To Comfort always, to Relieve often, to Save sometimes   
View this email in your browser
Dear Friends and Supporters,
 
We are happy to write to you this month with an updated format for our newsletter. We may need to tweak and change a few things in the coming months as we figure out what works and what doesn’t, but we hope that it will continue to be a source of encouragement to you, our faithful friends and supporters, as you get a glimpse into some of our day-to-day happenings here at Hope Foster Home.

We are very pleased to announce that after nearly a year, Maria’s Big House of Hope is open once more. Our staff and children in Luoyang were overjoyed this month to get the news that they could move out of the temporary residence they’ve been living in and back into their home. The timing was great as it coincided with the Show Hope Men’s Construction team, so they had plenty of hands eager and willing to help with the move…and lots of painting! Even little Vincent found his hammer and got to work!

 
 
 
We are eagerly anticipating the British Embassy’s Away Day in May, as they’ve already had contractors and workers here preparing for the massive project, which will take place May 16-18.  In the span of 3 days they plan to send 300+ of their Embassy workers to work on various projects including a brand new playground, preschool playground, preschool classroom renovation, chicken coup (with chickens), memorial garden, and some miscellaneous gardening around the home. It will be a huge undertaking and we are excited to see the results (be sure to see May’s newsletter for photos).
 
This month, Ms. Gek Noi Tan organized a cooking competition in partnership with New Hope Foundation, to raise funds for the surgeries of one of our little boys called Alexander under the banner of “Cook For Hope”. The event was held at The Green T House here in Beijing. Several teams representing different countries participated and about 40,000 rmb was raised for Alexander. Everyone had a wonderful time and the food was wonderful. The food from Taiwan was voted the best, followed by Hong Kong and Malaysia but the true winner was Alexander who was able to receive surgery that has changed his life. We are truly grateful for all those who participated to help change the life of this little boy. Thank you all so very much!
 
 
Joyce and Robin with Gek
and the "Cook for Hope" Team

NHF Volunteer Stephanie and Nurses Krishtel and Heidi participated on the New Hope cooking team, along with Robin and Joyce

With Love and Gratitude,

Robin, Joyce and the New Hope Staff

 
A huge thank you to the OASIS Hospital Dental Department for their support this month in helping teach our children and nannies about dental hygiene. Dental nurse John did a great job talking to our children and explaining to the nannies the importance of caring for baby teeth. The kids are doing a great job remembering to daily brush their teeth!
 
  
We are very grateful for the support that we received this month from Beijing International Christian Fellowship (BICF). Led by their KidzCity ministry, they raised a very large sum of money for New Hope and along with many members from their fellowship have committed to sponsoring each one of our children for one year! We had the opportunity to set up a table at one of their Sunday services and enjoyed getting to meet so many people interested in learning more about New Hope. As many of you know, it takes multiple sponsors to cover the cost for one child, so their involvement (along with many of you) is huge. Thank you BICF KidzCity!
"At the end of life, we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by 'I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me, I was homeless and you took me in.' Hungry not only for bread- but hungry for love. Naked not only for clothing – but naked of human dignity and respect. Homeless not only for want of a home of bricks, but homeless because of rejection." Mother Teresa
 

This month we had:
15 admissions
3 deaths
51 hospitalizations and surgeries plus 33 echos by the Hong Kong team = 84 significant movements
1 discharge to the orphanage
Baby News and Movements from Hope Healing Home

Penelope was admitted.  We were sad to say goodbye to Kael when he left to go back to his orphanage at their request. Gaines and Kenzli needed inpatient treatment in Tianjin. Moses-Yadiel has come for comprehensive heart testing in Beijing. Trace was able to go to Hong Kong's MedArt team for surgery and returned doing very well. Amos was sent to Suzhou for Spina Bifida Clinic and testing. Cameron, Gemma and Sam were sent to Suzhou for cleft surgery. Alecto, Jada, and Milla went to Suzhou for eye check-ups. All of the children sent to Suzhou returned doing very well. We were very pleased to hear that Joanna, one of our former children, was recently adopted.
 
