Toy Tuesday

Monday evening Krista and I unpacked our two overly-packed bags each filled with donations. We organized and repacked and brought most of the donations in to the orphanage today. Krista started her day working with QiRui, our Gracie's Room manager, sorting all the clothes. The ayis were delighted to pick out pretty new outfits for their charges. And the old was replaced with new and the winter clothes were put away in storage.

Then we broke out the new toys. Again, thank you so much to our generous donors who fulfilled items on our wish list. It was our honor to deliver those toys into hands eager to learn and experience.

At our delicious lunch, prepared by the orphanage cook, Krsita and I sat with QiRio and Fei Fei and discussed how we see First Hugs growing and changing. They were very agreeable to our needs and we look forward to continuing our relationship with the orphanage and continuing to see things improve.

Tomorrow we will tell you about a new dimension to our prgram and even have pictures to show it off. We are so pumped about this. Special thanks to Jill Walker of the Montessori School in Fredericton, New Brunswck for her great assistance. ( that was a big hint!).

One highlight of our time in the First Hugs Room is feeding the kids. They get hot cereal in the morning and mid afternoon, huge bowls of rice mixed with meat and vegetables and broth ( congee). Smells yummy! And you should see these kids eat their food. Our Thomas, ever the character, yells out cheerfully when he sees the ayi who always delivers the food. "Ayi! Ayi! AYiiiii!". Yup, he knows how important she is.

More on Wednesday!!