Perfect Timing

The following photos are from an orphanage located in Gansu Province, just north of Sichuan. The building, like so many others, was damaged by an aftershock. All 80 children have been living outside in tents to keep safe. Unfortunately, the weather has been damp and chilly.

Love Without Boundaries was able to contact the director and found out they were in need of warm clothing and diapers. In perfect timing, we had just finished a clothing fundraiser for this SWI, through our Orphanage Assistance program! Due to the generosity of the SWI adoptive parent group, we were able to send a large shipment of clothing and diapers just when they were needed most.

Don’t the babies look snug in their new clothes?

The little one on the right gets my 'cutie-pie of the year' nomination!

This little one is counting how many layers her friend is wearing:

It looks like some of the children are enjoying several sets of clothing.... :o)






It appears the sun has at last come out. How wonderful it is to see the children warm and dry, enjoying the day in their walkers.

I love how the babies clap and wave, unaware of the tragedy nearby.


One of these little guys will join his forever family in just a few weeks. His anxious mama was relieved to see pictures of him safe and sound!

We are thankful for all the loving Ayis in the earthquake area who are working so hard to keep the children fed, warm, and safe, despite their difficult circumstances.

Laura Baldwin

Orphanage Assistance Coordinator

Earthquake Update--Three Weeks Later

It has been three weeks since the devastating earthquake hit Sichuan. As I have watched the news reports and read the articles from the comfort and safety of my living room, I try to comprehend the numbers of people affected by this devastation: 71,000 dead, 5 million homeless. But what does this mean? I understand these are incredibly huge numbers. It is easy to feel sad, shake my head, and then continue with my day.

In an effort to really grasp the magnitude of the devastation, I have made some comparisons:

71,000 people dead:

That is 6,000 people less than the population of the city of Melbourne, Australia.

The war in Vietnam claimed the lives of 58,217 American soldiers.

5 million homeless:

That is two-thirds of the population of New York City.

Think about that—two-thirds of all the people in NYC suddenly without a home!

The population of Finland is 5.2 million—almost an entire country homeless.

Love Without Boundaries has delivered formula to Chongqing Civil Affairs, and we are currently working on long-term relief efforts. We have a doctor visiting three orphanages in the hardest hit areas to assess the situation for us. Once we receive his report and recommendations, we will be better able to decide how to best use the funds our supporters have entrusted to us.

We appreciate every organization and individual who are working to help with relief efforts. Although our efforts are small compared with the magnitude of this disaster, we know that the combined efforts of many groups and people will make a difference for those in need.

Thank you so much for your support and concern for the victims of this tragedy.

Check out updates on our Earthquake News website page at:
http://www.lovewithoutboundaries.com/earthquake.cfm

It Only Takes a Spark to Get a Fire Glowing

Back in my summer camp days, I used to sing a song that began, “It only takes a spark, to get a fire glowing…” Usually, it was one of the first songs sung around a campfire and the words to those lyrics never fail to remind me of those feelings of friendship and community.

I was thinking of those words after
Love Without Boundaries Education recently accepted a check for over $9,800.
It all began with a spark.

Some time ago, a young college woman worked as a nanny for a family that had adopted a daughter from China. In the course of her relationship with this family, she learned about Love Without Boundaries and the work that LWB does. The young woman went on to graduate and become involved in professional life. As part of her professional life, the woman became an advisor to college students in the US based National Association of College and University Residence Halls, NACURH, Inc.

In the Fall of 2007, NACURH was looking for a charity to focus its philanthropic efforts upon. An advisor and former nanny suggested Love Without Boundaries as a possibility. And, the rest, as they say, is history.

NACURH did indeed select LWB as its focus for charity. Member campuses around the USA were challenged to host fundraisers to benefit LWB Education – specifically to raise funds for music teachers in our Believe In Me School programs. NACURH members responded in enthusiastic and creative ways sponsoring “Battle of the Bands” contests, auctions, charity softball games and more.

The spark that began within a family to adopt from China has affected so many lives. These funds will be used for music teachers and instruments in our Believe In Me schools, and will also help to sponsor one young woman in our Mama’s Wish program to attend college. She will be majoring in Tibetan Music! Funds will also go toward education for victims of the recent earthquake in China.

Thank you. Such small words to express the gratitude we hold for all the students that will make music and learning possible for so many children and students in China that could not experience it any other way. Thank you NACURH from the bottom of our hearts for what you have made possible.

