Community Involvement Programmes Overseas!!!

And so, I did my ever first CIP in China yesterday at a residential place. It serves as a place for babies with handicap to recuperate and recover before they are put up for adoption. Even though the journey to and fro was almost 3hrs, being with the babies for the short 1hr plus was totally worth it for me.

There were in total 6 babies inside the house when we reached. Some having done their surgery and others waiting for their turn. The babies usually have cleft lips, resulting in them having difficulty eating and even breathing at times. There is also one with heart problem, and another with spinal cord problem. Other than those with cleft lips, the other babies look just like any healthy baby outside.

Looking at them, I cannot help but feel like giving all I can to just make them happy, secure and comfortable during my short stay there. I tended to every single baby as much as I can, and to those that are too young to move about on their own much, I carried them and coo-ed them. It is always a wonderful feeling to carry a baby in your arms.

There is this baby that keeps staring at my hands and fingers while I moved them, giving me the impression that she must be wondering how come hers are so small and mine so gigantic. There is this baby that fell asleep within seconds of me stroking her forehead, one moment she's awake and the next she's gone to the world. I felt like I did some magic on her, it is a feeling beyond words. There is this baby that starts frowning and making small whining sounds when I put him down to carry other babies, probably getting jealous. :P

I am looking very much forward to seeing the babies once again! Even though my stay there might not have made a significant and obvious impact in their life, I cannot help but feel that it did make a little difference to their little hearts and minds. If I ever stop teaching in future, the other job I will readily go into is baby care. :)))