DAY TWO IN BEIJING

Shepard's Field

We had a nice early breakfast and departed for Philip Hayden Foundations Shepard's Field. Philip Hayden, started in 1996 has provided medical care and completing more than 2600 operations to correct special needs of orphans. After three years of planning the first children were welcomed to Shephard's Field in 2006. Shephard's Field will be the largest facility of its kind in mainland China and will be home to 125 children with special needs.

We were able to spend several hours playing with the children, giving gifts and talking the director's assistant about the needs of the orphanage. They are in a building boom with homes for older girls with special needs to provide life skills training.

The group had a traditional Chinese lunch around a large lazy susan table. Much more than we could finish was provided. There are several beautiful paintings hanging in Shepards field at Phillip Hayden.

The afternoon was spent visiting the Forbidden City, the home of former Emperors of China. The Forbidden City and its 1000 rooms are being spruced up for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. There is evidence all over the City of Beijing of the coming Olympic Games.





Tomorrow we will travel via air to Shenyang and on to Fushun. We will post later.