Those interested in learning more about LWB Education programs and students in immediate need of assistance can go to: http://www.lovewithoutboundaries.com/education.cfm


Linda Mitchell
Associate Director of Education

Mama's Wish Students Help Earthquake Victims

When the earthquake struck last week our Mama's Wish students wanted to do whatever they could to help, so they organized a donation drive at the TongRen School. While the loose change collected did not total a very high amount, the generosity and concern shown by these students, who have so little, is immeasurable. Today our China Associate Director of Education (who was born in Chengdu and whose family still lives there) received the following email from our students:

Dear Sister,

We saw the earthquake in Sichuan on TV. We feel very sad and we all know that you are from Sichuan. You must feel so sad. We hope you are feeling not too sad. Please take good care of yourself. Today our school has a donation event for this tragedy. All of Mama's Wish teachers and students have participated. We will gather together and pray for the dead, hope they will have peace. We will pray for the survivors and hope they will be safe.

Wish you good health.
Mama's Wish

Over and over these students have shown what loving hearts they have - from teaching rural children in their villages during winter breaks to repairing the roof of an elderly person's home to collecting donations from their own impoverished community to help earthquake victims - and we are all so proud of them. The students tell us that they learned to do good things for other people from their sponsors, who have shown them that an act of love and support is best when paid forward, not back. Our students have so little, and yet they give so much.

Angela Taylor
Associate Director of Education

Earthquake Update

One week ago today a 7.9 magnitude earthquake devastated Sichuan Province and surrounding areas. Since then the reports have been grim. The death toll has climbed to 32,476 people nationwide, 220,109 people have been injured. Aftershocks have been estimated in the thousands with one on Sunday as big as 6.1. Landslides have hindered rescue efforts and flooding remains a constant fear.



A tragedy of huge proportions to be sure. But, within this great devastation are stories of great compassion and heroism. There are stories of people loading food, clothing, tents and water into their cars and driving to the affected areas to help; taxi drivers lined up for hours to take the injured to the hospital; people waiting in line for hours to donate blood and offers to adopt children orphaned by this earthquake. It seems the worst in Mother Nature brings out the best in Human Nature.


We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from our donors. We are posting updates on our website as soon as we receive news from our staff in China http://www.lovewithoutboundaries.com/earthquake.cfm.



We have also set up an “Earthquake Relief Fund” where 100% of donations received will go to help children affected by this tragedy. We will focus our efforts on orphanages and orphaned children needing assistance. We are unable to get assistance immediately to the orphanages affected as many roads are blocked. However, we have spoken to Chinese government officials and have pledged that we will assist wherever we can once the long-term implications of the quake are known. Additionally, an LWB Board member will be meeting with the CCAA next week about how we can best help children and orphanages affected by this disaster.



Unfortunately, we have been told to expect many more children to be orphaned due to this tragedy. Because of this, orphanages will need assistance with basic supplies and medical care to help meet the needs of these children. We may also be able to help with building repairs so the children can be safely moved back into the orphanages. Funds may also be used to help children who are not orphaned. We thank you for your generosity in helping us to help children of China.

https://www.lovewithoutboundaries.com/donate.cfm?category=147&child_id=0


Our heartfelt condolences are sent for lives lost and damage incurred as a result of this disaster.

Earthquake in China

On Monday, May 12, 2008 a 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit Sichuan Province shortly before 2:30 PM local time. The earthquake was reported to have rumbled for 3 minutes toppling buildings, schools, hospitals and a chemical plant. Estimates of the number of fatalities have already reached 12,000 and continue to rise.


The earthquake epicenter was Wenchuan, 60 miles northwest of Chengdu—the provincial capital, but was felt as far away as Beijing (930 miles). There have been 313 confirmed aftershocks.


Much of the area is without power and water, telephone lines are down and internet connection is intermittent. Gas lines have been turned off due to the aftershocks. Heavy rains in the area have created landslides and left the roads impassable in many areas.


Our heartfelt condolences are sent for lives lost and damage incurred as a result of this disaster. LWB has been in contact with our staff in China and they are trying to assess the situation as it relates to the children in LWB programs and those orphanages impacted. The devastation has been tremendous making communication very difficult and it will be some time before we know the full extent of this tragedy.


We have set up a page on our website dedicated to ‘Earthquake News & Relief’. We will post updated information at http://www.lovewithoutboundaries.com/earthquake.cfm.



We have also set up an Earthquake Relief Fund to provide immediate assistance to those in need. If you are interested in contributing to this fund please go to https://www.lovewithoutboundaries.com/donate.cfm and select “Earthquake Relief” as the category.