LWB Community Blog

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. ~Nelson Mandela

As the West starts to get into the routine of a new school year, so do the children in our Believe in Me schools in China.  The LWB Education team is proud to welcome back all of our amazing teachers and students for the 2012 – 2013 school year.  With over 300 students in our schools, we are a very busy program and are extremely excited about what this school year will hold for our precious and amazing children!  Welcome back….

Changde Believe in Me School

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Kimmie, a seven-year-old girl in our Believe in Me Changde School, is a lovely young girl! We first met her in 2007 at a physical and occupational therapy camp held at the Changde orphanage. At that time the orphanage director was reluctant to let Kimmie join in class lessons, but a few determined LWB volunteers helped to change the director’s mind.

Not long after the camp, this precious young lady walked for the first time, with the use of a walker donated at the camp. As Kimmie does with most everything, she approached walking with tremendous determination and a gigantic smile. Read more.

Some children are naturally nurturing and attract younger children to them.  When she was a student in our Believe in Me Changde School, twelve-year-old Kathryn was one of these nurturing types. Missy, LWB’s former education director, was fortunate enough to meet Kathryn in November 2007  and was impressed by the way she cared for the younger children. Ever since, Missy has affectionately referred to Kathryn as “The Little Mother.” She recalls how Kathryn not only took care of these younger children but was almost always bouncing two little ones on her knee whenever she sat down. Each time Kathryn sat down, it seemed she had children crawling onto her lap with curiosity and love. Read more.

Several weeks ago we featured Jerry, “The Assistant” on LWB Community. Jerry earned this nickname because of his friendly, helpful attitude towards visitors at LWB’s Believe in Me Changde School. Just a few days after running the blog about Jerry, we received a cute video of him reading with some of his school friends and thought our readers might enjoy seeing more of him.

“The Assistant” now needs some assistance of his own in the form of a family! A family could help Jerry read that book as well as provide him with the therapy he needs. Jerry’s positive attitude and innate curiosity about life is already in place, and now he needs the love and care of a family to help him grow even further.
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New to LWB Community this month is Jerry! Jerry is an eleven-year-old boy with cerebral palsy whom LWB has worked with for many years. In May 2006 LWB established our Believe in Me Changde School.  Jerry was the most memorable child we met on that first trip; in fact, the group that went there still laughs today about how adorable and charming he was!

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.”
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Love Without Boundaries has been fortunate to be able to offer grants to a number of children who are in need of a little extra help in being chosen by a family. Each adoption grant is attached to a specific child and not to a particular agency or specific parents. Generally, once the adoptive family receives travel approval, the grant money is paid directly to the adoption agency to assist with the adoption expenses. We are very excited to announce that this month has brought us two new $2,000 grant recipients: Rocky and David!

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.
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Rocky, the special little prince we featured in an August 2008 blog (Sleeping Rocky:  An Unfinished Tale for a Special Little Boy) is still waiting for his dream of a family to come true. Please read on as our guest blogger, Elizabeth Ridley, daughter of LWB’s previous longtime HR and Education Director, tells you more about meeting this young man who is now nine years old and seeing first-hand that Rocky had awakened from his slumber.

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. 
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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.
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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.
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Jerry is a wonderful ten-year-old boy who attends our “Believe in Me” school in Changde in Hunan province. Due to Jerry’s diagnosis of cerebral palsy with language delays, he is unable to attend the local public school. However, despite these physical challenges, Jerry is a special boy who enjoys learning.

Sponsorships made to Jerry’s education will ensure that he is able to continue attending our school, where he is given a chance to learn and to reach his full potential.
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