I have so much to say about today. I don’t even know where to begin.
This morning we took Evangeline to Walmart to get some coloring books and colored pencils. She is just precious and picked out a pink back pack and several things to color with. Then before we left I suggested to Mark that we go to the toy department to see if she wanted a doll.
We walked past several stuffed animals and dolls, and then she saw a barbie like doll in a pink box with several different outfits for it and a little suitcase. She immediately picked it up and asked if she could have it.
Then we saw a Starbucks outside of the Walmart, and decided to go in. She had some fruit and orange juice.
She is just precious and we are enjoying her spunky little personality immensely.
Then we flew to Guangzhou, which was long and exhausting.
As I have said before, we were given no information about her from the orphanage at all. I asked the guide to ask if there was anything I should know about Evangeline, and the guide said she has a sore on her foot, but it was fine and the orphanage said it didn’t need anything. I asked the guide on several occassions how much I should be helping her, and he said, “Evangeline can take care of herself. She is fine.”
I didn’t know what to do about it. I pointed to her foot several times, and she would just shake her head no. I also took her in the bathroom and pointed to the shower and the bathtub, and she would shake her head no.
I wasn’t sure how much to push. She is almost fourteen, and I can see that she is very capable. On the other hand, she doesn’t look or act anywhere near fourteen. In Xi’an we had three different guides in four days which contributed to our feeling of confusion.
I also have been trying to go slow with this tiny teen and allow her as much independence as she is capable of.
So, we arrived in Guangzhou around 8:30 pm. We waited a long time for our luggage and finally met Rebecca whom we immediately loved. In a couple hours with her we found out more than we did in four days in Xi’an.
She commented on how tiny Evangeline is, and told us that in many of the poorer orphanages the children just do not get enough protein to grow.
She brought us back to the Garden Hotel and made sure our room was all set up. We are in the executive suite, and it is absolutely beautiful.
I mentioned to Rebecca that Evangeline did not want to bathe or shower, and I wondered if she could talk to her about it. Rebecca ran right in to talk to her, and immediately came out to tell that she could not take a shower because of her foot. We took her shoes off, and found a huge pressure wound that is open to the bone.
This poor child has been walking all over the place on an open wound that has not healed all summer, and I did not even know enough to change the bandage!
We changed the bandage and I gave her a shower sitting on a stool with her bad foot propped up on another stool.
I was so thankful to be able to help her. This precious tiny girl, who has born far too many burdens alone, seemed relieved to have her mother take care of her. She is not alone anymore. Never again does this dear little girl have to bear the burdens alone. Praise God!
We rented a wheelchair from the hotel, and intend to have her keep off of her foot until it heals. I guess we will watch it a day or so and then take her to the hospital if we need to. I do not think it is infected, but it is a raw open wound. I feel terrible that I didn’t insist on seeing it earlier, but she seemed to want privacy.
She is just a little sweetheart. We are so in love her.
Tomorrow we get Eliza at 2:30pm!!!
Oh my goodness!
Blessings!
Oh my. She is such a doll. I will keep praying, for her foot too.
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Praying for you and Evangeline. It is hard to know what to do especially with a language barrier. God has provided you a good person in Rebecca.
So long as Evageline isn’t running a fever, you should be good, but the wheelchair is a GREAT idea.
You handled the situation exactly as I would have. Now you know the situation and Evangeline can surrender more so to your love and care. This is probably a huge relief for her.
Listen MOM 🙂 You are doing great! That probably was such a break thru for that little angel. She knows you are her Mom and she will never be alone again.
Bless her brave heart. It will take time for her to learn what mothering is, and that it is your desire to do it. I cannot fathom how uncomfortable she must have been. Our daughter was home a year before she would express pain. She spent the majority of her life with chronic, double ear infections that went untreated. And, as a result, she rarely gets a fever because her body decided that level of infection was a normal condition. Watch it carefully, don’t wait for a fever if it starts getting red or swollen. On that note, Amoxicillin tends to be the only antibiotic prescribed in many orphanages. The kids end up being resistant to it.
Praying that the she will begin healing physically and for continued bonding and trust to develop. Bless you!
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Thank goodness for Rebecca — she may have been one of our Guangzhou guides a few years ago! We were there in early January 2009 with groups from Small World and Lifeline. Hopefully your sweet girl will get some relief — and heal!
I am so glad your Guangzhou guide was able to figure things out for you. We also had a better experience with the guide there.
You are doing an awesome job ! What an amazing young lady you have too !
Diane, we are all praying for you. I am so glad you got help to understand her needs. One step at a time. Love you all.
You never know what goes through a childs mind. She might have been afraid that if you knew what was wrong, you would not want her. Or maybe someone from the orphanage told her not to let you know because you would think they did not try to take care of her. They are so under funded and just can not always give the kids what is really needed, but they try to do the best they can. But you are there and God is with you. Don’t ever forget that. And HE will take care. God Bless Y’all.
Praying for you…asking for wisdom, knowledge and understanding for you. That the Lord would translate her needs even amidst language barriers. Love has no bounds.
Praying for that foot to heal in Jesus name. He binds up her wounds and applies His balm of Gilead.
The blood of Jesus covers each of you. He will protect you and prosper you in every way. Thank you Lord!
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