Thursday, December 20, 2007

The orphanage and foster home

Mike and I visited Guangxi Mother's Love Orphanage, where Caris spent the first few years of her life. It has become a home for mostly special needs children in the last few years, and houses a small school as well. We met and held many of the children; children with down syndrome, cerebal palsy, blindness, deafness. They really seemed to appreciate the extra human contact. One boy with leg braces and hearing aids feel in love with Mike after he tossed him in the air and caught him a few times. It probably felt like a King's Dominion ride to his understimulated little self.

We also visited Caris' foster home of the last five years, the home of an Australian family. Since the mom has homeschooled Caris, she was able to give me some insight into her academic strengths and weaknesses. Caris shared a bedroom with the family's 12-yr-old biological daughter. The room had a set of bunk beds, a dresser and enough room to walk between the two. Her "backyard" consisted of a cement area surrounded by buildings under construction: men on scaffolding, hammering, sawing and soldering with no barrier between them and the world around them.

2 comments:

Amy Hauser said...

Hi,

Loving the pictures!!! It looks as though everyone is having a great time!!!!

Looking forward to talking to you soon.

Amy H.

Unknown said...

I just learned of your family. Just a lovely story. I have 2 girls from Mother's Love as well. Thank you for being a positive example. God bless.