Volunteering at the China Care Home - James Woodruff- Day 6

July 21, 2011

While working at the China Care Home, I’ve realized the uniqueness of each child and the true joy they feel interacting with each of the China Care Volunteers. Each child is almost guaranteed to be smiling when we walk into their rooms. Even on the slow days, it seems like the time flies by. There seems to have been a pairing between volunteers and babies--each volunteer has taken a particular liking to a certain baby, and vice versa.

For example, Max, my roommate, has nicknamed one of the babies “Chaz” and Chaz can’t get enough of Max. Whenever Max walks into the same room as Chaz he immediately runs up to Max with open arms, expecting to be lifted up and swung through the air. Chaz has one of the most interesting personalities of all the babies.

“Anya’s baby” is one of the cutest. She is a little girl who is never without a pink bow in her hair. Qing was recently transferred back to her orphanage, which involved many tears and a lot of sad faces. But it is good that she went back because that means she is healthy and ready to leave the Home.

“Wenjing’s baby” is equally as cute. Bei has a heart defect and is also one of my favorite babies because she is one of the easiest to play with. The only problem is that she cries when you put her down! This is easily overcome with leg bouncing and funny faces.

“Carlos” is Jack and Alec’s baby. It makes sense that they “have” the same baby, as they go to the same school and are good friends. Carlos was born with a heart defect, yet he is incredibly large and active for a two-year-old boy.

Lake also has a favorite baby. Tao is one of the most rambunctious children here, even though he suffers from glaucoma. Tao loves to be picked up, yet he is so ticklish that mere contact with him makes him fall to the ground laughing.

I have really enjoyed my stay here at China Care and wish all the children well for their futures.

James just graduated from Brunswick School in CT, where he learned about China Care through his classmates and family friends.