Samaratan's House

Mei Mei (Tiffany, my sponsor baby) and Nui Nui (Margaret, Annie's sponsor baby) live together in Samaritan's House. Since we spent alot of time in that home, we naturally got to know (and get attached) to some of the precious kids there. Alot of these kids have particularly complicated or worse medical conditions.

Mr. Tristan ... He's constantly going and would be an adorable photography subject except it's impossible to get him to hold still!

On one afternoon visit to Samaratin's House we found all the kids in chairs scarfing huge pieces of cake ... the only way to pay due honor to your little friends with July birthdays right?

Annie and Luke...another heart baby.

Adrian is all silliness and funny faces, and Nui Nui the perfect princess.

Left to Right: Sharon, Luke, Tristan, Grace

Nui Nui and Adrian

Kaisha's amazing stuffies on head entertainment during potty time!
That's me with Grace on my lap, Mei Mei in the back and Luke.

Sweet Emily. I fell in love with her. She needs blood transfusions every couple weeks. She's a quiet girl that's content to sit on your lap and watch the action. Thankfully she is going home to her very own family very soon!

Ginger. A real China doll...with a little attitude. She clings to her Ayi (Nannie) and screams if you try to pick her up. She has had several surgeries on her heart.

The kids, ayis and visitors outside of the office playing in the morning sunshine.

Shepherd*s Field...A Grand Tour

the office...the first thing you see as you come in the gate

the gorgeous grounds...there's always people working on lawns and hedges


everyone rides their bikes, scooters, and motorcycles to work

the five children's homes...all lined up

one of the bedrooms

a bathroom in one of the homes


a living room...cozy and full of kids


getting ready for lunch...we had to head back to the inn about this time

the nannies would hang baby clothes out on these racks to dry

the new school...finished except for furnishings

The First Day

Annie...my China traveling friend.

The first moments with our girls. Margaret (NuiNui) and Tiffany (MeiMei)

That morning we caught wind that our girls were playing outside of the office. We sort of bounced around for a while, waiting til we could go outside, took our temperatures (required before you play with the kids each day), and ran out there. Margaret came right out to us and wanted to be held. MeiMei was in a stroller. Somehow she caught my eye across the crowd of playing kids and ayis (nannies) and lifted her arms to be held. For some reason that moment really did seem like a miracle. *sigh*

Annie and Margaret

MeiMei and Me

Grandma and Clay...Clay and his wife Jewel run the inn and help guests find their way around.

China Post....here by popular demand

So...We were finally off to China! I didn't really believe that I was actually there until I was there. We left the house at 7 in the morning, and took off from the airport at noon.

Starbucks is a magnet for hungry girls like us just hanging out in the airport


I slept on the plane a little...if you can call that sleep. I was very aware sort of sleep, where you're never really comfortable. So when you doze off, your head kinda slips down into a completely uncomfortable dorky position. Then you wake up enough to realize that that looks dumb and really isn't comfortable so you jerk it back up again. And that repeats itself over and over til you give up on the sleeping thing.


We traveled for 10 hours during the day...we left on the 16th, and got there on the 17th. Time changes are something that I'll never really be able to wrap my wee brain around.


The road outside of Shepherd's Field


The Office...the first building you see when you enter. The inn where we stayed is to the right.


The door of the inn.


The door to our room.


They had these little chalkboards on the front of every door. Way cute!


Inside our room. I had the top bunk on the right. It was so muggy and hot up there at night...even with air conditioning.


I love the sinks!


The front door from inside the inn.