MUSIC CAMP AT LUOYANG
We arrived at Luoyang with great anticipation for an exciting week ahead at the music camp in the orphanage. Our team is made up of 6 females, including a local, Priscilla, who coincidentally is the professional musician among us. We were greeted warmly at the airport by staff from the orphanage including Chairman Pei who is the head of the orphanage. After a brief tour of the orphanage, many of us were filled with mixed emotions. Yet something about the smiles of the children and the love of the “aunties” who ran the place reached right out to our hearts and made us feel at home. We started the mornings with each of us conducting classes for selected individuals in the different instruments like guitar, piano, keyboard, violin and clarinet. All of us were amazed by the talent displayed by all our students, the level of concentration they had and their enthusiasm in picking up the instruments. While some of them have had experience learning musical instruments at some point, most of their prior lessons were usually given on an ad-hoc basis and were often haphazard and without systematic teaching. Yet, their brimming eagerness to learn made it such a tremendous joy to teach all of them. One of the teammates, Priscilla, taught piano to a blind boy called Gang-gang and another girl, Xiao-jing, who has only 1 arm. Both of them had very little prior experience in playing the piano. Nevertheless, at the end of the week, they were able to play a duet together, with Gang-gang playing chords and Xiao-jing playing the melody. It was a very touching scene as both worked hand-in-hand to play a “3-hands duet” of familiar classical tunes. In the afternoon, we had group activities that included more orphans of a wider age-range, from 7 all the way to 18 year olds. On the first day, Priscilla gave a quick overview of basic theory on reading musical notes and learning rhythm. We followed up by a fun time of singing songs with accompanying actions like“Edelweiss” and “Do-Re-Me”. On another afternoon, we conducted dance classes for both boys and girls and group singing sessions. These afternoon group activities gave us more opportunities to meet the younger children who did not attend the morning instrument classes which were mainly for older children. Once again, the children amazed us with their spontaneity and liveliness as they responded enthusiastically to all the games and activities. In the middle of the week, we had a chance to go on a day-trip to a local attraction with the kids, organized by the orphanage. The children could barely contain their excitement as they started snapping pictures with our cameras. It was during this day that many of bonded personally with the children as many of them opened up and shared more with us during this day. For example, a very adorable girl, Sarah-Abby (who doesn’t mind being called Sarah or Abby), shared with one of our team members, Mindy, about the dreams that she has and about other little facets of her life. Priscilla also had a heart-to-heart talk with Xiao-jing about her plans for her future. Many of us got to know the children at a more personal level throughout this day. During the lunchtime at a restaurant that day, the children were surprisingly very well behaved. Instead of fighting over the food like how most children were expected to, they waited patiently for the food to be passed to them and served food to one another and to us. It was definitely a very beautiful day as we witness how the children genuinely cared for people around them.During the week, the children held an out-door concert in a nearby village. Most aspects of the show were done by the orphans themselves. The older boys spent many hours setting up the stage, which was professionally done with lightings, sound systems and a PowerPoint display. Many of the performers did their own hair and make-up. I was especially struck by an older orphan, Cui-nan who was like the big brother in the orphanage. He was helping set up the stage under the scorching sun in the afternoon and the next moment, he was up on stage playing the drums in the brass band during the performance. The performance that night displayed the numerous talents that all these children possess. There was opera singing, an wu-shu display, brass band performance, singing and dancing from various groups of different age-ranges. One of the most touching and poignant performance was a play about a father who rescued an abandoned baby and took him home to raise the child despite his wife’s opposition. The message delivered by the play was clear: that all children is precious and should be loved and cared for. The play was acted by Cui-nan and the other orphans, hopefully the message will be taken to heart by the villagers who came for the performance. On our final day at the orphanage, the children put up a farewell performance. It was a very touching moment for many of us as we gave out gifts to the children and personalized cards to children whom we have developed deeper relationships with. We parted the children with tears and promises to keep in touch, encouraging them to have confidence to pursue their dreams.The most striking characteristic of theLuoyang orphanage is the overall love that fills the place. This love is very apparent, from the people who work tirelessly in taking care of the orphans to the orphans who treated one another as siblings in a big family. Many of the older orphans were responsible for the chores and looked after the younger ones, while the younger ones respected the elder children. There was no hint of bitterness at what the hand of fate had dealt them, only gratefulness for the simple joys in life. Most of us left feeling we had not given much to the children, yet we had gain so much from them. Written by one of native Chinese LWB Music Camp Volunteers

Operation Happy Face


In what can only be described as one of those wonderful miracles of love we are fortunate to get to watch unfold, LWB is excited to report that the XiaoXian orphanage in Anhui is receiving some real help for their children, thanks to some incredible donors.

