Vien Ping

One of the organizations that we are donating our proceeds to from performances is the Vien Ping Children's Home (orphanage). Most Thai orphans will never be adopted, they will spend their entire childhoods in the system- mostly because there is a stigma against Thai orphans within their own country which is the misconception that they have AIDS. Many are AIDS orphans but do not have the disease- however the stigma follows them. The most they can hope for is to be adopted by a foreigner, leave Thailand and give up their nationality and culture.

We went to visit Vien Ping and perform the opening Prologue of the play for them. About 40 or so children awaited us, all between the ages of 2-4 (I'm guessing based on size here) a few developmentally challenged children were also interspersed, I'm guessing because mentally they are on par with the younger children. We performed, they understood very little, but seemed to enjoy it nonetheless, and then we were allowed to give them sweets that we had brought, I had three bags of what appeared to be cookies, something I picked up at the local street market, I figure anything cookie shaped that is bright green or pink must be full of sugar. This was certainly the part they enjoyed! After my cookies were all gone a little girl approached me and reached up, obviously asking to be picked up. I did and she gave me a great big hug. I am not great with kids,I don't really know what to do with them, but, I am a human jungle gym, so I did what I always do with my niece and nephews, I swept her through the air, being careful not to lose contact (I'd fling my family kids through the air), she screamed with delight: "ah!!" her little face lighting up, she had obviously never experienced this before. So I kept doing it, and a couple of other children lined up for a "ride" but this little girl wouldn't let go so I picked up a second child, one for each arm and swept them through the air. "Ah!!" The loved it. (I was aching and sore the next day- I didn't really think through what swinging two 50lb bodies with my own would do to my muscles! Oh well.) I fell in love with that little girl.I don't know her name. She is so beautiful and lovable, and loving and cuddly. She laughed a lot, and when it came time to leave she wouldn't let go. It broke my heart. It was so hard to leave! I hope to go back and volunteer my time next week- hopefully I can learn her name. Hopefully I can help make her life better in some way. How hard can it be for me to adopt a beautiful little girl? A boy? Six of them?