Love to our Guangxi Children on Children's Day 2011

It is that time again...

Children's Day in China!!!!!!!!

I have just loved seeing these photos of our special  girls and sharing in their Celebrations across the Miles. Matthew stayed up late to make sure we had the photos as soon as possible to share in the joy :-)

All the girls around Nanning were invited by QQ to came and join in the fun...and it is great to see here two of our girls from Yizhou, one now studying in Nanning!

 This I LOVE!!!!!!! 

The Banner from last year2010, being updated to this year 2011, by just sticking on some new numbers:-)

                                                                        Ingenious!!!!!

And here is this year's team, celebrating together the Hope they have for the future.

 Off to the River to share dinner and talk, carrying the Sky Lanterns for later.....

                                                     The girls sharing fun with GG Staff

 and enjoying dinner

 Delighted that this girl has earned her own money by helping to illustrate the Ten Blazing Suns Book , 

and the Wang Wang cards. 

She and several other girls have been commissioned  by us to write modern Chinese stories for bi-lingual books with illustrations ...in this way they can earn their own money and help others at the same time.

                                               I am so  looking forward to seeing their work!

 Some of the girls already have their new glasses, thanks to generous donations from sponsors

                                           Here's to Love,  Friendship, Hope for the Future!

 Thanks to the generosity, love and support of sponsors around the world,

 these girls lives have been transformed...

and they will go on to transform the lives of many more.............

A Message to the girls from their Friends and Sponsors.....as they lit their Lanterns

We know that life can be very hard for you sometimes, 

but there is always a way to make things better. 

You have strong spirits, 

and we have a strong God who can help you!

When you set off the Sky Lanterns, 

think of your strong spirits rising above all the difficulties, giving you HOPE for the future.

YAY!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Children's Day to ALL children, 

but especially to those who struggle everywhere.........

...and to those who help to make a difference!

June 1st, Children's day in China from last year....

I can hardly believe it is that time of year again already........seems like only yesterday we were celebrating together in many places around the world from Scotland to China with UK, Netherlands, Spain, Finland, USA etc....too.

Here are some of my fav photos from last year........

...while we are waiting for the new ones from this year!

Make sure you take lots of photos & send them in.

PRIZE for the best one!!!!!!!!

Tots & Teenagers at Yizhou SWI - Big Changes!

After the excitement of  our Desheng visit.....

we headed along the familiar road to into Yizhou to visit the SWI where we support babies and teenagers in the Grace-Hope Foster care programme.

                     Here is Abbie, one of the little cuties who had just recently been placed in the SWI

             and was able to be taken straight into foster care with a very experienced and loving mama.

                    Shawn was able to work with the foster mothers providing training and therapy

               for the mothers to practice with their children to improve muscle tone and support

                                  ..our own little monkeys receiving some much needed attention too :-)

                                       This little one had made lots of friends in the SWI community

           and was enjoying lots of cuddles, stimulation and attention as she tried to walk with her friend

The FANTASTIC news is that not long after this, her birth family who had left her at the SWI,

 came back to take her home!!!!!!!!

We do not know what circumstances led them to that difficult decision in the first place, but are just delighted beyond words that they were able to be reunited, and thankful to Grace-Hope, our sponsors and the wider community who cared for this little one in between!

Sadly the news was not so good for our little Gina, who had been placed in Yizhou SWI in 2009, already seriously ill.

                                       She was placed with a very experienced foster mother.
                      Sadly nothing we did made any major improvement in her physical condition,

                       but I am hopeful that she could feel the love and comfort of her foster family

as she passed away peacefully earlier this year.

Her frail little body is now at peace and free from pain and suffering.

We are thankful to her sponsor who shared love & concern over this little one 

and who was able  to play a  part in ensuring she could feel this love......

The other group we were working with were the Yizhou Teenagers, kids from various backgrounds who for a variety of reasons had ended up in the SWI.

Xiao Xiao helped to set up foster  families for them to be able to live and be part of a normal family set up. It was great to meet here with them and share dinner, read English books and share personal hopes and dreams together.

        Thank you so much to the sponsors who sent books for the teenagers- they loved them!

Some toasts to friendship!!!

and hopes for the future.......

UPDATE........

now SOME of these teenagers have aged out 

(others are still needing the support of their foster families), 

and in situations where they we living in at school for the whole week, and beginning to go back to local villages in the holidays, they have left their foster families.

However it is still important for these kids to have someone to support them and so... 

we are going to have our first BOY in our Guangxi "Girls" programme!!!!

So if anyone would like to help to continue to provide support for these young people

$10 /£6 a month

please contact info@hope4china.info .

We really hope that we can find sponsors for these young people soon,

 maybe families with Yizhou Connections?

Bringing Hope......in Quanzhou!!!

Matthew and his Staff, off to visit the girls in Quanzhou, near Guilin 

where many are waiting for him to bring Hope......

to make the difference between Hope for the future...and NO Hope...

                             paying school fees for High school, food/support fees for the younger girls,

                                     and with his staff, bringing emotional/spiritual support for girls
                                                          who feel they do not matter to society,
                                    and who struggle to get to school with all the associated costs.

This time the news reporters came to find out and share the difference this makes to the girls in Quanzhou, sponsored by families around the world who care and want to help bring Hope and make a difference in the lives of these girls

Great work Matthew & Team!!!!!!!!

Made possible by Fantastic Sponsors around the World