Day 7 - Visit to the Orphanage.

First off, let me say driving in Nanchang should be an Olympic event.  I have determined that cars, trucks, scooters, bikes, and pedestrians all have the right-of-way.  Pavement markings are truly optional.  We were on a road with 4 marked lanes with 5 lanes of traffic.  Figure that one out!  Once we got out of the city, and into the rural parts heading to the orphanage, it was a typical 4-land highway.  We would be in the left lane, come up to a slow car, instead of moving to the right lane that was open to pass, the driver would cross the double yellow lines, into on-coming traffic to make the pass.  Cars coming the other way would have to swerve to avoid a head-on collision.   I see this everywhere.  I can't believe I haven't seen an accident yet.  Oh wait I did see one yesterday.  A truck sideswiped a Hummer police car.  On to today.....

This was a long and very emotional day.  What was going to be a simple visit to the orphanage turned out to be the most emotional day so far in China.   When we arrived at the facility, we were greeted with very loud and unexpected fireworks as we pulled up to the front gate.  It is a Chinese tradition to welcome important visitors with fireworks.  The front gate had a banner across it welcoming us and it was personalized with the babies names on it, welcoming them back.   That was impressive since we requested the visit to the orphanage only 2 days ago.   We were given a tour of the building where the babies are located.  The room where Mayah spent the first month of her life was so small.  We met 2 of her caretakers.   After the tour, we were asked if we would like to meed the foster mom.  Of course we said yes.  Since they don't have phones (This is a very poor area) someone from the orphanage had to drive to her home and hope that she was there.  We were lucky and she was home and came back.  The reunion was very emotional.  You can tell how much Mayah was loved while in her care and how much Mayah missed her foster mom.  After all, this was really the only mother she has known until we met her on Sunday.  This event was very important and when her foster mom handed Mayah back to Miriam, it was telling Mayah that it is ok to be with us!    Thank you to the others in the room (Amy and Kris) for documenting this event in both photos and video.  I think it will be very important for Mayah to see one day when she is older, that she was loved her WHOLE life, even before she came into our life.  Another very cool piece of history for us is that we got to see the note that was left with Mayah.  It was written on Red paper, using red paper is for good luck.  The note simply has the date and time of Mayah birth.  Very cool.  They believe it was written by her biological mother or father, and they are the ones to placed her. 

After the reunion, we had an incredible lunch.  It was probably the best meal we have had in China.   The food was spicy, but so good.  The beef was dry and spicy and was like brisket. Yum.  I also tried bamboo for the first time.  OMG was that spicy, but it was really good.  Now I know why pandas love that stuff.   The last stop was at the front gate.  This is where Mayah was placed to be found.  This trip was incredible and has provided some much needed closure for me, Miriam, hopefully for her foster mom, but most importantly for Mayah.  This was supposed to be a simple visit to the orphanage and it turned out to be so much more.  

One of these cribs is where Mayah was for the first month of her life. 

They use these as strollers.  Not very hi-tech.

This is the front gate where Mayah was placed to be found on April 15, 2011.  The red banner has the names of all three babies that came back today.

It was a long day for all of us.  Mayah was wiped out by the end!