took a short tour of the school.

I then went to a classroom of about 50 students, and showed them the DVD made by the Timber Creek High School.

You can see it here

Afterwards, I had the students practice their English with me, and also mentioned to them about community responsibility, and giving back to those less fortunate. I told them about what I'm doing with Packages of Hope for the children of Lanzhou, and encouraged them to volunteer as well. I told them that it was my hope that these students could exchange emails and ideas with students in America, and help bring down the walls that divide our ever shrinking world.

I asked if they agreed that the people of the world should communicate with each other for peace, and they resoundingly replied, "YES!"

Meeting with the Mayor of Lanzhou

2007-05-17T09:14:00.000-07:00

In the afternoon of the 17th, my host arranged an audience with the mayor of Lanzhou city. I had to buy a new suit for the occasion! Suit, pants, socks, shirt, and tie were all under $65!

The mayor discussed with me Packages of Hope mission, and was committed to work together for ways to help us to help the orphans of China.

Visiting Lanzhou orphanage - NEEDS

2007-05-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

In the morning I had the opportunity to visit the Lanzhou SWI. We prepared a small donation of a few basketballs, soccer balls, ping pong paddles, and some notebooks. They were a big hit with the staff.

I was greeted by Vice-Director Madam Dai Mei Lan, Mr. Chen, and a staff member named Ms. Fu (I’m not 100% on her name, when you see the video, I’m sure you all will be able to correct me!).

I was impressed with Madam Dai. She looked to me to be a no-nonsense, cut-to-the-chase type of manager. Also, Ms. Fu recognized all the names I provided to her, and was able to describe to me the details of the children.

To Brent and Tracy, and to Kimberly, I wasn’t able to check in on your cuties, because they were either in foster care, or in Beijing for an operation.

To Cindee Robinson, I want to personally thank you for an experience I’m NEVER going to forget, which was to meet your dear Morgan’s orphanage friend, Song Peng. What an AMAZING girl. She is very bright and happy!

Madam Dai told me there are 200 children there, most of whom have a special needs.

I took a lot of video, and said, "beautiful" a lot. I am at a loss for words when it comes to these beautiful Chinese children

You can see some video by clicking

here (the Green Fence!)

here (the Lanzhou SWI)

here (off the beaten track)

here (interview with Lanzhou locals)

here (message from orphanage staff)

The orphanage does have an immediate need. They need an incubator. The one they have is old and insufficient. I told her that we bought one for the Siping Orphanage in Jilin for right at $1000.

If you would like to support this, please donate to Packages of Hope, and we'll get one there right away!

Thank you!

DingXi - Girl in need

2007-05-16T17:28:00.000-07:00

During my trip to DingXi, there was a little girl that looked to be in serious need of medical attention. Throughout my stay we were strategizing on how we were going to get help to her. It turns out, she will be staying in DingXi, and will be receiving an operation locally. We will be sure to follow up on this case.

It's been an up and down journey, but I'm optimistic that this girl will get the care she needs!

DingXi - Chen family, Street Opera and Dinner - Video

2007-05-15T10:07:00.000-07:00

After the visit to the orphanage, we went to visit the Chen family. We made a donation to the wonderful Mr. Chen, and were able to meet with 3 of the 8 children that he (now 82) and his wife (a youthful 81) take care of. Thanks to all the families, including the Heinsohn family, that are donating to make this effort possible!

When I visited with the children, I was swarmed by their classmates wanting to shake my hand and say hello! The experience filled me with joy!

On our way out of town, I stopped by to see street opera being performed.

My host also graciously invited me to a meal. It was SO good! I took some video of some of the more exotic creatures available for consumption.

You can see it all here

I did eat the whole cooked pidgeon, and it was delicious. I did not try the "Extremely Large Toads" though...

