Beijing: Michelle Kwan Inspires Chinese Blind Orphans with Hope

On January 19, American Public Diplomacy Envoy, Michelle Kwan visited the Bethel Foster Home in southeast Beijing.  The Bethel Foster Home, founded by Delphine and Guillaume Gauvain is a home to thirty-two visually impaired or blind orphans aged from one to twenty.  The home also provides education and medical care, and its goal is to train the children towards professional independence in a home environment.  Many of the children come from state institutions all over China, while some were abandoned with severe physical disabilities.  The children call the co-founders, Delphine and Guillaume, “French Papa and Mama”, and study brail both in English and Chinese, computer operation and English language in a classroom setting within the residential compound.  Cultural Envoy Kwan’s visit to Bethel Foster Home was covered by two major wire-services, Associated Press and AFP, with cameras focusing on Michelle Kwan conversing in Mandarin Chinese and giving hugs to the children.  Throughout the event, Michelle extended her hands to guide the children and spoke softly to them.  A group of two-year olds and four-year olds cheerfully performed five songs in Chinese along with the piano played by their “French Dad” Guillaume, who is a talented Jazz pianist.  As all the children are learning how to speak English at Bethel Home, Kwan engaged older children with a Q & A session on life in America.  An eighteen-year old girl who came to the home two years ago with no prior education, reported in fluent English that she has recently been admitted to an university for the blind in the United States.  The Gauvains reiterated that blind does not mean dumb or failure, offering the message that there is a future for these children.  Agreeing, Ms. Kwan also reminded the children to keep trying their best and pursue their goal with hope and confidence.  At the end of the program, twenty children gathered around Michelle Kwan as she presented a signed copy of her biography to the Home library.  In addition, she gave each of the children a stuffed animal and several copies of DVD movies for movie nights, both donated by her cooperate sponsor, the Walt Disney Company.  

Michelle Kwan’s visit to Bethel Foster Home as a Public Diplomacy Envoy was a great success and very inspiring for young Chinese minds, reminding them of an important message never to give up and always believe in the future.   Her loving interaction and encouraging words have become cherished childhood memories for thirty-two Bethel Foster Home orphans.