Friday, October 28, 2005
Bengbu 6 - The last day
I woke up the next morning, our last morning in Bengbu, with the same thought I had right before I fell asleep the previous night - "I've got to do more. I've got to do more."
I thought about how much Director Song had done for us, and I didn't want to let him down. I wanted him to know that we were in this for the long haul, and that the support from the families and Packages of Hope would be ongoing.
When the idea popped into my head, I shot straight up in bed.
"of course!"
We were going to meet Director song for a brief lunch before heading to the train station. We didn't have much time.
I got up, showered, dressed, and packed. I woke YongMing, and told him our plan.
"Good idea!" he said.
We got in the taxi and headed for the furniture store. It was still early, and the owner I had spoken to 2 days before wasn't there yet. He was contacted on the phone, and he was there within 15 minutes.
"I want you to make some beds for me," I said.
We drove back to our hotel, where the furniture maker took a look at the pictures I had taken, and discussed dimensions with us. We told him we wanted a rock bottom price for some beds for the orphanage. After much thought, he told us he could make a standard bed for 260 RMB (about $33) and a bed with a siderail (for the kindergarten kids) for 350RMB (about $42). After figuring out how much I had to spend, I said, "I want 6 of each". We paid him $200 on the spot as a downpayment, and he drew up a contract for the deal. We gave the rest of the money to Steven Tao to give the manufacturer when he completed the job. We also clarified that there might be future orders if he did a good job, and to clarify with the orphanage if there were any problems. The price included delivery, of course.
With great pride, I took the onion skin copy of the receipt with us to lunch, and presented it to Director Song. We told him the details of the deal, and I toasted him, reaffirming our commitment to the children. You should have seen the smile on his face!
I was expecting to say goodbye to Director Song at the hotel as he dropped us off from lunch. Instead, he waited for us in the lobby, and personally carried our bags to his car, and loaded them in. YongMing took me aside and told me what a great honor indeed this was for us. He drove us to a market, where we took about 40 minutes to buy souvenirs for our family. He walked along with us, and even helped us haggle with local vendors. He then gave us a ride to the very door of the train station, and again helped to unload our bags.
YongMing and I were speechless, as we watched this very senior official unload our bags from his car.
I thanked him once again for his generosity and caring, and I told him, "There's a saying I really like - "one hundred years from now, it won't matter what kind of house I lived in, how much money I had, or what kind of car I drove. The only thing that will matter is that I was important in the life of a child.' There is no doubt you have made a big difference in the lives of the children." He smiled and thanked us again, and we said our goodbyes at last.
It was only in the train station, where our team of 3 assembled for the last time (this trip), that YongMing told us a bit of personal news.
"You know, one of the staff members informed me that Director Song's 19 year old boy (his only child) very recently died.", he said.
"MY GOD!" I said. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?!"
He said, "It was told to me privately. I don't think he wanted anyone to know. The staff said that another charity group was here recently, and Director Song did not meet with them due to his grief, but that he was so moved by our dedication to the children, that he stayed and met with us for so long. It was truly an honor that he accompanied us today."
We toasted Director Song with our tea, and then headed down to join the crowds getting on the train.
YongMing and I said so long to Steven, and I told him I'd be emailing him soon. I told him that he did such a great job. He said thanks, and congratulated us too, and mentioned that he would follow up with the bed construction soon.
It was nice to say "so long" and not "goodbye".
YongMing and I then boarded a heavily packed train for a grueling 7 hour ride back to Shanghai (the train was delayed for 1.5 hours enroute). The folks that had no seats stood along side us in the aisles, sometimes sitting on their luggage, which often consisted of just a nylon burlap sack. I had my big hardside bag in the aisle for 2 of the farmers to sit on, instead of having to sit on the floor.
We reached Shanghai at 11pm, and I checked into a nearby hotel (arranged, once again, by my amazing and doting friend, YongMing), exhausted. The next morning I would be on my way to Lanzhou, in western China.
I thought about how much Director Song had done for us, and I didn't want to let him down. I wanted him to know that we were in this for the long haul, and that the support from the families and Packages of Hope would be ongoing.
When the idea popped into my head, I shot straight up in bed.
"of course!"
We were going to meet Director song for a brief lunch before heading to the train station. We didn't have much time.
I got up, showered, dressed, and packed. I woke YongMing, and told him our plan.
"Good idea!" he said.
We got in the taxi and headed for the furniture store. It was still early, and the owner I had spoken to 2 days before wasn't there yet. He was contacted on the phone, and he was there within 15 minutes.
"I want you to make some beds for me," I said.
We drove back to our hotel, where the furniture maker took a look at the pictures I had taken, and discussed dimensions with us. We told him we wanted a rock bottom price for some beds for the orphanage. After much thought, he told us he could make a standard bed for 260 RMB (about $33) and a bed with a siderail (for the kindergarten kids) for 350RMB (about $42). After figuring out how much I had to spend, I said, "I want 6 of each". We paid him $200 on the spot as a downpayment, and he drew up a contract for the deal. We gave the rest of the money to Steven Tao to give the manufacturer when he completed the job. We also clarified that there might be future orders if he did a good job, and to clarify with the orphanage if there were any problems. The price included delivery, of course.
With great pride, I took the onion skin copy of the receipt with us to lunch, and presented it to Director Song. We told him the details of the deal, and I toasted him, reaffirming our commitment to the children. You should have seen the smile on his face!
I was expecting to say goodbye to Director Song at the hotel as he dropped us off from lunch. Instead, he waited for us in the lobby, and personally carried our bags to his car, and loaded them in. YongMing took me aside and told me what a great honor indeed this was for us. He drove us to a market, where we took about 40 minutes to buy souvenirs for our family. He walked along with us, and even helped us haggle with local vendors. He then gave us a ride to the very door of the train station, and again helped to unload our bags.
YongMing and I were speechless, as we watched this very senior official unload our bags from his car.
I thanked him once again for his generosity and caring, and I told him, "There's a saying I really like - "one hundred years from now, it won't matter what kind of house I lived in, how much money I had, or what kind of car I drove. The only thing that will matter is that I was important in the life of a child.' There is no doubt you have made a big difference in the lives of the children." He smiled and thanked us again, and we said our goodbyes at last.
It was only in the train station, where our team of 3 assembled for the last time (this trip), that YongMing told us a bit of personal news.
"You know, one of the staff members informed me that Director Song's 19 year old boy (his only child) very recently died.", he said.
"MY GOD!" I said. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?!"
He said, "It was told to me privately. I don't think he wanted anyone to know. The staff said that another charity group was here recently, and Director Song did not meet with them due to his grief, but that he was so moved by our dedication to the children, that he stayed and met with us for so long. It was truly an honor that he accompanied us today."
We toasted Director Song with our tea, and then headed down to join the crowds getting on the train.
YongMing and I said so long to Steven, and I told him I'd be emailing him soon. I told him that he did such a great job. He said thanks, and congratulated us too, and mentioned that he would follow up with the bed construction soon.
It was nice to say "so long" and not "goodbye".
YongMing and I then boarded a heavily packed train for a grueling 7 hour ride back to Shanghai (the train was delayed for 1.5 hours enroute). The folks that had no seats stood along side us in the aisles, sometimes sitting on their luggage, which often consisted of just a nylon burlap sack. I had my big hardside bag in the aisle for 2 of the farmers to sit on, instead of having to sit on the floor.
We reached Shanghai at 11pm, and I checked into a nearby hotel (arranged, once again, by my amazing and doting friend, YongMing), exhausted. The next morning I would be on my way to Lanzhou, in western China.
# posted by PoH_to_China_2005 @ 6:21 AM 
