Archive for 'Orphanage Assistance'

Henry, The Boy from LiShui

I want to tell you about Henry, 11 year old boy who is at the LiShui orphanage in Zhejiang where LWB does Orphanage Assistance projects and where two of my adopted daughters lived. He is currently on the shared list and needs of a family of his own before he turns 14! His special need is that he has a mild problem in his lower left limb. He is active, friendly and has a ready smile. He has normal intellectual development, has a good ability to care for himself and knows how to get along with other children and caretakers.
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Got Formula?

Can you imagine trying to feed your newborn, and knowing that you did not have the right formula? Can you imagine knowing that all you needed was different formula that would help them thrive, but there was no way that you could get it?

For many of the orphans in China that are being cared for through our Orphanage Assistance program, that is a reality for their caregivers. The specialized formula made for preemies and babies that are not tolerating regular formula is not readily available. The result is that the babies do not gain enough weight, and in some cases do not grow big enough to get the life-saving surgeries that they may need.

From May 15 through the 31st, you can help make a life-saving change for some of these beautiful babies.
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A Day In the Life of the Ladies of Human Resources

Did you realize that LWB has a Human Resources Department? Managing the 170 volunteers from around the world who make LWB run is one of those behind the scenes operations that most people don’t really consider.   However, without our HR department to recruit, hire and train volunteers…LWB would grind to a halt! Our HR department consists of three amazing women who were kind enough to give us a glimpse into their lives with LWB.

Kristine Fornek, Human Resources Director for LWB: As a new first-time Mom to an incredible six year old son who is taking the world by storm (seen hamming it up in the top photo), I am kept rather busy…my own world has been ROCKED and I’m loving life!  I work full time during the day as a recruiter and spend time after work with my son doing homework, reading, games, etc. After dinner and bedtime stories, it’s time for LWB. I get correspondence from volunteers all over the world. I work with an incredible team of women, and together we do things like process and track new applicants, assist Program Managers with their hiring needs, document job descriptions, etc. No two days are alike, and that is one aspect that makes this role so enjoyable.
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A Day In the Life of Three Orphanage Assistance Volunteers!

In our continuing series, “A Day In the Life,” we are featuring three volunteers who were inspired to work with our Orphanage Assistance (OA) program. We hope you enjoy learning more about these dedicated volunteers and what they do for LWB!

MaryHelen Donnelly, Orphanage Assistance Coordinator: I am a single mother who works full time, so after I put my daughter to bed I usually log onto the computer to check my email and then 2-3 times a week do some of my LWB volunteer work. I wear two hats in the Orphanage Assistance program. In my role as the OA Child Coordinator, I archive all the pictures, stories and sponsor updates that are produced by the OA team. Parents who have adopted from China can request any information that LWB has on their child from their days living in the orphanage. When I receive one of these requests, I look through the archives and send the parents what information I have on their child and/or the SWI in which their child resided.
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Chubby Cheeks from Shangrao Ling

Check out these chubby cheeks from the Shangrao Ling Nutrition Program! Our nutrition program has been providing formula to these and other babies at this orphanage in Jiangxi province. Unfortunately, however, this program desperately needs some monthly sponsors in order to continue to provide the amount of quarterly formula that we are sending.
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Earthquake Relief in Qinghai

“Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.”
~Thich Nan Hanh

It’s been almost two years since a major earthquake struck in Sichuan Province, claiming the lives of 86,000 people and injuring and displacing thousands more. Tuesday morning another major earthquake struck, this time in Qinghai Province where Love Without Boundaries supports several schools. Thankfully, the Mama’s Wish schools in northern Qinghai were not affected, and all of our sponsored students are safe. But in southern Qinghai, the situation is dire. In some areas as much as 90% of the homes are now rubble and schools, hospitals, and other buildings have collapsed or been badly damaged. To make matters worse, the temperature is below freezing at night and survivors have no shelter or warm clothing. Rescuers have been battling altitude sickness, sleet, and high winds, digging through the rubble with their hands while waiting for heavy equipment to arrive to this remote and mountainous region.

With your help, Love Without Boundaries is sending disaster relief items such as tents and tarps rope, blankets and bedding, masks and gloves, flashlights, disinfectant, shoes and socks, heavy coats, and of course food, water, and medical supplies to those impacted by the earthquake.
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Dingxi Nannies Learn New Therapy Techniques

“…Good timber does not grow with ease,
The stronger wind,
The stronger trees,
The further sky,
The greater length.
The more storm,
The more strength…” ~
Douglas Malloch~

There are times when humans resemble trees….the more difficult their circumstances, the harder they work to achieve the height of success. Recently, LWB learned that children of the Dingxi Social Welfare Institute in Gansu Province were in need of physical therapy to help them grow strong and achieve better health. Even though several of the children there are afflicted with cerebral palsy, there weren’t trained staff members to help these children.
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Zane’s Miracle

LWB first saw nine-year old Zane in a photo from an Orphanage Assistance project at his orphanage in Zhejiang province. Our Orphanage Assistance director, Suzanne Damstedt, noticed how blue his lips and fingers were and asked the orphanage if we could do something to help him. When the orphanage told us Zane’s story, we were amazed to learn what a truly remarkable child he is.
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Dutch Treat

When Liang and JiaNan were babies, they lived together in the Shantou Social Welfare Institute in Guangdong province.  At one and two years of age, they were adopted by two Dutch families and now live in the Netherlands.  These talented boys have discovered a passion for music and are using their musical talents to help babies at their former home in Shantou.
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LWB Lantern Festival Riddles

This past week, I had the good fortune to celebrate Chinese New Year with my daughter’s third grade class. I read the stories Ruby’s Wish and Sam and the Lucky Money to the children. We also made paper lanterns festooned with riddles in the tradition of the Lantern Festival that is celebrated on the 15th day of every new year. There was a lot of giggling as my daughter’s classmates simulated a lantern parade and tried to guess the answer to such riddles as: What animal has its own built in shower? (Answer: An elephant)!
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