If...

...you could go to any country in the world, where would you go and why?  Let me know in your comment!

I would go to--suprise--C*ina!  And my reason for that is because I LOVE C*ina and I really feel called there, so visiting it again is definitely something I want to do!  I'd love to volunteer in an orphanage. 

Faithful Fridays ~ Why

Hi everybody! 

It's time for Faithful Friday again! 

I started Faithful Fridays so that Christians would have one designated day of the week (although we shouldn't limit it to one) to share something about our Faith--a prayer request, praise report, special Scripture, something God has laid on your heart, etc.  If you would like to participate in Faithful Fridays, type up your post and link up to my blog in it somewhere.  Also grab the above button for your post!  After your post is published, let me know in your comment on my Faithful Fridays post that you participated and leave the link to your blog!
____________________________________________

If you saw my post a little farther down titled "What" then you will understand this post.  This post explains why I think I changed so much after we came home from China...isn't it funny how two weeks in a foreign country could change me forever, for the better?

Many a time I've tried to put into words the way I feel about China.  I can't seem to do it.

So many aspects of my life involve China in some way.  The necklace around my neck.  The books I read.  My computer time.  Even my school.  My thoughts and words, too.  And especially my little brother.  :)

You've probably already noticed my love for China.  You've probably gotten tired of the numerous posts that involve it. 

When I think of China, my heart just feels...full.  Overflowing.  Bursting.  Bubbling over.  I feel inspired.  I can so see myself working over there in an orphanage or children's home. 

And to think I might not have gone..well, that's just awful to me!  You see, I'm very, very, very (VERY) afraid of shots.  And nose and throat swabs.  And doctor visits in general.  I'm just sort of afraid of pain.  And so, when I found oiut that to go to China, I had to have three shots (like my parents, just different kinds of shots), I seriously considered staying home with my grandparents.  Well, I braved it out.  And I'm so, so thankful.  Thank you God!

China changed me. 

When I got home from China, I went through a bit of a rough maturing phase.  We've been home with Luke for over a year, and I can still see slight traces of that phase sometimes, although it is nothing, and I mean nothing like the issues I had during the first 6-8 months. 

This phase had one big issue--thoughts.  I had doubts and just thoughts that I did not want.  And couldn't seem to get them out of my head.  Worse than that, I felt a pressing need almost 100% of the time to tell my thoughts to my mama.  Like almost all of them.  It was a conscience thing--I felt super, super bad if I didn't confess my thoughts.  Saying them to God just didn't seem to be enough.  I know that was just me giving myself a hard time (along with the devil of course).  There were very few thoughts I had that I didn't tell my mom. 

These doubts and thoughts began with my Christian Faith.  That was short lived and taken care of quickly by my awesome, wise parents and my mighty, all-knowing God.

The next hit was really bad, too.  Almost worse because it lasted so long.

My family.

My family. 

I was sad all the time.  I call it "that deep down feeling."  It's sort of like a constant sinking feeling reminding me of my thoughts.  I cried a lot.  I asked my mama over and over and over and over again--"Is this going to end?  When?  Why am I going through this?" 

My mama was so awesome during this time.  She read a books to me, prayed with me, hugged me, talked to me, and encouraged me.  She carried so much for me during that time.  She has such a beautiful, compassionate, loving soul.  I thank God for her!  And I thank you, Mama, for doing what you do!

I couldn't escape my thoughts.  I guess I was just weak spiritually.  I had a ridiculous consicence.  And after all this, I still loved China!  Mama recently commented that she believes that my desire to work in China is God-given.  I believe so, too. 

Now, looking back, I can see that God used this time to mold me into what I am now.  I'm not trying to brag or anything, but I do think that I've changed.  Sometimes I can't believe the things I did before China.  They weren't terrible things, just the teen stuff that can sometimes lead to other things--boy craziness, internet addiction, etc.  And the words I spoke along with my attitudes and actions.  The websites I spent my time on weren't bad in theirselves, but the things that went on on those websites were not pleasing to God, I'm sure and I wish I hadn't had any part of those.  Yes, I was a Christian.  I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior when I was five.  But I wasn't acting like a Christian.  I was kind of conforming to this world--slowly.  I thought--this is the part that really shocks me--that I was being a pretty good Christian girl.  But I knew deep (deep) down that some of the things I did were not right. 

So, God used that hard phase after China to change me.  Actually, God saved me, from the way I was becoming.  He set me apart.  I understand now why I went through that.  And I'm thankful for that time in my life. 

Lots and Lots of Hairbows!

Hi everyone!

