We got to Tongren very late at night, and yet the orphanage staff and Civil Affairs were waiting at the city entrance for us when we arrived. Once again, the hospitality we were shown was humbling. After sharing a late night meal together, we agreed to meet bright and early in the morning to visit the orphanage and all the children LWB Spain sponsors for foster care here.

Our first stop was the new Tongren orphanage, which was such a nice facility. Tongren has several larger rooms in this orphanage and they are trying “on site” foster care in the main building. We met one of the moms and her two little girls, and that was just a priceless moment. We had pulled out bubbles, and the younger little girl had never seen anything like that before. When I blew out a stream of dozens of bubbles, she literally SCREAMED with delight and I will never forget the look of absolute wonder in her eyes.

We then walked over to the old orphanage, as the babies have not yet moved to the new facility. I could write long paragraphs on how amazing the care was – but I will just sum it up to say that this orphanage is doing everything RIGHT. The first two babies we saw when we walked into the orphanage were two babies with cleft, and oh my goodness – they were moose babies! The babies are all HAND FED (hooray!!!!) and their skin was gorgeous. The kids were happy and interactive, and that was a true testament to receiving loving care from the staff here.

I have to admit to not being able to see all the babies in this orphanage as I immediately made a new friend (a sweet little boy who loved my balloon pump), and he kept me busy pretty much the whole time making him swords and other items. Each time the director would try to speak to me and get me into another room, this little boy would simply come up, grab my hand, and lead me right back to my backpack.  I loved him!

One of the new arrivals to the orphanage was a gorgeous baby girl who had been found in the mountains, and so she had frostbite on her ears.  She got lots of cuddling from our team member Maire, and we would love to see her added to our foster care.

I credit so much of Tongren’s success to its orphanage director. Director Liu was a doctor for 20 years and head of his hospital department, before deciding to switch to orphan care. He told me again and again that foster care is the best way to take care of babies, and he wishes that all their babies could be in foster families.  I was amazed to learn that this city has a WAITING LIST of families wanting to foster, as in some cities we have really struggled to find families willing to open their homes to babies with visual special needs.  I really hope this is a program we can expand, as we then went to visit the foster families – and the job they are doing is outstanding.

If you would ask me now which foster family I loved the best, I couldn’t tell you as I loved ALL of them. The apartments were clean, the foster moms so kind, and each baby was chubbier than the next. I think they were probably having a contest on double chins. : -)  A few of the babies were so heavy to hold that we had to take turns passing them around, and we laughed with their foster moms about how strong their biceps must be!

All of the kids we met were interactive, happy, and laughing. One of the little girls in our program is blind, and one of the best moments was when we went outside and her foster mom opened her arms and called her and she literally went RUNNING into her foster mom’s arms. I was told how much the local community has accepted these children, and it was just so obvious. How blessed any adoptive family will be to adopt from this city, as their children will have been so loved.

The last home we visited for the day was of a little boy named Patxi. You might remember him from past photos as he always has a Ben Hogan style plaid golf hat on. When we knocked on his door, he welcomed us with his foster mom and baby sister and offered us slippers.

He then carried around a plate of apples and insisted we each take one. He showed me his room where he sleeps, and I was so happy to be able to take pictures for his adoptive parents to be. He was yet another little boy who loved balloon swords, and he and Maire had good old fashioned sword fight before we had to leave.

The orphanage staff really wanted to take us to the local caves, which are the biggest in Guizhou, but we had run out of time visiting the families (which we assured them was the most fun we could have in Tongren). And we had such a treat in the afternoon anyway, when I asked how many older kids they had and whether or not any of the older orphaned children had stayed in Tongren. They immediately began telling me about a 25 year old young man who was disabled, who was such a great artist that he had been selected to study in Beijing for two years. He now lives back in Tongren and owns his own art shop. Well, of course we said, “Art Auction!” and they made a quick phone call and told us we could visit his shop. What an honor it was to meet this remarkable young man! His specialties are watercolor peonies and calligraphy, so we purchased two pieces and then he made a gift of a third. He was just so kind, and he told us he wanted us to have the artwork to give back for all he had been given in his life by the Tongren SWI. We were especially moved when we learned that he gives art lessons to support himself financially as well, but if a family has a child with special needs, he will give FREE art lessons to that child. How great is that? Again, this young man is a testament to being raised by kind and caring people.

