The Orphanage

I'm several days behind in writing, but here we are in Guangzhou with much better internet connection. I'm hoping that blogging won't be so hard now.
What a difference an hour plane ride makes. Guangzhou is NOTHING like Nanning City and I'm at ease here. It's very developed, quite Westernized, and there are many American adopting families here. At the risk of sounding like a spoiled brat who just can't tolerate other cultures---I feel so much better. There are several families from Birmingham here that I know and met another yesterday while standing in line to check in. Friendships are forming and my extraverted personality is revived. I can talk!!!!!! :)
Before we travelled here, I went back to Will's orphanage for a chance to photograph key areas in his childhood and talk with the people who have cared for him since he was found at 14 days old. The first site I photographed, was the main gate to the Nanning City Social Welfare Institute where a stranger found Will wrapped up in blankets alone on the ground. He picked him up, notified the police, and carried him inside the gates of the institute where he remained until entering a foster family at around 3 months. I could picture that day in my mind and it was hard not to cry. I dread the conversation that is coming when Will asks why his parents didn't want him. Heartbreaking. The orphanage is large, housing some 200 children. It's colorful and clean, but it is what it states--an institution. There are bars on the windows and the staff are in uniform. It's no place for a child to grow up. I'm thankful that he was only there for a short amount of time before being moved to foster care where he had sisters to play with and a good upbringing. The director would not let me onto the floor where Will stayed so I couldn't photograph his crib or anything like that. I did meet several nannies who cared for him and it is clear that he was a favorite. I believe that they took good care of him especially when it came to rehabilitation and therapy. I was quite impressed with their new facilities.
The foster mom was there at the orphanage to meet me. She has a sweet, kind face and I can tell that she loves Will as her own child. Under orphanage policy, we aren't allowed any contact with her outside of the orphanage, but my guide was very sneaky and asked if we could come to her house after we toured the orphanage. We secretly agreed that she would leave and wait for us a few miles from the orphanage and that our driver would then follow her to her home. What a gift! Following our tour , we did just that and I was able to spend a few hours with her in her home. She was so hospitable--allowing me to come inside and meet her other foster girls who were kidnapped at some point and are with her while they search for their biological parents. She let me photograph her home and packed up some special things of Wills for him to have. She also answered many questions and asked many questions. I could tell she was interviewing me and later told our guide--"Now that I've met her...I feel better." I guess I passed the test. I'm not going to post the photos of the foster home as I want to save those for Will's eyes to see only when he's ready. It's not a slum, but it's pretty close. Tiny living space. Unbelievably hot. Minimal furnishings. It's dirty. Trash-filled. It smells rank. But there is love in that home without question. She is an incredible woman. From the day she got Will, she began to train him to sit up and strengthen his trunk. Then she would make him stand in a chair to strengthen his legs and squat and stand. She was determined not to let the CP hinder him from walking. When he could walk, she had him walk everywhere on his toes so that his calves would develop. She took him to therapy three times a week. He is walking because of her and we are grateful. I gifted her family with a financial gift in a red envelope and she gifted me with a zip-drive of hundreds of pictures of Will growing up. His birthday parties, Chinese celebrations--everything documented. I was speechless. She had just handed me his childhood and I will be forever in debt to her. We have her address and she wants pictures of Will as he grows which we will be so happy to provide. We also got the address of his best friend from the orphanage who was adopted recently by a family from North Carolina. I plan on getting in touch with them once we return home. How sweet it would be to reunite the boys who grew up on the same street.
All in all it was an exhausting but rewarding day. I feel like I can offer Will a lot of information and documentation about his upbringing which is rare. Praise be to God.
Update on Will: we've had a few more meltdowns, but the last two days have been wonderful. He is so playful with Brent and wakes up slowly but happy and without crying. He gave me a kiss yesterday--a true kiss and I about burst with joy. He smiles freely and loves to be carried around so he can see everything. He still hates the toilet and the shower. He HATES darkness. He goes to sleep in the bright light and then we dim them when he's asleep. He likes our toys but he better be able to see his Angry Bird stuffed animal and that darn Spongebob animal. Those are his security items. He is scratching less but still picks at his lips when he's nervous. We've come a long way in a few days and I am grateful to God for his faithfulness. His cerebral palsy is barely noticeable. He walks and runs. We do see that his legs are a bit mis-shapen, but I'm not sure if it really is palsy or a deformity. Either way--it doesn't slow him down one bit.
Tomorrow I'll write about our trip to Guangzhou and our doctor's visit. Gracious--what an ordeal. Right now, he is sleeping in his crib in the hotel room (another miracle). He went right to it, Brent put him in it and he talked until he fell asleep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is huge.
I would like to add that Brent is currently eating a cheeseburger from McDonalds with such a look of delight that it's hard to sum up in words. You can take a boy out of Birmingham....but he remains he same.
Thanks for reading. Will post pictures tomorrow of our little guy. Love to all.