China (Day 5)

Today was an early morning because we were traveling about an hour's drive out of town (made longer due to traffic and direction issues, but we made it non the less). In the morning we visited Langfang Children's Village; it is part of the Philip Hayden Foundation. The land was donated by the government, and they have been able to build a large & beautiful facility. They only take in children with special needs from other orphanages and then work towards corrective surgery followed up with therapy. They have three different therapy rooms to accommodate the work for physical (walking), occupation (working with their hands), and speech therapy. The therapy programs are run by local chinese woman who have been trained by the staff therapist. This obviously provides multiple benefits - for the women and the children.

Art work in the pathways connecting the buildings

Below are pictures of some of the children's work. The work has been completed at the preschool, kindergarten, and primary school which is taught on sight by local chinese woman. You could see how much the woman enjoyed their jobs & how much the children enjoyed learning. What a great start these children are getting...

Rainbow made from their hands & a spelling test

After lunch at a local restaurant we were off to a foster home right around the corner. This program is specifically for disabled children, most of the children have brittle bone disease. We learned a lot about this disease and the amazing work that has been done for these children. The family provide wheel chairs for the children and physical therapy; the corrective surgery is performed at a hospital in southern china. We heard stories and saw evidence of children who were not even able to get out of bed at some points in their lives, now up & about, either through wheel chairs or walkers.

Also at this foster home they have taken in older, disabled children and are teaching them a skill. They are teaching them to bake. They have started a bakery to sell the goods they make, but most importantly, are teaching these disabled children how to be self dependent. They provide them with a home and the skills - how excellent is that!