Happy Chinese New Year!!!

Every year RTC tucks away a little money to send to each orphanage we are working with so that the children can have a fun Chinese New Year celebration. This year we are working with Hangzhou Childrens Welfare Institute. The director used the money to create a wonderful party for the children. Here are some of the older children singing their hearts out. As I look at the photos, I see everyone dressed very warmly even though they are inside the building. Did you know that none of the government buildings south of the Yangtze River are heated? This includes schools and orphanages. All the children are kept very warm in layers of clothing. The babies are kept in no less than 3 layers and I've seen up to 7 layers in some of the foster families! The children in school wear their coats. The weather in Hangzhou gets quite cold in these winter months. Those of us who have adopted children from China have experienced the scolding mandarin of the older chinese ladies on the street when they think we are not dressing our children in enough layers. This makes me think of a wonderful gift that adoptive parents and volunteers could give to the orphanage. Since it is so cold in these winter months, the children often have chapped skin, especially the babies and the little ones with eczema which is quite common in the asian population. Children with Down syndrome also suffer with eczema and it is difficult to treat in the cold weather. If every volunteer and every adoptive family bought a large tub of Eucerin Cream to tuck in their luggage, the orphanage might have enough of this expensive cream to last a long time. Desitin Diaper Rash cream would also be very helpful. Simple gifts, but very effective. As our family celebrates Valentines Day and Chinese New Year, I know that on my shopping list today there is Eucerin Cream, Desitin Diaper Rash ointment and a big box of mandarin oranges! Happy Chinese New Year!!!!!!!