~ Zhanjiang Kids Organization ~

Shining Stars, Day Five

2011-11-13T15:31:00.003-05:00

The last day at Zhanjiang included art activities and building things out of Legos. And then...the children dressed in costumes, complete with makeup (emphasizing colors), and they had a grand parade making lots of music and happy noise.

This is all we have for right now--but I'm so anxious for Vickie and the team to update us with the many wonderful details that will come when the jetlag fades.
Val, for ZKO

Six months ago, this is a scene that played out only in our imaginations. We are so very grateful for the wonderful people who have made these children's dreams come true. They are receiving the attention and fun that all children deserve.

Lovely Cassie leads the parade

King George, a most enthusiastic, and energetic student

Our wonderful teacher, Ms. Li, proudly wears a necklace one of the children made and gave to her.

The lovely and talented Anna (and Ms. Suzanne, who is completely smitten)

How wonderful that she has the opportunity to be a beautiful princess.

Exercises with Ms. Li

Shining Stars, Day Four

2011-11-09T08:43:00.002-05:00

No post today, as everyone is exhausted from an extra long day. But Vickie said everything is going well, and the kids are loving this new program in their lives. Enjoy the photos!

Val, for ZKO

Shining Stars, Day Three

2011-11-08T08:57:00.003-05:00

In the adoption world, it has been said that day 3 is a turning point. I’m not sure if that is true or not, but for the Shining Stars Preschool day 3 was a great day!

The classroom was very organization and structured, with Ms. Li was running through her lesson plans like she had been teaching this class for months. The children are really doing a great job learning to sit in their seats. This is no small task for a group of toddlers who are used to running around all day long wild and free ;o)

Today’s theme was the color red. The children learned to speak the word in Chinese, sign the word in Chinese Sign Language and identify the color of red. Towards the end of the lesson if the child could do at least one of the three lessons they were rewarded with some red lipstick on their lips. Of course they were all winners and received their prize, because all of our children are truly Shining Stars!

In addition to their lesson on red, their day was filled with art, music and of course the day would not be complete without some time to play. To this included learning a new game--London Bridge.

It was another successful day and we cannot say enough wonderful things about our teachers, Ms. Li and Ms. Linda. They are doing a beautiful job with our preschoolers!!

After school was over we went out to dinner with the directors. Much to our surprise the top civil affairs official in Zhanjiang joined us for dinner. This is an extreme honor! I was seated to her left, sandwiched between her and Director Su. This was considered a sign of their respect to ZKO. The local government is extremely appreciative of the support which the ZJ families continue to give to the children who remain in the orphanage.

I hope you enjoy the pictures and that they will be able to convey all of the fun the children are having! Don’t forget to drop us a line…we love hearing from everyone!
Vickie

Shining Stars Team

2011-11-07T10:15:00.003-05:00

Front, left to right: Patti Kelly, RN-ZKO Shining Stars Program Coordinator, Brooke Wehrman, CNP-ZKO Preschool Team, Linda, RN- Shining Stars Assistant Teacher

Back, left to right: Suzanne Young, Intervention Specialist-ZKO Preschool Team, Ms. Li-Shining Stars Teacher, Vickie Bennett-ZKO Board Member, Susan Doshier- ZKO Board Member, Huang Ying-ZKO Board Member

Shining Stars, Day Two

2011-11-07T09:31:00.012-05:00

Before I begin the details for this day, I want to acknowledge some additional team members who played a huge role in getting the Shining Stars program off the ground. Missing from our team on this trip is Ms. Ellen Dietrick, who was our physical therapist and Ms. Bethany Moore, who was our nursing assistant. Both of these ladies traveled with ZKO in May to perform assessments on our preschool children. Also missing from this trip is ZKO Board Member Valerie Martin. Val traveled with us in May as well and she is missed by the entire preschool team. While we were not able to have these ladies with us for this trip, we know they are with us in spirit. We want to thank them for all the work they put into the May trip and helping to make this program become a reality. Thank you ladies!

Over the weekend the team did some training with the preschool staff on Saturday then we spent Sunday resting and visiting with some of our local friends here in Zhanjiang.

Today was our first official day at the orphanage. We were supposed to spend the morning unpacking toys and supplies, and doing our best to assist Ms. Li in getting her classroom setup. Much to our surprise when we entered the room Ms. Li had our younger group of preschoolers sitting on floor teaching them their daily lesson.

After months of preparation and literally hundreds of volunteer hours by our team members, to actually see this programming running live was so amazing. There were tears by some of the team members and I had goose bumps as I was shooting the pictures. We could hardly believe our eyes!

The day was filled with lots of fun and the children did very well as they began to adjust to their new environment and teacher. After Ms. Li was finished with her lessons we allowed the children to spend time playing while the team got busy putting the classroom together and unpacking all of the supplies.

Of course, there were times this task became challenging as we would unpack something only to turn away for a moment and find it had been snatched up by one of the little ones. Then there were some who had pockets filled with little pieces of packing or glues sticks. Needless to say, they are very smart and very quick! They sure did keep us on our toes!

Then there were some of the children who decided to join in with the work. We had two little boys whom we have lovingly named “The Tool Time Boys”. They took a piece of equipment and used the tools that were included in the packaging and put it together from start to finish. There is no doubt these boys have a future ahead of them!

It has been so amazing to watch the children slowly begin to come out of their shells. This trip has been very different from the one in May when it took several days for the children to warm up to us and get used to our presence. They clearly remembered our team members and so the fear and shyness have not been an issue this time. This shyness has turned into smiles and eventually into hugs. These children are literally blossoming before our very eyes and they are all very special to us.

I hope you enjoy all the pictures. Our team has sat and looked through them several times this evening reminiscing about the day and laughing about the kids and how much fun they had. While there is a lot more I could say about our first day in the Shining Stars Preschool, I think I’d rather let the pictures speak for themselves.

Thank you for following along on our journey.
Vickie, for ZKO

Shining Stars, Day One

2011-11-04T08:58:00.010-04:00

Hello everyone from Zhanjiang!!

The ZKO team arrived into Zhanjiang mid noon. With the travel part behind us, we are ready to hit the ground running. It is always good to be back in Zhanjiang and I think I can speak for the whole team when I say that we feel like we’re amongst friends with the orphanage staff.

The team had lunch and then we went over to the orphanage to see the new classrooms. The classroom has been freshly painted with beautiful pastel colors. The room is filled with lots of tables, chairs, bookshelves, toys, art equipment, etc. You name it, they have it! We let the children spend the afternoon exploring the classroom and all the toys and starting to get used to their new environment. To say they were excited is an understatement!

Our new teacher, Ms. Li, is simply perfect in every way. Every time I looked at her she was smiling. You can feel the love that she has for these children. They were extremely rambunctious and she didn’t seem to mind one bit. It was a day we have all waited for and it is even better than what I expected.

Although tomorrow is Saturday here, the team is using every bit of free time we have. We will have the preschool teachers and aides coming to our hotel and the team will begin their training. They have put together binders full of training for this new set of staff, including Chinese Sign Language, which all of the children will be taught so they can communicate with the children in their group who are deaf.

We hope you enjoy the pictures. We are so thankful to the orphanage staff for allowing us the

opportunity to share these with our ZJ friends and families. Director Su came up to the classroom this afternoon and said, “The children are all so happy, this new program is going to make such a difference in their lives. Thank you for doing this for our children.”

I know this is a short post, but I think I would rather use up the rest of the post sharing pictures of our wonderful new program. Enjoy and thank you for following along on our journey to implement the Shining Stars Preschool!

Vickie

For ZKO

Shining Stars Launch!

2011-11-01T10:27:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone, this is Vickie with ZKO. Fall is my favorite time of the year. The beauty of the colors on the trees, the cool crisp air and most of all it serves as a reminder to me that the holidays are quickly approaching! This means lots of time with friends and family.

But this year fall has a different meaning for me. Since 2007 when ZKO implemented our amazing Open Arms infant nurture program, I dreamed of the day we could go to the next level and start a pre-school program. For those children coming out of our Open Arms program, and whose special needs have not allowed them to be adopted, there wasn’t a next step after OA.

That dream will soon become a reality and the needs of our little Open Arms graduates will soon be met. ZKO is excited to announce its newest program in the Zhanjiang orphanage…..Shining Stars Preschool!! We will be traveling with a team of professionals to Zhanjiang leaving November 2nd. This team has poured countless hours into the planning of this program. For months now equipment, furniture, toys and supplies have been delivered to the orphanage.

Our team will arrive in the orphanage this Friday and begin the task of setting up the classroom and getting the staff trained. Our new teacher for Shining Stars is Ms. Li. She comes to us with several years of teaching experience, all with special needs children. This is a rare find in China and we feel so blessed that she has agreed to take the lead in this new program.

Please follow along on our journey as we travel to Zhanjiang to implement this much awaited program. If you can, please take the time to drop us a line to let us know that you are following along. Your words may be brief, but just knowing we have ZJ friends and families out there with us in spirit and support means so much to us.

Thanks to everyone for your continued support of ZKO and the children who remain in the

orphanage. Our annual newsletter will be hitting the post office soon. If you are not on our snail-mailing list, or you have moved in the last year or two, please be sure to contact Kimberley Simms at Kimberley @ zhanjiangkids.org

Thanks everyone!!

Vickie Bennett, Director

Zhanjiang Kids Organization

Day 8, Coming to a Close

2011-05-22T21:55:00.005-04:00

Sunday was our last full day here in Zhanjiang. We spent it by going about an hour away to the finding place of one of the team's children, and we spent the morning there walking the streets. It was fascinating to see small-town life. It was on an island, so the market was full of seafood as well as other tropical fruits and vegetables. The market was crowded, and we didn't exactly blend in, so that was interesting. :o)

After lunch we met our friend, Ruth, who took us to two local churches. The first one was the Catholic church, built by the French in the late 1800's. It's gone through several transformations, including being closed for several decades. The Father willingly opened the church for us, and answered our questions. He told us the Sunday morning attendance is several hundred. They had to install CCTV monitors so everyone could see, because they are packed into the corners.

Next, we visited a little Protestant church built in early 1900's by Baptist missionaries. Again, one of the preachers graciously opened it for us and took our questions. This church is also bursting at the seams for worship, and they open the doors and set up tents outside so everyone can hear the preaching. It was wonderful for us to see the spiritual side of Zhanjiang, and on a Sunday, too.

In the evening we begged Ruth to take us to the Macau restaurant again. We were so hungry for the dumplings and several other selections we'd had a few days earlier. We had a great last dinner together, which is sad considering we've finally become pretty efficient with our chopsticks. :o)

Photos of our experiences from this eigth day are here.

Monday morning we will go to the orphanage for a short visit with the children, then return to the hotel and pack up and say goodbye to our wonderful friends here. It's been a terrific, successful trip, and we thank you for following us here, and for your encouraging comments.

Val, for ZKO

Photos from Day 8

2011-05-22T21:34:00.012-04:00

Catholic church, built by the French during occupation, ca. 1800's

In the church courtyard

Beautiful gothic-style architecture

Father Phillip told us the history of the church, including it being closed and also used as a factory for a period of time.

