Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Heaven is for Real ~ Booksneeze Book Review
"Heaven is for real, and you're going to like it!"
I was able to review this book by Todd and Sonja Burpo through Booksneeze.
Heaven is For Real (for Kids) is, of course, the kid version of the book Heaven is for Real by Todd and Sonja Burpo. In this book, Colton Burpo (who is now twelve years old), tells at a child's level how, when he was just about four years old, he "closed his eyes and opened them"--and he was in Heaven!
I read this book to my 3 year old little brother. I think this was a bit of a new concept to him and he was still trying to process it. He didn't ask me any questions, but we did do a quick review at the end and I think that helped him. I am a teen and I think this book is great for both kids and teens alike because of it being written on a child's level. There is Scripture at the bottom of almost every page that show that Colton's accounts of Heaven do coincide with the Bible's accounts.
Colton also remembers that Jesus told him how you get to Heaven--"believe in Him and follow Him". Colton also remembers that Jesus told him that "that makes God very happy".
Last but not least, Colton emphasizes that "Jesus really, really loves children. And Jesus really, really loves you!"
I highly recommend this book for any child! There is a wonderful section in the back that answers questions that a lot of kids ask about the book--things like "Can you get lost on the way to Heaven?" and "Do we really get wings in Heaven?"
This review is my opinion of the book Heaven is for Real (for Kids).
Thursday, December 23, 2010
This Week's Waiting Kids!

Melissa,
Melanie,
and Shanna.
All of these children above need to be sponsored. For more information(and some of these children have sponsor packets set up and ready to go through another bloggy advocate), leave a comment with your email address. Note: I will not publish your comment after reading it if it has your email included, for your privacy. :)
This is sweet Lily, with BAAS. Lily turned two in September.
Her special needs are post operative congenital heart disease (valvular pulmonary stenosis); severe sensorineural hearing loss in both ears; tympanitis and mastoiditis in both ears. Lily's current height is 73.5cm, weight is 10.5kg, head size is 44cm and chest size is 50cm. She lives at the orphanage right now and her physical development is good. She can sit, stand and walk on her own. She can only say Ma Ma. She likes to be with people she knows, and likes to play with other children. She is a bright and lovely child.
This is cutie Jade, also with BAAS. She is ten. She was admitted into the SWI in April of 2000. She had cleft lip only and had surgery in December of 2000. Jade loves performing. She is friendly, outgoing and is very much liked by her teachers.
This is adorable Jeremy, from Lifeline. He is a year 1/2 old. He has a $1,500 grant available.
Jeremy has a meningocele.
And this is precious Joseph, from Lifeline. He is two. There is a $1,500 grant available for adopting Joseph, also.
His special need is scoliosis.
And this is beautiful Marissa. Marissa is my age(11), and was born a day before me!
She was listed and found a family with an agency last summer. When the CCAA decided that all files had to be returned and start the shared list, her found family could not proceed with her adoption and the agency sent her file back to CCAA. Don't know the circumstances of why the family could not proceed after having started an adoption for her. In her video that was available at the agency (CWA who will now not share the video), she sang a beautiful song, laughed, and seemed like such a wonderful girl. (From one of my mom's adoption friends)
She's also described as "just awesome!" :)
This is smiley Drew, from AAC. He is seven.
This sweet child is seven years old. He has cerebral palsy. He has some issues with walking. When we met Drew he was using crutches to get around, but he told us that he preferred a push walker. He is currently participating in physical therapy and doctors think that there is a good chance that he may be able to walk on his own some day.
He has good cognitive skills, however, he does have some catching up to do. Drew is a very imaginative boy. He likes to play outdoors. He also said that he likes to do his homework because the teacher gives them a treat!
And this is adorable John Wayne. John is two.
The following is from Ms. Donna of Eagle's Wings: He is 2 years old (April 2008). He was born with spina bifida and a club foot. The SB was repaired at about 6 months (I don't have those details). While I was his momma I had his club foot serial casted by China Care in Beijing. Awesome people. He was in Beijing for almost 6 months and while there fostered by a Canadian teacher and her daughter. Talk about great treatment! His foot healed nicely and he started to walk. (I think I read on a post from Ms. Donna that he is now running and jumping!)
Since being back at our foster home in his home city he has had some ups and downs with his foot. But he is still active and walking, nothing seems to keep him down. He is in a brace at night, and will be until he is about 5 yrs. He needs a family who can get him home fast and get great care for his foot. He is a terrific kid, I love him to bits.
If you are interested in any of these children or in sponsoring or advocating, leave a comment with your email. As Christmas is drawing near...remember the kids who don't have a big tree with presents, or a family to read them the Christmas story, or a stocking that can be stuffed with goodies. Keep them in your prayers this Christmas, please!
Blessings, Joy :)
Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
This Week's Waiting Kids!


