Today, once they pay their living expenses, there is no money to send Yun Xia to school. However, in her second year of high school, there is nothing more important to 16-year-old Yun Xia than her studies. Without the support of our Education Program’s Sunflower Project, this young woman likely would not be able to complete her high school education, nor stop the cycle of poverty in her future.

Yun Xia is in need of additional sponsors to help cover the cost of her school tuition and accommodations. With your $20 per month donation, you can help Yun Xia attend school and change her life. Sponsors will receive quarterly updates and photos and will have the opportunity to write Yun Xia letters of encouragement.

Your support will truly make a difference. Yun Xia says it all as she shares her gratitude in a recent letter: Your thoughtfulness is very comprehensive. Other than my mother, sister and uncle, nobody in this world is as good to me as you.

Our first handsome young man is Charlie, an 11-year-old boy. He just has the best smile, doesn’t he!? We can’t wait to hear more about his personality as we begin to receive updates on his educational progress.

Then there’s thoughtful Danny, who is also 11 years old. He appears to have a very calm personality. Will his favorite subject is in school be reading, or math, or maybe art?

Another sweet boy, Michael, age 10, clearly loves to show off his abilities with chopsticks. Perhaps he will be a great writer, or chef, or maybe an artist.

Finally, we’d like to introduce a young man named Matt. He is also 10 years old and appears to be very happy. We look forward to following his educational journey and seeing where he excels in life.

We would welcome your sponsorship, which will allow you to follow our students’ progress. Sponsorships are only $20 a month, and each sponsor will receive quarterly updates with photos. We hope you will join us in watching these handsome young boys thrive and reach their potential!

We love the look on sweet JD’s face in this photo — the look of pride in a job well done! This precious young boy from Hunan had a rough start, but he is doing well in both school and life. JD’s family is quite poor, and so LWB sponsors have helped by providing rice, cooking oil, and clothing, in addition to a tutor. This summer JD’s tutor was able to use his time off from formal school to teach him some wonderful “life lessons.” For example, JD now knows how to help his grandma wash the clothes…

cook vegetables and make rice…

and, of course, clean up after dinner! Imagine the pride that JD is feeling in his amazing accomplishments this summer. Teacher Tao told us that learning to use the outdoor wood burning furnace was not easy for JD, and that many times he burned the vegetables and they had to be thrown away. However, this smart young man soon learned to control the heat of the fire, flipped the vegetables, and cooked them correctly — and the family ate them for dinner!

We invite you to take a look at JD’s grandma’s face in this photo. Is that not the most precious look of joy, combined perhaps with a touch of relief, that there is a young man in the house who can help her with some chores now? We are so happy for this family and are so thankful for their sponsors. If you would like to also help JD and his family, we would be most grateful!

Our staff was trying to assess the children identified as students for the school and take photos of them. Jerry would grab a child in the room, stand them in front of the photographer, step back, and say “cheeeeeeeeze,” so we could get a picture. After the child was dismissed by Jerry, he would come over to where we were recording notes and check our work. During that visit he earned the nickname of “The Assistant.”

In the spring of 2007 another group from LWB went to visit the school once it had opened. Jerry snuggled into the lap of one of our volunteers, sweetly kissed her cheek, and then proceeded to show her some functions on her camera she didn’t know she had. This seems to be a recurring theme with Jerry. His natural curiosity and friendliness have afforded him the opportunity to make many international friends.

That fall we again visited the Changde school. One of our volunteers had been one of Jerry’s school sponsors since the school opened. She had closely followed his progress and was anxious to see the changes the school had made for him with her own eyes. He greeted her so excitedly and was a star at following classroom instruction (even though she was quite sure he secretly wanted to be “the assistant” once again). He worked well in small group instruction, followed directions, worked hard at the class project, and showed off his very good manners.  Last summer another LWB volunteer brought some new teaching materials to the school. Jerry held her hand the whole day and was sweet and thoroughly interested in everything she did.

This friendly, helpful guy needs a home, and we are pleased that he now has the chance for that to happen! Some lucky family will be blessed to have this willing “assistant” as part of their lives!

Love Without Boundaries proudly advocates for adoption but is not an adoption agency. We invite you to contact adoptionassistance@lwbmail.com with questions about a child we have featured and encourage you to contact your local adoption agency for more information about China’s Waiting Child Program.

