The Girls' Homeland

Ok, friends and family...Laney gave you a little bit of information about the serious situation in China right now. They have been hit by record-breaking snowstorms, and it has brought a lot of the country to a standstill.

Well, today, the information got a little more personal. Our daughters' Social Welfare Institute (orphanage) has been affected greatly. Although Yifeng SWI was not the ideal place for our girls to spend nearly all of their first two years of life, it is those staff members and nannies that kept our daughters alive and loved until they could come home.

We are fortunate to belong to a Yahoo group of families that have children from the Yifeng SWI. One of the mothers took the initiative to find out how severe the situation was for the SWI and contacted Love Without Boundaries (LWB). This is an organization of volunteers in China that works with various SWIs on nutition, medical issues, education, and foster care programs to improve the lives of orphans.

Several of us emailed LWB to find out how serious the situation was and what we could do to help. Below is the reply I received today.

Thank you everyone for your concern for Yifeng. I just received an email from our facilitator in China and Yifeng is in desperate need. They are in one of the worst hit areas. Director Yao has said their solar heaters (for heating water) and all their air conditioners (which are also used for heating) have all broken due to the cold. The normal power supply has not been restored to their area yet but the local government has given the orphanage the highest priority so their lights are on. The local government has also given money for blankets and coats for the children but it wasn’t enough for all the children and the price of formula has jumped 30% . Director Yao has asked for 3 A/C units to keep the children warm as a first priority. The price of the A/C units (wall or tower) are $350-$625 each so we would need between $1050 and $1875 for all 3 units.

Now, a little information about Love Without Boundaries (LWB) and how to donate. LWB is a volunteer organization so 97% of all donations reach the children. Also, all donations are tax-deductible and you will receive a receipt for tax purposes. We can take donations either online or by check.

If you would like to donate online go to www.lovewithoutboundaries.com and click on ‘Donate’; click ‘Other’; enter your information and in the ‘Notes’ section please write ‘Yifeng Orphanage Assistance’.

To donate by check make your check payable to ‘Love Without Boundaries’ and write ‘Yifeng Orphanage Assistance’ on the Memo line. Mail your check to: Love Without Boundaries, 306 S. Bryant St., Ste. C, PMB 145, Edmond, OK, 73034.

Thank you for your help and if you have any questions please feel free to email me at kate.finco@lwbmail.com.

Kate Finco
Director of Special Projects
Love Without Boundaries
www.lovewithoutboundaries.com
'Every Child Counts'


You know where this is headed. First of all, pray. You prayed for our girls and our family so much, and we felt every prayer. I'm asking you to rise up and do that again...but change the direction. Pray for those little babies, and those little toddlers, and those younger children, and the pre-teens, and teens, and nannies, and directors. Pray that they are all able to stay warm. Pray that sickness doesn't overtake the staff or the children. Pray that the little ones that are coming home soon, can do so safely. Pray that those who haven't found forever families thrive well enough to do so. Pray that the directors make wise decisions on behalf of the kids. Pray that everyone at Yifeng have full bellies and warm beds. Simply put. Pray.

Beyond prayer, Kate laid it out how we could donate. I'm amazed at how giving people are...around the holidays. We're included in that. But now is the time to think bigger than yourself. Think outside of Indiana. Think across the world where your granddaughters, neices, cousins, and friends, Abby and Laney, lived. Their best friends are there. Their first caretakers that represent the only love they've felt before all of us are there. They need us now. It doesn't matter how much...just give. You gave so much before and the impact was staggering to our family. Now give again, to make an impact worldwide...in the lives of orphans.

I could go on and on, but I won't. Honestly, it's bigger than me. Jesus challenges us to do this.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27

Thank you!