Cheng Du Orphanage . . . Our first time in an Orphanage

Orphanages have not always been on our list of places to visit.  We had an opportunity to visit on our first adoption.  I think there was a cost involved or/and a two hour drive over bumpy roads.  Our daughter had just gone through that journey.  We did not not think it would be right to make her go through it again.  We declined.  I wish we had gone.  It would have given us the chance to see the town/village my daughter came from.  It would have been more rural than the city.

The second adoption gave us a chance to see the orphanage from the outside.  It was in the city.  Due to swine flu, they did not want outsiders coming into the orphanage.  They were scared we would bring swine flu in and infect the children.  The orphanage looked like a mix between a dorm and medical facility with a big fence surrounding the building and a guard post to let people in and out.  To the side of the building was a canal.

The third adoption gave us our first visit inside an orphanage.  We were the only family in our group.  We got in our van and headed to the orphanage.  This building was not as secured as the one in Beijing.  They must have had reasons for the security at that one.  We pulled in the driveway.  Again it looked like a dorm/medical building.  We saw a playground to the right or where we were parked.

In the building, we noticed it was cold.  We did not see any of the children.  We did see where they slept as we made our way to the director's office.  In the office, it was warm.  I would guess that the heat is probably only in the rooms where people are.  That way they can save on expenses.  Once there, she asked us some questions and answered ours.  At the same time they were getting Mia.  We were expecting a three year old to come walking up with a nanny.  Instead, the nanny had what looked like a baby.  It was Mia.  She was small and scared.  She was crying.  I think that is a given for the young ones.

When we left the building, we saw our old guide with another family.  We said hello and walked on to our van.  As we were getting in, a group of kids walked out of the building to go play on the playground.  We waved to them and they did the same smiling.