Jia Yu County SWI

Today we headed to Jia Yu County Social Welfare Institute (orphanage) about 2 1/2 hours south of Wuhan. Jia Yu County SWI was the place responsible for overseeing Lily's care. To say I was apprehensive about the day would not begin to explain how I was feeling. I was afraid of what I would see, I was afraid of how Lily would react...to sum it up I was just plain afraid. I didn't need to be...the only frightening thing about our day was the drive there and back!

As we left Wuhan we drove out to more and more rural area. It was amazing to see the transformation from a big city to a Pearl S. Buck's "The Good Earth" kind of China. We saw people riding water buffaloes, miles and miles of rice paddys with rows of field workers in straw hats, and poverty and living conditions beyond your wildest imaginings.

Toto I don't think we're in Wuhan anymore

The roads leading to Jia Yu County are in poor shape to say the least. There are pot holes (if you can call them that...they are more like mini Grand Canyons) that could swallow an entire Hummer H2. Not to worry...those huge gaps in the road didn't faze our driver in the least! Neither Tony or I have any fingernails left but it's all good.

The road crew

When we got close to the orphanage we pulled off the road and waited for the Orphanage Director to come meet us and escort us to the orphanage. To say Lily's orphanage is in a remote spot does not begin to explain it. There were literally water buffalo walking up the road in front of the orphanage gates!

We had the warmest welcome when we arrived and were treated like royalty during our entire visit. The batteries in our camera died on the way to the orphanage and apparently Shigu, our Agency Rep, must have told the Director because magically 2 batteries appeared!

We started off with a brief meeting in a conference room and were served piping hot green tea. For reasons I don't understand we were not able to take pictures inside the meeting room. Not that there was anything exciting to photograph it is just interesting that this was the only time they specifically requested that we not take pictures. There were 5 people from the orphanage and one man from the Civil Affairs Office at the meeting. The gentleman from the Civil Affairs Office is apparently the big boss and looked like it! He had on a nice suit, dark sunglasses, and a fancy watch, and a very stern look on his face. All the other people were very friendly and modestly dressed.

The actual SWI Building

During the meeting they told us that the SWI opened in 1958. They explained that at the SWI there is an orphanage, a nursing home, and a home for disabled veterans. There are a total of 7 children in the orphanage and 5 of them are disabled. They use the term "disabled" very loosely. Of the 5 children, 3 have cleft lips and 1 has crossed eyes. Apparently, only one of the children is truly disabled and will require specialized care for the rest of her life. We saw 3 of the children playing outside and like Lily they look happy, chubby, and well cared for.

There are 11 residents in the nursing home and 5 army veterans. Quite a few of the nursing home residents were outside to greet us when we arrived but the Director shooed them away. The SWI has 11 employees and the Director has been in charge for 3 years. They average only one or two adoptions a year and are a very poor SWI.

The Director asked us to please bring Lily back to visit when she is older. He suggested that the age of 12 would be a good age to visit! Why? I don't know...I guess because he said so! He also told us that he hoped that she would be able to speak at least a few words of Mandarin.

We sent Lily a care package before we left for China. Included in the care package were various gifts and a disposable camera. When we were at the Civil Affairs Office on Tuesday we asked the Director if they had received the care package and we were led to believe they had not. However, as the meeting was winding down the nanny left the room and came back with our disposable camera and they had used all the pictures! We can't wait to have the pictures developed!

After the meeting they took us on a short tour of the orphanage. There really isn't a lot to see. They attempt to have all the children in foster care and only require them to visit the orphanage for doctor visits or like in Lily's case if the foster parent actually works at the orphanage. Unfortunately, we were not able to meet Lily's foster mother. I believe this was intentional.

The nursery and playroom.

Tony and I brought with us Hershey Bars with Lily's picture on the front to give to the children at the orphanage. My friend, Elaine, had these wrappers designed to give out at her daughter Amanda's orphanage and was kind enough to share the idea with me. Thanks Elaine they were a big hit! While we did not see the children actually receive them the Director got a kick out of them and passed them around to show the staff. I do believe he will give them to the kids!

The sweetest Hershey Bar ever!

After we toured the orphanage the Director walked with us to the location where Lily's First Mother placed her outside the orphanage gates. Lily was placed next to a pine tree where she would be easy to see but where her First Mother could be hidden from view. It was incredibly emotional to see this site.

The Director and the nanny took more pictures of Lily and then we were wrapping things up and heading to lunch. Tony and I thought we were only going to lunch with Shigu and almost died of shock when the Director got in the car with us. Several of the other orphanage staff followed in a separate car. We went to lunch at a really lovely restaurant about 30 minutes away from the SWI. The Director told us this was the nicest restaurant in all of Jia Yu County. I'm sure he was right. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if it's the only restaurant in Jia Yu County.

We ate in a private room and had an entire entourage waiting on us. There was one woman in the room whose sole responsibility it was to hold Lily while we ate. Unfortunately for her...there was another woman in the room whose sole responsibility it was to hold Lily....that would be ME! There was another woman who stood behind me to my right and made sure my plate was filled and actually cut up my food. I think she would have fed me if I had let her!

As has been our experience, platter upon platter of food was delivered. The Director was very disheartened to learn I was a vegetarian and wanted assurances from Tony and I that we would not raise Lily the same way. Tony was quite adventurous in his eating during lunch and actually ate soup that had whole little fish floating in it! He did, however, draw the line at the eel. Despite the constant assurance from the Director that an eel is related to a fish and not a snake Tony just couldn't bring himself to do it. We were doted on the entire time we ate and I don't think it would've mattered how much we ate in the eyes of the Director it would never have been enough!

During lunch the Director toasted us with Tsing Tao beer several times. He wished us a happy life, a happy family, and so on. Only after a few toasts did we learn that after each toast you are expected to empty your glass. If you had told me this morning that Tony would be chugging beers with the Director this afternoon I would have thought you were crazy!

During lunch Lily sneezed once and the Director made them turn off the air conditioning in the beastly hot room. I'm sure the sneeze couldn't have been caused by all the cigarette smoke and the ashtray at each place setting! The Director tried to get Tony to smoke a cigarette with him but there is only so far Tony will go in the spirit of good cultural relations.

When lunch was finished the Director had them wrap up a ton of leftovers to send back to the hotel with us. God knows we haven't eaten enough since we've been here!

After lunch we headed back for the 2 1/2 hour harrowing ride to the hotel. I think it's obvious that Lily does not suffer from motion sickness. If she didn't throw up after today's car rides I don't think she ever will!