A couple of tuktuk rides and many language barriers later we arrived at a baby home. I had not mentally prepared myself for what I was about to experience. I LOVE babies and had been looking forward to this experience all month. I was expecting to go into a room filled with babies I could hold and play with. I was wrong. The home takes the hopeless cases and was filled with 54 miracles. Babies hooked up to breathing tubes, with heart monitors, with braces on their legs, premature babies, babies who have undergone numerous surgeries, babies with both physical and mental disabilities, babies with clef pallet and babies with many other illnesses. As we looked into each of the different rooms and I stared into their big brown eyes my heart continuously broke. One little girl had an extremely rare heart condition (only 11 known cases in China). Her heart was located in her stomach. At first her head was faced down in her bed but when she rolled over I saw her heart moving up and down just above her belly button. It looked like a fist sticking out of her stomach. She isn’t even one year old and has already had more surgeries and medical treatment than most people will experience in a lifetime.
Many of these babies were abandoned. Not because their parents didn’t love them. One baby was a result of artificial insemination. His parents desperately wanted a baby and spent all the money they had in order to become pregnant. Their baby was born very sick and they had no money left to pay for his medical treatment. In China if you don’t have money up front to pay for health care you do not receive treatment.
The entire time we were there I had to fight the tears. God brought Kate, a compassionate nurse from North Carolina there for her second service of six months. She asked numerous times if we had any questions. I had so many questions but I could only release a few to avoid breaking down. After we left all I could do was pray. The endless questions came rolling out. “God why do these babies have to be born in such hard circumstances? Why do babies have to be born without a chance to live? What is your plan for them?”
I do not have the answers to these questions. But as I was talking to God he turned my pain and frustration into peace. He revealed a blanket made of love and hope that covers each precious baby. This organization is truly incredible they take in the so called lost causes and gives them a chance.God doesn’t do anything by accident. He intricately weaves all of his children together in his perfect image, the sick included. These 54 babies are not born just to die, they are all miracles and fighters! They are impacting the lives of many like the thrift store we have been partnering with this past month and other organizations who donate a total of 15 million RMB each year to make sure they receive the treatment they need. They are changing the lives of the 60 nannies who provide them with love and care, the volunteers, the incredible parents who are anxiously waiting to adopt and take their new baby home (around 90% are adopted, hallelujah!), Kate’s, mine, and many more.
If you want details or have questions about this amazing organization please feel free to email me….
