DongSheng Commodity Market

From dennis:  Today we visited the orphanage.  We saw the buildings from the outside where Chloe was taken care of for many months of her life.  We were graciously allowed inside of the administration building where we made payment (donation to the orphanage for Chloe's care).  We were allowed to walk to the playground where Chloe could play with Deacon and other kids for awhile. Deacon & Chloe were recognized by the kids still there, and it was a good reunion.  More of our questions were answered and we found out more information about the place where Chloe was abandoned.  We bought our driver and guide lunch after they agreed to drive us to the place where Chloe was left - we assume by her mother.  I thought we had seen some busy places in Beijing and Hangzhou, but after the long drive to the far Northeastern corner of the city we saw what i thought was an incredibly busy place.  Next to the East Bus Station is the DongSheng Commodity Market.  It is like an outlet mall, only with lower quality cheap items.  You can buy just about anything there for a cheap price tag.  Down the street are some multi-story apartments and lots of people.  We took photos of the market and street -in particular the bushes around.  In one of the areas where there are bushes at the market was where Chloe was found.  It was a sad moment as we thought of the mother and the situation that would cause her to have to leave her girl there.  We are grateful that she was left in a crowded place.  Someone found her and took her to the police station and eventually she was taken the the orphanage.

Chloe's story is not rare at all.  It is so commonplace that it is just part of the culture due to the way the government is handling China's overcrowding situation.  I pray that we are part of the solution, and that Americans will maintain a high value on life, and a growing appreciation especially for the life of the child within his mother's womb.  I fear a decreasing reverence of the sacredness of the act of conception of human life in our country though; but I'm thankful that we do not have the same issues as China.  We have grown to love the culture here in some ways, but are saddened by the seeming necessity to abandon children on streets.