One of our facilitators had visited this rural orphanage, which is on the border of the Henan and Anhui provinces, and he immediately contacted us to see if we could help. This orphanage's well had basically run dry, and so the only water they could use was muddy, and unfortunately because of this, many of the babies had fallen ill. They also did not have any air conditioners, even though the temperatures were very hot, and they had old wooden cribs that were unsafe. The orphanage's small kitchen area did not have a refrigerator to keep food cool, and they did not have a sterilizer for baby bottles. Also, their washer and dryer no longer worked, so the aunties had to clean diapers and then drape them over a coal stove to dry.

Our facilitator told us that the staff was SO very kind, and that the children were receiving love, but this rural town was very poor and so there just weren't enough funds to meet all of the orphanage's needs.

We immediately told him that we would get to work on this end, and news quickly spread that we needed help for these kids. Our phone started ringing non stop, and donations began coming in. One grandfather called and told us that his 6 year old grandson had offered to give up something special in his life if his grandfather would make a $30 donation to the babies in need.

Meanwhile, we asked our facilitator to make sure that any sick baby was moved to the hospital immediately for medical care. In all, six children were moved to Anhui Children's. The tiniest baby, little Chun, was very sick when she was moved but she is already rallying on antibiotics and good nutrition. I think everyone will agree that she is a beautiful little girl.

A plea went out for medical support, nutritional support, and donations for supplies, and we were humbled and so grateful when we were given enough funds to buy 5 air conditioners, a refrigerator, a washing machine, 40 new stainless steel cribs, and a sterilizer. We loved the photo we got of the washer being delivered, while an aunty looks on with a huge armful of diapers!

In addition, we are hiring college students to paint the orphanage walls with clean paint and murals, and we will soon be tiling the floors (which are now concrete) and adding some soft foam flooring so the babies can have tummy time. We have volunteers in Beijing shopping for Little Tikes toys and new clothing, and their first order of the best formula possible is on its way.

Most exciting, work has already begun on an 80 meter well that will provide them with safe drinking water. We have added XiaoXian as an orphanage that LWB is committed to helping and we are excited to partner with them to bring real and lasting improvements to the beautiful children who call the orphanage home.

THANK YOU to everyone who has shown once again that gifts given from the heart can TRULY change lives! The CHI waiting child group was just amazing and really spread the word. The head of their adoption program dubbed the project "Operation Happy Face", and we feel that is very fitting! We hope as you look at these beautiful faces, you will know that you made these essential gifts possible.

Physical Therapy Camp

Well, it’s been a week since we got back from Lu’An for the physical therapy trip, and the fond memories from the week are still fresh in our minds. The team of 20 of us LWB volunteers was composed of two Americans, 2 Canadians, a handful of Shanghai young professionals and a group of college students from one of China’s top universities. For me personally, it was one of the most meaningful, fun and eye-opening trips I’ve ever been a part of!

Throughout the week, Ellen, our physical therapist, got to meet and assess 41 kids in the foster program in Lu’An. Most of the kids have been previously diagnosed with CP, have had restorative surgery (either for cleft palates or heart conditions), or are cognitively delayed. It was amazing for us to see Ellen at work and see her interacting with the kids and their foster parents. Ellen prescribed specific exercises, body positions and other tips to help strengthen muscles and encourage development. The foster moms that came with their foster kids were very responsive to her instructions, and each child got to take home a developmental tool or toy especially picked by Ellen to help in development. Ellen’s assessment/treatment notes were very detailed and pictures we took of each of the foster kids are the latest step in LWB’s efforts to closely monitor the progress of these foster kids as time goes on.

