Roll With The Punches

C is for China and C is also for change. Since we came to China without a set plan after the Starfish Foster Home closed, China Horizons has been trying to find the best fit for Kendra and me here. We have been moved (not too far from the babies, thank goodness) to a new place called Roundabout. It's really hard for me to completely understand what Roundabout does, but we started work there today so I'll do my best to explain.

Roundabout is similar to Deseret Industries in Utah. They take in donations, give them to other charities, or sell them in the store and give the money to those in need. They work with over 27 charities in China. The hospital system in China is really sad. If you don't have cash in hand to pay for whatever needs done, the hospital won't even take you or your child in. Children can die from the smallest things simply because their parents can't afford to pay. This is where Roundabout will step in and provide the money to save children. It's really a wonderful program and Roundabout has touched so many peoples lives. I know they have a website, but I haven't been able to find it. I think it's not up and running yet because they've been redoing it. I'll post it here once I know more.

So we moved just yesterday. We are living with Leslie and Robin who are from the UK. Leslie started Roundabout just after moving to China some 8 years ago. They have 4 kids, but 3 are grown up and moved out. They've adopted a Chinese girl while they've been here and she's 8. She so funny. She LOVES Harry Potter and she's assigned each of us a character. I'm Tonks. Cool, right? Kendra is Luna Lovegood. In all reality, I feel so spoiled. Kendra and I each have our own room and bathroom. Leslie and Robin have just opened up their home to us so willingly and warmly. They even took us to the import store and bought us all this food even though we insisted we didn't need it. They bought us Honey Bunches of Oats cereal. HEAVEN! ;) I am so so so (infinite number of so's) grateful for them and their kindness. I literally started crying at one point which I guess doesn't really say much, but still, they are wonderfully kind and welcoming.

So today, we started work at Roundabout. We started with books which means I was in heaven. We just sorted through new donations putting them in sections based on genre. After lunch, Leslie taught us to do some account filing and inputting so we can help her catch up on that, which I don't mind doing. Then we went with her to the international school where Leslie was putting on a presentation for Magic Hospital. This charity hires clowns and art therapists to go into the hospitals, put on magic shows, make balloon animals, and draw pictures and do crafts so the kids can have some fun, and get some laughs. So to start out the presentation, one of their clowns who's been doing this EVERY Wednesday without missing a single one for 10 years, put on a magic show for the kids. They LOVED it. Then, they brainstormed ways to raise some money for Magic Hospital. It was so awesome to see the kids trying to find good ways to help out in their own community. Today was a really great day for sure.

For those who are concerned, I'll really miss living with Mutong and the other babies, but we are close enough to go back and visit occasionally and I can't deny that I'm glad to get away from The Corner (the office with our bed in the corner behind a curtain). We still live in the suburbs of Beijing and we're a bit of a way from the city center still, but it's not bad at all! We'll manage.

On another note, Leslie is Scottish and Robin is English. We are picking up on a lot of new words. Leslie called the trunk "the boot," today. By the time we leave, we'll have it all down plus the accent. It helps that we have a friend from church (who we stayed with this last weekend) from near London. Every so often when I'm talking to her, I slip and start talking in my fake British accent which is simply dreadful. ;) I blame Erin for the slip ups since we talk in fake accents together occasionally. That's the only reason I slip. And also, we drink tea now. Not bad tea, but tea we are allowed to drink like flower and fruit teas. It's growing on me, slowly...