The gathering storm created a stunning backdrop

A five-minute walk away took us to the little church built in the early 1900's. Upon entering, we felt like we were in a little country church, but with distinctive Chinese details. We later found out it was built by Baptist missionaries...mystery solved.

Cupboard of hymnals and Bibles

Fascinating architecture

Our last dinner out--Macau Restaurant, AGAIN!

We turned around while choosing our food, and there were the cooks watching US. So I whipped out my camera....GOTCHA! It cracked us up, on both sides of the glass. What a great restaurant!

Day 7, Saturday

2011-05-21T23:56:00.002-04:00

First thing on Saturday morning, Ruth took us to the outdoor market where they sell knockoffs, and ends of runs of clothing, shoes, purses, fabric. Wow....that was fun. I think we could've spent the whole day there. I mean, where else can you get Prada for $25? :o) I do think Guangzhou is cheaper, but our visit doesn't include that, so....maybe next time.

At lunch, we met the older school children at KFC. That was WONDERFUL. I've been so anxious to see them, as we've watched them grow up over the last several years, and they remember us from our last visits. I got to see, talk to, and take photos of three very special little girls who are getting adopted. I had the opportunity to break the news to a little one I've loved since 2008 when I first met her, that she FINALLY has a family. The team all got to watch our interpreter relay the information, and we were all soggy messes. She is THRILLED, btw. I also got to tell the other two little girls that their families are on their way very soon! My heart is full to know that there are still wonderful families out there willing to take a leap of faith and adopt older children. To see their delight in being wanted just makes this the best job in the world...

After lunch, Elsa (the wonderful woman who will likely be there in Guangzhou when you adopt your children) took us to the pearl market. Since the pearls are grown and harvested (is that the proper term?) here, the prices are fantastic. It is right around the corner from our hotel, so Brooke and Ellen were able to join us for a few minutes before they had to return to the hotel to get their things. They are now in the air, going back home. It felt strange to have them missing from our group in the afternoon and evening. We really got attached to them. :o) For a bunch of strangers from all over the place, we really connected well and feel like the women have each become dear friends. And we have them on retainer for the next time...they're not going to be rid of us that easily. :o)

Photos from our Saturday, full of fun, emotion and food are here.

In the evening, Ruth, our interpreter, invited us to her home to visit her students. We got caught in a brief downpour, and we ducked under a couple of shop umbrellas until Ruth met us to guide us to her place. She tutors them in English, and she wanted them to have the opportunity to talk to native English speakers. She has three different age groups, and we each had a great time, asking questions and being asked questions in return. Bethany and Suzanne spent time with the younger children playing Pictionary and I Spy to help them learn. Vickie, Patti, and I spoke to the older ones about culture, local sightseeing, food, and family--from both sides of the ocean. It was wonderful! Ruth took us on a walk of the campus of Normal University, where all the teachers are trained. It really is lovely, full of banyan trees, flowers, and green grass. It has an impressive history of almost 300 years.

We ate a delicious dinner at a local restaurant, and witnessed a graduation party. It looked like they're pretty universal. :o) It was a fantastic day, and we feel like we're seeing a new, fuller view of Zhanjiang, and China in general...it's wonderful to see the un-commercialized side. And it's all thanks to new friends who are willing to show us hospitality. Case in point: we had a difficult time getting a taxi to get to the hotel yesterday. Ruth flagged down a random guy in a car and asked him if we could hire him to take us to the hotel. He agreed, and when we got there, he absolutely refused to take any money, despite about five attempts. We couldn't believe the kindness of a complete stranger for a bunch of foreigners...it was just another reason on a long list, to love this beautiful place.

Val, for ZKO

Photos from Day 7

2011-05-21T23:40:00.007-04:00

Special Lunch and Relaxation on Day 6

2011-05-21T22:49:00.002-04:00

Our friend and interpreter, Ruth, took us to a popular lunch place where you could choose what you wanted them to cook. By the time you got back to your table, the first round was already there. We had delicious Yunnan tea along with our meal, of course. This was different, and had chrysanthemums in it. It was likely one of our Top Three places we've eaten...wonderful jiao zi and Hunan-style fried rice.

(see photos of these fun adventures here).

In the evening we met our professor friend, Shang, along with several of his colleagues. It just so happened that Ruth knew him as well, so we had a great evening of talking and laughter. Since our work was now done, it felt great to relax somewhat. We've had a wonderful time learning local customs, local hangouts, and almost feel like we know our way around the city. It's been so great making new, local connections that we can draw on in the future. So many incredible people have come into our path on this trip, and we're confident it was not coincidental.

-Val

More Photos from Day 6

2011-05-21T22:40:00.007-04:00

Day 6, May 20th

2011-05-21T22:26:00.005-04:00

Friday was spent having a relaxing morning, and then going to the social welfare institute (SWI) in the afternoon. Every Friday, the SWI is cleaned top to bottom, so it was not a good time to visit in the am. In the afternoon, we were taken upstairs to see the school for the children who aren't able to go to the public school because of a disability. They have two classrooms and a large library, and also a computer room.

We again did a short play time with the Preschool special needs kids. We were amazed by how quickly the children have picked up skills and shown their creativity, from just being given the tools to do so for a few days. There is a little one who appears to be blind & deaf, but she was soon lacing cards like a pro. We sat there with our mouths open. We weren't the only ones, as Ms. Yi ran to get her nannies, so they could watch her. Their exclamations were so fun to see. We are excited to be showing them just a little of these kids' potential, and how play is so vital to opening up their ability to lean. We have some really great structures being made from Legos/Duplos, beautiful art to bring home, and were watching them string beads.

As we left, it got really difficult. "George" our wild man, was just crushed. He cried and cried--we are supposing he thought it was our last day, and things weren't much better on our side of the gate. We'll have one more, Monday, but I'm assuming it will be just as difficult for the team. Our hearts have been left on Sixth Floor. We can't wait to see a structured program set up, with teachers with dreams helping these children achieve the previously unimaginable. Thanks for joining us on this wonderful journey!

Photos from Day 5 may be viewed here.

Val, for ZKO

Photos from Day 6

2011-05-21T22:20:00.003-04:00

Day 5, May 19th

2011-05-19T22:29:00.005-04:00

Hello from Zhanjiang!

This is Vickie writing today's journal, so if I repeat anything Val has already said, I apologize in advance.

This trip has been amazing on so many levels. The team of professionals we brought along are simply amazing. They each bring such a high level of expertise in their individual fields, but their hearts are all the same. Each of them have such a love for children and a deep desire to help those with special needs. At the end of each day we meet together as a team and they talk about each child and their individual needs. We've had the opportunity to meet with every child on the "little kids" floor of the orphanage and have started to learn not only about their special needs, but about their personalities and who they are as a person. On the first day we arrived, many of the children were very shy and withdrawn and like an onion, we've peeled away layer after layer to discover the little person that exists inside of each of them. Now when we arrive in the mornings the children come running down the hallway towards us and grab our hands, dragging us into the classroom ready to start their day with us.

This morning the team finished up with the last of the evaluations on the children. Each of the children was seen by our medical team for vision, hearing and a basic medical checkup. They also met with our therapist for a PT and OT evaluation, and of our intervention specialist for their education assessment. We now have a better understanding what the needs are that need to be met for these children and what we need to do in order to meet these needs.

After lunch we went back to the orphanage and set up organized group play stations. We had a station for Legos, one for fine motors skills (stringing beads and sewing boards), one for coloring and one for large muscle with games of hop scotch, and various other outdoor games. For me it was the highlight of the week so far. To watch the children play in a group setting--the giggles, the smiles, and especially watching the children learn how to share, take turns and just have the opportunity to play like normal children.

After we were finished we had fun making a game out of picking up the toys and cleaning the room. ZKO hosted the directors and the SWI office staff to dinner at a local restaurant. After dinner I thanked Director Su and Ms. Yi for welcoming us back to Zhanjiang and for allowing our team the opportunity to work with their children this week. I conveyed our thanks for not only their business relationship with ZKO, but also for the friendships which have been developed over the years. I expressed ZKO's continued commitment to work beside them in an effort to do everything we can to help the children in the Zhanjiang orphanage. I emphasized the wonderful care the Open Arms Aunties give to the babies in the program and how important this program has been to help the babies adjust to their families once they are adopted. Director Su then addressed our team with his thanks for our hard work this week and our continued efforts in the future. He then told us that we were "angels to the children." For those of you who have never had the privilege of meeting Director Su in person, I cannot say enough good things about him. He truly has a heart for the children in Zhanjiang's orphanage and works very hard to do everything he can to see they are provided for.

Our team is planning on taking the morning off from the orphanage and will spend time talking about each child and their file of assessments. We'll return to the orphanage tomorrow afternoon to spend more time with the children in organized group play. I can hardly wait to see all of them again!

I hope everyone has enjoyed following along this week. Many thanks to everyone who has dropped us a line. Your support and words of encouragement mean so much to us.

Photos from Day 5 may be viewed here.

Vickie

Photos from Day 5

2011-05-19T21:23:00.018-04:00

Making a left-hand turn during rush hour #3. There are four/day: going to work & school in the morning, going home before lunch, going back to school after lunch & nap, and going home in the evening

Sandbox!

Open-air market near a college

Dragonfruit, somewhat like a kiwi

Beautiful fruit--the pineapple are just coming into season, and they're just delicious. They are ripe from May-September.

Schoolgirls on their way back to school after lunch and a rest

A common scene

Haircut time, near the orphanage gate. Mama holds the wailing baby, and grandma tries to console.

Split pants

Tai Chi in the park

She was proud to show off her adorable daughter

Park near the orphanage, honoring a peasant who bravely fought the French occupation

Photos from Day 4

2011-05-19T10:18:00.008-04:00

Tailor's shop

Tailor's shop

Tailor

Our Team & Elsa
(from Left) Ellen (PT), Patti (RN),Brooke (RN), Bethany (nursing student),

Vickie (ZKO), Elsa (ZJ staff), Val (ZKO), Suzanne (teacher)

Open Arms aunties looking at update pics from parents

Our team, plus interpreters: Vincent, Stefan, Ruth

Day 4

2011-05-19T10:10:00.003-04:00

Today was another reminder of how our expectations can be completely blown out of the water. This morning as we walked up the stairs to Floor Six, we were met by eager children who grabbed our hands and literally DRAGGED us down the hallway to the activities room where we hope to set up our school room. They were ready for school...what had taken us so long to get there, anyway?? And sweet, sweet Cassie with CP was there waiting with outstretched arms, for Ellen, our PT. Ellen spent a lot of time with her yesterday, showing the ayis how to stretch her muscles so her quality of life can be improved. She is optimistic that she will someday be able to walk.

The morning was spent doing more assessments, and being so awed by the potential we see. The teachers are so anxious to begin teaching, and we can see the children are anxious to learn as well. Our windows and doorway are full of watchers, waiting for their turn to be assessed, or to rejoin the classroom if they've already been assessed. We have five stations set up around the room at the tables, where each educator or medical professional completes their part of the child's file.

