Jinhua TV: Article #2

Published online Sept. 13th, 2016 / English translation below

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Mandarin to English translation by Winston Xu, Colorado College Class of 2017

“Mom, dad, where are you?” Keep searching, insist on looking, will not give up. These [past] few days, Jin Hua net constantly tracking young woman Jin Mei’s search, it has gathered a lot of public attention and support, and lots of helpful phone calls. Last Saturday, after initial information was verified, we arranged a meeting between Jin Mei and two families, in order to find her actual family. Provided even more helpful information yesterday morning, accompanied by a reporter, Jin Mei arrived at Wu Cheng district’s public/societal welfare house [note: what we would call an orphanage], hoping there she would find information about her family.

Last Saturday, there were two families who came to meet Jin Mei. After comparing information, the difference was obvious. During that time she told a welfare house address, hoping we could accompany her there.

After arriving at the welfare house, after a short introduction, we realized this Jinhua societal welfare center was not the center that Jin Mei was adopted from, she was adopted in May 1995, this center was established in December 2007.

Afterwards everything wanted to go to Tang Xi’s welfare center, in 1995 Jin Mei was sent to the welfare center by the local police station. Reporters immediately took Jin Mei to Tang Xi.

After getting off the car, Jin Mei asked, is this the place where I was adopted? After getting confirmation, Jin Mei stood still for a while, then took out a camera and took pictures of the village in front of her. In the crowd we were all empathic/felt for her. How could we not feel for someone who [at a young age] was separated from her parents and brought to the distant U.S.

Person in charge of welfare center said, anyone coming to the center to find information needs to provide paperwork, especially for adopted children. Jin Mei showed her research [note: adoption paperwork, other documents, photos] and told him her American parents were supporting this effort.

After, we learned that the superintendent when Jin Mei was adopted had retired, and the current one did not care/was unhelpful, lots of details and information could not be retrieved. The manager called the old superintendent, but it had already been 22 years, and there were a lot of kids being adopted, and adoption matters are handled by the province’s government. (Adoption files generally aren’t opened for casual inquiry.)

Thanks to the day-to-day manager’s hard work, we managed to find Jin Mei’s adoption information. In this book were five children with the last name Jin, in October 1995 were adopted by American couples, Jin Mei’s name was there. We then found another book showing May 30th 1995 Jin Mei was taken into the welfare center. While going through the records from that time, a lady [and her family] came to the welfare center.

The lady said she saw the news and was excited because she lost a girl in 1995. Turns out the lady had 2 daughters, but because of complications with the first child’s premature birth she gave her to her husband’s brother, but the husband’s brother’s wife was pregnant, so brother gave the daughter to welfare center.

Timing didn’t line up, and Jin Mei and the woman did not look alike, so she was not Jin Mei’s mom.

Leaving welfare center, reporters received a call from Ms. Jin. She said in 1995, their family had a little girl who was lost, who looked similar to Jin Mei.

Ms. Jin came with her aunt, carefully looked at Jin Mei’s appearance. They said, “We thought the photo looked alike, now we’re not so sure. Does Jin Mei feel like we’re family?” Reporters translated.

Jin Mei was at a loss, replied, “I don’t know about feeling like family, but over these days you’re the one who seems to fit my family’s circumstances, but I’d like to know when you were separated from your child.”

Ms. Jin heard and said she’d need to ask her parents. Jin Mei said, “I understand. I hope you can clear up when you were separated from the child, there are many details, but if it matches, I would like to check some more.” Before leaving, Ms. Jin took a picture with Jin Mei to show her parents, help them remember what happened in 1995 because it was a painful memory [because that was a time with painful memories].

Later, asking Jin Mei, she said she was grateful for everyone’s help in this matter, I will return to Jin Hua the next time I am in China, this city is very warm. [Note: warm as in friendly, accommodating, etc.]

Jin Mei left Jin Hua Sept. 15th, hope we can all stay in touch. It is almost Mid-Autumn Festival, we hope during this time people get together in spite of difficulties. We hope Jin Mei can find her relatives, and hope everyone has a good Mid-Autumn Festival.

[Note: Mid-Autumn Festival = 中秋节 Zhongqiu Jie = Moon Festival]