Reports are filtering out of China now about hundreds of newly orphaned children, due to the earthquake. My heart sunk to hear this news. I just cannot imagine how horrible it would be to lose your parents in a terrifying event like that.
Also...lack of food and water is a serious problem. The World Health Organization said that they fear epidemics of disease if survivors are not provided with clean water and food. Many are wanting to help--and I wanted to let you know about some of those opportunities. I am adding some of my pictures of previous trips to China, as well as some photos of our kids while they lived in China--just to give you a feel for the wonderful people there. They are so warm and friendly--my heart just breaks for them now.
Love Without Boundaries is going to be help provide baby formula for those in need, as well as provide housing/or foster care for some of the orphaned children. We are awaiting some more details, but for now, this is a quote from our Director of Operations, Sheri Russon, "Since we know that there are two very real needs in China involving this horrible earthquake--immediate assistance for food and water, as well as a long-term need of help for the children who have now become orphaned--LWB has decided to raise funds to help in both ways. One immediate need that we have been asked to help with is providing baby formula to the regions in need, as many babies currently have no access to the formula they need. We are waiting for more news on how to get the formula to those most in need.
Our long-term project that we are working on will be outside of Chengdu. We are working with a local physician there who has already met with provincial Civil Affairs about setting up a temporary children’s shelter for those children who have either become orphaned or who have not been able to find their parents. Of course we will pray that every child who enters this shelter will eventually be reunited with his or her family, but, if they are not, LWB would like to help them in the long-term by providing shelter and possible future foster homes. Civil Affairs asked us today how many children we feel we can help and house. They are worried that if the project is announced that more children will be sent to us than we can handle. We are waiting on final details for this project and should know soon how many children they expect to send to us."
If you would like to donate to this project, you can go to www.lovewithoutboundaries.com and there will be a button to donate to the eartquake fund.
Another charity in China, called Half the Sky, is collecting funds to help with water, food, tents, medicine and daily supplies. Here is their information to donate: "If you would like to donate to Half the Sky’s Children’s Earthquake Fund, it would be great if you would do so at Global Giving as (even though they
take 10% for processing and we do not (100% to the kids but at cost to our
programs) it allows HTS staff to focus on relief efforts while keeping our
programs going."http://www.globalgiving.com/pr/2100/proj2086a.html
"Whatever you do for...these...you do for Me." God
