Photo of the Week - Imagination

I loved this photo from our foster care program. It reminded me of a quote I had read earlier this week by Francis Thompson, an English poet:

“Know you what it is to be a child? It is to be something very different from the man of to-day. It is to have a spirit yet streaming from the waters of baptism; it is to believe in love, to believe in loveliness, to believe in belief; it is to be so little that the elves can reach to whisper in your ear; it is to turn pumpkins into coaches, and mice into horses, lowness into loftiness, and nothing into everything, for each child has its fairy godmother in its own soul.”

Isn't it amazing that a child, anywhere in the world, whether poor or orphaned, can find a piece of chalk and pretend to be a classroom teacher, can put on a paper crown and transform into a princess, or can pick up a plastic horn and imagine the beautiful music they can play. Every child has dreams, and in the beginning....every child is filled with such innocence on what the world will allow them to become. Our job as adults is to make sure we do everything possible to keep those dreams alive. Nothing is sadder to me than to meet a child who truly believes that hope no longer exists.

Amy

Photo of the Week - Kyle

This is Kyle from our foster care program in Yunnan province. Let's just say that he and his foster mom often disagree on what he should be wearing! His foster mom loves to knit handmade outfits for him, and some are quite complex. When we saw Kyle in her newest creation, a beautiful sweater that some boys might not exactly think looks "cool", we laughed out loud. He is very clearly stating with his furrowed brows: "NO PINK!"

Kyle, our hearts are with you, as many of us had to wear something we didn't exactly like as a child because it was homemade. Just keep remembering that it means you are loved! And we promise not to show this picture at your high school graduation. :-)

Photo of the Week - May 29

Our photo of the week is actually one that brought tears to our eyes. Our foster care manager took this picture when he visited one of our programs in Anhui last weekend. One of our wonderful foster moms had cared for two little girls in her home since they were just tiny babies. One of the girls had just been adopted overseas, and her foster sister kept asking the mom to please go and get her sister back so they could play together again. Every time the mom started to talk about the child who had been adopted, she would break down and cry.

What an incredible gift good foster parents give to the children in their care. They love and encourage these children, include them in their families in every way, and then make the painful sacrifice to say goodbye when it is time for adoption. We love foster care SO much for any child who is orphaned, but this photo was a reminder yet again of the very real emotions and bonds that are forged between parent and child in a home setting. We realize that many of these families lose a piece of their heart when the child they have raised finds a permanent family through adoption. What a gift they have given to a child, allowing them to know love and protection and belonging. It is in seeing photos like this one that we realize the enormity of what we are really asking our foster parents to do.....to love a child completely as their own, but then somehow find the strength to let them go. All across China there are quiet unsung heroes like this mom who are making lifelong differences in the lives of orphaned children. They have our complete gratitude.

May 8th Photo of the Week

There was no doubt which photo it would be this week, especially with us writing about taking the time to "stop and smell the flowers" in our lives, by realizing that every day is a GIFT, not only to remember how blessed our own lives are, but to reach out in faith to make a difference to someone else.

This is little Ben. He is in one of our foster care programs in Anhui province. We all loved noticing that his foster mom allowed him to take the time to stop and pick some flowers. Is there any better moment than when a little child comes running up with a handful of dandelions picked just for you?

We hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and an "oh so filled with love" Mother's Day. Here's to all the mothers in this world....young ones and old ones, birthmoms and adoptive moms, close moms and far away moms, those we are fortunate enough to be able to call or hug, and all of those who have passed on but whose memories will live forever.

Photo of the Week

So busy today that we didn't have time to blog, so good thing it's Friday and time for the favorite photo of the week that I've seen. This is actually an older one that I saw for the first time today, but I absolutely loved it. This is a little boy that we treated at our Heartbridge unit. I think it's the perfect "Hooray it's the weekend!" picture.

Hope to keep connecting with you all on Monday.

Amy