Hong Yu on the left, with one of the paintings he did (which will be in our art auction)

When we asked the orphanage what they wanted the most, the director didn’t hesitate for a second. He immediately said, “a playground for the kids.” As we traveled around the city, I didn’t see any parks that had playground equipment at all, so I know a playground could be used by both the orphanage and local community.   The kids in foster care have to come in weekly for check ups at the orphanage, so Director Liu said they could then play on the equipment with their foster moms and dads.

One of the beautiful fields in Tongren

After a lovely dinner, it was time to head to the airport. The orphanage staff insisted on staying with us until the last possible minute. They saw us through check in and stood waving until we went through security and turned the corner.
I am so happy we had this special day in Tongren, as it made all of us there that day remember why we do what we do. After meeting so many children who were thriving and happy in foster care, we all said that the word HOPE was foremost in our minds.

I am just so grateful to all of the wonderful volunteers in Spain who completely run this program and who have found committed donors to place these great kids in foster care.  What a lasting gift of love these children are receiving, and how wonderful to visit a community where orphaned children are so encouraged and supported.

Amy Eldridge, Executive Director

This huggable little man is Hudson. In June 2010, Hudson received surgery to repair his congenital heart defect. Upon discharge, Hudson entered our Fuyang Foster Care Program where he has recovered and adjusted wonderfully to his new, much healthier life. He has been all smiles since he left the hospital.

Hudson is often described as a gentle boy and easily warms up to people. Some of his favorite foods are fruits, noodles, and rice. He is happy to spend time with his older foster brother. He is a great climber, can kick a ball, and loves toys that have an on and off button.

Hudson is in need of one sponsor for his foster care expenses who would love to watch him grow with us. As a sponsor of Hudson, you will receive monthly updates, including photos of his adorable smile! Please consider sponsoring Hudson by visiting his sponsor page as he waits for a family of his very own and let his smile warm your heart every month!

It is only a few yards between home and school, yet those few yards can make a world of difference!

Our Believe in Me Huainan, Anhui students leave home and enter a school environment that strives to achieve many goals including a focus on learning, providing creative stimulus, and developing positive relationships with peers and teachers.

From the quarterly reports we gauge the learning progress. We are privileged to receive photos of our sponsored students having school fun as with the Rice Ball this past winter. The BIM Huainan program also provides instruction time for developing constructive social skills that give the children a sense of confidence to interact and create ones own identity.

Social skills are also boosted when the older children assist with the younger children. A sense of purpose is witnessed by our teachers when a student takes the hands of younger students and leads them to the classroom from home. The student who helps a special needs student to the toilet develops responsibility. Taking the time to comb and fix a younger girl’s hair defines the kindheartedness and trust of an older student among the other children.

It may only be a short walk home from school but the social skills cultivated, encouraged and emphasized in the BIM Huainan School will travel far in the lives of our students. Thank you to all our sponsors for your trust and benevolence in the students.

Karin Cooper is on the education volunteer team for the BIM, Huainan Anhui. She’s a college professor and lives in Southern California with husband Craig, and daughter Bailey, 6, adopted from Huainan, Anhui.

’Twas the season of fancy and fun for the “Believe In Me” education students in Huainan attending the Rice Ball.

After rolling and shaping traditional rice balls, the attendees then ate their sweet creations. The children decorated the holiday tree and enjoyed the party after completing another successful semester of their preschool, kindergarten-prep, and tutoring programs.

It is never far from our thoughts that LWB’s name, “Love Without Boundaries,” so aptly describes the feelings between our sponsors and the children they help. Cheers to a new year of good wishes and success for the students and teachers at Huainan, as well as for all of the students and teachers in LWB’s other schools and education programs.

Karin Cooper
Assistant Coordinator, Huianan Education

While she was there, the school also received several boxes of supplies the teachers had requested last semester. The preschoolers were, of course, immediately drawn to the plastic crawl-through tunnel and new toys.

Yvonne and Bao, LWB’s Guangdong Province Manager, work so hard every day to ensure that each child is valued and cared for. Their love for the children is evident in every action they take.
We would like to thank all of our monthly Shantou sponsors as well as our education donors for making all of this possible. Your faithful giving allows these children to learn and grow every day. And now they are having even more fun while receiving the priceless gift of education.

