Babies, Babies, Babies!

Field Trip - Luoyang Aquarium

On Monday 34 adults and little ones went to the aquarium in Luoyang. The children get so excited to be out and have new experiences. It was a fun time! Mom's baby went in a room with a special light so sweet pictures of changing colors! He is a precious one who can't walk because of his condition but has the sweetest disposition and is such a polite boy. He is in preschool so we all spend time with him regularly.

Luoyang - Maria's Big House of Hope

By Zara ~ Wow, time can really slip away from you and before you know it you haven’t posted in a week! Our family has had so much fun with playing with the Martins and Renichs, helping with preschool, moving furniture to paint rooms, and getting to know everyone a little better! Maria's Big House of Hope reaches toward the heavens and inside is truly filled with angels caring for the young orphans.

It has been such a encouragement to be with the Martins, Renichs, and other workers here. One of my favorite times is when we are all in the fellowship room on Sunday morning. Foreign passport holders are allowed freedom of worship within certain guidelines. We cannot attend a Chinese church nor can citizens of this country attend our services. Everyone gathers in a big room and sings songs and have a little sermon. The singing is amazing and everyone participates whole-heartedly. You can truly feel God’s presence in the room as we lift our voices in worship to him. I have never experienced something so amazing except when we are in China without all the distractions, and in the same building with orphans that are fighting for their lives every day and without the experience of what it truly feels like to be in a forever family.

Zena, Zola and I have also been helping teach preschool every day. The preschool teacher is a sweet young lady named Miranda. I have really enjoyed helping her but also sitting on the couch while watching tv and eating fudge icing right off the spoon and laughing our heads off after a crazy busy day. In the afternoon we help the CP kids and even though most of them just stare into space, they still know what is going on. When we tickle them or when we do something they really like, they smile and those smiles are priceless. Blowing bubbles, touching toys with different textures, using markers to do art, and listening to music are some of their favorite activities in class. Their lack of words doesn’t mean they aren’t interacting and engaged.

Our family has also helped move thing out of room so they could paint the rooms. Dad, Mr. Nate and another volunteer, Reuben from India, have been busy preparing walls for painting and doing the painting. For months there was work done on this building to meet some new guidelines and now that it is finished, there is more work to be done to prepare rooms and shuffle around the use of some space.

There are two trees in the big meeting room that were painted on the wall many years ago by a volunteer group that came. Interestingly, the group was from Brentwood Academy which is half a mile from our home! Due to recent work in the building, some of the trees were missing where work was done and sections of ceiling repainted. Mr. Nate asked Zena to paint the tree sections missing and update the art as needed. She spent hours working on the trees and needed to paint over all the previous trees, leaves and flowers to match colors. She also added a few extra touches such as more grass at the base of the trees, rocks, lady bugs, butterflies and a "carving" on the tree. God has gifted her artistically and she did a great job with this project!

Hope and More Hope!

How wonderful to be here spending time with the precious babies and dear friends. Words can't describe the range of emotions being here with dear friends who serve these children and being here with little ones who are so precious, yet many will not be adopted because of their medical condition or are so sick their days on this earth are short.

Charles and I met Dr. Joyce and Robin Hill in May of 2001 when they brought two orphan babies to Vanderbilt for surgery. Amazing how my comment to her, "We'll do what we can to help you and bring supplies when we adopt in 2002" led to packing about 2,000 “Suitcases of Love” filled with supplies in the past 14 years. We still marvel at how God used our willingness to pack suitcases as volunteers to cross our paths with so many people willing to help in the care of orphans.

Several years ago, Show Hope, a non-profit organization involved in orphan care and adoption located in Franklin, TN, partnered with New Hope Foundation in Beijing to care for sick orphans in China. Since that time, the work has expanded and there are over 300 medically-fragile orphans being cared for at five locations.

The generosity of so many people around the US to donate much-needed supplies has enabled the care of these children to continue with many items they cannot get in China or cannot get for a reasonable cost. (There are some items that are much more expensive here that are needed in daily care of these babies.) And the travelers - wow, so many people going to adopt, to tour or do business have taken and continue to gladly take suitcases of supplies to Beijing or Luoyang and the supplies continue to be there when needed.

Pages could be filled with the amazing stories of items they thought they would not necessarily need arriving just in time for an emergency situation where that item was needed. God just goes before and provides for these orphans. And it has been sweet to meet some of these folks in person, including one adoptive family this past week to Maria’s Big House of Hope to visit. That mom brought a suitcase when she visited last year. Three weeks ago in Beijing, I met a mom traveling for adoption that I had sent two suitcases to just before we left.

The need is on-going for supplies to care for over 300 medically-fragile orphans. Look at the list on www.hopefosterhome.com or www.showhope.org or email us if you want a current wish list anytime. It is amazing how God has used people from all over this world to care for these babies in many ways.

Charles and I are so thankful for many friends and family who love our girls and make such an impact in their lives and encourage them to live generous lives. Our hearts overflow with thanksgiving for the generosity of so many to make our journey possible, sweet friend providing gift cards for the girls to use at the airport, someone to stay at our house, people willing to ship suitcases in my absence, friends preparing treat bags for our girls to enjoy, neighbors returning overdue library books, manpower watering the new tree that is high maintenance (due to a teenager having a car accident in our yard during the winter) and so much more that is such a blessing while we are on this Hope journey.

I won't be posting often as this is the girls' blog but wanted to share our thoughts as we continue this special journey. The days here are filled with much activity and seems we are not finding much time to even blog what we would like to share. Continue to pray for our journey, the babies, and those caring for them. Also pray for adoptive families. Since we have been in China, at least seven little ones from the care centers have been adopted. What a huge, life-changing blessing and answer to prayer it is for these children to have FOREVER FAMILY!

Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Psalm 82:3

Sunday ~ Arrival at The Big House!

Sunday morning we traveled to Luoyang to Maria's Big House of Hope. We were welcomed by the Martin and Renich families who serve here. Great to be here at this house that reaches toward the sky! This place offers HOPE to many children.

On Monday, our "supply team" met to discuss current needs at the Care Centers here where over 300 children who all have medical conditions are served. It is a blessing to work with such a great team of people and know so many supporters are eager to provide what is needed. Very current needs:

~Pigeon weaning bottle with spoon for cleft lip/palate
~Calorie supplements (like Duocal powders)
~MiraLAX laxative powder
~Baby bottles - 4 ounce (small bottles)
~Socks - mid-calf length socks sizes infant to 3T
~Sandals for boys and girls to fit up to age 3 boys and girls (new or gently used)

To donate any of these supplies, leave a comment or email us.

Saturday ~ Market Day and Sweet Play

Saturday was a rainy day that was filled with fun family time and sweet play time. It was a crazy busy week at New Hope with the field trips, several visitors and volunteers on-site, and hours of playing with the children. Saturday was a slower day.

To market to market to buy...well, not a fat pig though we could have....really! Our family walked to the Bei Wu Five-Day-Market in the light rain. The raincoats from Uncle David and Aunt Tracie were such a blessing! It was a two mile walk each way to the market. Because of the rain, there were about 60 vendors at the market and typically would have been a few hundred. But, we found what we wanted ~ "egg bread" made on a crepe maker and stuffed with cilantro, onions, crispy somethings, and hot chili sauce! (We have no idea the Chinese name for this.) Fresh vegetables and fruit were purchased for us to prepare for dinner.

Home again, home again, jiggety jig!....with the colorful umbrella Z2 purchased!

Our afternoon was spent with the precious little ones.