Celebrating the New Year with family is a tradition the world
over but for young orphan Doudou the start of 2005 was extra
special.
The eight-year-old met his new relatives for the first time.
"I feel quite excited when my aunts and uncles teach me how to
perform puppet show and drama, which I have never seen before,"
Doudou said on meeting his new extended family.
Doudou was abandoned by his mother after his father died when he
was only four.
He celebrated Christmas and New Year with volunteers and social
workers- his new aunts and uncles - at Zhaoxian Children's Home in
North China's Hebei
Province, a four-hour car ride from Beijing.
"I hope every day is New Year's Day," he said.
Every child and teenager from the orphanage received new woolly
clothes as New Year gifts, sponsored by Operation Blessing, a
US-based charity group.
The orphanage is home to 32 youngsters aged from 6 to 17.
"According to Chinese traditions, parents should buy their kids
new clothes for new year," said Feng Moxi, director of the
children's home.
"However, my wife and I felt sorry at this time of year because
of the lack of funds we could not buy new clothes for the kids at
the orphanage," Feng said.
"Now we are so happy that our kids have new clothes thanks to
the help from so many kind-hearted people."
Many volunteers organized by some non-profit groups such as
China Charity Federation, come to visit orphanages in Beijing and
Hebei, especially in the festival season.
Zhang Lan, an employee of an Australia-based company in Beijing,
for example, paid a visit to an orphanage in Shunyi District of
Beijing on Christmas Day.
"I want to spend this special time with orphaned children who
badly need our love and attention," Zhang said.
"I feel quite moved when I see children carefully put sweets in
pockets rather than eat them instantly, because they want to save
the sweet moment a bit longer," she said.
Operation Blessing has organized regular volunteer visits to
children's homes in and around Beijing.
(China Daily January 5, 2005)