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:

Saturday, December 11, 2010
This Week's Waiting Kids!
This is cutie Feng. He is 8 years old.

He enjoys his life with his peers, living, studying and playing games together. He is very outgoing, active, talkative and polite. Occasionally he is naughty. Every day after school he plays happily with his friends. He loves to chat with his teachers as well. He likes drawing, reading and watching TV. Feng is very bright and quick to learn.

He responds quickly to other people's words. He is in third grade. He is very conscientious in his study. He got 74% point in both Chinese and Math in the last tests. He has strong self-esteem and is very confident and independent.

He likes to express himself. He has a strong sense of justice and knows what is right and what is wrong. His aspiration is to become a policeman after he grows up. Feng is never a picky eater. He has a normal appetite. He sleeps well. He is very healthy and seldom gets sick.
This is sweet Annabelle, who is nine, and has been waiting for a while. There is a $4,200 grant if she is adopted through WACAP. Bright and brave is what they call Annabelle. :)

When we first met Annabelle in the Wuchuan orphanage in Guangdong, we learned that she had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and was unable to stand or walk. She could only move herself with her hands, and she often sat in the corner sadly while the other children played. However, the orphanage staff told us how very intelligent she was and praised her great leadership skills, as all of the kids were willing to listen to her. LWB suggested that a wheelchair would allow Annabelle more independence, and so through our orphanage assistance program we were able to purchase a pediatric wheelchair, allowing Annabelle to get around more easily in the orphanage. We also knew that this bright little girl should have the opportunity to attend school, and she now attends the orphanage school every day.

Since beginning school, Annabelle’s whole outlook has changed. While at first she was shy with foreigners, now she smiles a lot. Her caregivers say how brave she is and that she is careful with other children. They are very optimistic about her future.Due to Annabelle’s medical needs, she is waiting to be matched with a family through the Waiting Children Program. Annabelle would benefit so much from the opportunities afforded to her by a family of her own. She so deserves a bright future that the care of a loving family could provide.
And this is pretty Rochelle, who also has a $4,200 grant if she is adopted through WACAP. Rochelle is posted as "Rochelle the Budding Artist".

Rochelle is a lovely four-year-old child with an artistic streak that she uses to express her sunny personality. Though she cannot stand or walk, she has very creative hands that can do wonders. Rochelle loves to draw colorful pictures of flowers and the sun! Her painting is full of creativity and features quite unusual shapes. Not wanting to limit herself to one art form, Rochelle is surprisingly good at paper-cutting (for a four-year old!) and can cut shapes such as flower baskets, planes and birds.

Rochelle’s artwork is a reflection of her sweet and loving personality. The nannies tell us that whenever a nanny is tired, Rochelle crawls to her side and gently pats the nanny on the back. So sweet!
This is precious Austin, who is five and listed with AAC.

This cute little guy just turned 5 years old. Austin is very, very clever. He does very well in school. At four years old he was able to speak clearly and produce long sentences to tell a story vividly. His teachers often ask him to recite poems. Austin is currently learning English also. People say that Austin is very opinionated and can express his likes and dislikes. He can sometimes be stuborn and obstinate but is polite. He is very well liked by his foster family, peers, neighbors, and teachers. He has several hobbies. He is very interested in drawing, music, and computer games. Austin has contracture of his achilles tendon. This is a shortening of the tendon causing him to be unable to put his heel to the ground while walking. He can walk and run but does so on his tiptoes. He is scheduled for surgery in January.
This is curly cutie Snow. :) She is three.