The highlight of seeing Ellen at work with the foster kids was that we got to see a few “firsts.” One of the photos I’ve included here shows Cheng-zhi, a little boy with CP who walked for the very first time after Ellen outfitted him with a LWB-donated walker. The look of joy and wonder on his face is something that I will never forget! Also, it was incredible to see how Ellen could prescribe seemingly small things (sitting position changes, small exercises) that would make a huge different in the quality of life for these kids.

We genuinely enjoyed working with Ms. Feng, the foster care coordinator at the orphanage. She reminded me of a caring mother hen! She knew each of the foster kids’ names, physical conditions and their foster family background by heart and hovered over them with great care and attention to detail. We were also encouraged to find that the foster moms that we met with were very caring and seemed attuned to their foster kids’ needs.
While Ellen was working her magic, the rest of the team took turns helping to play with the kids in the intake room or upstairs in the orphanage’s infant rooms. Our team really bonded with these kids, and it was really hard to leave them after a week. Over the course of the week, the college students learned the names of each of the infants upstairs and their personalities. One of the little girls burst into loud cries as if on cue anytime she saw a stranger and would cling to the ayi for dear life…but by the end of the week, she was happily playing with us. We brought music, sang songs to them, helped the ayis with diaper duty, feeding duty and in general, just held the kids and loved on them.

For me personally, my favorite times in the infant rooms upstairs was when I got to hold a little one that I nicknamed, “the Little Princess.” She was a preemie and even after two months, she was still tinier than a regular newborn, weighing barely 6lbs by my guess. It was a personal challenge…for me to look into her tiny face, think about her future and be able to say, “I believe that there is a plan for your life, and people who love you even though they’ve never met you, and I want to play my part (however small) in helping you along the way.” That’s a commitment that I believe many LWB volunteers hold to.

So that’s the story of our trip!

– Grace Chiang, Lu’An trip team leader

HOORAY FOR CUI!!!

One of the people who touched our hearts the most on our surgery mission to Henan was a 19 year old girl who had lived her whole life with a severe bilateral cleft lip and palate. Despite not having a normal smile, this courageous young woman set a goal for herself that she would study every day and someday be accepted to university, even though her loving parents, who had adopted her as a baby, were extremely poor.

Shortly after we did surgery, we received a letter from Cui that brought all of us to tears. I would like to share a portion of that letter here:

I am almost completely recovered now. I believe that it will not be long to see a true me living freely like other ordinary girls, these are my dreams for so many years. Thinking about possibilities and future life, I am very happy and grateful from the bottom of my heart because I know all these changes were given to me by warm hearted people.I still don't know who are my own biological parents, it's my adopted parents, who picked me up from the road when I was abandoned, that give me a new life. They are very poor but I can feel their love. Recollecting the oldtime, I got used to harsh ridiculous remarks, cold eyes and snobbish comments from ignorant bystanders, weeping and sleeplessness in dark nights are still vivid in my memories. Life, years after years has taught me a lot and made me stronger and now more optimistic. In the past, even though I had never said anything about cleft operation to my current adopted parents, I knew that they were anxious but all helpless,I could only accept this as my fate. I am like other girls who love to have sweet and beautiful dreams. Just before I went to LuoYang, I dreamed that I would meet good-hearted people some day. This miracle appeared unexpectedly and came to me in an unbelievably fast way. To tell the truth, it was nothing more than trying my luck when I went to LuoYang, My past living experience taught me not to expect miracles, they only appear in storybooks, but everything went smoothly. Thinking about all these now, I still feel that I myself were in the dream of fantasy. The pain and burden in my heart has disappeared, only happy smile is left.

*****

We were fortunate to meet this young woman again in January, and she told us she would be sitting for the college exam this summer. We are THRILLED to announce that we just got the news that Cui has been accepted to University!! This inspiring young woman has beaten all the odds and will begin college this fall. LWB is honored that we can help make this possible for this determined young lady. I know you all will want to celebrate with us that her dreams are coming true! Recently, she sent us an updated photo of herself. This young lady, who had lived so long feeling different, now looks out of her photo with confidence and beauty.

