Lu Xiu Bao, an ayi at the Shanghai Huixin Orphanage, wakes up at 4:10am to start her busy, fulfilling day

04:10
Dragging myself out of a warm bed in the winter is the last thing I want to do. But I have to work the morning shift today, so I brush my teeth, wash my face and make the breakfast for my lovely son. I am so efficient.

04:30
I have to run to the bus station. The bus is not on time all the time and if I miss one morning bus, I will have to wait another 20 minutes. Hurry, hurry…

04:50
I am at the bus station and the same number bus keeps coming. Bus no. 79, then bus no. 79 again. People might not know that morning buses can be packed too. I feel better in the mornings when I see many early birds accompanying me on the bus. I have to keep myself awake when I’m on the bus. I do not want to miss my station

05:25
I arrive at the orphanage. I change my clothes and a work day starts.

05:30
I wake up the children, change their diapers, help them brush their teeth and wash their faces. I did the same with my son when he was a kid as well. Time flies. He is already a grown up and studying at the polytechnic school now. I am so proud of him. These poor children … I wish them a good future like other kids.

06:45
Breakfast time. Two ayis feeding 27 children is not an easy job. Some of the kids are easy while others are not easy to feed even when they are hungry. But I have been working here for almost three years, so I know some tricks to feed them efficiently. The food gets cold fast in winter. I have to work faster to make sure they’re eating hot food.

07:20
Finally all the children have satisfied stomachs. I have to wash their faces and happy time starts. I turn on the TV; the children love the shows. We will also teach them a new song today. And when they are bored of TV and singing, we can also read them some books. We do all we can to make them enjoy the morning class.

08:30
Cookie time. The children love the sweet snack.

09:00
Cleaning time. I have to wash the children’s feet and bodies. This is not shower time. But we have to clean the children because they run around and get dirty very easily.

09:45
Have to change the diapers again. You can’t imagine how many diapers we consume here every day. If people ask what our orphanage needs, the answer is always the same: diapers.

10:45
Lunch time. Every time I finish feeding the children, I feel full myself. Seeing their satisfied faces smiling is our biggest reward.

11:25
Not only is feeding 27 children challenging, but getting them to bed for a nap is also a tough mission. And all the bowls and dishes are waiting to be cleaned.

14:00
Time flies when I am with the children. Work is finished and now I should get ready to go home. I will miss the children, but I know I will see them tomorrow.

15:45
Finally home. But my housewife job has just began. What’s next? Mop the floor, clean the table, wash the clothes.

17:00
The food in the market is cheaper now, so I better go and do some shopping for dinner tonight.

17:30
Cooking for my family is one of my favorite things to do. Today I will prepare fried pork in sweet and sour sauce, fried chicken legs and spinach. My son is going to love them.

18:30
My husband and son are home. Time for family dinner.

19:30
Washing dishes is my last bit of work of the day before I can rest on the coach and watch TV.

21:00
It’s time for bed. Early to bed and early to rise makes me healthy, wealthy and wise.

What We Think...
We can’t even begin to imagine how it must be like to take care of so many kids, much less feed them and lead play time. And we’re not even going to get into the logistics of cleaning 54 dirty hands, 54 dirty feet and lord knows how many diapers. We’ve got to give her props. Tell Lu what you think.

Special thanks to volunteer group BEAN for their help in organizing and translating this piece