Today was the day I visited the orphanage.  Jalyn ended up coming with me.  She wasn't sure she wanted to go but I really wanted her to be able to see the orphanage, to have her company  on the long trip and also to allow the boys some bonding time with Jada.  It was close to a 3 hour trip each way.  I was able to speak quite openly about my faith with my guide who came along.  I was surprised to hear from her that Christianity is becoming popular in China and especially in the countryside.  She pointed out a few beautiful Christian churches along our way.  She is studying at the university and even said they studied parts of the Bible .  She talked for quite awhile asking questions about The American life and if it is how it is portrayed in the movies.  She really would love to come to America and I told her we have had several people stay with us, that we have room for guests.  I think I was mostly surprised about how she talked of Christianity in China.  What happened to all of the persecution of Christians I have always heard about here?  She seemed to be completely unaware of that.  This makes me wonder how much their government may screen  and hide a lot if what is happening .  I remember Sam telling us about that, just the way the government controls the media and what is allowed to be shared .  At the same time, it was so neat to hear her talk about the popularity of Christianity and it's growth here!

I was unsure how I was going to respond to being at the orphanage.  The building was 2 stories high and in the shape of a "U" with a courtyard in the middle.  By courtyard I mean a rectangular slab of concrete .  I had imagined there would be a playground of some sort outside, but there was nothing.  It almost looked like an old motel from the outside with 2 levels.  Each doorway into the various rooms was just some cloth hanging like a curtain (no actual door).  They first took me to Jadas room where she spent her first 6 months of life and then the last month.  I took a lot of the pictures with my camera and forgot to take some with my phone so I could post pics on here.  I felt very pressured and under watch the whole time, I didn't feel free to just wander or anything.  That made me a little nervous and I forgot to take the pics with my phone.  Anyways, Jadas room was somewhat small with about  10 or so cribs in the room.  The director showed me Jadas empty crib (her neighbors crib was empty too.....he was just adopted also and I talked about that family in a precious post).  This was obviously the room for babies probably up to about 2.  There was a sweet jaundiced newborn baby girl who was abandoned on December 1.  The orphanage director gave me a large teddy bear that she said was Jadas favorite for us to keep.  I'm still unsure what I will do with it.....I don't want jada to freak out if she sees the bear, on the other hand she may love to have something familiar with her.  For now, I feel like I need to somehow sanitize this bear since I know for sure the scabies problem among others in the orphanage.  There were 3 nannies that were assigned to that room.  There wasn't much of anything else in the room except 2 little walker seats on wheels.  I imagine the children hardly leave this room and it makes me wonder if that is why Jada absolutely LOVES being outside.  There are two things we KNOW she isn't split personality on and it's bring outside and taking a warm bath!  I was able to see into 3 other rooms with children of various older ages.  They had them all seated around rectangular tables.  I wondered if this was normal or if they were tying to get the kids to look settled as a visitor was coming.  I was told by my friend who adopted Jadas crib neighbor NOT to take treats to the orphanage.  Sounds like maybe they were mobbed and not in a good way.  The smell throughout the orphanage (even with open rooms to the outside) was overpowering.  I think I mostly just felt like these kids have nothing to do.  They are in these small rooms jammed with other kids and I just wonder what they spend their days doing.  Most of the children at this orphanage did have some kind of special need...some were obvious, others were not.  As we were backing away from the orphanage I realized I hadn't taken pics to post on here with my phone, so I have the following pathetic pictures of the outside orphanage (from the inside of our van). The last few pics are of jalyn and I enjoying lunch (chopsticks only!) on the way home.  I am feeling very emotionally drained and it's hard for me to even write out what I'm feeling today.  Maybe I'll do better tomorrow.