"CHARLIE"

Monday morning, our first day at the orphanage, we met the orphanage's van/converted ambulance to dive into the unknown. Today we would meet the children.  Today we would start doing what we came to China. 

 

Anxious thoughts filled my mind while butterflies wrestled in my stomach.  Though other mission teams had visited before our group and these leaders had shared with me how this orphanage's staff organized and scheduled our time each day throughout the week, doubts and fears raced through my mind.  Talking about what it will be like and trying to prepare yourself and your team to step into a world of unknowns seemed so inadequate just moments before we walked through the doors, following the Assistant Director and our Guide.

 

First on the agenda...

 

GUIDED TOUR

through several rooms with children

 

Stepping into the first therapy room, the faces of little children seated abandoned the toys they had been playing with to explore the faces of these strange, long-nosed, foreigners.  Smiles and dancing eyes greeted us and welcomed us in.  Hesitant and not wanting to offend or cross any boundary, we asked permission to interact with the children.

 

"Yes!"

 

That's all we needed to hear before our team dropped to our knees and crouched down to meet these sweet faces eye-to-eye. 

 

I shared a list with the Assistant Director of children who had referral files with America World or who were already matched with an AWAA family waiting to bring them home.  She was so thrilled and excited when she learned for the first time that one of the little girls in this very room had a family! 

 

"Charlie"

in the yellow and blue shirt

 

"Charlie" was one of the boys in that first room.  He was seated right next to the precious Princess with a family waiting.  I settled in between the two for the few brief minutes we had before being directed to continue on our tour.  Miranda had been recruited to a game of "Clear the Table."  The smiling Princess placed toy after toy into Miranda's outstretched arms to the giggles and smiles of her friends.  "Charlie" watched and assisted in Operation Overload.

 

Leaving each room of children we visited was so hard even on this very first morning!  We just wanted to stay!  Playing, laughing, giggling, and drinking in the joy and beauty of them all!

 

Wednesday morning, we were invited to divide into teams of two to work again in separate therapy room.  Stepping through the door, Gretchen and I both leaped at the chance to work with these children again.

 

 

We sat behind each child and assisted them as they followed the directions of the nanny.  Counting, singing, exercising and stretching their muscles as we played and worked together.  I choose to sit at the end to work with the Princess and "Charlie."

 

Is it possible to smile too much?

 

 

I was struggling to stay focused and keep the kids focused (and all of us out of trouble) because they both kept turning about to just smile at me with their dancing eyes. 

 

 

The children in this group were all four to seven years old.  Each one faces the challenge of cerebral palsy or some other type of muscular condition.  The youngest little one could walk well and reportedly now only stumbles occasionally, but when she was transferred to this orphanage she couldn't even stand.  Some of the children could take a few steps and used a walker for more mobility. 

 

"Charlie's" tight muscles required that he be carried or use a wheelchair for more mobility.  However, his sweet spirit soared far beyond any physical limitations.  He worked so hard during the therapy time with his smile never fading.  During less structured playtime on floor mats with the children, he joined in with a friend to help me to build a tower of Duplo-type blocks.

 

"Charlie" is paper ready and waiting for a family to bring him home! 

According to the most recent information from AWAA, "He is designated by the CCCWA as a special focus file and is from one of our agency’s orphanage partnerships. A family at any stage of the process is eligible to review this file."

In China, cerebral palsy is a disability that defines, confines, and restricts the potential life of this sweet little boy.  At home with a family, "Charlie's" life will be filled with promise, hope and a future, limitless possibilities.  He is receiving the best care and therapy the orphanage staff and nannies can provide, but they all know that he could receive much better care once he is home within the loving arms of his mama and baba.