Yesterday was our first day at Lanxi Orphanage.

Yesterday was our first day at Lanxi Orphanage. For many of us it was
like a homecoming to see the familiar smiling faces of the staff
members and nannies. And then we saw the children!!! Oh my they have
changed so much in one year's time! Their little faces were just
beaming as they played in the beautiful new playroom singing twinkle
twinkle little star in mandarin, clapping their hands and going
through the hand motions.

These children in Lanxi are special needs
kids with down syndrome, autism and other syndromes and because of
training that Red Thread has done these children have had ongoing
occupational therapy, physical therapy, good nutrition, and loving
attentive care from the nannies and staff at the orphanage. It was
absolutely amazing to see the difference in the children at Lanxi
compared to a year ago.

Happy, bright faces, interacting with us and so bonded with the
nannies. Last year one of the little girls cried constantly and this
year she is interacting with the kids and the staff as one of the
family. The techniques that Nancy and Kiki from Special Children
taught the nannies have made these children blossom into happy
functioning members of their little orphanage family. Two of the
nannies did demonstrations with the kids using the therapy techniques
they have learned and have been doing all year on the children.

Truly there was not a dry eye as we watched the confidence of the nannies
proudly showing the kids' developmental progress. I'm sure they all
felt like rockstars with all the cameras flashing and videos being
taken. After the demonstration, the medical team went to work
examining the kids including two new little babies, one little girl
with cleft lip and palate and another little boy with a cardiac
problem that will be repaired soon in Hangzhou. Both of these new
little ones were well nourished and happy. I gave some cleft palate
nursers donated from River Falls Hospital. The nannies caught on very
quickly and were intrigued by the design of the bottle.

Later we took
photos of Susan and Quin at the gate as both children share a history
of being here at this orphanage for part of their lives. It was
truly an emotional day at Lanxi SWI.
Jane Steinmetz