Marjorie-Orphanage Feedback.

     In preparing for this journey our agency contacted the orphanage few months ago to let them know we wanted to visit, and to let them know what our questions are for them.  Questions we began with included:

• Was Malissa in foster care at all (a lot of the other families we originally traveled with were told their daughter was in foster care)?  
• Was there a nanny she was particularly close with in the orphanage?  
• Do they know specifically who found her at her founding spot?  
• What were her weight and height measurements her first year of life?
• What were her interests her first year of life?

Then at the end of April we were given the following information:

• She was never in foster care.
• The current director of the orphanage was the doctor of the orphanage when Malissa was there, and she remembers Malissa well.   She may be able to answer some of her medical information when we visit in July.
• She had a nanny who took care of her that is now the director of the children's department.  She will be at the orphanage when we visit so she can answer personal questions about Malissa when we visit.  She also remembers Malissa.
• They know the name of the police officer who took Malissa to the orphanage.

This bit of information led to a lot more questions from both Malissa and me.  Malissa wanted to know: 

• Why was she not placed in foster care?
• Was she healthy the whole time?  Was she not placed in foster care because she was ill?
• Was she left with anything (note, etc) when she was found?
• What was her interaction with the other orphans and her primary care giver?
• What were her interests and habits as an infant?
• Was there anything unusual about her (behaviors, birthmarks)?
• What room was she in?  We have some photos of rooms in the orphanage.  Were one of those rooms hers?

Questions I had included:

• When did she have her firsts: smile, words, rolling over, sitting up, steps, etc?
• Why did they name her Ke Xing?  We were told by the interpreter her name meant Brilliant Star, is this true?
• When we got her she had a scar on her ankle (it is still there) do they know what it is from?
• Why do they remember Malissa so well?  Was it because she was so cute and adorable? ;)
• Did she have a crib mate?
• Do they have information about specifically who found her at her finding spot?
• Can we meet the police officer who took Malissa to the orphanage?

     The reply we received from our agency stated that most of these will have to be asked at the orphanage so we were encouraged to print them out and take them with us when we visit.  Also, since then our agency's contacts in China have found the police officer, and if he is available he will be at the orphanage to visit with us.