LUCY & FAMILY VISIT

VISIT FROM LUCY : Lucy, who was adopted from the FuShun orphanage shortly after our granddaughter Betty came home to her forever family, visited Saint Augustine last week with mother, grand mother, aunt and her six sisters and cousins.

Pictured are Lucy and Betty family and friend. They spent the week at Saint Augustine Beach. They had a great time in the ocean, pool, shopping on St. George street and eating out.

Pictured to the right are all the kids at the pool. Everyone in the picture had visited China or was adopted from China except Asher in the middle. He is our newest grandchild born April 11, 2011.

REUNITED AGAIN

FuShun Flowers

Three teenage girls adopted from the FuShun China orphanage were recently reunited in South Carolina. The girls are Cindy, (left), Lucy, (center) and Betty, (right). The girls lived together in China for many years and were the best of friends.

Cindy, now 16 came to North Carolina two years ago. Betty, 14 came to Saint Augustine in June and lives with our daughter Lauren and her family. Lucy came to North Carolina and her new family in September.

We Have Been Blessed Twice!

We returned home from China in early June from a most extraordinary journey. Pat and I traveled this time with our daughter Lauren, her husband Greg and their sons, Dan, AJ and Adam on their adoption journey for Cui Yue "Betty." After two long years of paperwork, Betty, whom we have known for four years, is now are granddaughter and home in America. Betty will begin school this week and will be going into the 8th grade.

Everyone enjoyed the two plus weeks in China. The boys saw all the sites in Beijing and enjoyed climbing the Great Wall. We spent two weeks in Shenyang and then one week in Guanzhou.

Our other blessing came last week when our son Robert and wife, Karri returned from China with Alex, their second daughter from China. Alex will be five years old this month and is adapting well to her new older sister Avery and younger brother Walker.

Physical Therapy for Zheng Haoen

Zheng Haoen, the two and a half year old boy who has a rare condition call arthrogryposis, is now receiving physical therapy at the Shepherd's Field orphanage near Beijing. The cast on his feet have recently been removed.

According to his physical therapist, he is learning to grasp items with both hands. He is receiving strength exercises with the hope of getting him to stand. She says that he is a very pleasant little boy who is smart and always happy.

Shepherd's Field is American operated and is home for about 80 Chinese orphans, many with severe and sometimes life threatening conditions. Visit their website at www.chinaorphans.org.

ZHENG HAOEN GETS NEEDED SURGERY

Zheng Haoen (Robert), who was two-years-old on Dec. 6th has received needed surgery to repair his feet. We first met Zheng Haoen as a six-month-old at the FuShun orphanage that we visit each year. He appeared to have both clubbed feet and hands. Zheng Haoen was transferred to Shepherd's Field, the American run orphanage outside Beijing. Shepherd's Field, operated by the Philip Hayden Foundation, has performed more that 3000 surgerys on orphan children in China.

After examination in Beijing, it was determined that Zhen Haoen had a rare condition call Arthrogryposis. The condition causes the ligaments and tendons to stiffen and contract. An American surgeon went to Beijing this fall and performed corrective surgery on Zhen Haoen's feet. Hopefully he will be able to stand someday. He is receiving daily physical therapy and can lift his right arm and grasp small objects. He care givers say he is a very bright little boy and is always happy.

We will visit Zheng Haoen in the Spring of 2010 when we returned to China to visit Shepherd's Field and the children at the FuShun orphanage.

BOB ASSIST MAGGIE TEACHING KIDS

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MAGGIE TEACHES THE OLDER KIDS ENGLISH

Maggie, our guide while in China goes to the orphanage each Sunday and teaches the older children basic English. Maggie has a college degree with a major in English. In the past few years, Maggie has become our friend.

When she goes to the orphange, she always brings the kids sweets. She works as a guide to westerners and for those families adopting children from this province.

Great Little Guy

The little guy in the video clip below is Liang Liang. We first met him three years ago as a small baby. He has a wonderful personality and is full of life. "A real boy" if you know what I mean.

Liang Liang got attached to Bob on this year's visited and it was sad to leave him behind. Liang Liang is now 4-years-old.

BOB'S NEW FRIEND

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FuShun Orphanage

We arrived at the FuShun Orphanage on Saturday and it was great to see all our old friends and several new children at the orphanage. We had a great day playing with the kids and doing paperbag hand puppets.

The orphanage director and assistant director took us to dinner at a hot pot resturant. The best we have ever had in China.

