LWB Community

Announcing The 2012 Teacher Training Team

The wait is over, and we are ready to announce that we have found our team for the 2012 teacher training! We are so thankful for the dozens of amazing educators who applied this year. We had a really challenging job narrowing down who would be on this year’s team as all of the applicants were so talented. How awesome that so many teachers and therapists across America wanted to give a week of their summer break to help orphaned children with special needs in China!

The team that has been chosen represents a diverse set of skills that we feel will be extremely beneficial for the training. Our team members include Amy H. from Florida, seen above with her family. Amy brings 11 years of teaching experience in Elementary Education with special education inclusion. Read more.

An Adoption Story: PeiPei

From time to time, we love to feature adoption stories of children who were profiled on the LWB blog. It’s incredible to see children who so many hoped and prayed to find a family finally have that opportunity! We think you’ll enjoy reading this adoption story about a little boy who was in an orphanage that is part of our orphanage assistance program. His winsome smile and sweet expression touched the heart of his future mom, and this is the story of how they became a family.

In 2003 we adopted our first daughter, Sophia, a beautiful infant girl from Hunan, China. Four years later we adopted our second daughter, Aimei, a precious two-year old girl from Anhui, China. We were pretty sure that we were “done” adding to our family. But, there was always a nagging thought that perhaps one more, a boy, would be just right. Read more.

Landon: Growing and Changing

Recognize this sweet face? It’s Landon!

It’s hard to believe that we first posted about Landon almost a year ago when we wrote “Introducing Landon.” He has grown and changed over the year, as children do. Now at five years old he never forgets a polite greeting of “Ni Hao, Ayi” or “Ni hao, Shushu.” Playing with his friends brings much delight to Landon. He can often be found competing with his friends to see who can build the highest blocks or even who can keep the room the cleanest! Don’t we wish more children were competing to keep their rooms clean? Read more.

Ricki: LWB’s Featured Child of the Week

Little Ricki came to our attention in June 2011. She had been born prematurely and needed extra care and as a result, was moved to our Anhui Healing Home. Initially Ricki was described as very quiet, and our healing home staff reported that she had difficulty keeping her food down and was quite weak.

After a few months of careful feeding, Ricki had gained much needed strength and weight and was now described as an energetic little girl who loved to smile. By early September, Ricki was a lively, chubby little girl, and plans were made to place her in foster care. Read more.

An Adoption Story: Taking the Plunge

LWB has many programs in Anhui province.  Through the years, we have come to know a number of lovely older children from Anhui who have been waiting so long for their chance to find a family. We have featured several of them in the past few months, such as Brianna, Michelle and Wendy – all students in our Believe in Me Huainan school in Anhui.

Maryn was once a student at the same Believe in Me school in Anhui and was good friends with all of these girls.  She had the good fortune to be adopted and has been home with her family for two and a half years.  When her family learned that Maryn’s friends had the same chance as she did to have families of their own, they decided to share a bit of their story to encourage folks to consider these lovely Anhui girls and older children in general.   They have likened their exhilarating experience to “taking the plunge.” Read more.

Counting Down Our Top Ten Photos of 2011: Foster Family Love

Ben is a beautiful little boy who is in LWB’s foster care program in Anhui Province. He loves playing with his foster brother, Jon, but obviously what Ben loves the most is being in the arms of his foster mom.

She likes to take him outside to walk in their vegetable garden, and she loves telling our local manager what a thoughtful and sweet little boy he is. We are such huge supporters of foster care for orphaned children as we believe every child deserves to grow up in a family setting versus growing up in an institution. Read more.

Wendy’s Strength

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have. ~ Unknown

The Chinese symbol for “strength” can mean many different things:  inner emotional strength, mental strength and will, or physical strength. We’d like to introduce you to a girl who embodies strength in all areas of her life.

Wendy is a young girl in our Believe in Me Huainan school who is determined to grow stronger physically as well as academically.   Wendy was excited for the challenge of starting public school this fall and is making progress there. Read more.

Counting Down Our Top Ten Photos of 2011: Happy in the Healing Home

Baby Ricki first came into our hands as a tiny preemie from Anhui Province. She had been struggling to feed in her home orphanage and was very weak. We moved her to one of our healing homes so she could get the TLC she needed to catch up.

Read more.

Counting Down Our Top Ten Photos of 2011: I Am Loved

This tender photo was taken on the day that sweet Maggie graduated from our Anhui Healing Home as her nanny was saying goodbye. Maggie had earned the nickname “Fussiest Baby” because she would only be content in the arms of her nanny. But Maggie didn’t want to just be held; she wanted to be sang to as well while her nanny walked around with her. Obviously from this photo it is clear that her nanny didn’t mind that at all – and so there were lots of lullabies sung to Maggie to keep her happy! We are so thankful for our loving and patient caregivers in our healing homes who are watching over some of the most vulnerable orphaned babies of all. Read more.

Kyra: LWB’s Featured Child of the Week

Kyra received surgery in May 2011 to repair her cleft lip. She spent her initial recovery time at our Anhui Healing Home and was moved to a wonderful foster care family in July. She celebrated her first birthday in September!

Kyra has adjusted very well to her new family life and loves to play with her older foster brother. Read more.