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Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Today we left the city of Nanchang and took a long bus ride across the countryside to the town of Fengcheng where Mia's orphanage is located. Our journey has been emotional for many reasons, but tonight I am weepy because of one reason in particular...I am so thankful to be American. Over the past few days Andy and I have seen quite a range of Chinese tradition and culture. We've seen first-hand how crippling the practice of foot binding has been for women from very wealthy families, and today we saw the sad reality of poverty so severe that families are forced to abandon their children. I think Andy wrote earlier to "count your blessings" and this evening I am humbly reminded of the many blessings we have and how very, very lucky we are to live in the greatest country on this earth.

Back in the comfort of our hotel room I am pecking away at the computer with Mia fast asleep on my lap. Andy went for a quick run and all is quiet. I am overwhelmed with all that has happened on this long road that led Mia into our lives.

The people here seem so friendly and we are told that they are grateful to us for taking care of their babies. I am the one who is thankful. Chinese men and women walk up to us all the time and touch Mia, speak to her and then to us. I wish I could understand what they are saying. What a complicated language! I can't count the times I've told our poor bus driver that he is "a pair of shoes" in a pathetic attempt to say "thank you". He just laughs at me now. As you can imagine, Andy has already picked up a few Chinese words and uses them with the locals very well.

Mia continues to become more and more comfortable with us each day (I can't believe we've only had her for two days! It seems much longer for some reason.) She enjoys walks around the lake and playing "airplane" with Andy. She is taking a bottle much better now but still refuses to take any solids. She gags as if she's never even seen solid food before. She finally figured out how to use a rattle (sort of) and of all the toys we bought for her the other day she prefers the plastic wrapper that her new bibs came in because she likes the crinkle sound it makes. She sleeps as often as she can and looks very serious most of the time. She is a gentle sweetheart that melts right in your arms when you hold her. We are so lucky.

Jen

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The trip we took to the countryside today was amazing, eye-opening, and humbling all in one. On the drive to Fengcheng we passed through countless rice fields and fresh water pearl ponds, some with the harvesters out in boats picking up the trays of oysters that were buoyed by ropes attached to floating bottles. We also saw an occasional farmer working in the field with tools that haven't changed for centuries - nothing but elbow grease and oxes. It's something that we have never seen before and, while incredible to see, it also shows how far behind the times they are in this part of the world. There's nothing wrong with simplicity, but it's hard to make a living when you're competing against swaths, combines, and Mr. John Deere.

Fengcheng itself is a decent size town in Chinese terms (about a million people), and is much more downtrodden even than the city of Nanchang where we are staying. It seems that cars are affordable only by a privileged few and that the majority of people get around on mopeds or bicycles. The taxis are three-wheeled bicycles with a seat on the back and an umbrella on top. School must have just been getting out as we arrived because there were many children out on the sidewalks. As one of the other adoptive parents pointed out, there were many more little boys than little girls - another problem resulting from the one child per family law that led us to our decision to adopt one of the millions of orphaned girls.

So serious.

A kiss from Daddy!!

This road leads to our hotel in Nanchang.

Working the crops.

Rickshaw - common form of transportation,
especially in Fengcheng.

Each time we stopped the bus, a crowd of locals slowly gathered around, peering inside the bus to get a look at us funny-looking white people with weird-shaped eyes. It was not threatening in the least; they seem to be a very open and friendly culture almost without exception. Many of them simply have seldom if ever seen a caucasian face to face.

We stopped by Mia's "finding place", which was right at the gate of the city's adoption affairs office and adjacent to the orphanage where she was placed. It made us feel good to know (or at least assume) that her biological parents cared enough to take her to a place where she would certainly be found, and where she would be placed in an orphanage that was eligible to place its orphans with international adoptive parents.

On the bus ride back to Nancheng, we stopped by a small agricultural village to get a first-hand view of how most of the people in this province live. Stepping off the bus, after waiting for a farmer and his two oxen to walk past, we crossed the street to a group of houses. In front of the first house we came to, an elderly lady was outside getting water from the hand pump which is shared by several houses - the only source of fresh water they have. Our guide told me that they were fortunate to have this. Many of the provinces in northern China have to travel several miles to get fresh water, carrying it back by hand. One of the families was kind enough to allow us into their home. The best way I can describe it is something similar to grandpa's woodshop with a big picture of Mao Tse Tung clearly visible from the entrance - cement floors, aged wood walls, no plumbing, maybe a light bulb or two throughout the whole house. As we stood in the family's house (I'm guessing 300-400 square feet, housing at least 3 generations of the family), the grandfather ate a bowl of rice, occasionally picking out an undesirable piece and flicking it on the floor as food for the chickens and dogs who apparently also lived there. Furniture was minimal and obviously self-made. It is hard to believe after living all of our lives in unbelievable luxury that such a large portion of the world considers these sort of living conditions as normal. We are so unbelievably blessed. That's all for now. Counting the days until we can see everyone again.

Andy

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