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Silent Tears: A Journey of Hope in a Chinese Orphanage Kindle Edition

by Kay Bratt (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 3,465 ratings
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Irrepressible memories. Vacant eyes. A child being dangled from a third story window. A boy tied to a chair. Children sleeping in layers of clothing to fight off the bitter cold. An infant dying from starvation. Some things your mind will never allow you to forget.

Silent Tears is the true story of the adversity and triumphs one woman faced as she fought against the Chinese bureaucracy to help that country’s orphaned children.

In 2003, Kay Bratt’s life changed dramatically. A wife and mother of two girls in South Carolina, Bratt relocated her family to rural China to support her husband as he took on a new management position for his American employer. Seeking a way to fill her days and overcome the isolation she experienced upon arriving in a foreign country, Bratt began volunteering at the local orphanage. Within months, her simple desire to make use of her time transformed into a heroic crusade to improve the living conditions and minimize the unnecessary deaths of Chinese orphans.

Silent Tears traces the emotional hurdles and daily frustrations faced by Ms. Bratt as she tried to change the social conditions for these marginalized children. The memoir vividly illustrates how she was able to pull from reservoirs of inner strength to pursue her mission day after day, leaving the reader with the resounding message that everyone really can make a difference.
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  1. Print length
    350 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    AmazonEncore
  5. Publication date
    March 16, 2010
  6. File size
    2337 KB
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Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

“An eye-opening account of life in China’s orphanages. Kay Bratt vividly details the conditions and realities faced by Chinese orphans in an easy-to-read manner that draws the reader in to the heart-wrenching moments she has experienced in her work to bring hope to these children.”—Dan Cruver, cofounder and director of Together for Adoption

When her family relocated to rural China in 2003, Kay Bratt was thrust into a new world, one where boys were considered more valuable than girls and poverty and the one-child policy had created an epidemic of abandoned infants. As a volunteer at a local orphanage, Bratt witnessed conditions that were unfathomable to a middle-class mother of two from South Carolina.   Based on Bratt’s diary of her four years working at the orphanage, Silent Tears offers a searing account of young lives rendered disposable. In the face of an implacable system, Bratt found ways to work within (and around) the rules to make a better future for the children, whom she came to love. Her story balances the sadness and struggles of life in the orphanage with moments of joy, optimism, faith, and victory. It is the story of hundreds of children—and one woman who never planned on becoming a hero but became one anyway.

Kay Bratt continues to raise awareness and advocate for at-risk children. In China, she was honored with the 2006 Pride of the City award for her humanitarian work. She is the founder of the Mifan Mommy Club, an online organization that provides rice for children in China’s orphanages, and is also an active volunteer for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for abused and neglected children. Kay currently resides in Georgia with her husband and daughter.

About the Author

Kay Bratt is a child advocate and author of the books Train to Nowhere, Chasing China, The Bridge, A Thread Unbroken, and the acclaimed memoir of the years she spent working in Chinese orphanages, Silent Tears: A Journey of Hope in a Chinese Orphanage. She has actively volunteered for several nonprofit organizations, including An Orphan’s Wish (AOW) and the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for abused and neglected children. In China, she was honored with the Pride of the City award for humanitarian work. After living in China for several years, Bratt now resides in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in South Carolina, with her husband, daughter, dog, and cat.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0031R5JSM
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ AmazonEncore (March 16, 2010)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 16, 2010
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2337 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 350 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 3,465 ratings

About the author

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Kay Bratt

Kay Bratt

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Writer, Rescuer, Wanderer

Kay Bratt is the powerhouse author behind over 30 internationally bestselling books that span genres from mystery and women's fiction to memoir and historical fiction. Her books are renowned for delivering an emotional wallop wrapped in gripping storylines. Her Hart's Ridge small-town mystery series earned her the coveted title of Amazon All Star Author and continues to be one of her most successful projects out of her more than million books sold around the world.

Kay's literary works have sparked lively book club discussions wide-reaching, with her works translated into multiple languages, including German, Korean, Chinese, Hungarian, Czech, and Estonian.

Beyond her writing, Kay passionately dedicates herself to rescue missions, championing animal welfare as the former Director of Advocacy for Yorkie Rescue of the Carolinas. She considers herself a lifelong advocate for children, having volunteered extensively in a Chinese orphanage and supported nonprofit organizations like An Orphan's Wish (AOW), Pearl River Outreach, and Love Without Boundaries. In the USA, Kay served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for abused and neglected children in Georgia, as well as spearheaded numerous outreach programs for underprivileged kids in South Carolina.