Some of you may know that I'm fundraising for what I call my "China Fund."  The money that I raise (I'm aiming for $10,000 by next summer/fall) will be used either for a family trip to volunteer in an orphanage/children's home or (if I can ever convince my dad to let us adopt again) for our own adoption fund.  Either way, the money will be spent on Chinese waiting children.  :)

I've fundraised before by writing sentimental short stories for folk's kids, grandkids, etc. 

My newest fundraiser is making and selling hairbows!  The bigger bows measure between 4 1/4" and 4 1/2" across.  The flower bows have three different sizes.  The large is approximately 3" across (this one is best for little girls) the medium is approximately 2 1/2" across (this one is best for toddlers), and the small is approximately 2" across (this one is best for babies). 

Here they are!  All profit goes to the mission trip fund! 

Oh and sorry for the poor picture quality...my camera isn't just great. 

#1- $5.00

#2-$5.00

#3-$4.00

#4-$4.00

#5-$4.00

#6-$4.00

#7-$4.00

#8 (Medium size)-$3.00

#9 (Small size)-$2.00

#10 (Medium size)-$3.00

#11 (Medium size)-$3.00

#12 (Medium size)-$3.00

#13 (Small size)-$2.00

#14 (Small size)-$2.00

#15 (Large size)-$4.00

#16 (Large size)-$4.00

#17 (I have this one in Large, Medium, and Small)-$3.00

If you would like to order, send an email to my mama's email telling us the number of the bow you want and your zip code so that we can figure shipping costs.  Paypal preferred.  Her email is countrygirlathome@att.net.

If you would like a different color bow, I can make custom bows. 

God bless you,
Joy

~The Journal of Lucy Lyn Hart~

June 2nd, 2011.  2:30 PM Ch*na time and 1:30 AM America time.

We are halfway into the flight to B*ijing. 

On my right is Mama, and on my left is Daddy.

In front of us is an absolutely adorable little girl and her mama and daddy...this girl is like a number ten on the cuteness scale!  She's probably about five.  We met this family in the airport.  They live in the states but are visiting their family in B*ijing.  They haven't been since their daughter was born.  Her name is Emily.  She is five years old. 

Behind us are two student girls, probably about seventeen.  My guess is they are coming from another part of Ch*na where they go to school to Beijing to visit their family for the summer.  Or maybe they are exchange students on their way back to Ch*na. 

I have a secret...we stuffed Bibles into our carry-on bags!  If we had put them in our checked baggage, they would have, ahem, disappeared.  Mama and Daddy gave me permission to try to slip the student girls some Bibles.  I don't know what their reaction will be, but I'm hoping all goes well!

I'll write as soon as I can from B*ijing.  Here come the snacks and drinks!

Faithful Fridays~Adoption

Hi everyone!

Welcome to Faithful Fridays!  My mama and I started this so that Christians can weekly post about their Faith...prayer requests, praise reports, etc.  If you participate, please let me know in a comment and give me a link to your blog so that we can come visit you!

Now, you know me with my adoption craze.  I can't help it...those kids need homes and they need them fast!

I would like to share a few videos and a few of my thoughts on adoption and why we should pursue it, especially as Christians.

So this first video...by Eric Ludy (who, by the way, is awesome!  Mama has been reading the book that he and his wife wrote, When God Writes Your Love Story, aloud to me), is one of my favorites.  It's so worth it to watch it.  It will truly move you.



Next is a video by Randy Bohlender, from the Zoe Foundation.  I'm really not familiar with that organization, but I found the link to this video on an advocacy Yahoo group. 



I've shared some things about adoption before, but I would like to bring my points up again.

1.  Money

This is a BIG thing with people...they say, "I'd love to adopt, but we just don't have the money."  Let's rephrase that statement.  "I'd love to go get my child who is stuck in an institution on the other side of the world, but we just don't have the money."

"Now wait a minute," you exclaim, "that is NOT the same thing."  Are you sure?  When my mama and I saw my little brother's face in his referral photo, we KNEW he was ours.  He just was.  And he had been our child from the very beginning.  God had known all along, even if we hadn't. 

As Mr. Eric Ludy said, what if that was your child over there?  Your Emily?  Your Jacob?  Your Ellie?  Your Jack?  Your baby boy or your baby girl? 

Don't you see?  "I'd love to adopt" is the same as "I'd love to go get my child from across the globe."  And you wouldn't dare say that.  You would hop on that plane and you would fly over to your child as fast as you possibly could.  You would do whatever it takes.  You wouldn't worry about money.  Money would be nothing to your concern at that moment.  It would be your child. 

And if you are concerned about living expenses for when you get home...think about this:  If God wants you to have this child, won't he take care of living expenses?