Celebration is in the air! Today is the Lantern Festival, the last day of Chinese New Year. As I sit here, fireworks are exploding across the city. Everyone is dressed up and we have seen families doing all sorts of things together to celebrate this day. They have been flying kites, wandering past the street vendors, and going out to eat. The streets have been filled with balloons, foods, and festivities. How fun it is to be in China today! The firework shows have been spectacular, with a show right below our hotel window.

There are many things to celebrate as we all reflect over the last two days that we have spent in Henan. What a wonderful experience that Lori, Nancy, Tracie and I have been able to share with the people in this province. We have been so warmly welcomed by orphanage and government officials. It has truly warmed my heart to see so many people who care about the beautiful children in their care.

Our visit started out yesterday with a meeting with the Zhengzhou SWI staff. When we arrived, we were brought into a room with the most beautiful toddlers.

These toddlers were seated in a bright room with balloons hanging from the ceiling and there was a feeling of such warmth. As we entered, they welcomed us with clapping and cheering. I was clapping and cheering inside as well, as I knew what a special opportunity we were offered with this invitation to visit this orphanage. We brought with us cakes and yogurt to celebrate the New Year. Each of us enjoyed our time with every one of these children. They loved the bubbles we brought. Not only did they like watching the bubbles, but they also loved blowing them. One little girl even tried to take the bottle away from Nancy to do it all by herself. One of the children that I played with was a beautiful little boy with albinism. I learned that this child has a family waiting for him in Holland. How lucky his family will be! This child is absolutely precious.

After our visit with the toddlers, we headed off to two baby rooms. Each of us loved cuddling and cooing with the babies. I held the most adorable baby and had such a hard time putting her back down. She had the most chubby cheeks and beautiful smile. Another sweet baby that was held by Tracie had an unrepaired cleft lip. This child will be our first medical child we will partner with Zhengzhou SWI to repair. I am so excited to be able to help this child.

Once we were done with visiting the children, we were taken into a conference room to discuss how we can work together. We were able to meet each of the directors and learn how hard they are working to help the children. They are doing their very best to help each of the children in their care. They have 169 children (80 babies), most with special needs. Many of the surrounding orphanages send their children to Zhengzhou SWI because they know that they will get good medical care. We talked about many of the children we saw and how LWB might be able to help. A book that described the accomplishments of the SWI was presented to each of us. I am so excited about the relationship that we have begun.

As soon as we finished a delicious lunch, with much toasting, hosted by the Zhengzhou SWI, we were off to Kaifeng. The trip took a little longer than usual because of the pouring rain. I couldn’t wait to visit with the people that I was able to meet last January. I felt like I was returning to see old friends. The vice director and orphanage doctor were waiting for us to start the foster care visits. Because it had been raining for two days, the director was so thoughtful and bought us all rubber boots. We all had fun walking in the puddles with our new bright boots.

Our first foster care visit was with one of our favorite little girls “J.” J is a child who had heart disease, but her heart was repaired by the government sponsored surgery program, the Tomorrow Plan. This little five year old girl just shines with personality. Her cute little voice chatted away as she told us all about her home. Her foster mother got her all dressed up for us, doing her hair, putting on a bright red silk vest, and a beaded hat. J was so excited to open the gift we brought her, including a tutu, wand, and stickers. She immediately added to her outfit and stuck stickers on her hands and forehead. What an absolutely adorable child. What love this child receives from her foster parents! You can just see how proud they are of her and how much they adore her.

We visited a total of 14 foster families. Every child seemed to be so loved and cared for. Each of these families was so welcoming, letting us traipse our muddy boots into their house. None of these families cared at all about their floors, but only about showing us their children.

As we were visiting the last group of foster families, the van we were traveling in tried to turn around at the end of a driveway and became stuck in the mud. At this point it was pouring down rain, and it was getting dark and chilly. It seemed the whole neighborhood came out to help get our van unstuck. They needed to dig, push and pull to finally get it out. Because we had 10 suitcases in the back, they needed to unload them in order to remove the weight from the rear wheels. They carefully piled our suitcases on top of rain coats. We huddled together, under umbrellas, trying to keep our pile from toppling over. The vice director and I laughed about our two unbelievable experiences together – the last time I was in Kaifeng, we spun out of control on a highway in a blizzard, and now this time the van got stuck in mud and a torrential rain.

