Arrival in China

We arrived in Beijing about 1345 on Saturday afternoon, China time.  After getting luggage and making it through customs and immigration, we loaded up on a domestic flight into Hangzhou.  We arrived and boarded our bus to the hotel…which was an hour bus ride!  🙂  Checked into the hotel and all took hot showers and hit the sack!  Sunday morning, we slept in a little and met for breakfast at 0900, then headed to the hospital.  We had a meeting with the operations managers for Operation Smile Charity Hospital at 1400 to discuss details.  Dr. Glade and Samuel were stuck in Xian after a delay leaving the states and numerous other delays.  They arrived in Hangzhou about 2200 on Sunday night.

Six of the babies arrived from Luyang about 1500 Sunday while the others coming from Yulin and Xian were stuck on the train for 54 hours!!  That is 15 babies and nannies with Amanda traveling since Friday morning!!!  Whew! We examined them and headed back to the hotel.  Monday morning came and we all headed again to the hospital to check out the new babies, set up the OR schedule for the week and to hopefully start operating.  Needless to say, we start operating tomorrow, Tuesday.  There have been a few details that weren’t worked out fully, thus a delay in our start.  Chris helped get the OR set up and Matthew and I assisted with lab draws on all the babies.  Lisa, Abby, Rob, Samuel, Charlie and Patti all helped to meet with the directors of the hospital and straight away the details of the trip.  They were so kind enough to cancel all of their scheduled surgeries to accommodate our mission and our team.  So, we will begin surgeries in the morning.  There are 10 on schedule for tomorrow.  I promise to post pictures, before and after of the kiddos!!!

With lots still to come, and many new smiles to see, I will close.  Our team is doing well, and are so blessed to be able to be a part of these kids lives.  It brings a smile to my face, and a tear to my eye every time.  Keep us in your prayers as we work.

Blessings, Change of Face Medical Team-China 2010