A love for children has led Yang Fan and Brad B. Bauer, a mixed
couple from the United States, to give up their respective careers
to start a new after-school program in Shenzhen.
Having adopted two Chinese orphans and hopes for two more, they
are also planning to set up a children's home for orphans in the
city's suburbs next year.
Yang, born in Hebei in north China, left for California to
pursue a degree in 1992.
"I met Brad on Thanksgiving in 1992, and we got married three
years later," she said.
"I loved her from the very beginning because she is very
Chinese," Bauer said of Yang.
Bauer followed Yang Fan first to Hong Kong, then to Shenzhen, in
2002. To him, the Chinese culture, which has fascinated him for a
long time, is now in his blood. "Thinking in both English and
Chinese helps people broaden their minds," he said.
Back in the States, they had a cozy home in the Silicon Valley,
where Yang once worked for Hewlett Packard's marketing and sales
department and her husband was a graphic designer for a local
advertising firm.
In 2001, Yang was sent to explore the Hong Kong market by a
US-based startup software company which led to her commuting
frequently between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, to work as a volunteer
for a local welfare center. Feeding the orphans and changing their
diapers gave her a tremendous feeling and led to her decision to
adopt a child.
"The first time I saw Helen, then 3 months old, her clear eyes
stared at me, as if she wanted to come home with me," she said.
Helen, abandoned in front of a hospital on the day she was born,
became a member of their family Nov. 15 in 2002.
"I will make up for the negligence she suffered so soon after
her birth by giving her the best care and education," said Yang who
quit her job as a sales manager three days after Helen's
adoption.
Bauer then worked as a teacher with the middle school attached
to Beijing University in town.
After going through complicated procedures and paying about
US$20,000, the couple adopted Lance, a 13-month-old boy, from the
Shanghai Welfare Center in August 2003.
"I don't mind telling them they are adopted children. And they
know it's not a big deal, since we love them as much as any
biological parents can do," Yang said.
The two adopted children, now aged 4, are Yang and her husband's
pride and joy. "They speak English and Chinese fluently, get along
with people and are happy and imaginative," the couple said.
In October this year, they started a California Kids Club at the
Riviera housing estate, offering after-school programs for local
children. "I once asked a group of third-graders to fill in the
blanks with names of animals for a sentence. To my disappointment,
most of them came up with dogs, cats or rabbits," Bauer said. He
hoped they could write down some rarer animals like giraffe,
crocodile, or dragon. In his opinion, children should have a wild
and vivid imagination.
"I hope our club can help build children's optimism and
confidence while helping them to appreciate art and beauty," Bauer
said.
More than 80 children are currently registered with the club.
With profits from the club, and funds from the United States, the
couple will build a children's home for orphans next year.
As for her own family, Yang gave birth to Katrina two months
ago. "We will have another kid and adopt two more," she said with a
smile, "since both of us love kids and want a really big
family."
(China Daily December 4, 2006)