Oh Babies.

So today it really began. I started to see what everyone meant when they told me I may have some real heartbreak ahead of me.

I went with the other volunteers to the Pagoda center which is a Buddhist monastery that takes in orphans. As well as abandoned children, there are also children who live there with their families and who will hopefully one day become Monks. The drive from the volunteer housing to the center was about 20 minutes long through the countryside of Da Nang. We passed cows and bulls and many roosters and muddy creeks and crumbling homes.  When we arrived, we immediately went over to the orphans and brought them toys and activities. For about 30 seconds, I had no idea what to do with myself. I felt genuinely overwhelmed with my surrounding and wanted to pick up every child in there simultaneously. After the 30 second shock passed, I made friends with a sweet little girl dressed in pink who was painfully shy and content to be held for the first bit that we were there. About 20 minutes in, I was called into the baby room to feed a sick child his medicine and breakfast. The medicine seemed to be very diluted antibiotics chopped into a fruit juice. He had a meal of mashed veggies and we feed him water with a spoon. The pagoda seemed well funded and the elders working were lovely and tender and cared for the children with much compassion. They do not have a water purification system, though, and drink only bottled water. There was one child that particularly captured me. I found in the resting room a young girl about 1 lying on her side seemingly very sleepy. It turns out that she was actually very, very sad. She was abandoned recently and has horrible anxiety and no way to comfort or sooth herself. I tried to approach her, but when I got too close she started crying and seemed very threatened. I moved back and let her calm down, giving her her space while observing. I went back a bit later and just sat with her; not trying to touch her or talk to her. She was ok with this. I wanted so badly for her to trust me and let me hold her and feed her, but I know that I am only here for a month and she has a lifetime of worry and fear in her near infant body. I trust that she will feel safe eventually at the pagoda. We had lunch with the children and then came back to the volunteer house.

I went to see Kerry when I got home and got the exciting news that Giang was coming over. I don't know that I've ever been quite so happy to meet someone. This child is spectacular, and is so much like her amazing mom. She is bright and beautiful and happy and has the light of the entire world in her eyes. She's funny and witty and she and Kerry just love each other so much. Everything you see in the pictures of the two of them is just so genuine.

In the late afternoon, we went to the social support center for a Christmas party. The social support center is the home to many different people ranging from severely disabled orphans to elderly war wives.  I will be spending a good deal of my time here. The disabilities in these children are like none I have ever seen. Many of them have cerebral palsy, some home down syndrome, one girl was dropped on her head as an infant and has a neurological disorder as the result of that, and some have undiagnosed disabilities. The program they have set up is pretty phenomenal, especially for the resources available. There have a brother and sister team of physiotherapists that world with the children. A little girl named Tihn with CP was able to take her first step a few months ago at the age of 10. A new baby to the center has down syndrome and a mutation that prevented her from developing fingers on her right hand. The most amazing thing is they all still have an undeniable light in them and with attention and love they smile and laugh and respond. There is a boy named Tam, also with severe CP, who speaks incredible English and has a terrific memory. He can't walk or hardly move on his own, but he is responsive and funny and sweet.

Aside from the physically disabled, there are many mentally disabled children and adults at this center, too. Some of them are survivors of severe trauma, some have autism, and others have developmental disorders that I am not aware of yet. I look forward to spending more time there and learning more about all of them. It is an entire commune of people healthy and not that take care of each other. The nurse mothers work harder than anyone I have ever seen in my life, caring for the disabled and healthy children 24/7 with no time off. These are exceptional people.

After the party we cleaned up and came home where I am finding myself quite tired. I haven't really felt the jetlag yet in the way of being exhausted, but it has definitely hit me after today. I look forward to a good nights sleep and will be going to the AOV center tomorrow (Agent Orange Victims center). The pictures below are just a peek at some of what I saw today, and more will come when I return home.

I want to do everything for these people and I look forward to learning what it is exactly that will help them the most.