Rocky

Rocky earned his nickname by being shy and pretending he was asleep when volunteers visited the Believe in Me Changde School in Hunan he was attending. When he thought no one was looking, Rocky would open his eyes and take a peek at the visitors, and he eventually overcame his fear. His bravery earned the respect of the LWB volunteers, who gave him the nickname “Rocky.” Nine-year-old Rocky was also a grant recipient in 2008; however, a family never was matched with him, and eventually the grant funds went to help bring another child home. We hope this time the grant will help bring Rocky and his family together.

David

Our second grant recipient is eight-year-old David from Fuyang foster care program.  He is a very sweet and shy young man. LWB has been fortunate to be a part of David’s life for a number of years now, helping him to have heart surgery and placing him in foster care through our wonderful sponsors. We have blogged about him previously (“David’s Summer“; “David’s Smile is Shining Through“; “The Magnificent Smile of David from Fuyang“; and “David’s Sweet Tooth…and Sweet Heart“)  and earnestly hope this $2,000 grant will be part of the red thread that brings him to a permanent family.

Love Without Boundaries is very fortunate to be able to offer grants for the following children as well:

Chloe

Chloe was featured in the blogs, “A Christmas Blessing” and “Compassionate Chloe.” Her adoption grant is for $1,000.

John

John was featured in the blogs, “Wanted: A Family for John“; A Christmas Blessing“; “John from Lu’An” and “Waiting For a Family of His Own.” His adoption grant is also for $1,000.

You can always view information about our grants and the recipients on our Adoption Assistance page. Anyone interested in making a donation for our adoption assistance grants can click here.

These grants can make an enormous difference in the life of a child. Thank you for joining in our advocacy on these children’s behalf!

Love Without Boundaries proudly advocates for adoption but is not an adoption agency. We invite you to contact adoptionassistance@lwbmail.com with questions about a child we have featured and encourage you to contact your local adoption agency for more information about China’s Waiting Child Program.

Rocky and Elizabeth

In May of 2006, my mom and aunt visited LWB’s Believe In Me Changde School LWB school in Hunan. A little boy pretending to be asleep quickly caught their eye. They immediately knew what a special personality this child had and nicknamed him Rocky because they could quickly see his great determination.  Over the years, as my mom continued to work with this school, she would share many great stories about what a wonderful child Rocky was.  Rocky uses a walker to get around, but when a gift of a cozy coupe car was given to the school, he quickly realized that he could get around a lot faster in the toy car than with the walker.   My mom actually had to set a “no cozy coupe” rule during class time as Rocky could really zoom in the classroom.

My mom also shared that one time she was doing an art project with the class, and every time she would look in his direction he would put a look on his face saying he couldn’t believe she was making him do this project, but every time she turned away from him he was grinning from ear to ear.  When she went over to pick him up, he burst out into such laughter.  He wrapped his arms around her neck and stayed with her while she continued helping the other kids.

In July of 2010, I was lucky enough to visit the Changde school with my friend Gwen.  Since I had heard Rocky stories for years, I was so excited to meet him.  My expectations were surpassed when I entered the room and could immediately identify who the smart little boy was that had ‘tricked’ my mom all those years ago.  A little shy at first, Rocky quickly came out of his shell and was the class leader.  Whether it was singing songs, classroom activities, or helping other students, Rocky led the way.  I brought butterfly cutouts to decorate the room with, and Rocky was by my side the entire time to help paste them to the walls.  He spent the day showing me and his classmates how to play different games.

When the other children left for lunch, Rocky stayed behind to eat with us.  I have been studying Mandarin for a few years but at times had difficulty communicating with people while I was in China.  However, I had the easiest time communicating with Rocky.  He understood what I was getting at, asked questions, and helped me when I was struggling to pronounce something.   I will always cherish the time I spent with him.  Not only did he leave a lasting impression on Gwen and me, but I can say without question that Rocky has been an outstanding friend and classmate to each and every child in that classroom.

Rocky has been on the shared list for adoption for several years, with no one stepping forward to call him their son.  It is my sincerest wish that he will be chosen by someone for adoption. I know he would bless any family in such a beautiful way. ~ Elizabeth Ridley

We want to share some incredible news about Rocky.  Love Without Boundaries will offer a $2,000 grant toward his adoption expenses!

Rocky’s special needs are listed as cerebral palsy, club foot and muscle contracture of both hands.  We featured Rocky’s friend, David Matthew, on our blog last week (“David Matthew…or Jackie Chan?”) and would love to see both of these special boys find families of their own!

Love Without Boundaries proudly advocates for adoption but is not an adoption agency. We invite you to contact adoptionassistance@lwbmail.com with questions about a child we have featured and encourage you to contact your local adoption agency for more information about China’s Waiting Child Program.

