Day 6 - Trip To Fuling Orphanage

Today was an incredible day. We traveled 2 1/2 hours into the mountians north of Chongqing, to the city of Fuling. Fuling is where Joshua was discovered on a door step, and then raised in the Fuling orphanage. It was both touching and humbling to see the location of his beginnings. Joshua was excellent the whole trip, seemed happy to see some familiar faces, and relieved to leave with us from the orphanage at the end of the day. These photos reflect a few significant events in little Joshua's life.

Road leading to the Fuling orphanage. Joshua's mother taveled this road to place him outside the orphanage walls. The doctors estimate he was 3-5 weeks old when abandoned. Joshua spent the first several months of his life in the orphange, and then transitioned to living with a foster parent across the street.

This is the main gate to Fuling orphanage. Joshua often traveled through these gates to go play at the orphanage even while living with his foster parents.

The door step Joshua was found on at Fuling in July 2006

This is looking from the inner courtyard to the front door of the orphanage. The facility holds up to 60 babies at any one time. The facility also houses the ederly on adjacent floors.

This is the "first hugs" nursery where new arrivals are kept. Today there were approximately 20 babies in "first hugs". Joshua lived in this room for the first several months of his life.

Laurie and Joshua standing next to the crib that was assigned to Joshua.

This the orphanage play room. Joshua used this facility routinely while living at the orphanage and also while living across the street in foster care.

Mom, Dad and Joshua at a mountain view point after leaving the orphanage. Unfortunately the smog in the city made it nearly impossible to see the surrounding mountains. China has come a long ways in their industrial revolution, but has a serious pollution issue yet to resolve. We ended our visit in Fuling by having a traditional Fuling Chinese meal at a local facility. Fuling is famous in China for it's pickles, and we were able to sample those as well. Appears to be a type of squash that is pickled and served in many different dishes. It was acually very good.