Smilebox of Day #1 FuShun China

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Pictures of Sheperd's Field

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Day One Shepherd's Field

We arrived at Shepherd's Field on Wednesday evening and spent two days at the American run orphanage for seriously ill children. Here are some photos from our first two days.

OFF AGAIN TO CHINA

Off Again To China: Visiting Orphanages
And Ministering To Orphaned Children…

We will be off to China once again on June 15th to visit our adopted orphanage in FuShun and Shepherd’s Field, the American orphanage near Beijing that provides needed surgeries to orphan children.

FuShun China Social Welfare Institute…

We will spend the major part of our stay in FuShun City located about 250 miles from China’s border with North Korea. The orphanage portion of the institute houses about 60 children. Some babies, school age kids and some who are handicapped. While at the orphanage, we assist the nannies with the babies and provide crafts and outside play time for the older children. In past years we usually have a field day away from the orphanage and plan an annual birthday party for all the kids complete with creamy cake and presents.

Adopted This Year…

Several children were adopted in 2008 and 2009 from FuShun this year, some to families in the United States and others to families in Europe. The older children have little hope of ever being adopted.

Meet Zheng Hao’en (Picture at the top of this post)

We first met Zheng Hao’en as a six-month-old boy in FuShun. The orphanage director asked if we knew how to help him as he appeared to have clubbed feet and hands. We immediately thought of Shepherd’s Field and Tim Baker, the director. We contacted Tim and he said “we would be honored to help this baby.” After six months of emails and paperwork, Zheng Hao’en arrived at Shepherd’s Field on December 16. After examination by Dr. Bill Moody, a fulltime pediatrician there, it was determined that the baby has a very severe condition called arthrogryposis. The disease affects all his joints. His elbows and hips are locked and his hands are flexed. He may be able to stand at some point with braces and a walker. Zheng Hao’en has been given the Christian name of Robert and is happy and loved at SF.

In the past ten years, Shepherd’s Field has provided the financial support for 3000 surgeries to orphaned children. View their website at www.chinaorphans.org You can co-sponsor a child at Shepherd’s Field for just $35 a month.

Older Kids Learning English

Maggie, our English speaking guide while in FuShun goes to the orphanage once or twice a month to teach the older children English. Although they do learn some English in school, Maggie's approach is very close to a one on one teaching experience. We can not wait to see how well they have done. We have been learning some basic Chinese and hope that we will be able to better communicate with the children.

How Can You Help These Children?

100% of the money we raise each year is spent by us at the orphanages. In the past we have provided: air conditioners; washers & dryers; painting of the orphanage; corrective shoes; hospital beds for brain damaged children; high chairs; walkers; strollers; countless sets of clothing and shoes; staff uniforms; computers; sewing machines; bicycles; scooters; games and countless additional items that the kids enjoy.

You can make a tax deductible donation to Visiting Orphans and return it to us in the enclosed envelope. Provide your email address and we will send photos from China. We pray that you will have it in your heart to help these children and no donation is ever considered too small. Please follow our travels while in China. www.touchedbyachild.blogspot.com.


God Bless and thank you for your prayers and support.

Bob and Pat Hawley

ORPHANAGE KIDS IN THE PARK ALONG THE RIVER

A few of the older children from the FuShun orphanage got to spend a day away from the orphanage with Ms. Zhangye and one of their teachers. FuShun is in northern China and about 250 miles from China's boarder with North Korea. Winters are very cold with temperatures going into the single digits F.

As you can see from the Smilebox pictures, the children are well looked after. Ms. ZhangYe is the administrative assistant to Mrs. Zhu, the director. They are amazing people and love these children as if their own. They take the children on field trips and last year they took about 10 children to the resort city of Dalian. They stayed several days and went to the amusement park.

The older children attend the local school while the young ones are education at the orphanage.

WARM WINTER DAY IN CHINA

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FUN IN THE SNOW AT THE ORPHANAGE

Here is a Smile Box of some of the kids at the FuShun orphanage having fun in the snow. Looks like about 6-8 feet piled up. The temperature there this time of year gets into the low teens on a regular basis.

All the children are leaving the orphanage during the Chinese New Year celebration which began Jan. 25th. They will stay in foster homes or the homes of the nannies to give them a sense of family during the biggest Chinese holiday.

Pat and I will be returning to FuShun in middle June and look forward to our time with the kids.

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