The DingXi Orphanage - Video

2007-05-15T09:36:00.000-07:00

It's about 12:30am here now in the business lounge, and the attendant is giving me a harsh stare. Combine that with a packed schedule tomorrow, so unfortunately I'll have to make this note as brief as I can.

I had a wonderful day today, starting with an absolutely fantastic chinese breakfast at the Lanzhou Legend Hotel.

I met with an interpreter from the Lanzhou Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Su Wei (Suzanne), and off we went to the market to get some things for the Chen family and the DingXi SWI. We purchased some soccer balls, basketballs, and ping pong equipment. During my last visit in October 2005, the Chen family children said that that's what they really liked, so I wanted to make sure I oblidged them with top quality stuff.

I also had to buy a suit, because tomorrow I will be meeting with the Mayor of Lanzhou, in a televised interview (but I'll leave THAT story to an upcoming post)! A suit jacket, pants, shirt, and tie, cost me 550 RMB, or about 65 USD. It was altered on the spot, free of charge.

Off we zipped to DingXi.

We met the DingXi officials at the base of the main exit ramp to the city of DingXi. In attendance was Mr. Yang, the child orphanage director, Mr. Niu the DingXi civil affairs director, Mr. Liu, the SWI director, and Mr. Guo, a foreign affairs officer.

Together we wound our way through the developing town, and turned off into a narrow sidestreet which was bordered on both sides by a 10 foot hall brick wall, and twisted and turned for several hundred yards. We finally entered an open courtyard to the orphanage

GPS coordinates: N 35' 34.943", E 104' 36.718"

(shown here is me at the entrance to the orphanage, surrounded by the orphanage staff. The man standing to my right is Mr. Yang, the orphanage director)

The orphanage is housed in an older building, but was recently renovated within the last year, and has only been housing children since the last year. The entire facility is situated on one floor of a 3 story building. It consists of one major hallway, and 6 or 7 rooms branching off from the hallway. There are 12 children there, ranging from 3 months old to 8 years old.

I found the shiny tiled rooms very clean and neat, with very little signs of dirt or grime, and I could not detect any odors at all. With my experience in MY house with a 6 and a 4 year old, I consider this lack of "child odor" to be a great cleaning accomplishment! The were at least 4 nannies that I saw, each were full of smiles, dressed very neatly in white smocks, and holding and interacting with the children that were there. The children looked animated and looked to have developed good motor skills. I have been to many orphanages, and I have seen that "vacuous orphanage look" that comes with children not receiving attention, and suffering various degrees of mental and physical atrophy. Clearly this was NOT the case here.

The visit was unfortunately brief.

On the plus side, I sat for a long time with the orphanage officials, explaining the Packages of Hope mission, and our willingness to provide for any need at the orphanage. They definitely got the message. We were going to donate a soccer and basketball, but most of the children were still in cribs, so we told the staff we would donate these items to the Lanzhou SWI. They happily agreed. Also, with gracious appreciation to Allison Heck and her family, we were able to make a donation of a Best Buy digital camera with a 512mb Chip.

3 families with children waiting for them in DingXi contacted prior to my trip, and I visited with their children, and took some photos and video, just for them. I was profoundly humbled and honored by being part of their sacred story.

Also, the orphanage director informed me that they had an emergency medical need for one of the children there, and communicated the details to me. Due to sensitivity, and the fact that the child is not yet available for adoption, I would like to refrain from disclosing the details. But rest assured that before I left DingXi, I was on the phone, contacting medical teams in China, including Love Without Boundaries.

We're gonna get this kid help!

Jeff can make it happen!

Once we get more of the details down and the situation properly assessed, I'll be sure to let everyone know!

Here's a video of the orphanage

Click here to see a video of my wonderful host, Huo Zhao Chen, Foreign Affairs Director of Lanzhou, who is my host.

Click here to see the DingXi orphanage

Username: packagesofhope

Password: donate (you may have to enter it twice)

Made it to Lanzhou!