At lunch were were again hosted by Dir. Su, Ms. Yi, and the rest of the office staff. They have been so incredibly welcoming, and it is such an honor to be invited so warmly. After lunch, during the children's rest time, the team went shopping, while Vickie and I went with our guide, Ruth, to buy uniform pants for the Open Arms aunties. We hadn't been able to find enough matching pants at the place where we'd bought tops (that would've been too easy). Ruth took us to a place near the Normal University campus, and we went to a tailor's shop. What a great culture lesson...I took photos of his sewing room for proof that sewing rooms are universal. :o)

After lunch, the team began a short school session with the children. Everyone had a fantastic time, and we are beginning to get ideas of how to implement what we are envisioning. Vickie and I went upstairs to love on babies, love on babies, see the newly-installed flooring, and to love on babies--in that order. We are absolutely thrilled to see the emotional, social, and physical condition of the children. I think each time we come, we see improvement. The twelve little ones in the room at that time were the crawlers and walkers. We watched as the babies played and tumbled over one another, and interacted with their aunties and each other. Between two aunties, a grinning little one was learning to take her first steps. My heart was full as I watched more than one toddle over to his or her auntie and just lunge for a hug and kiss, and then go again. These little ones are loved and love in return...this is all in thanks to YOU, our wonderful families who donate to make this program continue after your child has left it. One of the best parts of this visit was when I took out the photos and notes some of you sent as updates of your children. They were over the moon to see them doing so well, and excitedly passed around the photos. They always remember and recognize your children, and it means so much to find out how they are doing after they leave.

The evening was spent debriefing again, and making a tentative game plan for the next day. We hope to have a modified school session again, to see what works and what doesn't.

Photos from Day 4 may be viewed here.

Thank you again for following us. Val, for ZKO

Day 3

2011-05-17T19:38:00.010-04:00

Tuesday was spent doing assessments on some of the children we met yesterday during play time. Our imaginations go wild with the possibilities as we watch these beautiful children respond and open up to us. The hard-won smiles, and seeing their delight in achievement, force us to swallow our victory tears until a more opportune moment. I cannot over-exaggerate the potential in these children. Because of you, they are being given a chance to leave their SN label behind and explore a new world of accomplishment, art, creativity, and just good, old-fashioned fun & games.

From the fearful child with CP of yesterday, today giving me a belly laugh because we are blowing and popping bubbles, to the deaf children who are picking up signs almost as quickly as they are being taught, we are overwhelmed by the potential we see. It's going to be a challenge to know exactly how to provide it, but we are confident that we CAN and WILL. It's difficult to put solely into word pictures to communicate what we are experiencing: the joy on their faces, the excitement at excelling in their given tasks. These children want so much to be discovered--they have been waiting for the opportunity. We must give it to them.

As for the rest of the day, we took the Open Arms aunties out to lunch to thank them for their hard work. They wore their uniforms which Vickie and I had just purchased. They expressed thanks and fulfillment they find in their jobs working with the babies. We reiterated the importance of their tasks, how vital their attention and affection is to the babies' well-beings. We expressed the thanks that you have asked us to convey, and they were grateful in return for your recognition of their role.

The afternoon was spent working again with the preschool assessments, and Vickie & I met the challenge head-on of shopping for replacement flooring for the Open Arms room. Until one needs to shop for specific items, the complexities of this task should not be underestimated. :o) This was my maiden voyage, and I'm happy to report that we were successful at the fourth shop we entered. Vickie's advice to me was to remind me of her 2hr. curtain rod-purchasing saga, and to not feel excited until the receipt is in your hand...good to know. Honestly though, it's wonderful to be here. Our translators are making sure we get to see "Real China" this week, as well as have a memorable time.

We returned to the hotel, declining an evening out, and debriefed over hot chocolate, juice, and lattes in the lobby's coffee shop. We are finding the need to try to get the rest we need to meet the next day's challenges. We hope to add some non-work activities to our schedule toward the end of the week. We have heard whispers from our interpreter friend, Ruth, of Saturday pedicures and massages. :o

Thanks for following us, Val for ZKO

Photos from Day 2

2011-05-16T22:20:00.008-04:00

Day 2, May 16th

2011-05-16T21:55:00.001-04:00

After a good night's rest (for most, and relatively-speaking LOL) we met for breakfast to make some tentative plans for the day. The SWI's driver was waiting for us at the hotel and we loaded up the suitcases of supplies for our week. They are full of testing equipment, toys, games, and snacks. At the SWI, Ms. Yi and Dir. Su welcomed us in the conference room, and introduced us to the guides they had found for us. We have a teacher and two students from Normal University, which means it's a school for teachers as our helpers for this week. Ruth is a teacher of Comprehensive English, and Stefan and Vincent are English Majors. They are wonderful people as well as terrific interpreters.

They asked if we wanted to start our week by visiting the babies---isn't that the VERY best way to start anything? We played, held babies, rocked, and tried to bottle it all up in our memory banks for about two hours. It was absolutely wonderful. Our team's expertise was drawn-upon during that time for various medical issues the staff wanted to address in some of the children, and we are so grateful for all they bring to the team. The babies in OpenArms are doing so well. It was very evident what one-on-one care is bringing to their little lives. The babies know their individual aunties--when one was inconsolable, the auntie gave the child to to her own auntie, and the wailing stopped. These children were giving high fives, dancing, throwing balls, and just having a great time. Their apprehension of us was short-lived as they warmed right up to us. One by one, they drifted off to sleep as it was time for lunch and naps. Our hearts were full from seeing the results of the love of strangers from half a world away. Thank you, thank you, for being a part of this vital program.

Dir. Su and Ms. Yi took us to a lovely lunch to welcome us. It was beautifully presented as always, and the table was full of amazing, delicious food. After lunch, it was time to go back to the orphanage to start on "real" work. We decided that the afternoon would be spent just playing with the preschool candidates to help them warm up to us before the individual assessments begin. To honor the directors' wishes, we have no photos to show of this phase. The children were delightful, and the team members took notes as they played, deciding in which direction to go with this new program. Seeing what they did with stickers, crayons, and paper made our teachers ache to give them art supplies. We will definitely be incorporating art, music, and games. We left with minds whirling, full of questions and ideas and possibilities. We are so anxious to see what we can do with the potential that is evident. Thanks to the generosity of your gifts and trust in ZKO, these children will have the gift of education and enrichment very soon.

In the evening, our interpreters--and new friends, took us to a wonderful little Mongolian restaurant. We had delicious food (again!), and great conversation. We were fading fast once our feet stopped moving, and once we got back to the hotel, we decided to make it another early night and re-group the next morning when we could again think straight. Thanks for following us, and for your kind words and thoughts.

Val, for ZKO

Day 1, Sunday am 11am update

2011-05-16T20:15:00.018-04:00

Well, we're here safely, and it's wonderful to be back in this beautiful city again. Dir. Su, Ms. Yi, and Elsa were waiting for us at the airport and welcomed us so warmly. They gave us the opportunity to tale the rest of the day to rest, for which we were so grateful. We met as a team to tentatively plan our Monday, and Vickie and I are again amazed at the wonderful people who have joined us to give of their talents. These are some amazing women, and I can't wait to see how many lives are changed because of their generosity. Thanks for following us, and thanks to Mike Mahathy for updating the blog for us!

Val, for ZKO

A welcome oasis, a Starbucks in the Guangzhou airport

The team, from left: Bethany, Patti, Vicki, Brooke, Suzanne, Ellen,
and Val (not shown)

Inside our lovely hotel

The best sight this mama has seen for what seems like a very long time. Thank you Skype.

ZKO to Launch New Program

2011-05-16T19:31:00.006-04:00

Zhanjiang Kids Organization is pleased to launch a new program to benefit children living at the social welfare institute. We will be posting more details about this new program in days ahead but to get it started two ZKO board members, Vickie Bennett and Val Martin, and a group of educational and medical professionals have travelled to Zhanjiang to assess children that will benefit from this new program.

Check back each day to follow their journey and to find out more about this emerging program.

Update on Day Four

2009-11-27T18:18:00.001-05:00

I've been able to add a few photos to Day Four. I tried to do more, but it just won't go anymore. :o( It keeps timing out...will try again later.

Day Five: Zhanjiang

2009-11-27T17:23:00.002-05:00

Today we went to the beach on Donghai Island, a scenic ride of approximately an hour from Zhanjiang city. The children had a great time playing in the sand, collecting shells and sand, splashing in the water, riding a camel, taking four-wheeler rides, and then eating a picnic lunch on the beach. The camel was happy with the many banana peels from our lunches. We joked that he would sleep very well that night after all the trips up and down the beach with the children.

The sun was shining brightly and some of us underestimated the length of time we spent there, ending up a tad on the pink side. :o) On the way back to the hotel, some were dropped off at an antique and flea market. In the evening we visited a beautiful seaside park, and then went to dinner at the China Star, a moored boat-turned-restaurant. We are anxious for tomorrow, when we plan to take some of the students from ZJ SWI a park with us.

Day Four: Zhanjiang

2009-11-26T17:48:00.003-05:00

This morning was a day we had all been anticipating. It felt so good to finally be at a place where we would be unloading a lot of our things. Many brought gifts for the children.

We got on the bus for a short ride to the orphanage. I couldn't believe that they took the buses down the narrow street of Nong 2 Lu, but we did. As we got off the bus, we heard music playing in the courtyard. We entered the gate, and there were the children waving flowers at us beneath a huge red banner that read "Welcome Home." We were immediately surrounded by people, who instantly grabbed our children's name tags looking for ones they recognized. I saw many tears, and hugs, and smiles. It was the most incredible thing I've ever witnessed. The most poignant was the group of foster moms--approximately twelve--who were eying the older girls. They came armed with photo albums, and several were reunited with "their" kids.

We were led to stools in the balloon- and brightly-decorated courtyard, in front of a huge stage, again with a banner welcoming the children home. Behind the stage, in front of the banner, were risers where many photos would be snapped. Again, photos would make this so much easier to explain. Perhaps other blogging parents are having better luck. Be sure to scroll down to look for the "Blogging Families" post for those links.

A woman in a lovely red dress was the hostess for the event, and she introduced Dir. Su, as well as SWI directors from miles around, including Dongguan, Maoming, Dianbai, and a few others I recognized but forget. I'm hoping they got a good impression of this wonderful event and will allow families to return with great ceremony as ours was allowed to. The student-aged children from the SWI danced and sang for us, and then several local children's groups also did so. They did a lion dance and then invited those that wanted to, to try.

Our oldest adoptee group member, Cory, gave a lovely, moving speech. Vickie also gave another speech and did a wonderful job as she received a donation from BLAS for ZKO. How wonderful! When the speeches were over, the children lined up to give their gifts to the director and children. Many things were given that the children will be able to use. In return, the director gave each of the children Zhanjiang pearls and a mother-of-pearl pendant, each with their Zhanjiang names inscribed on the back. It was so incredibly touching.

THEN it was time to go up to the eighth floor to see the babies. How fun. Some babies tolerated it, others not so much. Adam, a dad in our group, got a giggle and huge smiles out of his little one. The children looked wonderful, and we're so grateful to Amy, the director of the Open Arms room for her job in leading the aunties. She takes her job seriously, and when I expressed my gratitude to her, her tears overflowed. The language barrier was nonexistent--something I would witness over and over as the day wore on.

We went downstairs to the room off the courtyard, and they had a humongously long table set up for us for lunch. Along with local fare, they had vegetables, baskets of bananas and oranges, and yes, TURKEY wings and a pumpkin dish. They remembered that today was our Thanksgiving. They did not miss a single detail.

