What We Know of WeiWei So Far

As part of our initial packet of information we received on WeiWei, the orphanage included a “growth chart” about her to let us know what she was like and part of her history since she arrived there.  Instead of re-typing this, it is more real coming directly from excerpts from the report written by those in China:

Fu Lewei, Female, was found at the gate of this institute and then picked up and adopted by this institute on Oct.7 2009 without other belongings brought with her.  ……  According to her physical development, her DOB was decided as Apr.29 2006.  She was named Fu Lewei.  Fu means fuliyuan(welfare institute), Le means that the child will be happy all the time in the future, Wei is a nice name for girls. She was found had absence of left upper forearm.

Development of physical and intellectual ability

Fu Lewei’s absence of left upper forearm influenced her to do some things, but she is smart to use the right hand and deformed arm on the left, so the development of her physical and intellectual ability was not interfered greatly.  After admission Fu Lewei was able to run and jump, wash her hands and face, take off unlined clothes, count some numbers, read picture books, know the man and woman, address herself “I”, had self-esteem, compassion and was shy.  Now Fu Lewei can climb the ladder, put on her shoes, likes asking questions and watching cartoons, feed herself food and go to washroom.

Living habits

Fu Lewei is raised in a group in the institute and fed manually. Under the excellent care of caretakers she has good eating habits, regular living schedule, good sleep. She is looked after by 3 caretakers in turn in 24 hours per day, sleeps alone in a crib with lights off.  She usually gets up at 7:00, naps at 12:00-14:00 at noon, goes to bed at 20:30.

Personality and hobbies

Fu Lewei is extroverted, looks like a happy princess. Now she grows taller and gets some weight so she looks more lovely, she can adapt to the life in the welfare institute completely, plays with brothers or sisters everyday and totally like an elder sister. She is friendly to people, flings herself to caretaker’s arms when she sees she comes to work, even greets strangers. She is also a girl who loves to be beautiful, likes wearing new clothes and doesn’t want to take off. Weiwei is a good girl and always help caretaker to do some work, can take care of herself well, everyone says she is a good child. 

Sender: XXX

Social Welfare Institute of Fuling District of Chongqing City (Seal)

Mar.10 2010

This is the last update we have from the institute.  We would love to her how she has grown over the summer, but are not sure if we will receive an update from her before we arrive or not.

It was kind of funny that on Friday night, I had to remind myself that she was missing the lower portion of her left arm.  I had spent so many days looking at her picture, I was falling in love with her as someone who was very specialy, and it was not related to a "special need".  I was not even telling people that she had that type of a need anymore, as I had become blind to the fact of her arm.  I know that as she gets here, she may face some challenges with her arm, trying to acclimate to everything.  But she has face so many challenges already in her brief time that I will never experience.  This will strengthen her - and her family!

• Right now our daily prayer is for our Father to plant seeds of favor in her heart for her new family.  We are not oblivious of the fact that a family of 5 walking in to see her for the first time will not bring anxiety to her.  As you read above, the last time she possibly saw her biological parents, they left her at the doorsteps of a strange place.  How does she know that we would not do the same thing?  (The thought of that puts a pit in the bottom of our stomachs…)  This is the precise reason we earnestly pray – and seek your prayers as well – to soften her hearts towards us.

So as of today, we have 3 weeks/21 days before we get to see her for the first time.  Although she may have never heard of our Father, He is aware of her, and has known her before she was born. (Jeremiah 1:5)  We know that He can soften all hearts for His Glory.

In Him,

Mark