We had great visits with Gracie.. she repeated some of our words... her favorite was Wow! when a motorcycle went by. She even took my shoes off and was wearing them :) We took a tour of the orphanage and it was very good to see it.. We like the director... she is very natural with the kids and they with her. They call her "Auntie" it is just that they do not have lots of money for things and they do not work with the orphans or be creative with them much to stimulate them.... I will post pics of our tour. Our afternoon visit was outside and she was very pleasant and peaceful... just sitting and "playing " sort of with the toys we bring... we have a whole suitcase of things to do with the children but because of Dancho's severity of delays ( like a 3 to 6 month ) at the age of 4 mostly I think for lack of stimulation as I shared before and Gracie is similiar except more like a 2 yr old we have not had to use them all. Gracie's favorite toy has been the trash from the fruit roll up or other trash she finds or sticks, leaves and rocks. That is what they all play with and so she shows the most interaction with those things.. she has enjoyed the vtech toys and we have had lots but she does not play like a normal kid with them... she has figured them out but does not do more... than she will go get a stick... so it will interesting to share the world with these 2 precious ones... in their time. While sitting by me she even made a funny face by pulling her eyes down to make me laugh... so she does surprise us with these special moments. Someone asked about bringing toys ... it has been our experience and our older teens who were adopted that they just don't let the kids play with them.. Our older kids have been adament about us leaving anything here.. they said it won't be used for the kids.... the workers will take them or some may be put high on a shelf but the kids never play with them.. Leah shared a sad story that happened to her. Her grandmother visited her once and gave her some money.. the worker took Leah shopping and bought a wall clock with the money... when they returned she brought the group in and said thank you to Leah in front of the kids... for she wanted to buy the group this clock... Leah never even had a say in the money. I think a better thing to bring is diapers... they do use pamper type diapers on the kids and use alot. We have brought supplies and medicines and a whole suitcase of little shoes that we have left but only at the orphanages we trusted... and then I am sure the workers would take some of the things too... they are not paid very much something like 180 dollars a month. Don't be too judgemental even though it makes me mad... how do any of us know if our own kid needed something we might not be doing the same thing... it is a very poor economy and people do desperate things...unfortunately the orphans have no one who cares but you and I.
5 comments:
Jeanne, I meant to ask, did you see the orphanages in Sofia when you stayed there? I have a vested ;) interest in two of them... so I am curious what shape they are in in comparison to the two you are visiting. :).
No I was not able to visit the orphanages in Sofia. I have a good friend who wanted me to do the same for a child she is interested in but without a referral we would not be allowed to go... I had already asked Toni.
Harmony- they have toys that are just placed out of reach in the play room area which has been the same in lots of the orphanages we have been in in Russia and Ukraine. The toys are more for show than use unfortunately.
Makes me so mad and sad for the kids. I dont understand why they dont let the kids play with the toys, so sad. Thank you so much for posting pics of the orphanage, i pray for the little one over there every day. Your daughter is beautiful.
I've come to a place of comfort in the world of orphanage donations. I know that what I bring (I live in Russia) may not go to the children directly.
But, if an underpaid worker takes some of it home for her own child, and her stress level is reduced because her child now has clothing or a toy, I have to think that her decreased stress level is a gift to the children in the orphanage.
Is it heartbreaking? Yes. But I can't stop trying.
Kate I agree with your comment fully. These workers only make a very little bit of money...like 180 dollars a month..not enough to live on... and if I were in their position I am not sure I would do the same for my own child at home...So I do not judge them but mostly feel for the children in their care... who if we do not speak up have no one to share about their plight, their hunger,their neglect,even their abuse.
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