2007-05-14T18:05:00.000-07:00

The internet connection is very slow here, I wanted to post some photos, but it's just some video for now.

I'm off to DingXi and to see the Chen family today!

for the video, click here

Made it to China!

2007-05-14T17:41:00.000-07:00

Hi from LaGuardia Airport! Saying goodbye to my family was very tough, but my folks came down for my sendoff, and that made things a bit easier on our daughters.

I got a great deal on my flight to China, but it involved a bit of a rough outbound itinerary. I flew from Orlando to New York on Saturday evening, and after an extended layover here, fly from New York to Chicago in the morning to catch the Chicago-Shanghai flight.

As I said, I really shouldn’t complain, as my travel agent spent a very long time with me in order to get this great deal. I even told her about Packages of Hope and what I was doing, which made her work all the harder to book the flights in the time window I was looking for.

But sitting here in the airport at 2am at an all-night cafe, I realize the price I have to pay for the good airfare.

Here's a video of my stay in the airport

Last Weekend in Orlando - Video

2007-05-08T13:49:00.000-07:00

Click here to see me at DisneyWorld in Orlando with our daughters.
Username: packagesofhope
Password: donate

The ChiFeng Project

2007-05-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

The ChiFeng orphanage is located in Inner Mongolia.

Packages of Hope's involvement began with another concerned parent who was waiting for her son, Nathan, to arrive home. (Since that time, Nathan has arrived ome with his family, safe and sound!)

We made contact with the orphanage, and found that there was need there for hot water heaters and boiling water makers (devices used to heat water to make tea and formula milk).

Again, many pieces fell into place. We found wonderful volunteers in China to facilitate dialogue, and we found a way to establish reliable trustworthy links to get aid to this needy orphanage.

I can't wait to get there and help out!

The Lanzhou Project

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I will also be making a return trip to Lanzhou, where I will be assisting an incredible foster family. It is a story of an elderly couple who, over many years have taken care of 42 children.

Since first making contact with the family, and with the dedicated support of wonderful donors, we have been able to help the Chen family take care of their children, as well as help them through the hard winters of northwest China, by providing radiant heaters for their home.

I will also look forward to visit the Lanzhou SWI, located just outside the city center.

The Bengbu Project - video

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One of the places I will be making a return visit to is Bengbu, located in Anhui province. This has really been a success story all around. And like all really great successes, this has been completely due to the outstanding, incredible, and dedicated people involved.

Click HERE to see a video of one of the more exotic meals in this region. It's called "Drunken Shrimp". Live shrimp are placed directly into a wine/soy sauce, and are eaten while they are still jumping! I thought they were good!

The project started with one adoptive parent, Marie Gonda, combing the internet to find some photos of her adopted daughter's orphanage city. She was able to contact a kind young man named Steven Tao. He volunteered to take some photos for her. Marie then forwarded Steven's contact information to Packages of Hope, and the rest, as they say, is history.

However, it has been hard earned history, all thanks to the support of everyone involved. We have wonderful donors, who have shown their solidarity and support of programs at the orphanage. We've had an increasing number of local volunteers, such as Lei Cheng, Sun Lele, and Kerrie (a teacher from Australia), to offer their assistance. In addition, we've had the good fortune of an open and communicative orphanage staff, who are willing to open their arms to our offers of support. All these elements put together have yielded incredible benefit to the orphanage children of Bengbu.

We've provided supplies,

We've provided beds,

We've provided milk powder,

A dish disinfecting machine,

Clothes,

and recently, computers for the children.

We have big plans for donating when the children move into their new orphanage location, including a playground, some air conditioners, and more furniture.

The Support

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My trip will be a short 2 weeks, and jam-packed with things to do. Although I will be traveling alone from my home in Orlando, I will by no means be alone. I have the support of my family, Packages of Hope, donors, and volunteers in China who have played the largest part of our charity efforts in China. I only hope to diligently and proudly represent them, and do all I can for the children during my short stay.

