Monthly Archives: January 2011

“32 feet project” turns in to the “44 feet project” with your support! Update from the Hedden family

32 Feet Project
The 32 feet project has been a huge success! Actually we received enough money to buy more shoes than we had planned; but we didn’t want to change the name to the “44 Feet Project”. We are right now coordinating the logistics of purchasing and delivering the shoes, and will be giving shoes to 12 orphans from the De Xing School as well as to 10 other needy local children who came to Bring Me Hope Camp last summer. We also used some of the money to purchase warm socks and slippers for 7 of the children from the school who came to our house yesterday afternoon. It has been unseasonably cold, and it was wonderful to be able to get the kids out of the cold, into our house. We played with them, and fed them, and even watched a few episodes of Barney with them. They were so happy to be warm, and beamed when they put their slippers on. Thank You to everyone who made this possible by your generous giving! You have directly impacted the life of an orphan in China!

Surgery For Andrew?
Andrew, who originally came into our home when he was just 5 days old, has turned into a bundle of energy, noise, and joy. Although his medical condition, known as spina bifida, has slowed his physical development, he is fully mobile on his hands and knees. Just yesterday the telephone rang and before anyone was able to answer, Andrew bolted over, picked up the receiver, and said, “hewooo!” Now we have to race him to the phone when it rings. As for Andrew’s adoption, our paperwork has been logged in at China Center of Adoption Affairs since July. Andrew’s paperwork was only just sent from his orphanage to the local civil affairs office 2 weeks ago; so we are waiting and praying that it will be approved and forwarded to CCAA in Beijing soon. Our biggest challenge right now is that Andrew more than likely needs to undergo surgery for a tethered spinal cord. Just last month, he developed 2 kidney infections that the local pediatrician believes are directly related to his need for surgery. We were hoping that by now his adoption would be complete so that we could have it done in the U.S. We are currently trying to get him to Hong Kong where there is a pediatric neurologist waiting to see him. We are trying to get a travel permit for Andrew which will allow us two weeks in Hong Kong for his evaluation. Thanks to those of you who have already donated funds for this undertaking. We will keep you posted as things develop.

Update on Silas

To all of our dear friends who have been a part of Hannah’s story by prayer and support. Sorry that an update about Silas’s surgery has been so long in coming to you. The family has been back at their village for about three months now. Silas has been recovering well. It is a slow process of healing but he has been recovering day by day. He is even able to get in his wheel chair and help in the garden which is much more than he has been able to do in the past. The children have been doing well in school. Their school master gave them both some new clothes for the winter and bought Hannah a new winter jacket. It is so neat to watch as the community and local fellowship come together to support this family. God is really taking care of them!

Right now we are planning on the family being back up in Beijing in mid February for physical therapy. We are working on all the details right now with the help of Angela, Hope, and Anna (such amazing sisters who work alongside of us to help this family). It looks like they will be there for about three months or per doctor’s desire as far as therapy goes.

We received these letters from Silas and his brother about a week ago expressing their thankfulness and love for all who have helped them through this hard time. We stood in awe of God’s sovereignty as we read this line in the letter “…We will ask Hannah to join you to help the poor and helpless when she grows up”. When Hannah chose her English name we had no idea that her family would be dedicating her to the Lord for His service, just as Hannah in the Bible dedicated her first born to the Lord. What a beautiful example of God’s hand silently working, even in the choosing of a name. Obviously we do not know what the Lord has in store for Hannah, but we do know that we are a permanent fixture in this families life and we will do all we can to lead each one of them closer to the Father.

We hope you enjoy reading these letters. Please keep the family in your prayers as they venture up to Beijing for physical therapy for about three months. We will keep you updated as we hear from the doctors and Angela. Thank you all again for your prayers and support. God is doing so much and we are so blessed to be a part of it each step of the way.

Letter from Silas:

To all the helpful people at Bring Me Hope camp

My name is Huaifu Ma (Silas). I have fell and hurt my neck nerve then cause me paralyze for more than 3 years till now. Lack of money to treat myself, I have had to stay in bed, and my kids can’t go to school since they had to take care of me. It was a huge blessing to know and meet you great people when we went through this huge difficulty without anyone to count on. Its your sponsor that my kids can go to school, and my family start to see the hope of life!!
This time you sponsored my trip to Beijing to see doctors. And Dr. Wu gave me the surgery successfully. You gave me the hope of standing up, walking and working again!!
I am so grateful to you all and can hardly express my gratitude to you. I have been waiting to write a thanks letter to you for a long time, but I haven’t recovered and can’t write myself. I just want to thank David, Rose and Dani, our amazing American friends; Angela, the nice, helpful teacher; Hope, Dennis, Tony and many other people who have been helping us diligently. Finally, thank all the people from Bring Me Hope!!

With the most respect and gratitude to you all

Silas
Dec. 1st, 2010

Letter from Silas’ brother

To all the helpful people at Bring Me Hope camp

This camp is a great, glorious, holy organization which commits to help helpless people. I watch you help my younger brother Silas in such a unselfish way that my heart is touched deeply.
As a farmer with only 3 years’ education, I am full of gratitude to you all but do not know how to express it. You are great models for us. We will ask Hannah to join you to help the poor and helpless when she grows up.
Finally, let me say these from my bottom heart, salute to David, Rose and Dani, our amazing American friends; Angela, the nice, helpful teacher; Hope, Dennis, Tony and many other people who have been helping us diligently. Finally, thank all the people from Bring Me Hope!!

Huailiang Ma (Silas’s elder brother)
Dec. 1st, 2010

Check out this great blog

We Are Grafted In is a wonderful blog that is set up to reach out and encourage adoptive families and those that are interested in adoption, as well as promote ministries that work in orphan care. This week they highlighted Bring Me Hope. We are so blessed by you guys, thank you so much!
If you have an adoptive blog and you would be interested in sharing about BMH, please contact Kristen at bmhkristen@gmail.com
Check out the blog below!
http://www.wearegraftedin.com/1702/bring-me-hope-giveaway/

Help for Grace

The Vidler family has been in Xi’an working as doctors and helping orphaned children that have HIV. They are now looking for a long term care giver to help with a little girl named Grace. Here is her story:
Grace is three years old. She has been with a foster care family since she was found at a railway station over a year ago. They recently found out she was HIV positive and though they love her so much they took her back to the orphanage. However the orphanage does not know much about HIV so they sent her to the hospital. She has since been sitting in an isolation room all alone. No one is allowed to enter, even though she is not at all sick. Her foster mother visits her each day and would take her back if she could, but the others in the family will not allow it.
Please join us in praying for a foster caretaker for Grace. No little one should sit in a hospital room all alone. If you or any one you know is interested in going to China to help the Vidlers with this amazing ministry, and fostering little Grace please e mail Sam and Julie at julesam5@gmail.com