Field Visit Report



	Report of the Field Visit to Fuzhou (Linchuan) Orphanage April 1 - 2, 2002 by Dr. Peggy Gurrad

		Kids Need Hugging Grannies... Hugging Grannies would benefit the kids pictured in the photo on the left. We're working to raise funds to start two new Amity Hugging Grannies in this orphanage, to teach classes and provide physical rehabilitation.


	We visited the Fuzhou (Linchuan) orphanage on Monday evening, April 1, 2002 and the Fuzhou (Linchuan) foster families the next morning. This new building was built in 1999. We were told the old building has been torn down but had been located very near our hotel. I took a couple photos out my hotel window and Betsy, who traveled with me, took a walk outside and took some more. We were told that there were 33 children at the orphanage and that they were disabled but there were also a few healthy children in the infant room so that may be part of the 33.


	Their foster care program is a strong one, they have 106 children in foster care, 16 of them sponsored by us. Our sponsored children are the ones positive for Hepatitis B. The director is quite proud of his foster care program and says his was the first orphanage in the province to do foster care. He feels this is why the children are so healthy and the reason for the good reputation of the orphanage for international adoptions. He is able to use some of the adoption donation for foster care.

The government gives the orphanage 100 yuan per month per child to provide for their care and the orphanage is giving the foster families 400 yuan per month. And the orphanage is still responsible for any needed medical care.

Certainly with our sponsorship our Hepatitis B children should remain in their homes.

It is especially important for them to have a home of their own since their chances of being adopted are much lower.

The older, mostly disabled, children were in a room to the left when we arrived. They were seated as desks like in a classroom and watching TV.

They looked like they were waiting for us but this is where they were when another group visited so maybe this is what they do most of the day.

We met FN in her new wheelchair, based on our promise of support, Amity purchased the wheelchair and had it shipped to Fuzhou (Linchuan) just before our visit.

	Some of our sponsored schoolchildren were there so the group of them went outside where I did take a few photos. I didn’t identify which schoolchild was which but those of you sponsoring a schoolchild may recognize yours. There is one student who will soon be taking an entrance exam for university and we were asked if we would sponsor his university tuition and costs if he is accepted. He is currently at boarding high school so we weren’t able to meet him.

Many of the other children are too disabled to go to public school - particularly those with mental retardation.

For these reasons we’ll have two Hugging Grannies starting soon. One is a retired kindergarten teacher who will teach the younger children and the other a retired primary school teacher who will teach the older children.

Please consider sending some support for these Grannies, they will really make a difference for these children!

The infant room was to the right of the front entrance. One child, FLM, will be adopted soon by a Danish family. She was clearly a favorite of the staff and appeared to be doing quite well, she has never been in foster care. Many of the other infants did not appear to be doing as well. They appeared listless, sitting in chairs with some rocking movements, so I wondered how much attention they really get. Hopefully the orphanage will continue to put many of it’s children in foster care.

We were then shown the washroom because the director is requesting an industrial sized clothes dryer. Although not as interesting as sponsoring a child, this is clearly an important item for the orphanage.

It is very hard for them to get clothes and diapers to dry in the current rainy season or during the winter.

The cost would be about $2600 so I hope there are some families interested in contributing for this.

The next morning we visited some of the foster children (mostly in their courtyard or kindergarten) and they appeared to be doing well. The moms seemed loving and attentive and the children well attached.

A couple foster families (not ones we’re sponsoring) received the photos/letters sent with us by adoptive families and were very happy and excited to get these. It was obvious that they had loved the children very much and missed them but were happy they were doing well in their new homes!