After lunch, we went out in the courtyard to play. Gloria had brought along a Thanksgiving poster/sticker activity. It was good she brought sixty of them, as everyone got in on it. All the kids mingled, helping one another decorate them. After the stickers were done, then the mayhem started...one dad got plastered with the paper outlines of the sticker, by two of the little Zhanjiang boys. :o) Again language was not a barrier. We played jump rope and Dir. Su got in on turning the rope and even jumping. The man is amazing. Just amazing. Then it was time for tug-of-war, a three-legged race, and then a form of tag in which the children hold on to the shirt of the one in front of them, while the leader tries to keep an "it" child from catching the ones on the tail. It was a bit like crack-the-whip. We had such a great time. The children mingled freely with one another, and all the kids ran their legs off. The little ones on the tour were carried around by the older girls from the SWI. It was simply adorable to see them doted on. The afternoon wore on, and we stayed longer than scheduled, but it didn't seem to matter. The kids from the SWI were thrilled to have a day off school, and we look forward to spending Saturday with them.

After leaving, some families chose to go to a park, others with younger children elected to go back to the hotel.

It was one of the most incredible days. It was far more than I ever expected, and has nothing to do with the many cameras and newsies that were there to capture it. It was in the private moments with real people who share our love of our children: in the aunties who recognized the children--the ones who knew them by name, in the affirmation of their genuine goodness, generosity, and affection. What a day.

Day Three: Guangzhou

2009-11-26T17:37:00.002-05:00

We got into Guangzhou and headed for the White Swan. We only had a few hours here on Shamian as we were to go to Zhanjiang the following afternoon. The following morning, families whose children were registered at the Civil Affairs office in Guangzhou were allowed in to view those files.

After lunch, we were taken to the GZ airport where we caught a late afternoon flight to Zhanjiang. We'd been told the SWI staff likely wouldn't be there, but as soon as we stepped into the small airport (one conveyer belt), there they were: Dir. Su, Ms. Yi, Elsa. I continue to be amazed and grateful for their kindness and uncommon courtesy. Our group overwhelmed that small airport, and there weren't enough carts for all the luggage. :o) Although there are four flights in and out of this airport daily, most of their customers aren't loaded for bear like we were. We were then taken to the Crown Plaza hotel, where we'll be for the remainder of our stay.

Day Two

2009-11-26T05:29:00.004-05:00

I continue to get network errors when attempting to upload pics. I'll try to describe what we did, but the photos could tell so much more.

We visited the CCAA and BLAS offices on Day Two. It was pretty amazing to witness actual matchings, as well as meet the woman who very well may have matched many of our children with our families. We were graciously welcomed again in a short ceremony, and after touring the offices, were given a cultural lesson in calligraphy. The children were each given an album of lovely papercuttings. They have been showered with many special mementos. Some they treasure now, and some are things they will do so when they are older.

After a lovely lunch at The Banana Leaf, it was time to head to the airport for our flight to Guangzhou. The children continue to have a good time together, and I see many longer-term friendships being formed.

Homecoming Trip: Day One

2009-11-25T17:04:00.006-05:00

There is so much to write....and I will try to catch up from Zhanjiang. It's been very frustrating to not have access to blogger. I had it for the first two days before the tour started, then nothing. :o( I have a connection now, albeit slow, but I hope to give you all a small taste of the wonderful time we're having. Please give me a bit to catch up. :D

Our first day together started the evening before at orientation, when we met our wonderful guides and were introduced as families to one another. It's so amazing to meet all these wonderful children with a common heritage. All families were given "Happy Bags" containing small gifts for the children, BLAS tshirts, nametags, etc.

After a breakfast at o'dark-thirty, we headed for a special welcoming ceremony (more about that below!) by BLAS then on to the Great Wall and Summer Palace in two buses: red and blue. The older children have been grouped together, and the younger ones, likewise. I'm hearing reports that the children are enjoying each other and I can attest to that from watching on our bus. Lots of Rock/Paper/Scissors being played as we are schlepped.

We had a lovely day for touring Beijing. The weather was not too cold (that's relative, I know...but it was certainly more tolerable than my visit to the GW in '04) and the sun was shining. Some of the children, especially the younger ones, began fading fast as the afternoon wore on, so instead of taking in the Summer Palace in the evening, and then a later dinner, some families chose to take taxis back to the hotel. We're finding the stamina is varied, and we really need to watch how much we push the little ones. All in all though, they are doing amazingly well, and seem to roll with the punches, catching naps where ever they can.

We were met with great fanfare by BLAS and the CCAA. CCTV was even there to record our reception. Along with Zhanjiang, there is another Homecoming Group (Hongzhou, IIRC) also being welcomed. CCAA Director Liu was there along with his Vice-Directors. It was pretty amazing. All the children were given commemorative crystal paperweights of the GW, stuffed pandas, and a special welcoming letter from Dir. Liu. Our own wonderful Vickie Bennett also addressed the gathering and did an amazing job, which we all knew she would. She works tirelessly.

CCTV posted our trip on the news twice that day, and several parents were recognized in the airport from having given interviews with CCAA. If that was not enough, a story about our tour was featured in the China Daily, one of China's most read newspapers. This was all so unexpected, and a little overwhelming. I will post links as soon as I can get them.

I'm having a difficult time uploading photos, so I will post this update, and attempt more photos later when we may have an easier time doing so. Today we're off to meet the kids....CAN'T WAIT! :o) Thanks for following us, Val for ZKO

UPDATE: here's the link to the CCTV piece (not in English)
http://www.megavideo.com/?v=0RL2WCG3

Director Liu of the CCAA (!!!!)
Debbie and Elizabeth at Badaling section of the Great Wall

Val, Sophie & Ava

Blogging the Trip!

2009-11-15T23:58:00.002-05:00

Here will be the blogroll of those families who will be blogging:

http://www.thephalens.com/

http://martinfamily92.blogspot.com/

http://b2chinatour.blogspot.com/

http://vangordon.blogspot.com/

ZJ Homecoming Itinerary

2009-11-15T20:52:00.000-05:00

We are excitedly packing and planning. Only a few more days remain before most of us will be taking off for Beijing. Here is our itinerary, if you'd like to see where we'll be on which particular day of the trip.

Date		Itinerary
Nov. 22nd	Evening	Orientation meeting at the hotel around 7pm
Nov. 23rd	Morning	Welcome ceremony at Ministry of Civil Affairs; Tour to the Great Wall afterwards
	Afternoon	Visit Summer Palace after lunch
	Evening	Dinner at the hotel
Nov. 24th	Morning	Visit CCAA and BLAS, kids take culture lessons, then have lunch nearby
	Afternoon	Go to Guangzhou by plane
	Evening	Transfer to the hotel and take a rest
Nov. 25th	Morning	Visit Provincial Adoption Registration Center and check files
	Afternoon	Go to Zhanjiang by flight after lunch and shopping on Shamian Island
	Evening	Traditional local dinner after arrival, then check in at the hotel
Nov. 26th	Morning	Welcoming ceremony at Zhanjiang CWI and lunch in the orphanage
Nov. 26th	Afternoon	Learn to play local games and play with older children from the orphanage; Visit Cunjin Park afterwards
Nov. 27th	Morning	Drive through countryside and along the ocean to the East Sea Island (Donghai Island) and walk and play freely by the seaside.
	Afternoon	Back to the hotel and take a rest
	Evening	Take Zhanjiang city tour, Haiwan Bridge and China-Macau Friendship Park, dinner at the ocean liner restaurant
Nov. 28th	Morning	Visit Huguangyan National Scenic Spot (the older children from the orphanage come along for this fun)
	Afternoon	Go to orphanage to meet foster families or shop freely in the city
	Evening	Farewell dinner
Nov. 29th		Fly to Guangzhou or other destination

Home!

2008-04-26T16:16:00.000-04:00

After many flights, Vickie & Val are home safely with their families again. It was a productive trip--full of hard work, fun times, and many wonderful memories. Best of all, we have a better idea of how the SWI would like to proceed. Since meeting the special needs children, this is an area in which we hope we can assist them. The PT team was invaluable in this respect, and we believe their influence will open new doors for ZKO.

As I sign off on this trip, I want to give families who plan a visit to ZJ a few tips for their must-see/do list:

1.) Walk the streets around the hotel. It's a great way to see the city and meet people!

2.) Visit your child's finding place with an interpreter. You will likely find new friends who just may have been there when your child was found. This happened to Val this trip. With the help of an interpreter, an employee of the place in which her daughter was found was able to communicate that she was there at the time of the abandonment, and may have been the one to find her. She also was able to answer a few more questions, and fill in some information that helps get a better idea of the circumstances and site of the abandonment. These are things that simply cannot be understood by a finding ad alone. I highly encourage talking to locals. They are warm and compassionate, and you may find that they are very willing to talk. Val was asked to take a photo with them, and was asked to email it to the employee. Of course, she is willing and eager to do so! These connections may become so valuable to our children.

3.) Visit hole-in-the-wall type restaurants!!! We had a spectacular dinner in an Inner Mongolian restaurant, found by going down side streets and alleys. Amazing, amazing food. There were all of five tables inside, but it is considered a hot spot. You can always eat KFC at home. :o)

4.) Visit the harbor area near the hotel. It's just a short taxi ride from the Silver Seas/Crowne Plaza--perhaps 6 yuan to take a taxi. You'll get all kinds of great shots of the boats: huge ocean liners and tiny fishing skiffs.

5.) Make sure to do shopping at the antique and Jade market. You can find something for almost everyone on your list. It's not a place like some markets in Guangzhou & Beijing that cater to tourists. You can find jewelry, jade, cloisonné, carvings, and best of all: antiques! There are plenty of things that can be bought on a budget. Plan to bargain hard there. Our interpreter told us, "If they say 100Y, you MUST offer them 20Y, but go no higher than 40-50Y." It's expected, so loosen your inhibitions. :o) Take along bubble wrap if you have room. Or else, have them wrap your breakables well and take them in your carry-on. You can find antique plates, teapots, earthenware, pottery figurines, old Chinese coins, etc.

6.) Go to the Seaside Park, near the huge ship restaurant (a moored, converted ship). On weekends, families fly kites there. There you'll find The Kite Lady, whose relatives make the kites in Shanxi province. They are inexpensive: 20Y for the small butterfly kites, 70Y for the huge ones that fold easily into suitcases. Reels can be purchased for 2Y, or large ones with ball bearings for 20Y. It was a great place to find gifts for little boys on your list.

Thank you for following our trip, and for your kind thoughts, prayers, emails, and comments. They were very encouraging and appreciated! I leave you with a fun photo from the kite place.

"Lucky"
;o)

Therapists finish, and we have a party!

2008-04-23T18:12:00.000-04:00

Today the therapists finished their terrific training with teaching the aunties to have structured play time every day. They will begin to incorporate some specific group play activities, including a gymboree-type program. This was well-received and they are so eager and willing to learn new techniques for the best outcomes of their children.

