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Silent Tears: A Journey of Hope in a Chinese Orphanage | 
 enlarge | Author: Kay Bratt
Publisher: CreateSpace
Category: Book
Buy New: $19.96
Avg. Customer Rating:  28 reviews
Sales Rank: 3979
Media: Paperback
Pages: 430
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.6
Dimensions (in): 9 x 6 x 1.1
ISBN: 1438238169
EAN: 9781438238166
ASIN: 1438238169
Publication Date: July 3, 2008
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Promotion: Save $5.00 when you spend $25.00 or more on Qualifying Items offered by Amazon.com. Enter code BMLSAVES at checkout. Terms and Conditions
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Product Description
An American volunteer in a Chinese orphanage learns to pull from the hidden strength within her to improve conditions for the children. If you have ever wondered what day to day life is like in a Chinese orphanage, this will tell it. If you have ever wondered what it is like to love a child so deeply, even though they aren't yours, this will tell it. If you have ever wondered what it would be like to move to a different country, this will tell it.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 23 more reviews...
 This book is a Must September 7, 2008
I am so grateful for this book. I will pass it to anyone who, in my family, think that i overanalyze things and that I am overprotecting her. My daughter comes from one of the "best" orphanage of Changsha (so I've heard) At 11 months old, she still could not sit up and had no facial expression. And to the woman who thinks we are condescending to the Chinese, I would like to point out that no matter the culture, this situation is unacceptable. I do not beleive it is the 'Chinese' people fault's. It is a human condition that could and is happening all over the world, but what is of interest to us right now in this book is happening in China and I am sorry you don't get that. The politically correct is not always the way to go. Horrors should be denounced. When we say that these children are not treated the way human children should be treated, we don't judge the Chinese people, we judge the Human race for letting these things happen and not talking about it does not always help.
Suzanne
A must read! September 2, 2008
For anyone waiting for a China adoption, or thinking about it, this is a must read. You'll laugh and cry, but you will be informed. For those whose children are already home, it will give you insight into their needs. A very important book.
Silent Tears August 30, 2008
Silent Tears: A Journey of Hope in a Chinese Orphanage
What a eay read... but a hard emotional one!! This gives you a glimse of life inside a Chinese Orphanage. The good, the bad, the customs and conflicts. It has helped me put a clearer picture of my son's orphanage in my minds eye. It also has helped explain things in his lfe. I would recomend this for anyone wondering what a child's life is prior to adoption. I would immagine not all orphanages are like this one so you would have to judge that.
A Heartbreaking Must-Read August 28, 2008
As the parent of a daughter adopted from the same province in China, I was anxious to read Silent Tears. I have always thought my daughter came from a fairly good situation in the orphanage (and I still do), but this book opened my eyes as to how children can be treated. Special needs children often have a difficult existence there, with many of them not surviving. The book heartbreakingly details the stories of many of these children, the volunteers' struggles to help them, the nannies' kind and cruel behaviors, and the other world life that exists inside China's orphanages.
If you are wanting a rose-colored world of orphanage life, then this book is not for you. Children live and die, children struggle to survive, some are adopted and some are to live their lives in orphanages or on the street. It was an incredibly compelling read -- one that often brought tears to my eyes. It was a very worthwhile book and, in my opinion, a recommended read for parents who have adopted from China.
 Honest Portrait of Life in One Chinese Oprhanage August 28, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Kay Bratt writes about her experience volunteering in a Chinese Orphanage with honesty and sincerity. While some reviewers have criticized her reaction to the Chinese Culture as being condescending, I appreciate her honest uncensored views. Sometimes we all try to be too politically correct--Kay tells it like she experiences it as an American brought to a strange land with strange customs/foods/etc. She evolves over time to find meaning behind her initial reactions.
As an adoptive mother of 2 Chinese daughters, I was fascinated with the details of the behind the scenes daily orphanage life that we never got to see (it seems for good reason). In both cases, my girls were brought to us at a hotel and we did not get to see the orphanage on either trip. We were told that the Chinese love their children and that the staff at the orphanages lack the resources to provide much more than basic care for the children. However, we thought the Ayi's were just doing the best they could with limited resources--never thought about abuse and blatant mistreatment.
My first daughter was 9 months old when when we adopted her in 1997. We believe she spent most of her time on her back in a crib. She could bearly hold up her head and had no muscle tone in her legs. She had a bald spot on the back of her head from laying on her back in her crib. Her grip was very strong from grasping the sides of her crib!! Best of all, she was a very happy baby!! We believe from her happy disposition that her basic needs were met and she was not mistreated. We were amazed that she learned to roll over and sit up (propped with pillows) while with us in China. Once home, she fast forwared through many developmental milestones. This supports Kay's experiences in describing how quickly the children thrive with a bit of love and attention.
My second daughter adopted in 1999 was 10 months old and could stand up in her crib and crawl, so we knew she was at least taken out of her crib during the day. Both of our daughters had minor illnesses when we brought them home, but recovered quickly with proper treatment. It seems a few bottles of tylenol would be so helpful to make the kids comfortable when they have fevers at the orphanages.
Silent Tears reminded me that not all orphanages are receiving the assistance from outside sources like Half the Sky Foundation who set up pre-schools and train the ayi's in providing love and affection.
Kay has made a huge difference in this particular orphanage through her hard work and it is a wonderful story of hope and a reality check for those of us who didn't know what happens behind the scenes.
Thank you!
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