Summer Camp Update: Henan Playground
Things here are going really well. We've been working incredibly hard. You know I got here and saw the "garden" and was pretty shocked because it was much more untamed and much LARGER than I had expected. On Monday we started clearing the space in a huge way and getting rid of all the unfriendly plants to kids. Myself and 7 others were working on that project and I couldn't believe it- in one day we cleared half the garden and got it ready for the next steps. Once I got here, I got the vision for what this space could be and have enjoyed being a "landscape designer"!!! Hah! luckily, we had an expert come in and he took a look at the space and gave suggestions as well. So, I would say what we are doing now is Phase 1 of potentially 2 phases. Just today, there were 2 girls on the swings having the time of their lives and it was such a joy!!!!!

PAL...

When I traveled to China in May for LWB, I was especially excited for a chance to visit the participants of our Preparation for Adult Life (PAL) and older teens in one of the orphanages we help in Guangdong. I’ve always loved teenagers. There’s something about their earnestness and playfulness all covered up in a desire to appear grown up that I find delightful.
On the first day of my visit I had lunch with the main caretaker of the PAL teens and older children at the orphanage, Miss Hua. I asked what her main concern is for the program. She answered that discipline of the teens was sometimes challenging. As she described situations that she’s been dealing with I realized just how much respect I have for this woman who has been taking care of and involved in the lives of these teens for many years and watches them grow toward adulthood.
Back at the orphanage, she showed me a reward system and chart that she had devised to encourage each teen in her charge to follow the rules in regard to appearance, attitude and completion of individual chores including homework. It seems to be helping.
On my second day I visited with the girls when they were home from school on lunch break. All the girls were very hospitable and excited to see me. I had given each of them a postcard with one word of a sentence on the back that encouraged them to listen to their teachers and study. I also gave them instructions for them to solve the puzzle of the postcards. The girls enthusiastically told me that they had solved the puzzle and which word of the sentence each had translated. And, the girls so appreciated letters their sponsors sent to me to deliver. Each girl wanted me to thank their sponsors for their support when I got home. When I asked the girls to write a note to their sponsors they ran for paper and pen and got busy writing in Chinese and English. I had a blast helping spell words and collecting notes to carry home for their sponsors.
As I toured the teen’s living quarters, Miss Hua showed me that all the books in their small library have been read. They are in need of new books in Chinese for the kids to read in their “down” time. I passed this request along to Amy Eldridge to share with parents who are adopting from this orphanage. It’s possible that some adoptive parents will purchase books for the library when they are in China. However, this is not an easy task to do on an adoption trip. There is now a donation gift card option on the LWB website. Donors who wish to buy books for the teens can do so through that link. http://www.lovewithoutboundaries.com/SponsorEducation.php
I was able to stay for dinner before my flight back to Guangzhou and the remainder of my travels with LWB. Dinner was a delightful experience. The cook made a delicious meal of local foods. The PAL teens and staff surrounded me and took care of filling my plate, chatting with me and making sure I felt welcome. I had the most distinct feeling of family as I shared a meal with the kids.
After dinner, several of the teens accompanied me outside to the courtyard where I waited for a driver to take me to the airport. I shared photos of my family and answered questions about my life and my thoughts about their town. One of the teens, was especially good at using her new English. She asked me many questions about what it is like to live in the states. She was and patient with me as I tried to answer some of her questions in my limited Chinese. I felt like I was sitting outside with cousins after a holiday dinner…away from the adults but acting like adults. Again, the feeling of family surprised and thrilled me. These kids really do love each other and those of us who support them with thoughts, prayers and donations. I hope I have another chance to visit them soon.
Linda Mitchell- LWB Education Director