The PTs have been an incredible asset to Open Arms, and we can never thank them enough for their generosity on ZKO's behalf. The Open Arms program has been very successful, and the aunties are so excited at their children's progress. The aunties were able to bring their babies to the PTs to ask them questions about their individual children, and to ask for specific recommendations for them. The PTs were able to give them concrete ways to improve areas in which the aunties felt their children needed development.

We will be expanding the Caring Kids program, as this has been so valuable to their well-being. We are very eager to expand ZKO's outreach to help the kids achieve their educational potential. We are working with the directors to expand this program, as it is one way in which we can connect ZJ children and adopted ZJ children for mutual benefit.

This evening we had a party with the children. Originally it was only going to be the school kids, but we asked Ms. Yi if we could include the younger ones who were able to join us. We had enough plates/napkins for a CROWD, and she agreed to do so. Vickie and I got caught in a deluge over rush hour. Don't ask. Let's just say that our shoes won't dry out until we're home. :o) We were at the bottom of a hill trying to hail a taxi. There were six directions of traffic attempting to fill a two lane street, everyone trying to make it home for supper. Everytime a bus or large vehicle went by, we would get a shower as we couldn't go anywhere. Finally, it was just funny. We were so.so.drenched. that we HAD to go to the hotel to change. It made us late, and when we walked into the courtyard, we could hear the children waiting in the activity room. They were so excited, as they had a performance prepared for us.Vickie fills goodie bags: pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners, RingPops, Mini M&Ms, chewy Sweet-Tarts. I felt like Santa...it was probably right up there at the top of our favorite moments when we were handing them out. Every LAST one of those children received them with both hands, saying "thank you" in English. Amazing. Just totally amazing. I'm leaving part of my heart here. I know I've said that before, but I just had to say it again.

First of all, they wrote the thank-you cards for their sponsors. WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THOSE! Precious, precious cargo in my luggage. We grabbed our goodie bags and headed up to the activity room. Inside were the PTs, two huge cakes, and forty fidgeting, but seated kids. They were so adorable...you just want to love them up. There was a little deaf girl named Chu who was grinning so big. I got to give her a hug and kiss before she left. She is so special. Where was I??? Ok, so we went in and started getting out the games: Pin the tail on the donkey and Musical Chairs. :o) Yup, we decided to teach them some American party games. Ms. Yi agreed to be our demo, and the children hooted at her as she really messed up on her tail. Thennnnn, we got to musical chairs. Hands down, the funnest thing to watch ever. People who live in the building, some disabled young adults, staff, etc. joined the party and were laughing so hard at the kids from the doorway. Part of the fun was watching them! As the seats dwindled, it became even funnier and funnier, as we played the Chicken Dance Song and when it paused they had to scramble. What a blast.

We sat down for a performance by the school children. They did a song in sign language called "A Grateful Heart." Oh.my. Vickie and I were both wiping tears. It was a wonderful way to end our time here.

We sat down to serve cake, and handed out our goodie bags, which were a hit. Then we said goodbye--or "until next time." As we walked down the steps, we kept hearing them say goodbye and seeing them wave to us from above. I can't wait to come back.

Update/Scenes from 2 Nonglin Lu, the street in front of the SWI

2008-04-22T01:49:00.000-04:00

Today was another amazing day. The physical therapists began doing the trainings this morning. Then we all went to take the school children to KFC for a treat. This time we avoided the van and they walked a few blocks from school. Yup, there went another huge section of our hearts as we interacted with the kids. Most of them have a special need, but are able to attend the public school near the orphanage. Generous donors--Zhanjiang adoptees giving to the Caring Kids Program--make this possible, to make their lives as mainstreamed into their community as possible.

We've been so impressed in watching the children interact. They are truly family to one another, with the older ones constantly looking out for the younger ones. It's amazing to watch the selflessness of the children, and how they respect their auntie--who by the way, can create instant silence with a single word! Fascinating to watch!

This trip we have spent more time with the older children than with the babies, and it has been such a treat to watch them in their home. We believe Dir.Su & Ms. Yi have created a very good environment for them, and it is not the norm. When we mentioned this to them, they told us that a family-type community is what they have attempted to create. They have done exceptionally well in achieving that goal.

Meeting the babies & children

2008-04-21T11:12:00.001-04:00

Zhanjiang SWI, still decorated from Chinese New Year. The flags fluttered in the ocean breeze over the courtyard.

We had a wonderful day starting with Vickie and Val visiting the Open Arms babies, which of course was a highlight. Some burst into tears just at the sight of us, but others toddled around us offering us toys. Of course, they were cute beyond words. It is so wonderful to see them interacting with the aunties, and they are very obviously attached to each other and thriving in their care. We watched as one of the little girls "helped" an auntie with her massages and exercises on one of the OA babies---she knew the drill! At the request of Dir. Su & Ms. Yi, we cannot post photos of the children on the internet but will include them in future newsletters which will be mailed.

At lunch time, we repeated last year's McDonald's outing with the 3-7 year olds. Of course, it was a just a riot. We enjoyed every second of it, as did the children. We piled into the van, all THIRTY-TWO of us in a twelve-passenger vehicle--it was the Zhanjiang Clown Car. What a blast watching the children experience the neighborhood and enjoying their cheeseburgers, fries, orange drinks, and ice cream cones! It was truly a highlight. Many of the kids remembered Vickie from last year, and call her Ayi Vickie. Of course at the end of the meal, 25 Happy Meal Toys were handed out to finish out our lunch. Huge sections of our hearts will stay behind when we go home, that's for sure.

After a brief rest, Ms. Yi welcomed the Physical Therapist team with a drive to DongHai Island, a scenic one hour drive from Zhanjiang City. This fishing boat had just been pushed up onto the beach by about thirty fishermen. There were several ways to see the beach area: horses, a camel, or four wheelers. Ms. Yi definitely wanted the latter. She challenged us to a race on the beach. And won!In the evening, Dir. Su & Ms. Yi welcomed us with a delicious dinner of local delicacies. As before, it was very delicious. At each meal we try new things, and gain new "favorite foods." This time it would have to be the small sea shells that are steamed and sprinkled with sea salt. They tasted somewhat like clams. Absolutely delicious!
Here is Ms. Yi (Dir. Su to the left) serving us these lovely dishes. You can see how colorful and fresh it all is.Shrimp on a skewer, surrounded by pumpkin, the best noodles ever, fish, beef, barbecued oysters, and vegetables.Cheryl (a PT) goes for seconds on the little seashells. You take a toothpick, pierce the edge, and tug. I know my children would have loved them! We were told they are a local delicacy. With this delicious meal, we are ready to do some work! Tomorrow is physical therapy training with the aunties, and our next adventure. Thanks for following us!

Scenes at Zhanjiang's waterfront

2008-04-20T09:29:00.001-04:00

Tonight Vickie, Rebecca, & I went walking along the harbor. It was a lovely weekend night, full of families out enjoying the evening breeze. The children were standing along the rail watching the boats. For all you parents who would like photos for your childrens' lifebooks, you are welcome to copy these to your computers. If you'd like the high resolution versions, please feel free to contact me after I'm home, and I'll be happy to send them to you to use. Since I'm posting by email (can't access Blogger here), it's not letting me send the high-res versions. Hope you can enjoy this little taste of lovely Zhanjiang.

These friends were enjoying a barbeque at the park. The people we've met have been so very friendly and warm to strangers!

We don't know what these people were digging. We asked other local onlookers and they didn't know. We believe it's some sort of small clam-like mussel. Whatever it was, it was hard work.

The workers' bikes were lined up, and locked to the rail.

For more photos of just (cute as a button) children, see Val's blog: http://martinfamily92.blogspot.com

Zhanjiang

2008-04-20T04:06:00.001-04:00

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This morning Vickie and I flew into Zhanjiang from Guangzhou. We met our translator, Rebecca, in Guangzhou and she flew down with us as well. It's very tropical here, and I'm so excited to be in Zhanjiang for the first time. Vickie is also happy to be back. She has her list of must-see's which will be great to experience with her.

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We ate breakfast at the Guangzhou airport...here we are getting our caffeine fixes.

We were met at the airport by Dir. Su and Ms. Yi and her daughter, QingQing. We had such a delicious lunch together planning our week, and I'll leave you on that note. Do not drool on your keyboard!

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Fund Drive Update

2008-03-20T08:12:00.000-04:00

We are so grateful for the generosity of the Zhanjiang community. Parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, siblings, and friends have all felt the need to affect the ones left behind. Because of your outpouring, Open Arms continues for another year, and there is enough money left over to begin to touch the lives of the preschoolers and the special needs kids. This has been a great hope of the ZKO board, and we thank you again.

Vickie & Val will travel to ZJ in one month to watch the nurture program in action and to explore further opportunities. We will keep this blog updated as often as possible during our one-week visit!

Fund Drive Kicks Off!

2007-11-27T22:39:00.000-05:00

It's quite amazing to look back at the events of this past year. Last year this time, we expressed to you the mission of ZKO and what we hoped to accomplish. You opened your hearts to that mission, and it's truly miraculous to see the good you have effected in one year's time. You already know from reading the newsletter, website, and blog how it has benefited the babies, so we won't go into that again (but if you could just see the grins on their faces...). Please know that it's all because of YOU caring about the ones left behind.

It's time to do it all again, this year with the hopes of reaching even more kids at Zhanjiang: the older ones who may never be adopted, and the kids with special needs who need therapy and specialized attention. We have been given such an opportunity by the Zhanjiang staff, and with your help we hope to take full advantage of that opportunity.

As you are "making your list" this holiday season, please consider adding the kids at Zhanjiang as recipients when you're "checking it twice." It's never been easier to give--we now have PayPal! Or if you prefer, you can fax or mail in your tax-deductible donation (the form can be easily printed off our site). http://zhanjiangkids.org/helping.htm Our fund drive will run through December 31st. Keep checking the website for updates!

ZKO News!

2007-11-05T12:02:00.001-05:00

The Chinese symbol you see means "predestined relationship." It can translate to adoption, families, friendships, but it's so appropriate for what has been happening in the Zhanjiang community to which we all belong. We've watched as people all across the world have come together for a common cause: the children at Zhanjiang SWI. It's amazing to experience the common bond of having "SWI sisters and brothers" and how it has caused a wave of compassion and friendship to spill back into the children still living at Zhanjiang SWI.

Landmark events have been happening this month! We've received our official 501(c)(3) status, and your donation will no longer be funneled through FTIA. We are so very grateful for all their assistance until we could become our own non-profit entity. It has now become a cinch to donate directly to ZKO via PayPal on our website!

The newsletter is coming to fruition. Although we've had a few hiccups to delay production, we anticipate it going to the printers shortly and you will find it in your (snail)mailbox by Thanksgiving (for those of you not in the US, that's near the end of November). If you haven't yet signed up, please do so immediately. We can promise you that it's going to be a wonderful, heart-warming issue filled with photographs, interviews, and perspectives from both sides of the ocean. You do NOT want to miss this! The only way you'll be able to see it is if you contact us. If you haven't yet gotten on the mailing list, please contact Kimberley at kimberley@zhanjiangkids.com

We've just gotten our latest batch of quarterly reports, and they are encouraging as well. The babies and toddlers are thriving under their Aunties' care, and it is evident that these Aunties know their children intimately. Some of the following quotes have been taken from the latest reports of several different children:

"When playing alone, she will say "da, da." She prefers the colorful toys, and is curious about the toys which have sound. Whenever there are such toys in front of her, she will watch them for a while before taking them. She is very cute."