Snow was born in September. She has deformed hands and feet. She can walk, jump, run and pick up things without problems. She is a friendly and good natured child.
This is adorable Zach He's on the right.

Zach has club feet that have been treated, and may have dwarfism, and he is covered in scabbies and is malnourished. You can't tell it in the picture above. I'm told he's a loving boy! He does look like he's full of fun, doesn't he?
This is Jaxon, from FTIA's Journey of Hope program. He is six.
Jaxon is almost seven and in 1st grade. He is a good student, with Math and Chinese as his favorite subjects. He also likes to read. He is a very friendly boy and can carry on a conversation well.
He made a very colorful picture for the JOH team, complete with a house by water (with fish) and blue skies full of birds and butterflies! Jaxon is missing his left hand.
And Kung Fu Drake, who is almost seven. :)
Drake is a vibrant, resilient, and determined boy. At 7 years of age, he has mastered many tasks. He is at or above target in all areas of development when compared to other children his age. Drake has deformity of his left face and ear. His caregivers state that Drake has a higher IQ than most others. He is very athletic and enjoys martial arts.
He speaks very well and has good hearing. Drake will be in the 1st grade it the fall. Drake is fast paced, outgoing, and confident. Drake has so many strengths and wants to be part of a family!
If you're interested in any of these children, leave a comment with your email so I can get the info to you! Please keep them in your prayers!
Blessings,
Joy :)
Thursday, November 11, 2010
This Week's Waiting Kids
First there is Annabelle, who is nine. She is being advocated for by LWB.
Bright and brave Annabelle turned nine years old in September 2010 and is waiting for a forever family.

When we first met Annabelle in the Wuchuan orphanage in Guangdong, we learned that she had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and was unable to stand or walk. She could only move herself with her hands, and she often sat in the corner sadly while the other children played.
However, the orphanage staff told us how very intelligent she was and praised her great leadership skills, as all of the kids were willing to listen to her. LWB suggested that a wheelchair would allow Annabelle more independence, and so through our orphanage assistance program we were able to purchase a pediatric wheelchair, allowing Annabelle to get around more easily in the orphanage. We also knew that this bright little girl should have the opportunity to attend school, and she now attends the orphanage school every day. Since beginning school, Annabelle’s whole outlook has changed. While at first she was shy with foreigners, now she smiles a lot. Her caregivers say how brave she is and that she is careful with other children. They are very optimistic about her future.
Due to Annabelle’s medical needs, she is waiting to be matched with a family through the Waiting Children Program. Annabelle would benefit so much from the opportunities afforded to her by a family of her own. She so deserves a bright future that the care of a loving family could provide. Please help us find a forever home for Annabelle!
Next is sweet Sean. Sean has been waiting for so long. He is a bright eleven 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 next is Oliver, or Ollie.
Oliver is being fostered by a family in the countryside, but they are also fostering a little girl. They are having some trouble fostering Ollie, as he is very active. This hurts Ollie alot. Oliver was given to the orphanage when he was four years old. He needs another foster family, and even more than that, he needs a forever family. Please be praying for Oliver.
And Zach.
Zach may have Dwarfisim, they aren't sure. He was one of the little ones that used to live on the 4th floor when a group who loved Jesus was working there... they had to pull out of the orphanage & now the level of care has declined to the point where Zach is malnourished, covered in scabbies & suffering a tummy bug that wont go because there isnt enough carers to feed the kids one at a time & they keep passing the bugs around by feeding 2 or 3 kids from the same bowl of food:( He's really struggling and he needs a foster family, but he, like Oliver, mostly needs a forever family. It was heard that he had been matched, but we can't find his family. We're hopeful!
And Teddy, from LWB.