Matthew 6:25-34 says

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.  Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?  Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 
  "And why do you worry about clothes?  See how the lillies of the field grow.  They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that dot even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'  For the pagans run after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own."

And if it is God's Will that you adopt, don't you think he'll provide the money? 

2.

Too old.

How many times have I heard this?  "Oh, I want to be around for them."  Yes, you want to be around for them.  You want to be there for them.  You don't want someone else to have to take care of them.  And yes, that's understandable. 

But even young people can die.  A 30-something year old could adopt and then months later die in a car accident.  You never know what will happen.

And don't you think that if God wants you to adopt, he will make sure that either you are around for them, or that they have someone there for them who can watch over them and train them?  Stop worrying!

3.  God's Will. 

Really, I can't argue much over this one.  Because I think that God's Will is different for each person's life.

So, you must seek God's Will.  You may find it by seeing a specific child's face and just knowing.  Or it may be that several events just happen to occur at just the right time (I don't call that coincidence, I call that GOD), or it may be that God makes all the pieces fall into place.  Or it may be something completely different.

But if it isn't any of these things, what if--well, what if you were to let the ball start rollin' and just see if God opens the doors?  If He closes them, you know that it is not God's Will that you adopt.  If he opens them, you know that He wants you to keep moving on.  He will show you.  You just have to trust Him. 

Really, in all of the adoption process--the consideration of adoption, the beginning of the process, the middle, and the end--through all of it, you have to trust God.  Trust the Creator of the universe.  The Deliverer.  The Savior.  The Author of Salvation.  The Implementor of Mercy.  The Giver of the Ultimate Happiness.

I think he can handle it.

Journal Entries from China-Part 2-

A while back, I posted entries from the journal I took to China.  Now I'm back with Part 2!  This is NOT the journal series that I started writing.  These are my REAL journal entries from while I was in China. 
This is where it got tough.  The delay to Bejing really got to me.  I was afraid of not getting to China and being stranded in Japan!  I was soo excited building up to getting to Tokyo, and then...erm....it all melted away in worry!  Lol.  I prayed and prayed and prayed and PRAYED that night, and God took us through it!  I wish I had it to do over again...maybe I could have enjoyed it a little more!

(Ok, now for the actual entries!  Continued from where I left off, within same entry)

Wow. The asian girl's nails are sooo cuuutee! Haha. Mom and dad are asleep. I slept on the plane to San Fransisco, so I'm not very sleepy. They are out cold. Lol. I can't wait until I can get wifi and email my friends! I also can't wait until we get to the Beijing Airport and see a Chinese Guide holding a sign that says "Jason and Tammy."  I'm pretty excited about Tokyo, too. 

Joy

Next Day, 4:01 AM 

Dear Journal,

Well the unexpected has happened. Due to storms in Bejing, our flight yesterday to Beijing was moved to 6:00 AM today. We are staying in the Port Hotel. It's so scary being in Japan. What with the tricked out toilets(they spray you afterwards! And the flush is WEIRD!), the people that speak all languages BUT English, and the signs are so weird...Bleh. But across the room from us is PING! We met Ping in the waiting area for our flight. She's like family now. She helped us with our Chinese because she was born and raised in China. She is a student in San Fransisco now, and has been for 7 years. She's soooo nice. We lost her and I was so worried but then someone was knocking on our door and I opened it a little and saw her and I flung it open and yelled, "PING!!!" and hugged her. She's over here using mom's makeup. She didn't bring any extra clothes or anything. She's soo nice. We got her number/email. Asian girls are like...Fashion icons. Gotta go,

Joy

Same Day 6:16 AM

Dear Journal,

On the way to Beijing!! It already cold, and we haven't taken off yet! There is a very fashionable young asian girl sitting on the right of me. Ping is a bathroom and 2 seats behind us. GEEZ people keep slamming the overhead bins....Gotta put my Journal away. See ya.

Joy

Same Day 11:27 AM

Dear Journal,

We just arrived in our hotel room at the WangFuJing Grand Hotel. Vanessa brought us here. Our actual Guide will meet us here at 1:30 PM. My stomach feels weird. I'm praying really hard I don't have a flare-up. I think last night in Tokoyo I got wrecked up because I was so scared. Now I'm worried about Ping. We had to leave her behind at the airport. We have her email and Chinese number, so maybe we can get in touch. I'm gonna go now. Bye!