As a wanderlust-driven soul, Kay has called nearly three dozen different homes on two continents her own. Her globetrotting adventures have taken her to captivating destinations across Mexico, Thailand, Malaysia, China, the Philippines, Central America, the Bahamas, and Australia. Today, she and her soulmate of 30 years find their sanctuary by the serene banks of Lake Hartwell in Georgia, USA.

Described as southern, spicy, and a touch sassy, Kay loves to share her life's antics with the Bratt Pack on social media. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to join the fun and buckle up for the ride of a lifetime. Explore her popular catalog of published works at Kay Bratt Dot-Com and never miss a new release (or her latest Bratt Pack drama) by signing up for her monthly email newsletter.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
3,465 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Nadia C.
5.0 out of 5 stars An Engrossing Read That Is Not Only True But Truly Inspiring
Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2012
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I'm an avid reader that normally does not leave reviews simply because I read too much but I was blown away by this book and wanted to record my support.

First, I do not know Kay Bratt privately nor do I work with her, so this is not one of those reviews done by friends/family/colleagues-type situation. I wanted to make that clear.

Second, this book was such an amazing read at multiple levels. Books must first entertain, otherwise, let's face it, in our busy lives, we'll just put it down; I've discarded numerous books halfway no matter how admirable the cause or theme of the book, just like I've walked out on a lot of movies simply because it's so boring. Silent Tears had me enthralled from the first page. While she states that she is not a purported "professional" writer (as in an educational background in writing and writing full-time as a career), Kay clearly has immense creative & writing talent that shines through and makes the book impossible to put down...she really has found her calling. She transports you to China and her family's life there and the orphanages and takes you skillfully from micro-(their everyday lives and the individual orphans) to macro-(the cultural and general social problems that exacerbate the state of abandoned babies in China) all in a way that is intelligent, engaging and non-pedantic. You will genuinely find this book an engrossing read and laugh and cry along with her.

The book also blew me away by its refreshing candor, humility and genuine compassion and passion that inspired me after I was finished reading it. I feel a great book not only engages the reader, but also should be thought-provoking and inspiring for the soul in some way and this book does that. Without any self-righteousness as a white Christian woman in a non-white, non-Christian society, without denouncing a society as a whole (which is the primary shortfall of many a "white person doing good in a non-white community" narrative), Kay manages to candidly convey the horrific conditions in the orphanages while tactfully and kindly critiquing the system and offering practical solutions. She does not hide her religious background and upper-middle-class status in China, but she does not moralize or preach to the reader, nor does she patronize anyone in her book. I can tell that she as a person, she is marvelous and genuinely kind and loving. Her sincerity and strength ring strongly throughout the book. She emphasizes over again that she is "just" a housewife from mid-America volunteering a couple of hours a week at a local orphanage, but her intelligence and passion and the differences that she was able to implement in these poor children's lives - literally saving numerous lives - inspires the reader to also be the same in their lives. We should all be striving to be champions of the defenceless and to try and make this world a better place. I wish this book were standard reading in schools across the nation.

As I was inspired, I did more research on Kay Bratt and her web-site where she encourages others to lend a hand with philanthropic organizations. Because she is such a gifted writer, she has also written other books and I hope she writes more. I can tell she is not seeking self-aggrandizement through these means, but honestly going with her heart's calling and using her natural gifts to inspire others and to help orphans. It is so refreshing to like an author, and then also to actually like the person behind the author; many a times, I've been turned off by the actual person behind a great piece of work. She is an awesome human being, and the book is awesome. You will keep it on your Kindle or shelves for a long time and share it with others...promise. :)
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Vicky Kae
4.0 out of 5 stars Insightful, Interesting and Impelling
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2012
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This book provides insight into the workings of orphanages in China, providing on-the-ground reporting of the conditions found in the orphanages and attempting to contextualize the impressions that the international community perceives. While the children's individual backgrounds are interesting and the description of conditions within the facility are both an explanation and excusing, there is clearly a contempt for the administration's attempts to pacify onlookers with false, missing or misleading information. There are sad stories and success stories, and there is a sense of true desire to help without judgment that would otherwise hamper all attempts to provide hope to these children, many of whom are considered unadoptable due to physical issues such as heart defects, cleft palates or even birth marks. As a reader, though, I am disappointed in the lack of follow-through with initial story of a young mother who places her female child in a public area in hopes that the orphanage will find it and take care of the baby girl, who was abandoned after being born a girl on the day her grandfather died, a very bad omen in Chinese tradition. Additionally, this reader is concerned about the potential repercussions of publishing this account of less-than-optimal conditions and actions inherent in the international adoption agencies in countries that are perceived to provide similar environments.

