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News – August 2005
Dear Friends and Supporters, This month has been busy with many visitors and young volunteers as is always the case in the summer months. They have been mainly from the US, UK, and Germany. One volunteer, Monica H., is an artist and she painted a beautiful memorial wall at our Beijing Home to remember all the little ones who have died, so that they will not be forgotten. Many of you may remember Jack Rivers, now 15 years old, who came last summer to volunteer. He had raised quite a bit of money for NHF. This year his younger sister Kara and her friend Sana Neuman have joined him in his efforts and together they raised even more. All 3 of them spent time with us here in Beijing getting to know the kids their fund-raising efforts are supporting. Their efforts are awesome for ones so young and we are grateful for their support. Travellers from Singapore to Beijing… we need you desperately. The large donation of formula which sits in a Singapore warehouse is trickling into Beijing too slowly. Please offer your services to carry a box or two with you when coming to Beijing. Our attempts to donate a large portion of it to an orphanage in Dili, Indonesia, appear to be too difficult to organize. We are trying to use as much as we can before it expires so please help us with transporting this gift to us if you can.
Foster Home Shun Yi, BeijingThe babiesOne baby, Luke, still remains in hospital in Beijing having neurosurgery. Dang Shan Qiang had surgery in Singapore and has returned well. Fu Xiao Tian, Fu Dong Yu, and Fu Chun Yi have all retuned home after tough battles with post-surgical brain infections and we hope all will be well for them now. Grace Marie had a bowel obstruction and had her anus re-constructed here in Beijing. She needs a second surgery in a few months time to close her colostomy (opening on to her abdominal wall). Adam Caleb Fu Ya Bo (Henan Province) and John Robert Dang Jian Xue (Shanxi Province) have been adopted and have gone to the US with their new parents. We were privileged to meet these wonderful families who have chosen to love and care for our kids. We have brought in 2 new babies from our Palliative Care Unit, Jeannie (premature) and Fu Jin Jin (neurological defects). We also have Jin Li Xin from Jilin Province (neurological defects).
Shun Yi Outreach Foster ProgramWilliam (mild brain damage) has been brought back to Beijing from our Unit in Henan province, where he was sent to make room for more urgent cases. He is now in foster care with a new family in this program. Andrea Ellen has gone back to the family who had her originally, but at one point the mother felt that she could not cope. The mother has pleaded to have her back as she missed her so much. We decided to give her another chance and so far she is doing well. Dang Jian Fang who was in the Outreach program has been brought back to our Home as she has been losing weight over the past few months. She seems to have no major problems so we are observing. We now have 10 families with 12 children out in local homes.
Foster Home Sai Qi Fujian ProvinceA visit was made this month to Sai Qi by our Project coordinator, Marsha, accompanied by the President of Harvard China Care, Aidan Madigan-Curtis. Harvard China Care is one of the major supporters of the Sai Qi Home and they are considering continued support and the overseeing of this home. We are still committed to organizing surgery in Singapore, for one of the children Xu Xiao Bao (awaiting a passport) and have been asked to facilitate orthopaedic surgery for Xu Jian Wen who has cerebral palsy with contractures of his legs.Love Without Boundaries (LWB) has offered to cover the cost of his surgery. Everyone who has been sponsoring children in Sai Qi has been informed of our decision. Please contact Aidan if you have any concerns about Sai Qi.
NHF Special Care Unit , Henan ProvinceFour more babies have been admitted to this Unit: Fu Wen Ha, a little preemie with septicaemia died soon after admission; Fu Zhi Wen (postoperative bowel complication); Fu Jin Tian (cerebral palsy); and Fu Si Yu, a newborn little girl who arrived without a diagnosis and is feeding well. Chance Fu Dong He was returned to the unit from Beijing for palliative care. He is 4 months old with severe brain damage and will not suck. Even after tube feeding him for 4 months his weight gain is insignificant. Since 1 January 2005, 41 infants have been through the Unit and 13 have died.
Love Without Boundaries Special Care UnitWork has begun on the construction of the LWB Special Care Unit but this August has been one of the wettest as far as we can remember, and the workers have been waiting for the rains to stop. We have a few months left this year before it becomes too cold to build so we will have to see how far they can get.
Our Thanks
Our NeedsWe need to share the abundant blessings that we have been given especially in the form of medical supplies and soy formula, with other foster homes in China who are caring for abandoned children. We also have an opportunity to send some to Africa. Please email us with your needs, whatever it may be, and if we have it, we will send it on to you. Medicines need to be given to foreign-run homes only, as these are all in English and will not be useful to Chinese-run establishments who will not be able to understand the instructions.
With gratitude, Joyce and Robin Hill.
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