After we were on way again, the driver brought us to the hotel so that we could clean-up quickly. We also rushed to put gifts together for all of the school children. These beautiful children touched our hearts last year when we visited. We wanted each of these children to have a special Chinese New Year gift and asked them if they could have anything, what would they want? In our bags were four MP3 players, a badminton set, roller blades and safety gear, a baby doll, a pen set and biographies, and backpacks. The kids were so excited to get these special gifts and I will never forget the look on their faces as they looked into their bags. I asked how the children would get music on their MP3 players and learned that the tutor we hired to help them had already downloaded the software on his computer so that we could help them load music. We shared dinner together and we all enjoyed watching each of the children eat. These children were so caring towards one and other, as they dished food on each others plates. I also had to laugh as two of the children left to use the bathroom and returned with the boy trying to shut the door on the girl, running away and giggling. They truly are a family.

At dinner, we heard that we had a very special breakfast with the leader of the civil affairs. He had heard the story of us visiting the families in the rain and getting stuck in the mud. He said that he wanted to meet us all to show his appreciation. This gentleman was so warm and generous, offering his help to us in whatever way we might need him. You could tell how friendly and genuine this man was. During the meal, I decided to tell him how happy I was to meet him. Every one laughed when they told me that I had told him instead that I wished him a promotion! He told me that he was in the highest position that there was, and then laughed. This meal was quite memorable to us all, because not only did we enjoy a wonderful Chinese breakfast, but also such graciousness.

After we said our goodbyes, we were off to the Kaifeng SWI. The orphanage was excited to show us all of the changes they have made. With the help of the wonderful Shanghai LWB club, there was a beautiful new playground and bright murals on the walls of the baby rooms. The baby room was our first visit and once again we were all cooing over the babies. One baby had so much fun “talking” to us, making all sorts of noises. After the baby room, we went to their playroom and passed out Kix cereal and made balloon hats for everyone. Two of the school girls were in the playroom too and soon became quite proficient at pumping up the balloons. In no time, they needed us only to tie the balloons and they were making balloon creations too. I loved their giggles and their pile of their balloon animals they had when we were done. They just laughed and laughed when we popped a balloon, because all of the kids would go say something that sounded like bang. One of the girls tried to twist and hold her ears at the same time. What fun we had!

For lunch, we went to a local restaurant and tried some delicious dishes. We had a window seat and were able to watch all of the holiday festivities. As soon as we were done with lunch, but before we left Kaifeng, we went to a local embroidery store. Kaifeng is famous for their beautiful embroidery. We bought a gorgeous piece for our heart art auction that will be held in May. The vice director and our facilitator did the bargaining, telling the woman about our organization. She too was happy to help us by giving us a good price.

As our plane left Henan, I reflected on all of the beautiful children, our friends old and new, and the partnerships that have been created and are beginning. I just love how we are all working together as a team of people to help these beautiful children.

Karen Maunu

Medical Director

“Everyone smiles in the same language”.

Isn’t that so true?

Yesterday I spent a few hours going through some of my old videos from China, and it was a true walk down memory lane to go back and watch some of my first visits to orphanages four years ago. Each video starts out pretty much the same, with babies and toddlers looking very solemn at the strange lady who looks so different than their aunties. Each child seems to have that “don’t come any closer” look on their face in the beginning. But then my trusty backpack magically produces bubbles and twisty balloons, and you can just see all the eyes widen, the curiosity begin, and then the pure sunshine come into the room as the children start SMILING. I could only laugh when I heard myself trying to talk to the children in English while they were trying to talk back to me in Mandarin. None of us had any idea what the other was saying, and yet the one thing that we both understood completely was our smiles. Children understand the beauty of a smile almost from their very first day on this earth.

I love going into the infant rooms and picking up a baby who will lock her eyes onto mine. I love staring into their eyes, and cooing and doing all the soft baby talk every momma instinctively knows. Those are special times to me, especially when that wonderful moment happens when a baby breaks into a smile. I absolutely love those moments, because the happiness on a baby’s face when they realize someone is really looking at them is a joy that just can’t be beat. A baby’s smile might last just a few seconds, but its ability to fill my heart with true warmth lasts so much longer than that.

All of us at LWB want to bring healing, education, and good nutrition to orphanages who want assistance, but we also cherish those times that we can bring real JOY as well. There is nothing quite like the sound of a toddler’s giggle or the sight of a beautiful little child with their eyes crinkled in a smile. What a priceless gift to one’s heart that is.

Amy Eldridge