A good book to read when tryng to understand more about the conditions surrounding orphans in countries where little priority is placed upon the needs of young, poor, ill and handicapped children.
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Christian Fiction and More
5.0 out of 5 stars Speaks to my heart
Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2015
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Silent Tears: A Journey of Hope in a Chinese Orphanage by Kay Bratt – A Book Review
God led me to this piece of non-fiction years ago, long before I retired from teaching, long before I started blogging and posting book reviews. God began then preparing my heart for the little girl who will be joining our family within the next eighteen months to two years. Kay Bratt dedicated her book to China’s Orphans; stating, “You are not forgotten.” Indeed they are not. Biological parents in China, for a variety of reasons, have made the heart wrenching decision to leave their children, and in the words of our soon-to-be granddaughter’s new parents, “There’s a lot we don’t know about our daughter, but we do know this: She has been left to be found, and our love will find her wherever she is.” There are many parents out there whose love has led them to find their son or daughter wherever they were, and many who are being led by God to that wonderful discovery.
In 2002 the author’s husband was transferred to China. She immediately set three goals for herself: to learn to speak Mandarin, to volunteer in an orphanage, and to chronicle her time overseas by keeping a journal. Once in Shengxi, and personally experiencing the day to day life of the orphans there, Kay began a volunteer group supported by friends and family stateside. This book is a collection of her journal entries during her four years in China.
When Kay first arrived in Shengxi, volunteers were not readily welcomed in the orphanage. A lady named Ann was the only volunteer at the time, and she laid the groundwork for Kay’s volunteering. Without her, Kay may never have been able to reach her second goal. The condition of the children, the living environment, and the lack of human contact was deeply depressing. Kay’s description of the treatment of the children is vivid, and incomprehensible to most of us living in America. While reading this book causes the reader great sadness, it is not meant for us to close our eyes and hearts to human suffering. The reader can hold onto the portion of the title of the text: A Journey of Hope. Kay and her corp of volunteers did indeed slowly, and over time, bring hope to the Shengxi orphanage. The volunteers realized that change needed to occur little by little, move to fast and they would be told not to return.
Kay introduces us, her readers, to several specific children. It is impossible not to get emotionally involved with their stories, driven to read on and discover their fates. Squirt a baby boy who stubbornly hung on to life for as long as he could. Xiao Feng, a small girl with a beautiful smile and a missing hand. Two year old Jin Ji, a favorite of the ayis. Yue Hua longing for the comfort of human touch and understanding. Hei Mei with a minor heart condition, dimples and a sunny disposition. Xiao Gou twice abandoned.
A model of God’s love, compassion and mercy, Kay expresses an understanding of the ayis, the workers responsible for the children’s care. By looking for ways to show them appreciation and to make their jobs easier rather than criticizing and arguing with them, Kay won their confidence and respect, building relationships one visit at a time. This resulted in greater opportunities to impact the children’s lives and eventually changes in how the ayis treated the children.
Kay ends her book with letters that she has received by some of those who have been touched by her story, some who have gone on to adopt. These letters are testaments to the power of the testimony contained in these pages, be they paper or electronic. Whether you plan to adopt, love children, or just love a touching story, you will find inspiration and hope while reading Silent Tears.
If you want to learn more about what happens to children who age out of “the system” in China, you may want to visit http://www.brownwingfamily.com/2013/05/what-happens-to-orphans-if-they-are-not.html.
If you want to know more about Kay Bratt’s continuing advocacy for children, you can visit www.kaybratt.com. If you want to know more about our son and daughter-in-law’s journey into adopting through China, you can keep up with their story at https://becomingafamilyof5.wordpress.com/ or http://www.gofundme.com/babycastenir.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Trisha
5.0 out of 5 stars Culture shock, emotion twists and turns
Reviewed in Canada on July 5, 2020
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What can I say but wow!!! This book has so much emotion and thought put into it. It always had another twist or turn on the next page. The children in the orphanage went through so much in this book. The volunteers did all they could for the children but they have to watch not to step on toes of the ayis. Culture shock, emotion, broken hearts, stories of children who are so precious and all they go through in life. Kay Bratt has hit another homer with this book! I couldn’t put it down!! Want a great read? Do yourself a favour purchase this book and let your eyes lead you into another world of the unknown.
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Roxylu
5.0 out of 5 stars Very Sad!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 6, 2020
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Audio version - I would not say I enjoyed this book due to the nature of its content but it was extremely informative on a subject I knew very little about. It is written as exerts from Kay's diary which she wrote during her 4 years living in China and volunteering at the Orphanage. Although she did a lot to try and make the children's life as bearable as possible, there are some very upsetting stories about how they were treated. Often physically and mentally abused, and starved of affection. I think it is good to read/listen to books such as these, as even though unpleasant, it brings awareness to the plight of the many abandoned children in China. I would hope that conditions have improved by now but you would never know unless you were there or looked into further. I don't think I will ever forget this one.
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Aoife
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!
Reviewed in Australia on April 7, 2021
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A look inside a world hidden from some many, chinas orphanages. Kay and her fellow volunteers have to toe a very difficult path to match change without outwardly criticising and rocking the boat. At times this was hard to accept as was the way society viewed children with a disability, girls etc.

