There is an old Chinese saying: "The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step".
LWB took that first step over four years ago, and most definitely we have traveled thousands and thousands of miles since then.
This week a friend of mine sent me a before and after photo of her daughter, which she gave me permission to share. When I clicked on the photo, I was transported back four years ago, to the day I first met "the little blue girl". I went back and reread my journal from that day:
We decided to go visit the toddlers first. This will be the moment of my trip that I hope will never leave my mind. They were having their first of two meals of the day. They were sitting at these tiny little tables, and they were eating rice out of a metal bowl. I quickly kneeled down to eye level with a little girl, and I noticed that her lips were blue. I gently took her little hand in mine and it was ice cold. Like Kang, she also has a problem with her heart. Their eyes are impossible to describe. So incredibly beautiful, but so solemn. I looked down at the little girl's bowl and I saw that she had eaten every grain of rice and was scraping the sides of the bowl to get every last drop. All of their eyes were on us.
*****
I will never forget kneeling beside Zhen, and holding her tiny little hand in mine and thinking it was far too cold and that her lips were far too blue. This was the first time in my life that I had been able to hold and grasp the hands of a child with heart disease. Of course, it was meeting this beautiful little girl and then also baby Kang that led several of us to create a foundation dedicated solely to the children.
I am so thankful to everyone who provided the needed funds to help heal Zhen's heart, which allowed her the chance to journey to her own wonderful family. She is now a vibrant and beautiful girl, with the same gentle spirit and loving nature. She is so very special to me.
We must always remember that every child in an orphanage has their own unique and special story. Every child has huge hopes and dreams just waiting to be realized. I am so grateful to the LWB friends who wake up every day and look at the photos of those children needing assistance and take their own first steps to help them. Whether it is through nutrition, foster care, education, or medical.....each day we recommit ourselves to their care, so that even more children will have their own chance to soar.
Amy Eldridge
LWB took that first step over four years ago, and most definitely we have traveled thousands and thousands of miles since then.
This week a friend of mine sent me a before and after photo of her daughter, which she gave me permission to share. When I clicked on the photo, I was transported back four years ago, to the day I first met "the little blue girl". I went back and reread my journal from that day:
We decided to go visit the toddlers first. This will be the moment of my trip that I hope will never leave my mind. They were having their first of two meals of the day. They were sitting at these tiny little tables, and they were eating rice out of a metal bowl. I quickly kneeled down to eye level with a little girl, and I noticed that her lips were blue. I gently took her little hand in mine and it was ice cold. Like Kang, she also has a problem with her heart. Their eyes are impossible to describe. So incredibly beautiful, but so solemn. I looked down at the little girl's bowl and I saw that she had eaten every grain of rice and was scraping the sides of the bowl to get every last drop. All of their eyes were on us.
*****
I will never forget kneeling beside Zhen, and holding her tiny little hand in mine and thinking it was far too cold and that her lips were far too blue. This was the first time in my life that I had been able to hold and grasp the hands of a child with heart disease. Of course, it was meeting this beautiful little girl and then also baby Kang that led several of us to create a foundation dedicated solely to the children.
I am so thankful to everyone who provided the needed funds to help heal Zhen's heart, which allowed her the chance to journey to her own wonderful family. She is now a vibrant and beautiful girl, with the same gentle spirit and loving nature. She is so very special to me.
We must always remember that every child in an orphanage has their own unique and special story. Every child has huge hopes and dreams just waiting to be realized. I am so grateful to the LWB friends who wake up every day and look at the photos of those children needing assistance and take their own first steps to help them. Whether it is through nutrition, foster care, education, or medical.....each day we recommit ourselves to their care, so that even more children will have their own chance to soar.
Amy Eldridge