There are many people that are owed thanks and recognition for this trip. All the donors have touched my heart so deeply, and it gives me a great sense of pride and hope to be associated with such a community.

This community comprises fellow Americans from nearly all 50 states. However, it also extends across borders, around the world. Suzanne Erstad, a Canadian living in Norway, with her students,

have been ardent supporters of Packages of Hope. There are supporters from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Netherlands, England, France, Finland, Spain, and Singapore.

And I am truly touched by the supporters in China. I have had the great honor to know citizens in Beijing, Shanghai, Lanzhou, and other cities who have contributed time and money to the cause of helping orphans.

Thanks to the Orlando Chinese Professional Association for their support in helping me translate documents.

Thanks for all those who helped me during the last few days in final preparations for my trip, getting me last minute items to take over, giving me such inspiring words of support and well-wishes.

Finally, thanks to my family, the source of my inspiration and my strength.

Packages of Hope

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Packages of Hope, Inc. provides packages of needed supplies, such as clothes, over the counter medicines, shoes, bedding, school supplies, playgrounds and toys, to children living in orphanages in desperate conditions.

In 2006, Packages of Hope accomplished the following:

Libraries of Hope provided to orphanages throughout China: Suzhou SWI, Beihai SWI, ShenYang SWI, Kaiyuan SWI, Lanzhou SWI, ChangDe SWI, Siping SWI, Changchun SWI, LianChuan SWI and Jinzhou SWI.

25 baby bouncy seats for the ChengDu SWI

Hot water heater provided for the Siping SWI

New copy machine (to aid with copying adoption documents) provided to the QianJiang SWI

Rocking horses, walkers and musical instruments provided for the Bengbu SWI

Two caretakers hired in Gansu province

Special education teacher hired for one year at the ShenYang SWI

New washing machine provided for the Yanbian SWI

80 new beds for the Bengbu SWI

New playground provided at the LinChuan SWI

New clothing and quilts for 100 children at the QianJiang SWI

Funds provided for the building of the new Holly House Home in Nairobi, Kenya

63 baby walkers supplies to orphanages throughout China

Digital camera provided to Quanjiao SWI

Milk powder for Bengbu SWI in China

Clothing for 200 children at Bengbu SWI in China

Hearing aids provided for two children at the Suzhou SWI

Thousands of needed supplies shipped to orphanages throughout China: Bengbu SWI, ChangDe SWI, Dongchuan SWI, ShenYang SWI, Suzhou SWI, Kunming SWI, Gui Ping SWI, Qing Liu SWI, Kaifeng SWI, Shangrao SWI

Introduction

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My name is Jeff. My wife and I are proud parents of two beautiful girls born in China.

I first fell in love with China when I first traveled there in 1997 on business. I had the pleasure of working with, and getting to know, so many wonderful and kind Chinese people. Everywhere I went, I was met with smiles and welcoming attitudes.

I worked installing power stations for the Chinese people, and I had the good fortune to work alongside the Chinese people, and get accustomed to business practices and social customs. I always felt sad upon leaving, and always looked forward to going back.

When it came time for my wife and I to choose the path for adoption some years later, there really was little uncertainty as to our path to our children – China. Looking back on it, the dots eerily connect, like some part of a master plan.

The line created by those dots led us to unite with our daughters Jenna and Annalise, starting in 2001.

And this is really where this blog begins.

Like so many other adoptive parents, our lives were completely overwhelmed with happiness and sense of certainty about our paths.

Inspired by their love, we have decided to give back, and do what we can for the orphans who remain in the orphanages of China.

I am happy to be returning to China with Packages of Hope. It’s been over a year and a half since my last humanitarian aid trip with Packages of Hope, and we’ve accomplished so much since that time! I’m looking forward to meeting some old friends, and making some new friends!

You can view my old blog here.

Please also have a look at Packages of Hope website.

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