Joy

June 20th, 2010.  3:36 PM
Father's Day
Gotcha Day

Dear Journal,

Within 45 minutes, we will be getting our new family member!  I'm so excited, hyper, happy, and loopy!  Luke is about to meet his "Foreign Mother" and "Foreign Father" and new JieJie in a matter of minutes!  I can sit int he window sill and watch the cars and bikes go by...it's so peaceful.  I have to go now...so excited!

Love,
Joy

Monday, June 28th, 2010. 

Dear journal,

We've had Luke for eight days, and I haven't written.  Sorry!  So instead of writing all this to look at latr in life, go to here:  http://www.journeytome.com/.  Then go find Luke w/BAAS.  I met a twelve year old girl at the museum then saw her again at Lucy's (good food!) and exchanged hotels.  She's being adopted and doesn't speak English, but we still communicate.  We're going on a cruise with them on Wednesday and going to a temple with them tomorrow.  I can't wait!  I'm friends with seven year olds (new big sisters!) Anna and Iris.  Our guide Aron is so sweet.  She's my buddy.  I'm also friends with an adopted girl (Laila)'s cousin, Katie.  David and Stacie and Kim and Chuck are here in Guangzhou. 

Love,
Joy



The breakfast bar at our hotel in Guangzhou...pretty good!

 Tuesday, June 29th, 2010.  2:33 PM

Dear Journal,

Right now I'm in Subway with Mom, Dad, Luke, Kim, Chuck, Shiloh, and Mr. YeYe.  Aron, our guide, came by at 1:30 to do some paperwork with us, then Kim and Chuck came by.  Some girls just stopped by the window at our table and took a picture with me through the window!  Ordering is taking forever!  We're going shopping soon, yay! 

Love,
Joy

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010.  12:00 PM

Dear Journal,

I'm on a subway with Mom, Dad, and Luke and everyone else and their mother!  It's so crowded!  Lol!  Ugh, I hate subways.  Luke does too.  I'm hungry. 

Love,
Joy

********************************************************

Hope you enjoyed!  Keep checking back for more!  Part 3 will be starting with the train station where we boarded a train for Hong Kong. 

God bless you!

Joy

Happiness

I've been reading this book. 

The Diary of Ma Yan

The Struggles and Hopes of a Chinese Schoolgirl



It was published in America in 2005 and in France in 2002. 

It is a combination of the real diary entries of a Chinese girl from the time she is 13 to 14 and narrations of her and her family's way of life.  She and her family live in one of the poorest parts of China.  The Chinese government has actually declared this part of China uninhabitable because of its many droughts.  She is constantly commenting on how she must get an education so that her family can escape poverty.  She must reach university.  She must get a good job.  Here is an example:

Friday, November 10th.

This afternoon we made the trek home after school.  My mother was preparing noodles for my brother and me.  My father was outside, busy mixing water with coal dust.  With the mud it makes, we create coal cakes to burn.  My brother and I went off to visit our paternal grandmother, who lives at our fifth uncle's.  My grandparents live in the big room.  My undle has dug a sort of cave next to the house for his seven children.

By the way, his seven children are all girls.  I'm sure he's unhappy about that!  Sons are treasured over girls.  Ok, on with this entry from the book...

When we arrive, our grandmother is out.  Our cousin tells us that our grandparents are busy cutting fodder for the ox.  We go off to help them.  When he's finished cutting the grass, Grandfather feeds it to the ox.  Grandmother invites us into the kitchen and offers us brand and steamed potatoes.  I accept half a roll, and my brother has a potato. 

  My grand mother's almost eighty but she still works for fifth uncle's family.  So des my frandfather.  Old people who have an education certainly don't have to do this kind of work.  Surely when on ereaches old age, it's time to benefit from life.  Nowhere but here do you see old people serving the young like this. 

  It's obvious that one has to study these days in order to avoid the fate of my grandparents, who have to slave away into their old age.  They'll never taste happiness.

Ma Yan is associating education with happiness.  I know that education may help Ma Yan (and others) pull out of poverty, but after that, what is there?  Work all the time?  Always pushing on?  Never a moment of family time or enjoyment? 

Don't get me wrong.  An education is good and important...but it shouldn't take first place.  I know a girl who has spent all her time getting a good edcuation.  And she has it.  But she is living alone with a dog and no one to spend her holidays with.  She has commented before to us that her holiday would just be like any other weekend. 

But, even family and friends cannot give the Ultimate Happiness.  I know a man who was in the hospital.  He talked on and on about how he loved his family, cared about them, etc., but he never talked about Jesus.  And all the while, this was the most important thing.  Family and friends won't get you to Heaven when you die.

I wish that Ma Yan (and others) knew about this Ultimate Happiness.  Because all you have to do is this. 