"She knows when her name is called. She likes to watch what the Aunties and kids do, and smiles at them. She is active and lovely."

"When the Auntie calls for her from a distance, she turns around at once and smiles. She will clap when Auntie sings to her."

"Whenever Auntie calls her, she waves her hands."

"She is afraid of strangers and wants to play with only her familiar Auntie."

(of an older child) "She is a little naughty. When the Auntie doesn't take her to the playroom on time, she sits on the edge of her crib. When the Auntie comes, she greets her with a hug and points to the playroom. She likes to play games with the Auntie and laughs loudly."

The common theme is that these precious children know their names, and they know their beloved and dedicated Aunties, depending on them for their emotional well-being. It doesn't get much better than that. Thanks for being a part of this incredible work.

Newsletter: Issue I, Volume I

2007-09-20T10:53:00.000-04:00

Great news! Our first-ever ZKO newsletter is in the works, and will be printed and mailed in October! It promises to be a fascinating issue, full of news, ZKO info & updates, interviews, and photos you won't see anywhere else! We believe it'll be a terrific item for our children's scrapbooks/files as well, as they will be able to see and read about children from their hometown.

If you would like to sign up to have one sent to you, please send your mailing address to: Kimberley at zhanjiangkids.org

Visitors to ZJ

2007-07-29T21:17:00.000-04:00

A ZJ Family is visiting the SWI at this time: Susan, and her daughter Riki. She has given me permission to post an excerpt of her trip blog for you to enjoy. It sounds as if they are having a wonderful time, and Riki's hope to love on all the babies has come true--many days in a row! I'm sure the little ones love to see Riki coming through the door to play with them. As has come to be the custom for recent visitors, the staff has been so wonderfully welcoming to returning families. Enjoy!

We were able to call the orphanage on Thursday afternoon and made our first visit there the next morning. We brought gifts for Director Su and his wife and little girl, Assistant Director Yi and her daughter, and for Elsa, who runs the office and speaks quite good English. When we arrived, Director Su was in a meeting (according to Elsa, it was a boring meeting) so we had a pleasant visit with Elsa and Ms Yi. We were asked what we would like to do and how often we would like to come to the SWI during our stay in ZJ. We were soon asked if we would like to go to Open Arms and play with the babies. Of course, Riki's face lit up! Mine lit up AFTER I saw the room full of active and alert little people that really seemed to be thriving.

The ZKO team has done some amazing work here. The families that receive these blessings will have little opportunity to understand what has been done for them but it is so huge! All of the Aunties were on the floor and seemed to enjoy the babies. The babies were all active, alert, and seemed happy and healthy. And, although a couple of them did cry when I looked at them, most of them were quite easy to engage and bright. After about an hour, it was time for the babies to rest. Elsa, Ms. Yi and I had an opportunity to discuss the rest of my visit and what I was and was not willing to buy. We agreed that we would take the oldest children shopping and to McDonalds on Monday and do the same with the next group on Tuesday. I was asked if we might buy some shoes (and possibly some clothes) for the children that did not go to school and were "Special Needs" and therefore would not go shopping with us. Also, they wanted shoes for the toddlers who were beginning to walk. Of course, I agreed. I also offered to buy fans for the five or six(?) school kids' rooms and asked about the special needs kids and was told that they did not have fans either. I said I thought we should buy fans for their rooms as well. Since I seemed to be such a fan fan, they mentioned that on in between days they did not like to run the AC in the baby rooms because electric was so expensive.

She continues:
Imagine our surprise when the van arrived Saturday morning with a party of 12! to show us around: Director Su with wife and daughter and the two assistant directors with their families plus Elsa and the driver! We really thought this was pretty special and pretty extraordinary. They took us to see some of the local attractions including the magnificent Volcano Lake and Dong Hai Island with fish farm along the causeway and a totally tropical feeling.

It was wonderful to see how they interacted with one another ... they function like one big family and we agreed that they would all be our Zhanjiang family too!

I couldn't have been more proud of Riki. She bonded with the kids and was amazingly gracious all day. At the end of the afternoon she gave everyone a very eloquent "thank you" for giving up their day off and for showing her the Zhanjiang area. She told them that the day was very special and that she would always remember. They all cheered and applauded! (As her reward I took her to Crowne Plaza for brownies and creme puffs!)

It sounds as if they're being such good ambassadors of adoptive ZJ families, all the while enriching Riki's knowledge of her heritage. Some of you donated to help her buy things for the orphanage, and they've been able to buy fans to make sleeping in the bedrooms more bearable for all the kids. Being in the tropics, it's almost unthinkable to go through a hot summer with no air moving. Several more things were purchased, including shoes and school clothing. This is truly going to be an unforgettable trip for everyone involved--especially Riki, and we hope that more of you will be able to visit with your children as well.

First quarterly Nanny Reports are in!

2007-07-10T17:34:00.000-04:00

And they have done such a terrific job!!! It's so obvious by the reports, that these children have wormed their way into their nannies' hearts...and we're confident the reverse is true as well.

Each report names the child, their birthdate, measurements--similar to the referral reports we all got for our children. Then, in addition to the basics, there are sections for them to record their personalities, activity levels, and if they have self-soothing behaviors. There are sections regarding their development in language, emotional/social behaviors, and gross- and fine-motor skills. But my favorite part of the report is where the nanny records her interaction with her child. Below are some excerpts from different reports--enjoy them, as have we!!

"she will lie quietly in Auntie's arms when Auntie holds her and pats her gently"

"if she fails to grasp toys from other kids, she will cry loudly"

"while taking her to the [Open Arms] room, she stops crying because there are so many toys to attract her. She takes toys to Auntie and asks her to play with her."

"she is quiet and wants to be with people. She always wants hugs from Auntie...sometimes cries loudly when leaving the Auntie."

"she loves looking at the fluttering curtain with the butterflies on it"

Several of the kids in the program have limb differences, and will be referred via the Waiting Child program. Just listen to what this special Auntie writes: "this little girl loves massage. She won't move when we do it. She holds up her arm to watch it. It seems she is thinking, 'Why do I only have one arm?'"

"she often overturns other kids, and then lies on them to play, which makes the other children cry" :o)

"she looks through the box of toys until all the toys are emptied from the box. Sometimes she puckers her mouth and nods her head, which looks very cute"

"if you don't pay attention to her, she will pull your clothes and shout, 'hey, hey!'"

"she shows a smiling face every day upon seeing Auntie. Because she can't express with words, she will step heavily on her bed. She will not calm down until Auntie lifts her"

"she claps her hands with the music, and holds on a chair and shakes her bottom to dance"

"she is an active child--she likes moving around and never stops. She throws herself to her Auntie's bosom to play. She uses her foot to kick the crib and make banging noises. The other children watch her doing this and join her." [in the nanny's words: 'they make the entire house sound like an instrumental ensemble'] I think we have us a rabble-rouser! :o)

It sounds like a wonderful cacophony of happy, healthy children...these reports are like Christmas in July, and will someday be a treasure to their adoptive parents. It's wonderful knowing these children are being loved and showered with affection. This will lay that important foundation of trust, which will help them attach more easily to their forever families. Thank you again for your part in creating this wonderful atmosphere for the babies.

EXTRA! EXTRA! Look how YOU have affected the babies!!!

2007-06-28T09:53:00.000-04:00

After the team left in April, we knew we needed to allow the new nannies and the SWI staff to have some time to implement the program and get into this new schedule, and that it would naturally take some time to get live reports on the progress. We're ecstatic to report that there have been several visits by ZJ families and both times they were invited to visit "Ava's Room" (where the Open Arms program is run). While the ZKO board is in constant contact with the ZJ directors via phone and email, we were so happy to get several live reports from the viewpoints of visitors.

The first visit by a family was on a Saturday in May, and they were invited with open arms ;o) to see the room, even though it was the weekend, and the nannies wouldn't be using it. They rounded the corner to find the room WAS being used, filled with laughing nannies and happy babies enjoying the toys! It's obvious this is more than a 9-5/M-F job. These dear children are LOVING all the attention, thriving under all the physical touch, and soaking up all the new experiences. The visiting family reported music and singing echoing through the halls!

The second visit we want to highlight is a report from a group that visited on a Homeland Tour. Again, they were graciously welcomed by the ZJ staff, and encouraged to see how wonderfully the babies are doing. The visiting group found all the babies being held or toddling around playing with toys. It was described as "pure chaos"--but a wonderful, beautiful, normal chaos of happy babies singing along with the music on the CD players you helped provide. There were babies playing with toys and listening to music in Ava's Room, but ALSO in the regular nursery. It's just wonderful how the program has been spilling into the rest of the orphanage.

It was requested that a message would be relayed to all you wonderful families who have helped make this program a reality: "Please report to your people that the babies are good and happy and directors Su and Yi are very happy with the program. All should feel happy in their hearts for the good thing you have done for the babies in ZJ".

We are so grateful for the opportunity to give back to Zhanjiang SWI, and look forward to many years of helping the ZJ children to live happy, healthy lives until they can join their forever families. We thank each of you for opening your hearts to this wonderful program.

Final Entry from China!

2007-04-03T15:22:00.000-04:00

Well today was our last day in Zhanjiang City. We started out the day by returning to the orphanage to check on the Open Arms program. As we entered the 8th floor, you could hear the music playing. The weather changed dramatically overnight with a cold snap coming through, so all of the babies were bundled up with big blankets over them and were snuggled in the Aunties arms. The Aunties were all smiles when they saw us again. What a beautiful sight!!

The posters have now been hung in the room. Although you cannot see from the pictures, they are daily schedules in both English and Chinese for the Aunties to follow so they know what they are to be doing with the babies throughout the day. There are also flow charts that the nurses have hung which show what the babies should be doing developmentally at each month of age. While all of the babies are behind at the onset of this program, this is the goal that each of them have for their babies to achieve.

I took a few more pictures of Ava’s Room. I thought you’d enjoy seeing the curtains hung, as well as the posters.

Well this is our final post from Zhanjiang. Thank you for following along on our journey to being the Open Arms program. As we sat with Director Su today, I expressed to him again, on behalf of all of the families who have adopted children from ZJ, our gratitude to both him and Ms. Yi for allowing us the opportunity to implement this program, as well as being able to give back to our children’s first home. Director Su asked me to pass on to all of the ZJ families that you are always welcome to visit ZJ, as well as visit the Open Arms program. He expressed his gratitude to all those who so generously gave to this project and for the ongoing support that ZKO has given to the ZJ swi over the years.

It was a very touching moment as we said our goodbyes. The staff at ZJ have been so kind and gracious to us, there are not enough words to express out thanks to them for making us feel so welcome.

The ZKO Team

Last Day in Zhanjiang

2007-04-02T15:20:00.000-04:00

Today was our first free day since we’ve arrived in China almost 2 weeks ago. We decided to spend the day touring Zhanjiang City, as well and finish up the rest of the finding locations that we are doing for our ZJ families.We traveled to an area of Zhanjiang called Taiping, and then on to an island off of ZJ called Donghai Island. Our driver took us to a remote part of the island where only the local people go to. It was obvious that they had never seen foreigners, as we drew a crowd very quickly. There were no restaurants or shops in the area, only the local fishermen working off of their boats. The primary business in this area is shrimp, crab, and oysters.The shore ways were filled with local people kneeling as they cracked open the oysters. The beach front was filled with the left over oyster shells. The life here is so simple and so peaceful. It was the closest thing to heaven that I have ever experienced here on earth.

