Happy New Year from China!
Sophie and I are heading into the last part of this 2 week trip, after
experiencing the iconic mountains of Guilin over the last couple days. Today we
fly to Hefei in the Anhui province, to visit her orphanage in Anqing. She has
made very close friendships with the other adoptees who have been on this trip,
but now we are all splitting up to visit the original orphanages.
Here in China we are nearing the end of the Year of the Dog, and on February
4th on Chinese New Year it will be the Year of the Pig. However for Sophie and
I, it will be the year of the PANDA! Our stop in Chengdu at the
Panda Center was definitely a highlight. I could have spent several days
there, just photographing the Pandas, especially the babies. Here are a couple
photos from our day at Chengdu. The cub is about 3-4 months old. The cubs are
busy busy busy … wobbly and clumsy but absolutely adorable … and then they
just plop down and fall asleep. The team at the center are focused on
reproduction, in an effort to save the species, but the real problem is human
encroachment on habitat.
I met with the China representative of our newest charity recipient – the Wild
Foundation – while in Beijing. They helped to found the International Wildlife
Congress, whose goal is to preserve 50% of the land in the world for wildlife
and habitat. Now is the time to work on preserving these wilderness lands,
while they are still viable. We can’t recreate wilderness, once it is
encroached upon by human activity.
You will see that I have been posting on my travel blog as time allows. I will
probably have to post photos once I get back due to internet restrictions here.
Don’t worry, I am taking notes and will tell you all about it when I get back.
If you have questions feel free to send them to Customer Service, and I’ll make
sure your questions are answered in my blog.
Saturday we will have a Day Tour in Shanghai, and then will be flying home
Sunday. Sophie is proud of her Chinese heritage, but also very happy to be an
American citizen. This trip has really opened her eyes, which is a good thing
for any US teenager. The trip to the orphanage is going to be quite emotional.
We appreciate that the China government pays for adoptees to return to
experience their home country.
Thank you for your support of our family business and our charity program. We are nearing $1.6
million raised for organizations who help orphans, those living in extreme
poverty or needing disaster relief, and also organizations helping to protect
the ocean, the environment and the wildlife who live there. We all share this
beautiful planet and the more I see of this Earth, the more I feel committed to
making this world a better place for all…with your help. Thank you for sharing
our business with your quilter friends!
Wishing you a New Year full of peace and health, creativity and love.
Sincerely,
Luana and Paul