1.  Believe that Jesus Christ, God's One and Only Son, came down to earth and died on a cross as the sacrifice for our sins (from our sinful nature which was handed down to us from Adam, the man who first sinned.) and that three days later, God brought him back to life. 

2. Repent of your sins.  "God, I know I have sinned against you.  I'm a sinner.  Please forgive me and was my sins away."

3.  Ask Jesus to come into your heart. 

"Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."  Revelation 3:20 (NIV)

And you now have the Gift of Eternal Life!  When you die (or if the Lord comes back to snatch us away from this evil world before you die--either way), you know that you will definately will go to Heaven.  There will be streets of solid gold, a crystal clear stream, mansions built for each of us, no pain, death, or sin, and--most of all--The Glory of the Lord will shine over everything and everyone.  The Glory of the Lord will shine so brightly that we don't need a sun, a moon, or stars. 

That's true happiness...that's the Ultimate Happiness. 

God bless you!

Love,

Joy

~The Journal of Lucy Lyn Hart~

Hi Everyone!  I decided to start another journal series!


June 2nd, 2011. 

We're on a Delta Airlines airplane, on our way to Seoul, South Korea.  From there, we will fly over North Korea (that's somewhat scary), and into Beijing, China, where we will begin learning basic Mandarin Chinese.  Then we will fly to a little village close to the China/Mongolia border and begin our mission work. 

My name is Lucy Lyn Hart, and I am a Christian girl.  I am 12 years old and am going with my mama, daddy, and little brother to China to be missionaries. 

My mama, beautiful and godly, is named Faith Noelle Hart.  She is a faithful Christian who has a big, loving, compassionate heart. Taking care of and loving her husband, Luke, and her kids, Elijah, Hunter, and me is second to being a Christian and she takes it very seriously as her calling. I love her SO much! She's very godly and faithful, and she's zealous for God. When my daddy told us that God was calling us to China, she accepted it eagerly with excitement and kindled a fire in her heart for the people of China that is burning true and bright.  She has beautiful red higher-back length hair that has summery golden streaks in it. She has cute sidebangs and a ready smile, along with sparkly, deep chocolate eyes and silken lashes. She has a thin figure and is about 5'7.

My daddy, Luke Lee Hart, is a strong, supportive, and hard working man. As my mama does, my daddy takes taking care of his family in a very serious way. He works hard and also took up God's call to us with excitement and eagerness.  He has black hair, green eyes, and a strong build.  He is a tall man at about 5'10. 

My older brother, Hunter Yong Hart, is a 22 year old man from South Korea.  He is staying in the U.S. since he is married and his wife, Morgan, is expecting their first child--a girl, whom they will name Rebecca.  Hunter has thick, coarse black hair, tan skin, and dark brown eyes.  He is little, like most Koreans, at about 5'6, almost 5'7. 

(Here I shall leave a blank space, where I hope that one day I can tell about another brother or sister of mine!)

I am a 12 year old Christian girl who loves God more than anyone and her family more than any other person on earth.  I am so very excited about accompanying my family to be missionaries to China.  I have blonde-brown hair, chocolate eyes just like my mama's, medium skin, and a thin figure.  I'm about 5'. 

I just ate lunch...bleh!  Airplane food makes me nauseous.  There are some neat things that my parents tried out--seaweed peanuts!  We saved some to bring home. 

There's been a bit of chaos during airport security for our family.  First of all, it's hard to handle getting three people, two adults and one child, through security when you have to take out your passport, hand it over, take it back, put it back where you had it, take your shoes off and put them on the conveyer belt, take your belt off and put it on the conveyer belt, take everything out of your pockets and put it on the conveyer belt, put blankets on the conveyer belt, put carry-on bags on the conveyer belt, take your camera off and put it on the conveyer belt, walk through a metal detector, collect everything off the conveyer belt, and get it all situated, all the while staying together.  Plus, there's been some mishaps.  For instance, I left my camera and when we came back to get it, it was laying under the conveyer belt on the floor.  It had been laying in the lost and found and had gotten knocked over.  Once, the laptop almost fell off the belt.  And again, dad had a piece of metal in his back pocket that was sending off the detectors...and he couldn't locate it!  It took about ten minutes for us to figure it out!

I am seated next to my BEAUTIFUL mama and an ADORABLE little Korean girl...her name is Hyun Lee Taek and she is five years old. 

We're about to land, so I have to put up my journal for now.  I will write once we're on our way to Beijing. 

Hope you enjoyed! 

God bless you!

Love,
Joy :D

Cheng-Please Look at This!

This is Cheng.



  

Cheng is thirteen years old, and when she turns fourteen, she will no longer be able to be adopted. 

