Day Six

Today was a really big day. Once again, no official business. However, this was the day that we were to go visit the place that Zuling had spent most of her life, Mother's Love Orphanage here in Nanning. We took a few photos before we left, including the one below which shows the whole family standing in front of the elevators on our floor, exactly where we were when we all met for the first time four days ago.

Daddy, Mama, and Zuling
Standing on the spot where they first met

Zuling didn't get her usual nap in before we gathered to go at 10:00. We were concerned that she might be extra cranky on top of being emotionally charged to see her caretakers at Mother's Love.

As we traveled on the bus you could tell that we were leaving one part of the city for another. As we crossed to the other side of the railroad tracks (both literally and figuratively) the city changed. No more high rises. No more paved bicycle lanes. Street vendors not only became more prevalent, but their wares changed from packaged foods to fruits and vegetables, live ducks, and building supplies.


Downtown Nanning	Downtown Nanning

Outskirts of Nanning	Outskirts of Nanning

Anticipatory tears were already flowing from many of the new Mamas and Daddies before we arrived at the orphanage. Mother's Love is located on (or beside) an old military facility. The bus drove down a long dirt road with palm trees on either side. I could see a gate at the far end, and a military-looking building 1/4 mile beyond the gate. The bus stopped 100 feet from the gate, beside a tall wall with broken glass set into the mortar along the top edge. To my surprise, we were asked to walk up the road to the right. I turned on the video camera and proceeded. Up the hill we went, to the sound of barking dogs chained on either side of the road. We were told that the dogs (Akitas?) were there to guard the fruit trees that they were chained under. At the top of a hill, we passed through a gate and on to the orphanage.

The director of the orphanage came out to greet us as we approached. Inside the lobby she spoke with us for fifteen minutes or so, describing how the orphanage was founded and its mission. It was a very moving time, as many caregivers were milling about as the director spoke. We were told that we could photograph anything we wanted of the outside of the building and the lobby, but that the inside rooms were to remain private. We were given a brief tour, and then were led into the baby rooms over the lobby. In these rooms we saw about 30 happy babies in three rooms, separated by age group. The woman who had presented our daughter to us was here, and she came over to speak with Zuling.


Mother's Love Orphanage The Front	Mother's Love Orphanage The Courtyard

That afternoon one parent from each family met by the elevators to fill out some forms for business in Guangzhou. Lanie was our representative. I stayed with Zuling back in our room, but after about 15 minutes we peeked out to see how it all was going. Apparently very slowly. So we decided to go tour the lobby, with Zuling facing out in the Baby Bjorn. I met up with one of the other new Daddies who had his daughter in a stroller and we decided to head out of the hotel for awhile. It was an hour and a half before the paperwork was complete; we all had a great walk up to The People's Park. We stopped and spoke with another Daddy who had just taken his daughter to the pool. Maybe we'll try that in Guangzhou!

This page was last updated August 22, 2002