This book isn’t an easy read but I’m glad I did, it’s opened my eyes. I wish I had a physical copy to see the children/orphanage to better contextualise the setting.

I’m glad I got hear their story.
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Marie-Andree Roussel
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent livre - prix minime!
Reviewed in France on October 25, 2014
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J'ai vraiment aime ce livre. J'avais deja lu un reportage sur le sort des petites filles dans les orphelinats en Chine. Les images faisaient tres mal. Ici aussi les conditions sont tres dures, mais l'auteur a tellemeent d'humanite. Je l'admire pour avoir tenu bon et depasser l'insoutenable. Un livre a lire absolument!
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Kundin
2.0 out of 5 stars How Americans ruin their image in China
Reviewed in Germany on February 14, 2012
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If you ever come to China, you will be sort of bewildered by the hatred many Chinese feel towards Americans. After reading this book, I kind of get their point. If the book represents the attitude of Americans after they lived many years in China, well... Not surprised anymore.

I have been many times to China and stayed in probably far "worse" living arrangements than described by the author. Nevertheless, she wastes a lot of pages talking about the hardship a (very well reimbursed) expat family has to endure in China (residing in a nice, comfortable home, with a private driver and regularly company paid trips to places such as Thailand.) Big boohoo, you have to pay your housekeeper with your own money. (Which, due to the affluence of work force in China, even today, years after Bratt left China, you can have for a max of 100 dollar on a daily basis even in big cities, let alone small towns.)

While I appreciate Bratt's effort to ease the fate of these children in a local orphanage, she is attending to together with a group of volunteers, it would be much easier to do so if it wasn't for her ongoing self praise on literally every page. Yes, Chinese have sometimes a rough way about life, yes, I believe it was dirty and cold in the orphanage, yes, it is cruel to see young babies dying of illnesses that could easily be cured. But just do your good deed, tell the people about these kids, take care of your family while you do all this: And period. I was hoping to find out much more about these kids, their families, the villages they came from and the places they went to, eventually and if they were lucky. Instead, I have to read through pages and pages of whining, that Bratt cannot buy the cereals and chocolate bars she knows from the U.S., and if they are available, they are oh so expensive. (No word that a lot of other things are oh so cheap in China, like any kind of service such as massage, tailor service, baby sitting, transportation...) To take the cake, she even dares to complain about the vet bills ("a lot of money"). How much can that be in a country where the average income at that time was about a cheap hair cut in New York city?

While the book is a good read in terms of page turning, all the mentioned self praise and whining really takes a lot away from that reading experience. To make it worse, she ads e-mails of adoptive parents in the end, again, oh wonder, praising Bratt. There is one in particular which really undercuts Bratt's intentions: An adoptive mom is writing to her about her new son, how he complains in broken English about his foster mom in China, and at the same time praising Bratt (nicknamed Ti-Ti). While I am absolutely convinced there is a lot of abuse in Chinese foster families and that this little boy has very fond memories of Bratt, this episode seems hard to believe if you know five year olds AND know anything about the psychological process of adoption. The little boy would never find words for these things in the way it was described in this e-mail, he would express it differently. It downgrades the entire book (even considering Bratt's good intentions), because you feel fooled.

If you want to read really good books about life in China, I recommend all of the works of Peter Hessler. He not only knows what he is talking about, he also puts the people he is writing about into the center of attention, not himself.
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