Experiences of Parents Adopting from Wanzai

From a family who adopted September 1996:
"It is a wonderful orphanage/"retirement" home. The babies were all wonderfully healthy and well adjusted. They all had foster parents and when they did not go out with them, they spent time with the older residents of the home. And the directors of the orphanage gave all of the children beautiful collector plates with a picture of a Chinese woman painted on them for the parents to give to the children for them when they are older."

From a family traveling April 1996:
"Our group adopted four girls from Wanzai. They were not in foster care. Our daughter had an ear infection and an upper respiratory infection but she was much larger than we expected. Her reported poor nutrition was not evident. It only took her six weeks to catch up developmentally. All the children had Wan Jin for the first part of their name." (SL)

Another family:  "Our group of eight families traveled to Nanchang in June, 1997 to adopt girls from Wanzai.  All girls seemed healthy though some did have trouble with constipation.  Our daughter has not had any illnesses or trouble whatsoever.  The orphanage director said they had 40 children at the orphanage and we were told that each one has their own bed .  Some other children were put in foster care because they did not have room for all the babies at the orphanage.  In our group of eight, some of the girls had been in foster care and some had been in the orphanage.  We were told there are sixteen  caregivers at the orphanage.  The babies are awakened at 6:00 a.m. and fed.  They also eat at 10:00, 2:00, and 6:00 p.m.  If the babies awake in the night, they are also given a bottle.  The formula is always given warm.  They put cereal in the formula.  The director and the woman in charge of the caregivers spent a day with us, they seem very loving toward, and concerned about, the babies.  Our girls were given plates as a gift.  The first part of the girl's names, "Jin," was given to the girls because they are on the Jin River.  "Jin" means beautiful." (BW)

From a dad adopting March 2002:  We left for China 2/13 and arrived back in the states with Meredith 3/2/02. We were united with our daughter at the Gloria Plaza in Nanchang after the girls came via a long bus from the Wanzai Social Welfare Home. We met her two nannies. We also learned she was born on 3/7 from a note left with her. Meredith was clean and healthy when we got her, albeit a cold which we all proceeded to pass around, but, in general, the girls from Wanzai were a very healthy, happy group - nothing more than one case of mild scabies. Meredith came dressed in the outfit we sent to the orphanage months ago - we also received pictures of Meredith and one of her nannies all around the orphanage from a disposable camera we sent with our "care package." We later learned Meredith had been in foster care with an older couple and their two children.  Meredith has adjusted beautifully to her new surroundings. She's bright and very inquisitive. She is simply a pleasure to have around.  (TK)

We'd love to hear from any families that have children that are from Wanzai and would welcome any information anyone might have about the city or orphanage.

Please e-mail me at webmaster@gurrad.com if you have any additional information or if your child is from here and you would like to post a picture here or other contact information.