Joanna

The Hong Kong MedArt team and Suzhou Children’s Hospital team joined together again this month to take an unprecedented 32 of our children for surgeries, expert evaluations, and for their Spina Bifida Clinic.  The logistics alone of such an undertaking are breathtaking.  We do not take their service to the children for granted.
 

Beijing babies going to Suzhou

News from our Henan Special Care Centers

Dr. Ed Fannon and his team of pediatric residents in training from Geisinger Medical Center in Pennsylvania returned to China this month to cover the Care Centers.  We are very thankful for their faithful service and expert help.
 
We were saddened to say goodbye to three children who passed away this month, and specifically Jashan was a profound loss to many.  He was a very special boy who loved to talk with his friends and nannies, to be attentive to everything around him even as his body slowly became weaker and more and more frail.  The staff did an amazing job caring for him even to the end, and we were so grateful for his life.  We were reminded that God's goodness toward Jashan did not falter, and even now he is sitting so near to the One who loves him best.
 
 
In loving memory of Jashan
 
News of Confirmed Adoptions and Our Hopes for Adoption

Giovanna and Merci visited us with their new families. 
 
 
In addition to the MedArt and Geisinger staff that helped us this month, we were very grateful to the medical team from Hong Kong Adventist Hospital. They came to our center in Luoyang to teach Drs. Martin and Zhai on our own machines and on our own babies.  This sort of training and effort to help us is more than remarkable.  We are very thankful.
 
To quote Dr Maurice Leung who headed up the team, “The experience is also mind-opening since we are directly in touch with a group of dedicated "volunteers," who would sacrifice their own more comfortable life to come a long way from their country of origin to care for these less fortunate orphans, many of them (with) complicated congenital defects involving various organs. The team have demonstrated true Christianity, and Christian Love could move local authorities and other non-government bodies to facilitate the caring for this special group of children.
 
Dr. Eddie Cheung and myself have enjoyed every case presented to us; a total of 33 children, consisting of a wide spectrum of congenital heart anomalies. It is gratifying that through detailed echocardiographic studies, we could formulate immediate to slightly long term planning on the treatment of their heart problem. We understand that the definitive diagnosis together with long term treatment plan would greatly facilitate adoption of this special group.
 
Through this direct communication, we are given to understand that there could well be more cases with a heart problem that require our input on the definitive diagnosis and treatment. We have discussed the possibility of a yearly visit if the demand proves to be sustained and that our team could offer a second opinion when (an) urgent/semi-urgent situation arises. We could (also) provide internet consultation. More importantly, we could identify a few children/infants who require very early interventions-- we could facilitate such an arrangement by transferring through the Adventist Children's Heart Fund.
 
Our sincere thanks to all involved for their very warm hospitality during our stay and a highly respectful salute to the Christianity that you have demonstrated through your noble act of caring for these orphans."
 

 
 
If this newsletter has been forwarded to you and you would like to receive your own monthly copy, please email us at robinathope@outlook.com
 
Forward this email to a friend

Travelers Needed
We are in need of travelers from the US, UK and Australia to Beijing to help bring in much needed supplies for our children. None of these supplies are “restricted items” and do not have to be declared at customs. The items will be mailed to you within country. New Hope Foundation staff will be at the airport to pick up the supplies in Beijing. If you are able to help or know of other travelers who are willing to help please contact the following:

a) From the US: Rebecca Dorris, Tennessee, Phone: 615-403-1242   suitcasesoflove@gmail.com

b) From the UK:  Jennifer Drake, Surrey  china.drake@gmail.com

c) From Melbourne, Australia: Topsy D’Cruz  topsydcruz@gmail.com  
Address: 18 Sassafras Dr, Lower Templestowe Victoria  3107, Australia
Phone: 03 98504339     Mobile: 0400 585 379

d) From Sydney, Australia: Susan Mukundan  susan_mukundan@hotmail.com 
Phone:  02 94888101    Mobile:   0414 911 309