The driver then took us down the coast a little further and there were little huts where they would cook the fresh seafood for the local fishermen to eat. So we selected our own shrimp and crabs for them to prepare, as well as some other fish which they made a fish soup out of. The shrimp was so tender and so sweet, and the crab literally melted in your mouth. I have never tasted anything like it in all of my travels. I took some pictures of our food selections, as well as after they were prepared. I still cannot believe just how fresh all the food tasted. And of course, like any other meal here in China, it was very cheap. We had two plates full of shrimp, a plate of crab, fried rice, a fresh vegetable, a plate full of oysters, and drinks for 3 people and it was a whopping $15 in US money.

I thought for the pictures with today’s journal that I would share with you some of the beauty of the Chinese people and their everyday lives. They work so hard and lead such simple lives, but they are always so happy and content with what they have. I hope that you enjoy these pictures.

Tomorrow will be our last day here in Zhanjiang City. While it is sad to be leaving this beautiful place, we are missing our families so much and are anxious to get our arms around our children.

Thank you again for following along on our journey, and thank you for all the wonderful emails that you have sent us. They have been a constant source of support for us. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we wind down this trip and get ready to make the long journey back to the US.

The ZKO Team

Taking the Older Kids Out!

2007-04-01T15:33:00.000-04:00

Today was another day filled with lots of fun!! We took the second group of children out for the day. They ranged in age of 7-14 yrs old. There was a little confusion on our actual meeting time, so they were there waiting on us when we arrived.

Our translator from the orphanage said that all of these children attend the local school. They have 1 primary caregiver during the week, and the orphanage sent her with us today. This particular caregiver grew up in the orphanage herself and is now 35 yrs old, married, and has a 10 yr old son. Everyday she walks the children to and from school, helps them with their clothing and meals, and also helps them with their homework in the evenings. Basically she is a "mom" to these 16 children.

Since these children were older, they were allowed to pick out what they wanted at McDonald's. Our translator said that on National Children's Day in China, their McDonald's brings food for the children to the orphanage, so that is a very special treat for them. But today was the first time that any of them have actually been at a McDonald's restaurant. We had a lot of fun watching them enjoy their meals. All of them ordered these drinks that were like floats, rather than just plain pop.

After we finished eating all of the children lined up in pairs of two's. They had this procedure down to a science. Every older children was assigned to a younger child, with the older child positioned to be on the left and the younger child on the right. I was told this is how they line up to walk to and from school every day.

We headed to a local department store and the children were permitted to pick out one outfit (either a top and bottoms or a dress), as well as a pair of shoes. While we waiting for the children to try on clothes and shoes, the kids would take our hands and point to everything they could think of and want to know how to pronounce it in English. So they had a very good English lesson today. They all could say their ABC's, as well as count in English. Our translator said that all of the schools teach their children some English as part of their curriculum.

After we finished shopping there was an indoor play area, so I asked the nannie if the children could play in it for a while. She was happy to agree to this, so the kids spent about half an hour playing and boy did they have fun!! I video taped this because I knew that pictures could not even begin to capture the fun they were having.

Once they were finished, we bought them all a cold can of Coke or Sprite and then we said our goodbye's. It was incredibly hard to say goodbye to all of them. They were all so sweet and fun to be with, we could have easily packed all of them in our suitcases and taken them home with us. They just kept coming up to us and saying "thank you". They wanted to hold our hands and would hang on our arms. They were just so sweet.

The ZKO Team

We Are Up and Running!

2007-03-31T15:19:00.000-04:00

Once again, I have to apologize for the delay in posting to everyone. Open Arms has been running live for the last two days now. We leave our hotel around 7:30 am and do not get back until late in the evening, at which time we literally drop.

The program is going very well and the Aunties and babies are very happy. It is so wonderful to see the smiles on both the babies’ and the Aunties’ faces. I thought I’d give you a little run down on how that program is running. The aunties work shifts and are assigned 3 babies in the morning and 3 different babies in the afternoon. They are divided up into age groups of 0-6 months in one shift and 7-12 months in the other shift.

They start out with doing massage therapy on the babies. From their heads down to their toes, they are given a complete body massage. This helps with their muscles, as well as giving the babies the physical touch that they need. They talk and sing to the babies while they are doing this. It is so touching to see the babies just lay there and look into their Aunties eyes while they are rubbing on them—very sweet.

They then have some music time where they sing as a group various children’s songs. The itsy bitsy spider is the Aunties favorite. After they’re done with each song, the Aunties clap and the babies just smile!! They have reading time where they not only read to the babies, but the babies are encouraged to touch and feel the books. It is wonderful to see the babies point to the pictures and interact with their Aunties. They also have free play time where they can interact with each other. This is fun to watch, especially with the older group of babies. They normally cannot get to each other in the nursery, other than reaching through their cribs. It is so much fun to watch them play together and interact. They explore touching each other’s hair, hands, etc. I think the free play time is my favorite.

They LOVE all the new toys. I think that the Aunties are enjoying the toys as much as the children are. They have never seen any of the toys before (other than the balls), so everything is new for them as well. The RN’s showed them how to work each of the toys and what the benefit each of them had for the children in their development.

I have to apologize that there are no pictures with this post, but the orphanage staff has requested that we not post pictures of the children to the internet and we have to respect this request. Director Su and Ms. Yi have been so cooperative and so helpful, and they are so excited about this program and really want it to be successful. We (ZKO) has given our word that we would abide by their wishes with this request and we cannot do anything to jeopardize this very precious relationship that we have been able to establish during this trip. We thank you for your understanding in this particular matter.

Hopefully these next few days we will be able to relax and enjoy our free time working on finding locations and maybe even squeeze in a little shopping.

Thank you for following along with us on this journey and again I am sorry that the posts have been so slow in coming.

The ZKO Team

A Great Day!

2007-03-28T15:17:00.000-04:00

Today was another good day filled with lots of progress. The new flooring for Ava’s Room was delivered and installed, as well as the curtain rods. The Aunties uniforms were delivered as well and we unpacked the toys that all safely made it to China through the US Postal service. We have purchased lots of nice wooden toys made by Melissa & Doug through Gummy Lump. Gummy Lump was very helpful in getting these toys shipped and passed through customs without a hitch, and for that we are so grateful! Thank you Gummy Lump!!

The room is just about complete, and I am happy to report that Open Arms will be officially running live tomorrow!! We took a few of the babies into Ava’s Room and the first thing they did was look up at the butterflies. The orphanage staff loves the theme that we have selected and they really love the beauty of the butterflies that we have hanging from the ceilings. We had a few extra left over, so Ms. Yi asked if we could hang them in the nurseries since the babies seem to love them so much. Of course, I was thrilled to be able to do this for them.

I cannot say enough how excited the Aunties and the Directors are about the Open Arms program. They have been so helpful with every little detail. The staff is always coming in to the room asking if we need help, and it has been much appreciated!

I also wanted to comment on the music that is in the nurseries. Of course they always have it playing very loudly, but the babies absolutely LOVE it! They are always standing up in their cribs swaying back and forth to it. They always have lots of smiles on their faces and I think that the music does a lot for setting the mood for the nannies as well. They seem to really enjoy the music and are always singing and laughing. What a huge difference such a small item has made in the everyday life of ZJ. Thank you again to those of you who donated to this project last fall!

Well that is all I have for today, wish us well for tomorrow and please continue to keep us in your prayers.

The ZKO Team

Progress is Made!

2007-03-26T15:17:00.000-04:00

Hello from Zhanjiang City !!

We are sorry for the delay in this post. We have been busy from the moment we touched down in ZJ.

We finally made it to ZJ on Sunday afternoon. We were greeted by Director Su and Asst. Director Ms. Yi. The Directors of ZJ took us for a late lunch at an amazing seafood restaurant. I owed Julie (FTIA) a large favor and had agreed to eat worms with her. So….bon appetite…actually they were not bad at all. They were seasoned with garlic and that was all you could really taste. The food in ZJ is really good and they are known for their seafood due to being next to the ocean. We had shrimp that had been marinated in a type of tea and it was delicious.

After lunch, we all checked into the hotel and unpacked. The RN’s and Julie went to visit some of the foster families to check on the girls. There are now 14 foster families. 3 of the girls were adopted in the past month and there have been new children moved into these homes. I am happy to report that all of the children looked great. They were on target developmentally, and the babies and foster families were all very happy. Thank you again FTIA for providing this much needed foster program for the ZJ orphanage.

On Monday morning, we arrived to the orphanage very early. We were able to meet all of the foster mothers, as well as the new Aunties that ZKO has hired for the Open Arms program. All of these ladies spent both the morning and afternoon in training with the RN’s.

While they were training, Martha and I went up to the nurture room to access what we would need to get the painting started. We then headed out to the local market to purchase some the paint and the supplies. That in itself was an adventure. We went to a little market which at first glance seemed to be a store that sold your basic paint supplies. Once we were finally able to communicate what we meant by “light yellow” the fun began. The man opened the large tin of white paint and then pulled out little syringes of bright yellow paint. He added two of them to the large container and then got out a big wooden stick and started to hand stir. No Home Depot shaking machine used there—ha!! We thought you would enjoy seeing a picture of this, it was really something. We then moved on to painting supplies and the brushes looked like the ones that you would use to smooth out wallpaper. And then we were told that they did not sell paint pans….hmmm…we were not sure how we would get past that dilemma, but what can you do? So we had all of our supplies and off we went. We had a lot of fun painting, but it was really hard work. The weather here in ZJ is already very hot and humid. Thank goodness for the breeze.

The nurture room, which we have named Ava’s Room, is a wonderful room! It has two large windows facing to the south and then two more large windows facing to the north. So the lighting and ventilation is wonderful for the babies—very light and bright. The room itself is very large, about 22’X22’, and the orphanage has also provided us an office which sits directly beside Ava’s Room.

The staff at ZJ have been incredible. They have been very accommodating to every single request that we have made. They have even offered us some of their staff to help with the painting. Directors Su and Yi are so excited about this program and have been nothing but smiles since the time that we have arrived. There are not enough words to express our appreciation to this staff for allowing ZKO to do this program for the children.

As for the children at ZJ, there are approximately 90 babies under the age of 12months and they are located directly beside the Open Arms office on the 8th floor. There are additional children from the ages of toddlers on up, but I have yet to visit that part of the orphanage.

Many things have changed since I was there last March. The babies are now on the 8th floor. When I entered the nursery it was like music to my ears—literally. The music that some of our ZJ families purchased, along with CD players were being used in every room. The babies’ cribs all had soft mattresses on them, the little ones had their heads propped up. They have just recently stopped using the little pillows that the ZJ families purchased since the weather is so hot. Once it turns colder this fall, they will use them again. The babies were being rotated from belly to back. It was as if I had walked into a different orphanage. There is no doubt in my mind that the training that the RN’s provided last May, along with the changes in leadership, has made all the difference in the world. The nannies were laughing and singing along with all of the music, it was a very, very happy place.