I am asking you to PLEASE look at this girl, look at her videos, and PRAY.  Ask God if she's yours because she's just so sweet and it's almost too late. 

Below is how she's listed on Lifeline's "Shared Children List" page.  She's on the Shared List. 


Cheng (URGENT) female, age 13


post operative cleft lip and palate

Cheng video: password cheng2 

Cheng video: password cheng1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Click on "Cheng video" to see videos of Cheng.  Type in the password in the space provided at the top-ish part of the page. 

I believe that in the first video listed, Cheng is singing "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee," or at least she is singing the tune (of course it's in Chinese). 

Please pray!  If you want to know more about Cheng, leave a comment with your email address.  After reading it, I won't publish it (for your privacy). 

God bless you!

Love,

Joy

This Week's Waiting Kids!

So today, I want to focus on two kids, both from BAAS.


This is adorable Johnathan, from BAAS, who has cleft lip and palate.



He is from Luke's orphanage and is being cared for by Half the Sky. Look at that smile!! He was born in October '09. His special needs are cleft lip and palate; hernia. Here's what's written about him:


He can sit on his own, stand holding onto something and take steps holding hands with someone. He is bright, curious and good-natured. He loves to smile and communicate with others. He understands instructions and loves to listen to music.




On his original file, he could do things like locate a sound or voice and visually follow moving toys,

and was described as active, restless, quick-reacting, impatient sometimes, and closest to his caretaker. He also was described as having a ready smile.

This is precious Kai, who is six. Here's what's written about him.

Kai was born in April of '04. He was admitted to the SWI in April of 2010. He is fond of communicating with others. Under excellent care and nursing of the staff and live together for several days, he adapts to the environment in a short time. While being familiar with the caregivers and children, he is outgoing, has strong ability of imitating, likes playing games with the other children, often sweeps the floor with a small besom, helping the caregivers to tidy the toys and baby walkers.



He is very helpful, restless and active, intelligent and fond of study, knows the number of 1-10, can count from 1 to 100, knows the addition within 10, can write his own name down. He is fond of communicating with caregivers, often runs and jumps with his fellow friends, and has enthusiasm for learning. He accepts to new things fast, can help his fellow friends, quick in reaction, lively and outgoing personality. He has strong self-care ability and is able to dress, sweep the floor, mop the floor, do the dishes, fold up his quilt all by himself. He is fond of meat and candy.





So, if you haven't figured it out already, Kai was given to his orphanage somewhere around his sixth birthday. Very sad. :( It seems as if he's adapted very well, though. Don't you think he'd be a wonderful, easy going, sweet, smart little boy?


Keep these kids in your prayers, please! I've got a few blog posts coming up! I just have to proof and schedule them!


Blessings,
Joy :)

This Week's Waiting Kids!

Hi everyone! Starting off this week, there's a little girl with beta Thalassemia, whom I will be referring to as "Min". Here's what's written about adorable little Min.

She's thought about by the people on the Thalassemia group, but hasn't been mentioned elsewhere. I looked at her file the end of October 2009, but had to decline. We found our daughter 2 weeks later, but I still think about this little girl's adorable smile. The Thalasemia group is a wonderful resource and they find Thal a manageable special need. She disappeared off the shared list for a while but has been back since May.




One of the Thal moms knows her foster family (her son was with them, but they were not there at the same time.) Her agency sent her Min's file so that she could advocate for her. She is listed on the shared list as not walking but if you read the file she was walking - just as an older toddler. β-thalassemia, slow motor development (can’t walk), slow physical development (height couldn’t reach the standard)

This is precious Ellie, from Madison. She is ten. (I could not get a pic of Ellie to paste here) Some things written about her:

Ellie has "poor eyesight and slightly introversive of right foot". After admission, Ellie can say “hello, brother, hello aunty”, etc. point out differentbody parts: eyes, ear, mouth etc. say the sentences that make up by 3-5 words, but notclear enough, for example “Sister, time to eat”,etc. At the age of 4 years, she’s able toread children’s songs, answer simple questions, talk with teachers and classmatesactively to express her mind or requirements. In terms of receptivity, she’s able toclassify things with different functions, count fingers and say the number from one toten, or tell out the sum total. On Aug.1 2005, she was fostered by a family and could getused to the new environment, get along with family members. At present, she isstudying in grade two of the elementary school near to her home, she’s poor tounderstand the knowledge that teachers taught. But she’s polite to others, respects theelder people and everyone likes her. Ellie is an active and outgoing girl. She’s able to walk with holding her one handat the age of 1year and two months, walk alone with normal gait at the age of 1.5years, but tilt to the right. At the age of 3 years, she’s able to put on or take off clothes, shoesetc. do some work within her ability, such as: clear away the toys that she played. At theage of 4 years, she’s able to run, tilt to the right obviously, fond of playing on the slidingboard, had flexible and quick actions, able to feed herself food, wash her face, brushher teeth, put on and take off clothes, shoes, socks, go to washroom. Presently she cando some housework, like: sweeping the floor, wipe the table, clear away her personal stuffs and clean her dormitory, and wash clothes. She can fold the quilt neatly after getting up every morning.