Cure for the Summertime Blues
From a LWB Donor...
As I returned home from a routine school physical with one daughter, I found that my other 13 year old daughter, Kathryn and her cousin, Lucy had left me a note saying that they had gone off to sell lemonade. After I wiped sticky stuff off the floor and picked up the rest of the mess they left in the kitchen, I headed out to find their stand.
I first ran into Lucy (age 7) who informed me that they had already made $27 because one guy with a lot of kids gave them $20. This seemed strange to me that they could make so much money so quickly. Something was not right. I then continued off to find Kathryn to make sure she wasn't fleecing the neighbors. I was quickly corrected that the guy with "a lot of kids" had twin boys from Korea and he was more then happy to donate to Love Without Boundaries.
These 2 girls had decided all on their own to open the stand with the intent of sending the money to LWB for the Cleft Mission trip this October. Their goal is to earn enough money so that they can sponsor one orphan's surgery. So far they have made $50. The "Lemonaid" stand will contiune throughout the weekend. Fortunately for them the forecast is for hot dry weather! Editors Note: The girls earned $98 that weekend.

Good Cries...

Almost three years ago, I was in a scrapbooking store with my newborn looking for stickers for his lifebook. I was clueless about how to create a book for a child by birth. Adoption books for my older two daughters were what I was familiar with. I wandered the aisles slowly as my son started to fuss and then really make a racket. He was hungry. I rounded a corner on my way out of the store and was blocked by a smiling woman. She said, “I just love that sound.” I was dumbfounded for a second. What on earth could she be talking about?! That sound is the sound of a cold or hot or wet, or in this case, angrily hungry little man that I need to attend to. I quickly ducked around the woman and bolted to my minivan to feed my baby. It was a moment easily forgotten until I found myself sitting in the office of a Guangdong orphanage at rest time on a site visit to one of the LWB programs we are sponsoring.

I had just had lunch with the orphanage’s assistant director, translator, and kindergarten’s English teacher. We returned to the orphanage during siesta time. All the babies and children were bedded down for an hour. The director and teacher had business to attend to. My translator and I took a seat and rested our eyes during the quiet time.

I have to admit to dozing off for a few minutes. When I awoke it was to the sound of a baby crying. I found myself thinking, “what a wonderful sound”. The baby cried and within seconds, I could hear someone comforting the baby and soothing him or her back to quiet. It happened again, and again intermittently over the course of the next thirty minutes or so.

With closed eyes, I reflected on those good cries. Children in this orphanage are loved by their caretakers and all the donors and volunteers of Love Without Boundaries. They receive high quality formula and cereal. Babies look healthy. Toddlers and children unable to attend local schools due to disabilities attend kindergarten and school on-site at the orphanage. Children who need physical therapy receive it on a weekly basis as physical therapy students from the local university conduct internships and volunteer hours here. Children in need of life saving surgeries get them. I had seen at least ten children recovering or fully recovered from recent surgeries – all smiling and ready to take on the world. Best of all, during nap time, when somebody was wet or hot or scared a child could cry with the confidence that loving hands would touch them and attend to their need.

Tears welled up in my own eyes as I thought about all the children in so many orphanages that we have yet to reach with love and medical care, nutrition, education and loving hands. My prayer is that LWB continue to grow so that we can all hear and experience those very good cries.

Yi's Barbie


Yi was born with multiple heart defects and had her first lifesaving surgery in China at 8 months of age due to proceeds from the 2004 Art Auction. Her family was able to adopt her and she has filled their lives with miracles and wonder. She has had three additional surgeries in the last year and will have one additional surgery to complete her heart repairs. She consistently touches the lives of those she meets through her courage and delightful character.

On May 1, we posted an article, “The Miracle of Yi, An Art Auction Child”. Today we wanted to share another inspirational story about Yi.
Yi’s family wanted to give back to help other children have healthy hearts and to find families. They donated a “Going Home Barbie – 4th edition” to the art auction this year in order to help a child who needs heart surgery. These Barbies are limited edition dolls that are given to adoptive families that stay at the White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou and are not available at stores. Yi’s Barbie sold for close to $200! In addition, to the doll the winning bidder will also get a special note from Yi’s family with her story of miracles and the following cute picture of Yi posing with her gift. Yi has truly made a gift of the heart to give another child a chance at life and to find their own forever family!

