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January 24: Trip Confirmed

Over the weekend, I finalized my Hunan itinerary with an OCDF representative in Beijing and early this morning booked my flights.  The trip is on.  The itinerary will begin in Changsha and then allow me at least two days in Hengdong near the start, just in case something gets delayed.  I'll stay close by in Hengshan while exploring the area where my daughter is from and spend a day in Shaoshan on my way back to Changsha and its airport.   Beyond this, I'll know very little until the trip unfolds.  I'll leave on February 18.   My next posts will be either during the trip or immediately after.  Zai jian. 

Posted on January 24, 2005 |

Comments

Hi Andy - what an incredible journey you are undertaking! Our prayers and love go with you as you travel unknown roads to find Clara's first home - and our precious Abbey's as well. We look forward to reading your updates and are so grateful in advance for your strength and resolve to make this dream come true.

Posted by: Penny Moeller | February 10, 2005 at 10:37 PM

Andy,
I wish you lots of luck. I look forward to reading and seeing pictures that I can share with my Hengdong baby girl!

Posted by: Emily | February 17, 2005 at 06:14 PM

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  • Hengdong Charity Fund
    The Hengdong Charity Fund is set up through the larger Chinese Children Charities Fund (CCCF), affiliated with the non-profit agency Chinese Children Adoption International (CCAI). Donations are tax deductible and 100% will go to orphanage help, as CCCF administrative costs are covered from other sources. Donations go to projects aimed to provide direct benefit to the children at the Hengdong SWI.
  • Hengdong Government Web Site
    Uses Chinese language and character sets
  • Hengdong SWI Yahoo News Group
    A news group for Hengdong adoptive families that has more than 120 members from across the globe.
  • Hengyang Government Web Site
    The major city closest to Hengdong. English language site no longer available.
  • Our Chinese Daughters Foundation (OCDF)
    OCDF is a non-profit foundation that supports families with children adopted from China. It helped to arrange the trip described in this weblog.
  • Statistical Information of Hunan
    Census and economic data for the province. Uses English language.

D. Hengshan

  • Photo24
    This album has photos from Hengshan, which was our base during my stay in the area near Hengdong, my destination. Hengdong County lies just across the Xiang River from Hengshan. Hengshan itself is very important to the region because it is home to the largest group of ancient buildings in southern China, a collection of Buddhist and Taoist temples at the base of and among the peaks of Hengshan's broad mountain.

Charity Fund Project Photos

  • Hengdong dining room 1

C. Shaoshan

  • Photo15
    This album has photos from my visit to Shaoshan on the way to Hengshan and Hengdong, my destination nearby. Shaoshan is the birthplace of Mao Zedong and is only about 50 miles from Hengdong.

B. Changsha

  • Photo01
    This album has photos from familiar Changsha where I stayed for a few days upon my arrival in China, before heading south to Shaoshan, Hengshan, and Hengdong.

F. Hengdong City and SWI

  • Photo11
    This album has photos from Hengdong City and its SWI, the orphanage where my daughter spent her first 17 months. She had been left and found at the Hengdong County Farmer's Market, shown in several of these photos.

A. Clara-Li

  • Photo01
    This album has photos of Clara-Li and the Hengdong SWI taken by the orphanage staff with a disposable camera we sent in advance of our adoption trip in August 2004. It also has a few photos taken after a few months home.

E. Rural Hengdong

  • Photo14
    This album has photos from Hengdong County, chiefly the rural area surrounding the small city of Hengdong where the Hengdong SWI is located. Children abandoned in the city of Hengdong are generally said to come from families in this surrounding rural area.