This is cutie Jimmy, from FTIA's JOH program. He was just recently added to the list because at the time of the program, his paperwork wasn't finished being processed. Here's what's written about him:






Jimmy is 9 years old and has a mild developmental delay. He was brought to the orphanage at age 8 and now lives in foster care. He is in special education class but is close to other children his age. He can read simple Chinese characters. He likes riding bikes and any games that involve a ball. He is quiet, gets along well with others, and is introverted mostly when around strangers; otherwise he is a friendly and active young boy. He can take care of himself and will help the other children. You can see him performing in this video, along with Flower and Marc.

This is precious John, from BAAS. John is about 18 months old.




His special needs are cleft palate and repaired cleft lip; HBV carrier.




John is a lovely boy with good appetite and ready smile.

And those who need to be sponsored:

Brent,







Melissa,


Gunner,


and Melanie!


Check out my advocacy website, Waiting on Their Family. If you want more info on sponsoring or any of the children who need to be adopted, leave a comment with your email address. After reading, I will not publish the comment for your privacy. :) As always, please keep these children in your prayers, and also keep my bloggy friend Emma in your prayers as she, her dad, and several people on their mission team head to Uganda! You can read about Emma's trip here.

Blessings!
Joy :)

This Week's Waiting Kids!

Hi everyone!

Starting off this week, a few children who need to be sponsored.

Brent

Ethan

Gunner

and Isabella.

Leave a comment with your email for more info. If your email is included, I won't publish it after reading for your privacy. :)

This is beautiful Sue, From BAAS.

Sue was born in March of '08. She has complicated congenital heart disease: Complex congenital deformities
DORV; TGA;VSD ventricular both-way shunt; PDA;Discontinuous echo in middle of AS; PFO?;Situs transversus atrium;Pulmonary valve stenosis;Mitral regurgitation (slight);Tricuspid regurgitation (slight); Sue entered the grandmother program sponsored by "Half Sky Foundation" at seven months old.



The grandmother often takes her out and talks with her. Her development is delayed compared with others. She has routine life under excellent care, and has normal defecation and urination, and at the age of 5 months, she can smile when being teased, and at the age of 8 months, she can roll over and at the age of 12 months, she can sit alone and can walk with one hand held.



Her language development is delayed compared with others, and she can understand the simple directions, but she seldom expresses herself using language, and when she is happy she will say bao, bao, xie, hao.



She is introverted, timid, and has a strong sense of self-protection when she is with strangers. She has strong imitating ability and learning ability and is bright.
She is happy to stay with her caretaker. She likes to read books and listen to music. She claps her hands when listening to music, and she likes to play hide and seek game.

And this is adorable MeiMei, also from BAAS.



Meimei was born on 10-27-2003. She has Dwarfism.



She goes to school and loves to sing, dance and read. She is friendly and self-sufficient.

This is precious Cora, from AAC.



Cora is a darling little two year old. Her caretakers say that she is very clever. She likes watching TV and playing with toys but prefers to play with other children. Cora is developmentally on track. She is independant, feeds herself and is potty trained. One of Cora's eyes is underdeveloped. It is small and set back. She can see fine through her other eye though.

And this is sweet Megan, also from AAC.



Little Megan was born in April, '05. She is outgoing and likes to run, jump and play with other children. Her cleft lip and plate have been reparied and she has recoved from it well. She is developmentally on track and doing well in kindergarten.

And this is cutie Braden, also from AAC.



This cute little guy was born in September of '09. He is active, social and curious. His caregivers adore him. Braden was born with cleft lip and palate and is a hepatitus b carrier. He also has a black birthmark on the back of his head. He has no other medical conditions and Braden's physical and intelectual development are normal.

