Packages of Hope - China 2005

Inspired by happiness I have decided to give back and do what I can for those orphans still in China.

I will be going on a humanitarian effort on behalf of Packages of Hope (http://www.packagesofhope.org/) to China starting October 15. So far I will be visiting at least 3 orphanages.

The first orphanage is in Bengbu, Anhui province.

The second institution I am scheduled to visit is in Lanzhou, Gansu province. You may have heard of this famous story of an elderly couple looking to take care of orphans. You may have a look at this published article

http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2005/08/21/for_chinas_infant_castoffs_a_home/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+World+News

We are working diligently to raise funds for workers to construct a new living facility for this family. We have received an invitation from the local foreign affairs office for me to meet with this family.

The third institution I am scheduled to visit is in Siping, Jilin Province. There is an institution there started by a good friend of my family's, Huang Hua (Hannah). She is a Chinese citizen living in Changchun, and was our guide during our 2 adoption journeys, and she has personally assisted in over 400 adoptions to families from the United States, most of them special needs children. Our youngest daughter has "Hannah" as her middle name, in Huang Hua's honor. Hannah has founded a special institution in Siping called "the American Special Chinese Children Assistance Center".

There may be an opportunity for me to visit a few more orphanages, but my schedule is very full as it is. However, I am very passionate about the children, and so far there is great support from the families of adopted Chinese children, and others, to help the orphaned children who will remain in China.

My primary objective in visiting these places is to establishing firm needs list in order to secure donations; working to build a facility and creating a special assistance center for children with special medical needs.