XuChang Day 4: Training and Nutrition

Aimee and Leslie (our physical therapist and occupational therapist!) sat with all the nannies this morning to share ways to help all the children. They used the "peanut" to show how to help build strength and muscle tone, showed Ayis how building overall muscle strength will help the kids in many ways. They showed feeding methods and exercises. The children cooperated and were good "model" helpers (who did not know they were models; they thought they were just playing!!)

 

Moya and Krista spent time with three wonderful kiddos who had coughs so were in the baby room during training. We snuggled and fed and played with three awesome kiddos who just happened to have Down Syndrome. Peter has the most expressive face!! (and is healthy except for that little cough. Just a month ago he was in the hospital and we were so worried about him!)

After we enjoyed yet another awesome lunch in the orphanage cafeteria ( Leslie and Krista are crazy for the peanut milk they serve with lunch), Krista made her way into the kitchen to talk with the cook. We bought QiRui, our room manager, and Linda, our translator, in with us. Krista had seen the cook with some pieces of baked pumpkin. She offered some to Krista and I (Moya). Delicious! And of course, so nutritious. Krista explained that it would be easy to bake some sweet potato, pumpkin or squash for the kids and feed them bits of it all week.

 

We headed to the store ( called the Manhattan Mall) to get some fruit for the children for the week. An avocado was $4! Yoghurt, apples and bananas, however, were very cheap. We also bought a mini fridge. There we can keep fruits and yoghurt we buy for the kids in First Hugs. We already use a small blender to blend fruits to a good consistency for smaller kids. Krista showed QiRui how to microwave apples to make them mushy, then mix with yoghurt and banana. Yummy! ( And nutritious)

We have already seen a huge difference in our kids' faces from a month ago when we started feeding them fresh fruits.

Later we had QiRui talk to the orphanage director about the ability to cook vegetables for our kids. After some discussion which went back and forth about whether there was room in the schedule or the oven at the orphanage (not in the larger kitchen where we eat), we heard some very good news. The orphanage will buy the vegetables and wants to cook them for ALL of the children in the orphanage! Oh my word. SO happy!!

We are pleased with how much we have accomplished so far this week. We have been so impressed with the willingness of the nannies and leadership of XuChang Orphanage to learn new ways to do what is best for the children. We are very hopeful for First Hugs at XuChang.

Thanks again to all of our supporters who have helped to make this possible.