I'm sorry I haven't been posting much at all. I've got some posts in mind, but I like to get my waiting child posts done first! For now I'll leave you with this. :)

The Waiting Child by Debbie Bodie (From my friend's advocacy blog, Still We Wait.)
I saw you meet your child today.
You kissed your baby joyfully, and as you walked away with her I played pretend you'd chosen me. I'm happy for the baby, yet inside I'm aching miserably I want to plead as you go by, "Does no-one want a child of three?"
I saw you meet your child today. In love with her before you met, and as I watched you take her out I knew it wasn't my turn yet. I recognize you from last year! I knew I'd seen your face before! But you came for a second babe. Does no-one want a child of four? I saw you meet your child today, but this time there was something new. A nurse came in and took MY hand and then she gave my hand to you. Can this be true? I'm almost eight! And there are infants here, you see? But then you kissed me and I knew. The child you picked this time was me.

This Week's Waiting Kids!

Hi everyone!

I want to focus on a few kids this week...and I would like to direct you to the advocacy website. I've got it updated with a few more kids! You can visit it here.

First, a thirteen year old girl named Bella. I just came across this girl today. The following describes her situation better than I could, I think. :) It's from a blog who advocated for her, called 143 Million Less One. I tend to wonder why she's looking so sad. In basically all the pictures I've seen of her, she's wearing that face. :(

"When I was thirteen years old, I was still playing with Barbie dolls and washing off the "cooties" that were left behind when a boy touched me. I dreamed about one day becoming either a ballerina or a nurse or both. It was a simpler time and in my childhood innocence, I was still a little girl in every way. Which brings me to the beautiful child in the photo. Last week, I received an email from a mom who this past July adopted the adorable baby girl who used to sleep in the crib adjacent to our son in his orphanage. In her email, she told me about a beautiful, healthy little girl in China referred to as Bella, who if not matched with a family before her fourteenth birthday in February 2011, will permanently age out of the adoption process. Now, I don't know about you, but as a mother of a once thirteen year old daughter, I have had a very difficult time sleeping this past week just thinking about the uncetain reality of this little girl's future. That having been said, I implore each and every reader of this post to study this precious child's face. Think for a moment about your own children and then examine the longing in her lonely eyes. Most importantly, when you hit your knees this evening, PLEASE PRAY FOR BELLA. Ask your heavenly Father how he would use YOU to change her life for the better. Please forward this post to EVERYONE and ANYONE within your personal sphere of influence with the hope that SOMEONE would read this story and be touched by God to reach out to this child and bless her with the family and the future she deserves. For more information please contact kathy@wiaa.org and reference Child #4 'Bella'"

This is Sean. Sweet, smart, gentle, encouraging, dreaming Sean. Sean is eleven.



He is listed with FTIA's Journey of Hope program, where he has been for 2 years now. He's disappointed because he participated last year and wasn't adopted. Sean is one of the first kids I ever advocated for. Here's what's written about him:

"Sean is a bright 11 year old. He has been in a foster family for 4 years but desperately wants a forever family - maybe with an older brother and sister. He’s in 4th grade and his favorite subject is computer. He enjoys reading about science and technology and his favorite sport is soccer. Sean’s personality fills a room! He is great with the younger kids and was nicknamed the “Little Director” because he was keeping them all in line for their program. Sean was disappointed last year when he participated in another Journey of Hope program but did not find a family. He wants to live in America because everyone has a house! Sean was born with cleft lip and palate and has had surgery for both. He may need some reconstruction and some dental work; however his speech is excellent and he liked practicing his English on us! Click here to see a video of our interview with Sean."

And this is adorable Ben, who is also with FTIA's JOH program.. Ben is five.

Seriously-when they say "please watch this video," they mean it. Mom and I watched it, and, if I hadn't, I probably would be scared of thalessemia. But it's so mild! Please, take time to watch it. This is what's written about Ben: "Ben is 5 years old and a charming little boy. He has a diagnosis of thalassemia. The medical team was amazed at how well he is doing. At this time, he gets blood transfusions every two months and does perfectly between those transfusions. Again, we all were amazed at his overall health. Ben has excellent gross and fine motor skills. He is described by his caregivers as smart, the “little boss”, and cooperative. Ben came to his orphanage at the age of three. He is often the leader. His language development is on target. This friendly little boy has so much to offer. To learn more about thalassemia, please watch this video."

Please remember that some of these children may live in an orphanage where they are taken care of basically, but not not given one-on-one care. They sleep in rooms with metal cribs that line the walls and fill in the space in between. Couldn't you tell them about Jesus? Give them a good home? Dress them in pretty clothes? Give them a brother or sister? Read to them? Rock them to sleep?

If you are interested in one of these children, email the contact provided or leave a comment with your email address so I can get the info to you! I won't publish the comment, so it won't be public. If you are interested in advocating, leave a comment with your email address. I'd love to help you get started with some sites and kids who need to be spoken up for!

Blessings,

Joy :)