A visit to an orphanage

Last month, Kaela, Tommy, and I visited a Red Cross Hospital orphanage with our youth group. The teenagers presented a little program of songs, and then they had free time to play with the children.  There were lots giggles and photographs.

Only later did I learn that some of the adult helpers in the room were actually parents of the children.  I learned that in Japan, adoption is extremely rare, and so orphanages are much more common here than in the US.  Some children grow up in the orphanage, and others get "checked" in and out by the month or year, or whatever.  This seems shocking to us but it is very normal in Japan!