Day 8: Nanchang-Wanzai Orphanage Visit

We left bright and early this morning to go to Wanzai Social Welfare Institution which was the orphanage where Ava has lived all her life. We were anxious and nervous, but felt strongly about going so we would be able to tell Ava about her life before she became our daughter and part of our family. 

This was in the hotel, Ava loves to get in her stroller!

It took about 3 hours to get to the orphanage. Ava did great in the car. She sat on Daddy's lap but would smile and play with me, Laura and Christine. Wanzai is known for their fireworks, and as soon as we rounded the corner to Ava's orphanage there were hundreds of fireworks that went off in our honor on the right. 

On the Left there was a red banner that said Welcome, Wan Le Hai family! (It actually said "A Warm Welcome Back Wan Le Hai family Welfare Home!)  I think the translation was a little off!! But we understood the meaning and were so touched!

The director (which is a woman,) one of Ava's nannies, and the orphanage driver met us at the gate, and immediately escorted us into a meeting room where they had tables of beautiful fruit for us.

This was a cool fruit. It looked like a grape, but it had a hard shell that you had to peel. The clear stuff was sweet and inside that was something like a cherry pit.

This was the note that was attached to Ava when they found her. All it said was her birthday and the time she was born, which was 10:30 pm. The guards found her immediately after she was abandoned.

This is her footprint when they found her. (It's not much bigger than that now!)

The director gave Ava a jade Happy Budda necklace.

Craig---The Baby Daddy!!!  I really do love to see her cling to him, I think he appreciates how I used to feel when Laura and Christine would only want "me" when they were little!!!  It's a wonderful thing, but it is exhausting!

This is what is looked like around the orphanage.

There was elderly care, foster care and the orphanage at this institution.

This is where Ava stayed.

Next they took us to the dining hall where they had prepared a feast for us for lunch. They even offered beer. (no takers tho!)

The food was very good! One funny thing that I think must be a custom, is that every person at different times would stand up and speak and make a toast to our family. We would stand and clink our  little tiny tea glasses together and then sit down. About 5 different people said toasts to us, and each person had a couple different toasts. So we would stand up, clink glasses and sit down then someone else would stand up and we would do it all over again. It was quite comical, but they were saying such nice things so we were very honored. They were thanking us for giving Wan LeHai a loving home, and then they were toasting big sisters Laura and Christine, etc. They welcomed us back any time we wanted to come!

This is one of Ava's nannies. We found out that she called all of her nannies Mama. No wonder she doesn't really trust me yet. I know she loves me, because when Craig went to the rest room after we got there, Ava cried for a minute, then this lady above picked her up. Within 2 seconds, Ava had her arms stretched out to me. She calmed down, then Craig walked back in the room and she had to have him. But that did make me feel good to know that she preferred me over her "other" mama!

Her nanny really did/does love her. It was so obvious that she was treated with kindness and love.

This is Ava's face when she saw her little friend!

Next we went to the area where Ava stayed, and we got to see one of her best friends. Actually the only toddler left. The others were babies. (which explains why Ava could be delayed--nothing at all to stimulate her little brain! She has already learned so much just by hanging around Laura and Christine!) 

She was so excited to see her little friend, She squealed with joy.

Next we walked into her building. Ava saw the caretaker that was sitting down and actually ran to her!

Look at this sweet face. At this point Craig and I were actually in tears. Tears of joy that Ava was happy, tears of sadness that her world was changing, and then back to tears of joy for the gift that God has given us!

After she hugged her caretaker she saw her play horse and ran over to play on it!

This is where Ava (and all the rest of the children) slept. Ava's bed was the one on the right with the red bedding. No mattress, just slats of wood and bedding.

As Laura was taking pictures, she noticed there was actually a baby in the bed!!! The baby was just found yesterday. 

These were the shoes that Ava had on in her referral picture the first time we saw her.

This is our brave girl! She jumped right up into daddy's arms and said bye bye and threw everyone kisses and never looked back. Not once..........

This is where Ava was found the night she was born. Right under the window at the gate at the entrance to the orphanage.

Entrance to the orphanage. L to R  Driver, Craig, Ava, Laura, Michelle, Christine, Director, Nanny

I was amazed at how big the main building to the institution was. This building is mostly offices.

They gave us the banner that was hanging above the gate.

Ava's nanny---she just kept wanting to hug Ava and love her. This was one of the reasons we were worried about bringing Ava to the orphanage. We didn't want to confuse her and "undo" all the progress we had made the past several days. But luckily she didn't hold a candle to Craig! She's had several Mama's, but only ONE Baba (Daddy)  I really just thank God that she was able to bond so quickly to Craig.  (And really all of us- she really does love all of us, Craig is the one who makes her feel safe though, and I'm so happy she feels that way!)

This is Ava's "Haha I got my own way look!"  This picture was taken right after she was crying to get away from the nanny.

This was in the van on the way home. She put out her arms for me to take her! She sat on my lap for about 2 minutes, gave me a hug and a kiss, laid her head on my chest, then popped up her head and jumped back into Craig's lap!!!

All in all, I'd say it was a very good day. We have a lot to tell Ava about her 3 1/2 years that she lived in Wanzai. We know she was loved and taken care of. We know someone took the time to even brush her teeth because her teeth are white and beautiful. (Pretty rare for a child in an orphanage.) We know she was happy. The area is so quiet and peaceful, and not polluted like the city.  That will be what we tell her!   But......we also know she was hungry and not getting the stimulation she needed in order to grow and learn like she needs. We know she had terrible bug bites because she has scars all over her ankles and legs, and a huge scar on her forehead where she fell that probably needed stitches.  She had lots of mommies and no daddy or sisters. She didn't have a family of her own.   She didn't have anyone's undivided attention. She didn't have anyone to teach her about how much Jesus loves her and that He died for her.  But now she does! And we have her to teach us too, to teach us things that we don't even know yet! We are all so blessed!! Thank you Jesus for our little Wan Le Hai, and this amazing journey to another part of the world.