A Child's Gift...When I traveled with LWB volunteers to a Hunan orphanage, we met a little boy in a red shirt I’ll call “Q". He was very sly and every time we tried to take his photo, he pretended to instantly be fast asleep and snoring. Even when we tried to tickle him and pick him up, he stayed "asleep." After we were there an hour or so, he finally gave up this game and with a long face, let us take this photo. He has a club foot, club hands, no knees and weak limbs, overall. We saw that he moved around the room by pushing a plastic chair in front of him as a walker. “Immediate need--pediatric walker,” was hastily written in our notes.

I wasn’t sure how to get Q a walker. I contacted a yahoogroup of parents that have already adopted from there. The group set about purchasing one for July delivery. A few e-mails flew back and forth between us as to acquire the walker when Amy Eldridge let us know that had a pediatric walker sitting in a box in her foyer…where could she send it? The walker is from a mom of a special needs boy, Kevin, you see in the photos accompanying this entry, I sent her an e-mail of thanks. Her response sent tangles spinning into loops of love around some special China boys. She elegantly tells the rest of the story:
"Having a son with a limb difference, I have a real burden for the little ones in the same boat. The walker we donated to LWB was Kevin’s. He hardly ever used it. He has a prosthetic leg now and runs with the wind. If he ever needs one, I have resources to get him another. I'd rather give a child a chance to get around independently than leaving it in the garage for what might happen. In the school picture you can see his original "little foot". In the others you see him after. Maybe you can use them to educate people about the possibilities. Kevin swims, plays tennis and enjoys karate. Funny thing, when I started the special needs process, I was looking for a child with a very minor need...one that could be easily fixed and not seen. I am single and I didn't think I could handle more. But when I saw Kevin's picture, I could not turn away from that face. I educated myself, faced my fears and moved forward. I learned from adult amputee athletes and another single mom who adopted from Russia with a similar situation. My resolution to bring Kevin home grew. I had to buck a lot of naysayers. However, when I returned home with this Chinese version of Billy Crystal, everybody knew I had the correct son. I tell people that I shutter to think what I would have missed if I had let fear rule my decision. Kevin has opened an entirely new world to our family. I am active with the pediatric amputee network. I've met families with children who have limb differences and am comfortable with them. There is a boy in Kevin's orphanage who will never get adopted. “T”, used to look out for Kevin like a big brother there. When I saw T and Kevin dragging themselves around on adult walkers, I vowed to help get pediatric walkers and crutches to China. I looked for the best pediatric crutches I could find and have sent forearm crutches back to T and he was able to go to school. I have a picture of him smiling with his school certificate ... he was top in his class. Right now there is a new pair of navy blue crutches, donated by the company that makes them, waiting to go to him. The company donated them and shipped them to me and a family will take them to him (along with a pencil case chockfull of goodies for school as a reward for doing so well) in September.
I’m asked why I send crutches. I guess I want this little boy to know that there is someone who cares for him and who wants to send him the best.
It would please me to no end, if our story could help bring another child to a home. One of my favorite moments of this whole experience is when I sent photos of Kevin back to his orphanage. The assistant director wrote back to me, ‘Kevin doesn't look like disabled child anymore.’ "
After reading Kyle’s message, full of love and hope for not only her son, but for Q and T both living in orphanages in China, I knew beyond a doubt that greater forces were at work here than a few volunteers searching for a pediatric walker.

Remember Me...
Working in the orphanages of China has caused me to re-examine all of the things in life that I take for granted. I honestly think that each of my children has at least 1000 photos of themselves as kids, especially since the invention of the digital camera, where you can snap away like crazy for no extra cost at all. I have boxes full of photos, stacked every which way in my closet.

Each and every day I look at one particular photo, however, that means the world to me. It was given to me by a very special young lady in China, who has been orphaned her entire life. She was never given the chance at adoption, and now sadly, she is considered "too old". She has lived her entire life so far without having a mom or dad, and each time I go to China I truly look forward to spending time with her. Each time I bring her a small gift she looks surprised, and she blushes the most amazing shade of pink when I hug her and tell her how happy I am to see her.