You may not guess it when looking at his photos, but our little Teddy from Jinjiang loves to pretend to be an animal. Watch out…you might find him growling at you like a bear, or getting ready to pounce like a lion, or maybe slithering around like a snake!
As a student in LWB’s Believe in Me Jinjiang school, Teddy works hard and is improving all the time. The best thing about school for him is that he looks forward to it. He enjoys going to school and above all enjoys seeing the other children and getting time to play with toys. Teddy likes nothing more than to happily run, jump, and play outdoors….often while he’s pretending to be an animal of one kind or another!
When playtime is over, however, he has no trouble focusing on tasks, as you can see here. He is certainly working intently with these marbles.
We are all so proud of Teddy as he opens up more and more every day. It is such a joy to watch him grow and change before our eyes. He is just waiting to be chosen by a family of his own. Can you imagine the happy roar this Teddy bear will make when that day finally comes?
And then there's Willy, who is four.
Willy is an adorable four-year-old boy in LWB’s Shunyi Foster Care Program in Beijing. At this time, he is waiting for his family to find him through CCAA’s shared list.
Willy is a boy who LOVES preschool and is in his element there with all of his little friends. Besides excelling at learning characters and counting, he also is a typical boy who loves to jump on the trampoline and play games of soldiers and tag with his foster brothers. When he isn’t in the classroom, playing on the playground and digging in the dirt are some of his favorite things to do. Willy is all boy and will eat anything that isn’t nailed down these days!
He is a delightful child and shares his smiles with everyone. He is very outgoing and social. He is described as being very polite. He has recently learned all his ABC’s in English and like a typical kid turns L, M, N, O, P, into “eliminop”!!!
Although it is not visible in these photos, Willy has a number of medical issues. Some parts of Willy’s skin are very dry or scaly as the result of a genetic condition, Ichthyoses, which means that his skin does not shed like yours and mine. Additionally, he had surgery in 2006 to repair bilateral hernias. Neither of these conditions seem to get in the way of Willy living up to reputation as “All Boy”!
Next is 09_220, from Holt's Journey of Hope program. He is thirteen, and will turn fourteen in January! He will age out then and no longer be available for adoption :(

This sweet little boy came into care in June 2001. He has been surgically treated for cleft lip and palate and also has been diagnosed with mild cerebral palsy. He had surgery in November 2007 to help improve his mobility. He is able to stand, sit and walk short distances without help. He usually requires assistance with stairs. He has some vision problems and his left eye is crossed. He sits in the front of the class so that he can see the blackboard. He is described as an extroverted and clever boy who helps out with the other children. When asked, he stated that he would like to be a pilot when he grows up because he could fly in the sky. His favorite animal is the snail and he also likes the colors yellow, orange and red. He is in need of a family who has experience parenting past his age and is able to provide him with any medical care or therapies that he may need.
And 10_114, also from Holt's JOH program. He is six years old.

This special boy was found when he was only a few days old. He was found to have albinism which does affect his eyesight. He enjoys riding a toy horse and follows directions well. He also is reported to get along well with other children. He expresses himself through simple sentences, and he knows his name and the names of his caregivers. As of July 2010 he is attending kindergarten at the institution and can name three good friends there. He is stated to be able to use the toilet and feed himself on his own. He is a quick learner, can build block towers, and can make some eye contact. He is soft spoken and enjoys music. This curious young boy needs a family with experience in older child adoption and who has access to the specialized medical resources that he may need.
And this is 10_144, from Holt, who is in S. Korea, not China(East Asia). He is about to turn two years old.

This precious little boy was born full term and weighed 8.14lbs. He currently is living with a foster family who describe him as a sweet boy. His birth mother reportedly smoked two to three cigarettes a day until her fifth month of pregnancy. At birth he was found to have a preauricular skin pit and a small sacral dimple. In January he began to have delayed development and a follow up MRI found that he has a thinning of his corpus callosum and ventriculomegaly. His September 2010 well baby check assessed him to be at a 9 month developmental level. He reportedly is able to roll over, crawl and sit on his own. He is also able to grasp objects and transfer them between his hands and is imitating speech sounds. He is in need of a family who are comfortable with his unknowns and who are able to provide him with any medical care or therapies that he may need.
And this is a sibling group of two, 10_148, who were just born this year. They are also from Korea.

