first visit with Mei-Yun and Tsung-lin

We arrived in Taichung early in the day with the intent of going to the science museum first and then to visit Mei-Yun and Tsung-Lin at the orphanage in the afternoon. Children’s Home has 160 or so children, its own kindergarten, a large playground and charming little garden area. They are divided into smaller groups depending on age and sex and, for an institution, everything looked nice and clean and homey. The kids were sitting at a little table with snacks in the middle, waiting for us to come.

All kinds of adults were around and I was able to sort out later that some worked at the orphanage, one was a social worker from Yunlin County (where kids are originally from; she's overseen this from the beginning) and our translator. The room was perfectly clean, but I didn’t see any toys, so I didn’t know if we were supposed to sit at the table and chat in our EXTREMELY limited Chinese. So I got out the spinning tops that were a success with Han-han and some little sponge capsules that you drop in water and they become African animals. That caught their attention for a good half hour. They hovered over the cup of water, watching and waiting, then squeezing out the little sponge and matching it to the picture on the back of the package. GOTOVIDEO

The orphanage had gotten out photo albums of them and pictures they had drawn and both kids flipped through and proudly showed their pictures to us. After a time, it was decided that we’d go out for dinner…less people and hyperactivity, so we took a taxi to our favorite….yes, McDonalds!! We live less than a mile away from McDonalds in Anchorage and in 4 years, I think I can count on one hand how many times we’ve gone. Ironic, yes? The getting ready was clearly a big deal to them; I doubt there are many outings with just them. They were SO excited and gathering umbrellas, bags and raincoats. GOTOVIDEO

It was a roaring success, from the food to the kids meal toys to the play area. At one point, Mei-Yun had my camera and carefully, with great focus, took pictures of everything in sight…the bathroom door, my water bottle, the shoe bin. It was pointed out that at the orphanage, only the adults have the camera, so she was having a blast, directing me here and there for her photo shoot. (below are some of her photos)

They loved playing with Sam; both were asking our help to do this and that. Mei-Yun kept saying “Mama, guo lai..come here.” They spoke mostly Chinese, but there was a lot of context to help figure out what they wanted and the translator mostly helped with the questions I asked of the orphanage workers.

Everyone had noticed Sam's numerous mosquito bites, so Mei-Yun became the nurse, applying ointment a few times at the orphanage and McDonalds.

All in all, I don’t know that it could’ve gone better. There was the faint glimmer of “What was I thinking?” but I had that fleeting feeling when I was expecting Sam…of “can I do this?” And really, we just do it…parenting is good and hard.... and better and harder, and we do it.

volunteer at an orphanage

(above and below pics are actually Dada School) When we decided that we wanted the entire family to go to Taiwan to pick up our 3 little people, one of my biggest desires was that we NOT be wholly tourists. I wanted to know real people, experience the culture as much as possible and find some way to contribute…serve in some way that could broaden our horizons and grow our gratitude.

So, I googled Taiwan and volunteering and some other variations and fairly quickly, I came across Dada School, the English cram school where we ended up—exchanging our volunteering for room and board. And while we HAVE been tourists, as the blog shows, we have also been able to interface in real ways with real people and families.

Just in the past week, Ching started an adult English conversation class that so far has been run by volunteers like me. In the three times we’ve met, I’ve learned about their favorite places in Taiwan to visit, discussed cultural differences and had a wonderful time conversing about any and all topics.

Still, I admit that I have wanted to contribute in ways that would connect me to the bigger reason I'm here...to meet and take home three little children. I had found an orphanage, Harmony Home, in Taipei that accepts volunteers on a short term basis and decided that once Tom and Emma left, we would try to visit the orphanage weekly.

So, last week was our first attempt at a visit; it is part shelter, part orphanage and cares for children of all ages. harmonyhome The address is not public, so we made our way there, directions in hand, wondering what we would find.

We found a busy happening haven filled with people. No pictures were allowed…it could’ve been a day care center anywhere. There were probably 6 or so babies, 15 or so toddlers; the school aged kids weren’t home yet. Talking with a few English speaking volunteers (one from Germany, the other a prospective adoptive parent from the US), it was clear that there are great needs, but from the looks of things, it was well staffed. Sam and our friend who came along played with the kids who were pretty much like any other kids. An obvious and sad difference is that at the end of the day, they don’t have parents who care for and love them individually; they are part of a larger group with pressing needs.

Once I visited that orphanage the first time, I thought, why can’t I just volunteer at the orphanage associated with our youngest child? It is in Taipei also...why not establish an in person relationship with them and learn more about Han-han from people who know him well AND understand the work they do.

Since we have been in Taiwan, we have not been allowed to visit the kids in person until the judge's first ruling that they will be our kids. But, as of today, I received an email that Garden of Mercy, the other orphanage, requires volunteer training, so, not possible for us this time around. So, maybe for now...Harmony Home.