Just like Jackie Chan, David Matthew looks ready to take on the world! He’s making his first appearance on LWB Community, and we’re so excited to tell you about this fantastic seven-year-old. David Matthew is a student at our Believe In Me Changde School, and his teachers have nothing but praise for him.

David Matthew’s special need is listed as congenital cataracts, two eyeball tremors, and amblyopia, or “lazy eye.”  As a result, he cannot see very well in dim light.   He can tell light and shadow but has to approach the blackboard in order to see what is written on it.   Even in unfamiliar settings he is able to get around without assistance and can take care of himself well enough to meet his daily needs. He sees well outside, but it takes him a little more effort to read inside.  These conditions do not affect David Matthew’s ability to learn, and he reads and writes very well. In fact, in quarterly reports submitted by his teachers, they frequently mention how bright and conscientious he is. Here are a few excerpts:

*  David Matthew gets along well with his classmates. And he is very smart! You would be surprised to find that his homework could be finished perfectly every time.  His best subjects are math and reading. He is a nice boy who always smiles at you.

*  David Matthew finishes his homework in good quality. Every day after school, he helps another student carry his walker upstairs. At school, he gets along well with the other kids. He knows what sharing means.

*  David Matthew is a very smart boy who loves reading. Now he is a great assistant in the classroom. He is a very kind kid and he always wants to protect his friends. He writes beautiful characters.

Besides being a very smart boy who can do everything as well as most other kids, we want to also emphasize what a kind-hearted kid David Matthew is. He is always looking to do a favor for his friends and classmates. One day, David Matthew’s teachers asked him whether he wanted a family. He nodded his head and shyly said, “Yes, I would love a mom very much.” But later, as he watched his friend Rocky, a boy who has club feet, he said, “If I would find a family, I could feel so happy! But who could take care of my best friend for me after my leaving?” David Matthew is a positive child who hardly ever loses his temper, for he knows what’s right and what should be done. He tries to be kind to everyone around him.

David Matthew is a terrific kid who is loved by everyone around him! We’re looking forward to the day when he’ll have a mom and a dad who love him just as much. We feel sure he’ll karate-chop his way into their hearts, too!

Love Without Boundaries proudly advocates for adoption but is not an adoption agency. We invite you to contact adoptionassistance@lwbmail.com with questions about a child we have featured and encourage you to contact your local adoption agency for more information about China’s Waiting Child Program.

Kenny quickly became popular with the hospital staff, and they all made a real fuss over him. We are sure you will agree it is easy to see why!

Kenny had a speedy recovery after surgery and returned to his hometown of Xiangtan, Hunan, after discharge where he has now been placed with a foster care family. However, Kenny needs three sponsors to pay for his foster care placement. Foster care sponsorships cost $35 per month, and each sponsor will receive monthly updates and photos on Kenny’s progress. We are sure his sponsors will enjoy hearing and seeing how he settles in with his new family and develops over the coming months.

We have also started to supply all the children under age two in our foster care program with fortified cereal. We would also welcome a nutrition sponsor of $15 per month to provide this nutritional support for Kenny.

We thank you for joining us in helping this young man receive the love and care of a foster family and supporting his nutritional needs.

Kenny is only 5 months old and is struggling with a serious heart defect. This sweet little boy from Hunan has two heart defects, the most serious being a very large ventricular septal defect (VSD), as well as pulmonary hypertension (PH). PH means the VSD is causing abnormally high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs and is making the right side of the heart work much harder than normal. PH needs to be treated as quickly as possible to avoid possible congestive heart failure.

Kenny has already been moved to one of the best cardiac hospitals in Shanghai and is scheduled to receive his heart surgery Monday afternoon. He is so little and just wants to be held by his caregiver all the time. Although Kenny still needs over $6000 to cover his hospital expenses, he just couldn’t safely wait until he was fully funded. If you would like to help contribute to his surgery and be part of his healing process, please visit Kenny’s sponsor page. We ask you to please keep Kenny in your thoughts for a successful surgery and a full recovery.

John is an 11-year-old boy with cerebral palsy who is a newcomer to our Changde Believe In Me School in Hunan province. As would be expected of a child coming into a new situation for the first time, John has been a bit shy, keeping to himself. However, he is slowly coming out of his shell and making new friends. He seems to enjoy music and dancing along with his classmates.

John is in need of sponsorships to cover his school tuition fees so that we can continue to watch him blossom and reach his potential. Sponsors will receive ongoing photos with updates. If you’re interested, please visit his sponsor page. Just think…for only $20 a month, you can follow his progress and know that you’re making a difference to one little boy!