These adorable twin brother and sister were born premature at 35 weeks and 6 days. They were both hospitalized following their birth and cared for by their birth mother prior to coming into care when they were discharged from the hospital. The female twin weighed 5.43 lbs at birth and was hospitalized until 4/9/10. She was treated for jaundice, transient tachypnea of newborn, neonatal polycythmia and perinatal distress while she was hospitalized. She was found to have a bilaterial germinal matrix hemorrhage and periventricular leukomalacia. Follow up tests have shown improvement. She has also been diagnosed with a chromosomal abnormality. Her September well baby check assessed her to be at a 6 month developmental level and weighed 17.6 lbs. She is able to roll over, crawl and sit. She grasps objects and transfers them between her hands, says single syllables and responds to her name. She prefers her foster mother and is shy with strangers. Her brother remained in the hospital until 5/18/10. He was treated for birth asyphxia, jaundice, epilepsy and cholestasis. He was also found to have a patent foramen ovale (PFO) of his heart that has not required any treatment as of yet. He was found to have an intraventricular germinal matrix hemorrhage and was placed on medication for seizures. A neurological report from August 2010 reports that he has severe hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. In September 2010 his seizure medication was discontinued after an extended period of no seizure like activity. He had a feeding tube which was removed in August, and reportedly has some problems feeding from a bottle. He is described as spastic and receives physical therapy for his muscle tone and also possible torticollis. He has also been diagnosed with crossed eyes and sunset eyeball movement. His September well baby check assessed him to be at a 3 month developmental level and to weigh 11 lbs. He is able to lift his head, bear moderate weight on his legs, regards his hands, sucks his hands, smiles and coos. He does have head lag when pulled to a sitting position and reaches out for objects. These special babies are in need of a family who are open to some unknowns, are comfortable with their medical needs and who are able to provide them with any ongoing medical care and therapies that they will need. Experience parenting past their age is preferred.
This is another boy who is about to age out!! He is listed on Holt as an "Urgent Referral"! He is 13, his name is 10_151.

This young man is in need of a special family before he is no longer eligible for intercountry adoption. He has been in care since February 2002 and is currently living in an institution and attending school. He has formerly lived with a foster family. He is described as an honest, brave, well behaved and outgoing young man, though he can be shy in new environments. He has a previous history of being Hepatitis B positive. He enjoys drawing, reading and playing ping pong. His teachers report that he is an average student with a strong desire for knowledge. He likes his caregivers, teachers and friends and is said to be respectful and caring of the people around him. He expresses himself clearly and consistently, is said to know right from wrong and is a problem solver. His favorite toys are remote control planes and cars. He is in need of a family who has experience parenting past his age, can provide him with any medical care he may need, and who has a dossier in country so that he can be adopted before he turns 14. Previous older child adoption experience in preferred.
This is Thomas. He is two years old and a very sweet little boy. Taylor, who wrote the below, has worked with him in Starfish Foster Home, and she fell for him big time!
Thomas was born with TOF one surgery is complete and he may need another one in the future he also has an exposed bladder which I do not know if it has been repaired or not since I have left. He is so sweet and really needs a mom and dad to love on him.
This is Jack.
Jack was born in November 2007 and will soon be 3 he really wants a mom and dad and he is also one of the many children I met this summer in China.We learned threw a translator that he wants a Gu Gu(big brother) and a Mama and Baba(daddy) he is a Special Focus Child on an agency specific list and also has a grant. There is also another generous mother who is raising funds to help cover the rest of his aditional adoption expenses!
These are a few children with Shepherd's Field(Philip Hayden Foundation) who need sponsers. You may regonize Lexi whom I have advocated for on my blog!! She finally got her family-I'm so happy for her!
Lexi, who is four.

Shanna

Melissa

Ethan

Gunner

Melanie

Clyde

Olivia

Isabella

Macy

That's it! If you want to sponser one of the above children, then contact desiray.christen@chinaorphans.org and ask!
Blessings,
Joy