It was on my third visit to China that she came up to me shyly and pressed a small photo in my hand. I don't know if everyone realizes how precious photos are to the orphaned children in China. Many kids have just 1 or 2 photos of themselves. Sadly, I have met children who have none at all. No parent has their photo proudly displayed on a fireplace mantle. And so when I looked down and saw the photo in my hand, that she had taken from her room to give to me, I at first said I could not accept it. "No....." I argued, asking her to please keep it for herself. "It is too important to you". But she kept pushing it back to me and finally covered her hand with mine, looking at me very intently. "For you", she said......"so you will please not forget about me".

I had to turn my head to blink away my tears. Please not forget about me. REMEMBER ME. All any child wants is for someone to look at them and see them for the special people they are. There are thousands and thousands of children in China who will never be chosen for adoption, and who will never have their photo on someone's wall. I wish there was a way to tell them all that we DO remember them.....each and every day. But since I can't, I will always treasure this photo that was given to me by a very special young lady, whom I will never forget. And I will look at my own kids' photos and realize how blessed I am to share their lives. I am humbled every day at the experiences I get to have working with the children in China. They have taught me never to take anything for granted.....not even the simple act of taking someone's picture.

When my husband and I started our adoption journey almost 6 years ago, we didn’t do so out of any desire to become humanitarians ; we simply wanted children, and after exhausting all of the traditional means to do so, international adoption seemed like our surest route to parenthood. It was only after we got involved in our adoption process that we started to learn more.

After visiting China to be united with our children, and visiting the orphanages where our daughters first lived, we came away indelibly changed. We experienced not only the changes that come with the awesome responsibilities and joys of parenthood, but we did this with the painful awareness that, in bringing our children into our families, we left behind both their homeland and thousands of other children who may never know the love of a mother or father. The directors and caregivers in these institutions love and care for their charges to the best of their abilities, but they are challenged on a daily basis to “make do” with limited resources. As adoptive parents, we can’t forget the faces of the children we left behind.

Let me tell you about one such little girl that I personally met, and because of whom I have become involved in Love Without Boundaries.
This is the story of Jing. Jing was very ill when she was brought as an infant to her orphanage in southern China. At 15 months, Jing was not able to sit, to crawl, or even to roll over. She couldn't feed herself, couldn't really hold onto anything for more than a few seconds, and was almost like a newborn. Perhaps most disturbing, Jing made no eye contact, and almost no noise, at all; her primary activity seemed to be staring at her fingers, or repeatedly kicking her leg against the side of her crib. She was very thin; we suspected brain damage or autism. We were terribly fearful for her future.

After we got home from China, a fellow adoptive mother led me to Love Without Boundaries With the help of LWB, we were able to arrange to move Jing to an LWB foster care program. With two caregivers at her side, this one very small girl traveled to new city in a different province, to be placed into a private family experienced with special needs children, where she now experiences the care and love of a wonderful foster mother and father.

That was less than six months ago, and I can't tell you what a difference we can see in Jing, just in the photographs and the information that we receive on a monthly basis as her foster care sponsors. She has gone from a vacant-eyed child who didn’t interact with her surroundings, to a walking, running, clapping, smiling and laughing three year old, and we are hopeful she may become eligible for adoption in the future. Jing is now starting to try to form words by imitating her foster parents’ mouth movements. I view Jing’s progress as nothing short of miraculous given what we observed - and didn't observe – when we first met Jing. This would not have happened without foster care.

I’m proud to report that a little over a month ago, I joined LWB as a volunteer. In the weeks that have passed, I have been both thrilled to see the amount of daily activity in which the volunteers are involved, and also, at times, a little overwhelmed by the need, which – now that I am exposed to the names and faces – feels even more personal. In one recent medical report, I counted well over a hundred names of children needing surgery or other medical attention, many of them still awaiting sponsorship.

It would be easy to conclude that the need is simply too much for one person like me to make a difference. This is where LWB’s original mission comes into its sharpest focus for me: the belief that every child counts. A few weeks ago, Amy Eldridge shared something she had read in a book about Mother Theresa, and that quote has stayed with me: “Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you.”

We obviously can’t aspire to help every child in every orphanage, but each child that is helped has worth, and the possibility of a brighter future that we can now imagine.