Everyone I touch

Silence? With 50 children, even the nights are often not silent.

In 2005 the world changed for a school teacher. Her visit to China affected her in such a way that she made it her life's mission. When Amanda de Lange held that first needy child, her heart must have been filled with compassion. True love. Charity. Isn't it odd how tasks that often drain our energy "fill" our souls.

Amanda is another one of the rare few that has navigated the Chinese system to be able to open and maintain a private foster home in China.  Her foster home, the Star Fish Foster Home, is where she takes special needs children, addresses their needs, loves them, and helps them find forever families.

Clearly her journey has not been easy. The constant demands of learning the system, finding funding, handling the needs of the children, medical care, even bed time must take their toll. Yet she
pushes forward.  We are so very grateful for these ordinary people who do extraordinary things. To read more about the Star Fish Foster home and the opportunities to volunteer, donate, or just to feel good, visit their web site at:

http://www.thestarfishfosterhome.org/index.aspx

After drafting this message we received notice that Amanda was diagnosed with cancer. Consider donating or volunteering to help with her care or to continue her work.

Imagine the difference you can make.  Make the difference in a way only you can.

Taking Action In The Margins Of Society

Some people watch and others take action. Jacqui Shurr takes action. In 1997 she and her husband Jeff formed the Good Rick Foundation when they traveled from England to adopt their daughter from one of the most remote locations in the world: XinJiang China. Since that time they have touched the lives of thousands of orphaned and abandoned children and their families including our own daughter. 

In 2005 we met Jacqui when we adopted Kristin and saw her passion first hand. She, with the support if her husband, has organized foster homes throughout the region, arranged for schooling for children who wouldn't normally qualify for school, arranged for medical supplies and medical care, provided meaningful technical training and employment for young people who wouldn't otherwise be employable in their country, and arranged countless fundraising projects for her cause. 

Our daughter, Kristin, was found on a train at the end of the tracks when she was 6 years old. The Good Rock Foundation took her in, treated her burns and open wounds, fed her, clothed her,  found her a foster family, and loved her. When her scoliosis became more than local medical care could handle, they started a search for an international family. When we arrived, Kristin had been so very well prepared, that at 10 years old, she leapt into our arms and taught us what life is really all about. 

We are so very grateful for the work Jacqui does and encourage all to make the difference in a way only you can. 

Visit Jacqui's website at:
http://www.goodrock.org.uk/


Imagine the difference you can make. 
Make the difference in a way only you can.
http://TouchedByAnOrphan.blogspot.com
http://GiveMeAFamily.blogspot.com
http://MyFamilyFoundMe.blogspot.com

Need a special family for a special little girl

We need some truly extra special parents to love and care for our little "Kenzie". She has a complex heart condition that holds unknowns in adulthood. But there is so much promise in surgical options in the years to come that perhaps Kenzie's heart condition could be fully addressed. OR it is even possible that upon evaluation in the United States, her heart can be fixed. We have seen amazing things with our heart babies!! But families need to be aware that Kenzie might not have a normal life span at this point. There is just much that we don't know and won't until she can be seen by specialist in the United States.

We now know that Kenzie is currently at Shepard's Field. Her name there is Heather. One of the CHI families has also met her in person and is happy to share her experience. We have also learned that she needs a sponsor for Shepard's Field. Even if you can't bring her home perhaps you can bring her hope?!

http://chinaorphans.org/sponsor.html

Little Kenzie would enjoy picnics and fireworks on her birthday with an American family. She was born July 2009

Imagine the difference you can make. 

Make the difference in a way only you can.

http://GiveMeAFamily.blogspot.com

http://MyFamilyFoundMe.blogspot.com

You can change a Chinese orphan's life now through sponsorship or adoption: About

You can change a Chinese orphan's life now through sponsorship or adoption.

A child with a foster care receives so much more from a foster situation than from an orphanage. The personalized attention can only be improved through permanent adoption and 100% commitment from a forever family.

Imagine the difference you could make. Make the difference in a way only you can.