A few months back we were all abuzz about our two-of-a-kind tote bags. We posted about them on all our social media accounts, opened up our Etsy store, and told you about the special ones my mom made for Kelly and me, ones that had a piece from all 30 different patterns.
Every one of these bags were tailored specifically for the Chinese ayis who would be receiving them in October. They were colorful, personal, and fun but also useful and practical. The idea grew to not only be a tangible gift for them but an opportunity to tell them that so many people want to support them and the work that they do as women here in the states purchased a bag for themselves and sponsored the bag for an ayi. When I traveled to China last month, 30 bags traveled with me–a number I was grateful for given how packing said 30 totes took pretty much all the space in my carry on. It was so densely packed that TSA decided that they needed to dig through them and thus got a chance to admire the bags themselves.
As our little group got going with what we came to do, I’ll be honest, I was initially frustrated with our limited ability to connect with the ayis. There was a lot happening. Half the site was under construction. Most of the kids were relocated to just one playroom. And, the lack of a full-time translator led to some chaos during our days. The ayis clearly had their hands full and were taking the opportunity while they had it with us there to get other projects done. They were on the move, and we were getting very little time with them. I was feeling like our focus of caring for the caregivers was slipping, and I was struggling with that. I wanted these ladies to know that we came to encourage, support, and equip them, not just to play with children. The week was moving quickly and come Wednesday, we had still barely learned their names. I didn’t want to leave with this feeling of lack of connection.
We decided to change the pace and take a step back on Thursday. We told them there would be no formal trainings on that day as originally planned. Instead, we asked for intentional time to simply be with. We wanted to sit with the ayis and pour into them specifically. We also decided to go ahead and give them the tote bag gifts and tell them about each having a matching friend across the sea, something we had thought we’d do Friday. I was oh-so grateful that it turned into just the moment I was hoping for.
As I pulled out the collage of pictures we had received from some of the women in America who helped make this work, we could see the understanding and excitement light up their faces. They were excited about the gift, yes, but knowing they were connected to a matching partner was clearly meaningful for them. The executive director jumped up to help distribute the bags, his servant heart and care for these women clearly on display. The giggles and chatter that filled the room as each ayi picked their own bags was just the encouragement I needed.
They got it. At that moment, I really think they understood the point we were hoping to make with the totes. It wasn’t just our little group who cared about them; there are so many more behind us. They caught on that we saw them as valuable, worthy, important. They poured over the pictures, hoping to find the friend who matched them, who held their bag on her own shoulder, and asked us their names.
It was a game changer. The ayis were much more willing to try their broken English with us. They wanted us to know about their families and their own personal story. They knew we saw them for who they are, and I finally felt like we were on our way towards the goal of caring for them, the caregivers, even if in only one small way.
Erin Garrison has been a pediatric physical therapist since 2010 and was first introduced to The Sparrow Fund through serving on an orphanage trip in October of 2016. It was during this trip that her heart was stirred, and she was drawn to a big move and career change in order to serve children living in orphanages and their caregivers both for a season and forever. Her passion is to help equip and train the orphanage staff on developmental and handling techniques to assist in reducing delays. As Family Services Coordinator with The Sparrow Fund, she seeks to be a resource for families as they transition children to home and get connected to the services needed. You can contact Erin directly at eringarrison@sparrowfund.org.