All about Jonah
The Chinese New Year is always a challenge as far as logistics is concerned at the Home of Hope because it is culturally customary for everyone to be with their families, businesses to close and no one to report to work during a five day period. This year, the actual New Years Day fell on the 14th of February. (Valentines Day)
Generally speaking the two days before New Years and at least two to three days after New Years is a time for celebrating, visiting family members (there are set days for maternal family and set days for paternal family visitations) with only emergency public services being open.
This year we thought we had it covered pretty well. Since all of our older children were home from college during this time, we had a meeting with them and asked if they were willing to fill in for the staff during this time so the staff could be off. They all agreed.
Since there would be no markets or grocery stores open during this time we had to buy enough food to cover the meals for the five day period for those chidlren who had no family to go visit.
Even the nursery babies are now old enough to be cared for by our older children while others are more than happy to clean and cook. Truth is, there was no room for change of any kind in the work load or plans for the five day period while the staff was off.
The morning the staff holiday ‘time off’ started, the police showed up with an abandoned baby. We were not prepared for this as there was no one in our nursery who had any experience with new borns. Of course we we were not about to turn this little guy away, so we decided that he would stay in the Bell home until the staff (and experienced nursery nannies) returned. So Nathan and Shannon are “mom and dad†again with every four hour ‘feedings’ and “changings†both day and night! But he is a joy!
The four pictures grouped above show Shannon giving the new baby an initial check in our guard room at the gate and then giving him a very throrough check after getting him home where it is much warmer. The only thing we could find wrong is a very minor cleft palate, but his lips are just fine.
In the next three picture grouped above, it was bath time. It’s been a long time since we have actually cared for a new born in our house. Nine years ago to be exact with our first four abandoned babies, Moses, Ruthie, Isaac and Autumn and we had to keep them hidden. (at that time we were not allowed to take in abandoned babies) We were not so sure if we could still do this but in truth it came back just like riding a bicycle.
After his bath, Jonah was dressed in clean and warm clothes and then had his first bottle at the Home of Hope. He has been with us now for four days and is a very chubby, healthy and content little guy. While we were bathing him, Shannon said she wanted to name his Jonah because she had just been reading how Jonah changed the whole country of Nineva – our prayer for this little one.
We were able to find a doctor to check him out and the doctor pretty much confirmed what we thought… Jonah is about two weeks old. We decided to set his birthday at February 1, 2010 and we will eventually get him a Huko (Chinese Birth Certificate). Please pray for Jonah and the Grandparents (us) … that we survive until our staff returns. (Just kidding… we know we will!)
Meantime, all the jobs at the Home of Hope were being handled by our older children. Of course, since most of those children who still have distant family like to return to their villages during New Years, only those children who have no family or those children who were abandoned and taken into the Home of Hope (as those on the left just finishing up their newest snowman), are here making the work load not as intense as normal.
Not counting the eleven college age children who are filling in for the staff, we have sixteen children for these few days.
Above left are (left to right) Abby Joy, Ruthie, Autumn, Gracie, Mary and Rose. To the right we have Holly and Linda taking a break in the nursery where it was their day to take care of the eight nursery babies. You can see one or two of the babies just waking up from their nap.
A small film clip of Jonah and his first bath…
Thank you so much for being part of the Home of Hope. We are so grateful for the prayers and financial support of our Home of Hope friends. As we head into the “Year of the Tigerâ€, we ask that you remember all of the Home of Hope administrators, children and staff in your prayers. We now have three orphanages in operation. Bob and Cindy Sayre are in XuZhou, Ben and Michelle Godard are in PingYu (their grand opening has been moved back one week to February 24th due to inclement weather) and Shannon and Nathan Bell are in Gongyi.
We hope you enjoyed this small glimpse into the day to day ‘unexpected’ occurances that take place here in China and at the Home of Hope!
Blessings and love to you, with a grateful heart!
Posted: February 18th, 2010 under Uncategorized.