Henan Province, “Jiazou”
Orphans,
Orphans, Orphans… Last month in the Philippines was a month working with and
orphanage. I thought that I had seen it all, those kids were rough, rowdy,
wild. Didn’t realize that month was just training…
The
team has been tossed into the water and told swim! Team COOL, alongside another
team are working together with an orphanage for kids with special needs called
Eagles Wings. Eagles Wings is divided up into 6 houses, each one by a number,
and each one holding anywhere from 4 to 15 children. The 11 of us are divided
up among the 6.
Eagles
Wings 1- A woman, we call Momma Donna from America who has come over here to
basically head up the orphanage, lives there, taking care of her adopted
children. Craig and John are working in that house helping out just taking care
of her and her family. Sometimes it is nice for them to be with Americans, or
English speaking folk. This is a city of 3 million people, but white people are
often a spectacle as there are very few to none! Supposedly the 11 of us have
almost doubled the white population. John and Craig spend their time playing
dress up with some young girls and learning how to dance… It’s cute.
Eagles
Wings 2- Sara, Alexandra, and Carrie are working in this wing with some
disabled boys and girls. Some are blind, some are deaf, and some have other
health issues. The girls spend their days getting to love on these kids.
Eagles
Wings 3- Blake and I have been tossed into this wing. Most of the other wings
are close together, but we are about 20 minutes from the rest of them. It is
actually connected to another orphanage. You will hear more on this wing and
wing 4 more in another blog. The kiddos here are amazing. Some of them have
Cerebral Palsy, some have Hepatitis, some have other issues as well, most are
very active, and a lot of fun to run around with.
Eagles Wings 4- This is just down the hall
from Blake and I, it is part of our daily life to play with these kids as well.
This wing holds about 12. They are the most special needs kids. They need to be
fed as some have are paralyzed, some have no motor skills what so ever. Some
can walk but are not able to be left alone for basically any period of time.
They are amazing though. Again, more to come in another blog.
Eagles
wings 5- Babies… This is probably the youngest of the Eagles Wings children.
Tara and Britney spend their days loving on these kids, making sure diapers are
changed, and even just “mother touching” these children. They get lots of love.
Eagles
wings 6- These kids are a riot. They are hyper and wild. Few of them walk, and
one of them actually rolls around. When set on the ground he just rolls
sideways when he wants to get somewhere. Robin and Mari are in this wing.
So this
is our lives this month. This country doesn’t allow us to evangelize, so all we
can do is bite our tongue, keep silent, and hug these children. Though these
kids will not here the gospel, or ever know all that we stand for, they are
alive and being taken care of, and they are LOVED! I am thankful that China allows us to come in
and just be a part of their lives.
