Finally

Ah…finally.

Babies.

Beautiful, precious babies.

And toddlers.

And preschoolers.

Each with their own special story. 

Many with miraculous ones.

All loved so deeply and cared for so tenderly by the staff here.

This really is an amazing place.

Lauren and I spent the morning up in the baby room with little ones who have already been through so much in their brief lives...some having still much, much more to endure medically.  Michael went to the pre-school and made some incredibly cute friends who enjoyed practicing their English skills with him.

Then after lunch, Michael (who was completely smitten by one of the babies…and she really is adorable) volunteered to help me in the baby room while Lauren spent time with the pre-schoolers and toddlers.  She loved being able to practice her Mandarin with them in addition to all the playing and cuddling.  She’s even talking about “when she comes back” and I’m wondering if I’m going to be able to get her on the plane to come home. 

We were also able to hand over our 4 suitcases full of supplies and donations. Even as we were opening them and pulling things out, items seemed to just keep coming and coming.  What a blessing so many of you have been to these little ones.   And we had the pleasure of meeting sweet Rosie and hear her amazing story once again.  

One of the things the volunteer coordinator told us today in our orientation really struck me.  He mentioned how a speech therapist had visited and given an in-service for the staff on the importance of stimulation in the early stages of life.  How when a baby smiles (or makes some face resembling a smile), parents will respond back with excitement and encouragement.  The baby senses that stimulation and does it again.

She spoke to them about  how that type of stimulation is key for brain development as synapses are formed when that interaction occurs.  But for the little ones who lie in their cribs day after day with no one interacting with them, even the ones deemed healthy, even if their basic needs are provided for, they still suffer.  Their brains aren’t able to develop those synapses and their ability to interact, to communicate, and to process information doesn’t develop as it should.

It struck me because I don’t know if my own girls had anyone who interacted with them their first few months of life.  I don’t know if anyone smiled back at them, or encouraged them, or gave them any stimulation at all.  And it broke my heart.

And then I realized that even though we will likely only have 5 or 6 days at the most with these kids, our time here really does matter.  The interactions matter.  The smiles, the cuddling, the stimulation…they all matter. 

Caring for orphans in their distress matters.

Because He never intended for any of us to go through this life alone.

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(I do have some adorable pictures from our time with the babies today, but unfortunately I’m not allowed to post any of them to the blog.  If you’d like to see them just leave a comment or send me an email.  I am more than happy to share the joy that these sweet faces are guaranteed to bring).