More about Chinese orphanages.

As I read this book, Silent Tears, my wonder more about what Gracie might have gone through.
Kay Bratt writes more:

"When we first arrived we began taking babies out of cribs and lining them up on the donated soft mats on the floor. The ayis disapprove of this, but we insist-the babies are ON THEIR BACKS on confined to their cribs day and night.The workers remove them only for a quick bath or cold spray under the tap;most of them have painful head sores from this unnatural confinement.We have one hour to play before feeding, so we make the most of this time and get as many babies active as possible." (Mrs. Bratt and one other volunteer were allowed in ONE DAY per week).
" I sat on the floor in front of four babies while holding one in my lap... Our affection makes a great difference- before we begin they look utterly bored and listless, and afterward they are much more animated and lively."
"...a cart was wheeled in with 10 bottles of milk and six bowls of rice. There are usually 22 babies so they must always share this meager bit of nutrition....
"When we finished the feedings,we were instructed to pull off all their clothes so they could be taken one by one to a bath. The babies are all washed in the same bath water- how hygienic can this be? They are (literally) dumped into their cribs along with a clean shirt or clothes for us to dress them in."

The report we were given about Gracie said that she ate 4 bottles of mixed formula and rice milk a day. When we got her, once we figured out how to get her to eat, two or three days later she was up to almost 9 bottles a day. What does that tell you. Now she is a solid girl and she gets her nutrition through the formula but can you imagine how hungry she must have been?
I just see her in my head, sitting in her crib most of the time, playing with her hands or a string if she was lucky. That's what she does now. With all the toys she now has, she is content to take a string and sit by the window sill, turning it over in her hands.
It really is amazing to watch her as she opens up to new things. We were at big sister's basket ball practice this week, and instead of wanting me to pick her up and hold her, she was ready to go out on the court and see what the girls were doing.So each day is a new day and a new experience and we thank God every day for having sent her to us.