We were able to spend time with all of the babies, holding them and talking with them as much as we pleased. As Martha and I were working in Ava’s Room throughout the day, we were free to move about the floor and visit the nursery whenever we wanted.

The RN’s were able to physically examine all of the babies. Physically, there were some colds and some babies with heat rash, but all in all, they were in very good condition. Developmentally, we were still looking at the same delays that we had before. This will now all change with the Open Arms program. We will be enrolling 100% of the babies from the ages of 3 days old (a little boy that was brought in while we were there) up to 9 months. The 10-12 mo babies are all scheduled to be adopted out, but we still selected a few who were really behind to be in the program with the hopes that we can give them a jump start to getting caught up before they leave to go with their forever families.

I am also thrilled to say that we were able to enroll 4 special needs children in the Open Arms program. We have one with a heart condition, two who are missing an arm, and one who is missing her right hand. It is not always likely that an orphanage would allow a special needs child to be enrolled in a special program, but when we asked Ms. Yi she did not even hesitate!

So at the end of the day, the aunties received two full sessions of training, the babies have been selected for the program, and Ava’s Room is now painted. Needless to say, the ZKO team was exhausted, but we were all smiling from ear to ear as we were driving back to our hotel!! What a wonderful day, with lots of progress, and we are so thankful for everything that the ZJ staff has done for us and for this program.

The ZKO Team

A Bad Day!

2007-03-24T15:16:00.000-04:00

We got to Beijing airport, and with all of the toys our luggage was waaaaay over the in-country limits. Total.... $400 US!! So Julie (FTIA) started to bargain. China South Airlines would not budge. So she gets on the phone and calls who else but, well I can't tell you who she called but let's just say that when she was finished, we were able to get the bill cut in half. So while I didn't expect this extra cost, I paid it and on we went. It was still pretty darn good for having 5 pieces of luggage way over the weight limit.

At this point, we had waited so long that we were almost late for our flight so we were scrambling through security and literally running through the airport. We finally get to the gate only to find that the flight was delayed. (Murphy's Law). It wasn't too bad, only about a half hour. So after the delay, off we went.

We had to stop and deboard the plane in Changsha as a layover and that's when the fun began. It was suppose to be only 15 minutes. An hour later they announce that the flight has been cancelled due to the fog both there and in ZJ. So they're going to put us up at the airport hotel.......

Round 1, there is an angry mob of Chinese businessmen. They are storming the counter yelling at the poor girls working the airline's desk. In their faces demanding that the plane WILL take off and they want to talk to the airport's director (remember, it's about 9 pm, yum.....I think he's at home relaxing with his family at the moment). Had we been in America, these people would have been taken away in handcuffs it was that bad.

Round 2, they finally allow us to board the plane to get our personal belongings. We take inventory between the 5 of us. We have a travel size thing of toothpaste, lip gloss, 1/2 a bottle of warm Coke, Advil, and 2 squares of sponge cake left over from the flight we were just on. Of course we hadn't had dinner on the plane because, well you know, the main course was unrecognizable and then there were the Aviation Pickles for dessert...you get the picture.

Round 3, we were told that we would be put up at the airport hotel and would be given dinner as well as breakfast the next morning. Of course the angry mob was not happy about that because they were still demanding that the plane take off even thought you couldn't see the runway because of the fog. So they cram us all up into the shuttle bus. We literally drove 200 feet and then we stopped. Just from the looks of the outside I knew we were in BIG trouble. So we unload and let the angry mob go in front of us. The front desk informs everyone that we all had to share 3 people to a room--strangers getting to know one another. Julie finally negotiates 3 rooms for the 5 of us, having to pay $ for the third room, but at least we didn't need to share a room with a stranger.

Round 4, We're waiting to go to our room when they inform us that it's too late for them to prepare food and so we were going to get a bottle of water--yum, yum!! So now we're tired, dirty, AND hungry. So they finally give us our room numbers and we're on our way. We get to our rooms and I looked at Julie and said...um, how are we suppose to get in, they had not given us a room key. She said we had to use the phone mounted on the wall in the hallway. So she calls for someone to let us in our rooms. We wait...and wait...and finally someone arrives. Of course then they tell us that we can't go out of our rooms because the door will lock behind us and we wouldn't be given a key. And of course we couldn't use the hall phone because they don't speak English. Nice..........So we enter and rooms and there are no words to describe what we saw and smelled--think Goldie Hawn, Bird on a Wire, and the BIG cock roach that landed on her head in the shower---THAT hotel was the Hilton compared to where they took us. I have never in all my life seen and smelled such filth in all my life. There was a HUGE black bug on the floor in one of our rooms, the bathrooms looked and smelled like...well, and you just don't want to know.

Round 5, At this point we were ready to throw up the white flag. We turned around and went back downstairs. It looked like we were going to have to sleep in the hotel lobby. Of course Julie is on her cell phone trying to fix the whole situation. Finally she was able to get a hold of FTIA's local guide. She arranged for a driver to pick us up and take us to the Dalton in Changsha which is where many families stay when they travel to Changsha to adopt. So while we were waiting on the driver, Julie was scrambling making even more phone calls. Canceling our hotel reservations in ZJ. She had to call the director in ZJ and tell her that we would have to cancel the first round of Auntie training that was supposed to start the next morning at 9am. She then had to call of the Aunties.

The driver finally showed up, we were able to take a nice hot shower and get maybe 6 hours of sleep. We are now waiting for the breakfast buffet to open and hopefully after a nice hot breakfast we'll be able to have a better day. Our new flight is supposed to leave at 9am for ZJ. Please keep us in your prayers. We've lost a day of training and our already tight schedule has now become even tighter.

Thanks again for following along on our journey, we covet everyone's prayers. Hopefully next time we write, it will be from ZJ City!!

The ZKO Team

Report from NewDay

2007-03-23T15:14:00.000-04:00

Hello again from Beijing. Today we spent the day at New Day Creations Foster Home. Like I said yesterday, this is one of my favorite charities in China. There are approximately 30 children at New Day, of which 2/3 are in private foster homes. The children who remain at New Day are given wonderful care by their Aunties.

There is a 3/1 ratio of children to Aunties. They have a daily schedule of activities that includes lots of play time, interacting with the other children, and of course lots of one-on-one attention and love from their Aunties. The bedrooms are divided to only allow 3 cribs in each one. There is a window for every room. The children’s names, pictures, and daily schedules are attached to each of their bedroom doorways. The hallways are filled with poster size pictures of their children. The playrooms are filled with wonderful educational toys, and the pre-school classroom looks like it could have been from a school here in America. Lots of crafts, puzzles, musical instruments, etc. Just very, very impressive!!

If you’ve not had a chance to visit their website, I would encourage you to do so. I decided not to post any pictures, because New Day has done a wonderful job photographing their facility, children, and some of their daily activities which is all on their website. Here is the link again, http://www.newdaycreations.com/foster/
On the homepage, if you click on “Tour” you will see pictures of everything that I just spoke about. You will also find the children’s daily schedules there. If you want to see all the children, click on “babies” and there will be pictures of every child, as well as information on them, including what their special need is.

New Day is a privately owned organization run by American families who volunteer their time there. These people have left their homes and families in America to serve these children. I have nothing but respect and admiration for them—thank you New Day for the difference that you are making in all of these children’s lives!

As for the ZKO team, the nurses trained in both the morning and afternoon, and again, the training was given to the foster parents. The families all seemed to enjoy what they learned and as with Taiyuan, they were full of questions.

While this trip to China is about Zhanjiang and the Open Arms program, we felt that since we were traveling with 2 nurses that we needed to give back to just a few of the programs that are working so hard here in China to care for the orphans. There is so much work to be done here, and the ZKO team wanted to try and do our part in helping to support them in their work.

Tomorrow we are off to Zhanjiang!! We will actually be able to sleep in a little and possibly take in a few of the shops around us before heading out to the airport after lunch. We will be arriving in ZJ around 9:30 pm, which will be Saturday morning for all of you. It is still hard to believe that we are finally here and that the dream of an infant nurture program in ZJ is finally becoming a reality!

Please continue to keep us in your prayers. They mean so much to us. Please email us, we love to hear from everyone back home.

Thanks again for following along on our journey.

The ZKO Team

Hello from Beijing!

2007-03-22T15:12:00.001-04:00

Hello from Beijing!!

The ZKO team has arrived to China safe and sound! Our flights were perfect, no delays, and thank goodness our entire luggage made it safely!We are truly sorry for the delay in getting this first post off to all of you. We know you have been anxiously waiting. We arrived at our hotel very late Wednesday night and were able to get about 4 hours of sleep before we had to be back up and running. We traveled back to the Beijing airport to travel down to a little town called Taiyuan.

We were greeted by our translators and then off we went for the ride of our lives. The Taiyuan orphanage is far outside the city limits and so the taxi drivers decided that they wanted to take some short cuts to help make the cab fare a little more profitable for them. I have traveled in many different cities and villages in China, but I have never had the experience of driving down back alleys and going through unpaved roads that looked like dirt bike paths. Needless to say, we could have used a monster truck for the ride and has given new meaning to the word adventure!

Upon our arrival, the RN’s set up to do some training for some of the 300 orphanage foster families. There are very few children in the orphanage itself as most are placed into foster care. We were given a tour of the orphanage and were able to visit with some of the babies and a few of the toddler/sn children. The older non-special needs children were all in school which was encouraging as well. While Taiyuan does not have a lot of money, they have done a very good job with what little they do have. The children, including the special needs children, are sent to foster families so they can have the opportunity of receiving the love of a family. What was even more impressive is that their foster program is not funded by any outside source. They use the money that they receive from the govt. to pay these families, which isn’t much. So the families who sign up to foster these children are doing so simply as a labor of love.

The RN’s trained all morning and then we broke for lunch. The director took us back into the city, taking the paved roads of course, and we had a wonderful lunch with a wide variety of Chinese dishes. It was all very good. We then went back to the orphanage where the RN’s did training for a few more hours. The afternoon proved to be a lot of fun, as the foster moms were introduced to CPR for the very first time. Unlike here in America, the concept of CPR is a foreign concept. Only a few medical professionals in China even know what it is. The expressions on their faces were priceless! They were so excited to try their newly learned skills on the dolls that the RN’s brought. As you can see from the pictures, they had a lot of fun learning. It was very rewarding to know that even though we were far out in a remote little village in China, there are now people there who could save a life if someone were choking or needed CPR. I will never complain about the CPR class that I had to take for our adoption ever again.

Tomorrow we will be traveling to New Day Creations. They are located about 45 minutes outside of Beijing. We will be touring their facility, as well as doing training for their foster mothers. If you are not aware of this organization, I would encourage you to check out their website. They are one of my favorite charities in China. They are a privately run foster care facility. They go out into the various orphanages in China and offer to take in special needs children who require some type of corrective surgery. Their website is http://www.newdaycreations.com/foster/ After they have received their surgeries, they are placed for international adoption. 100% of their children are adopted into forever families.

Thanks again for following along on our journey, please keep the prayers going for our team. The trip has certainly been a smooth one so far and we know that those prayers are what makes the difference.

The ZKO Team