Sally Portion for Orphans

PFO Video Update

2011-11-08T18:08:00.000-08:00

Here is a video update of some of the needs met in 2010 by Portion for Orphans. Donors from all over the world have joined our effort and it is making a lifelong difference for over 600 orphans! Thank you all, hope it blesses you to see this. :) Sally Lockett

Prayer Request

2011-05-24T11:13:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Because I know that you all pray, I would like to lift up a special request. Next week, May 30th - June 2nd, I will have the opportunity to present Portion for Orphans to a group of about 50 ladies who are leaders in women's ministries in military chapels on bases all over Europe. They've chosen Portion for Orphans as the organization that they would like to support throughout the coming year. This is their leadership conference and I am to introduce them to PFO so that they can then go on to share about it in their communities throughout the year. This is a tremendous opportunity and I just ask that you would pray as you feel led, but especially that God would continue to use PFO to meet more and more needs of orphans, and in a way that causes everyone involved to understand His love and compassion in a deeper, more tangible way.

Thank you!

Sally Lockett <><

Snow White Room

2011-05-09T02:12:00.000-07:00

Here is one of two new rooms in a New Hope Medical Center in China that PFO donors renovated in 2010. It was previously one floor of an old, gloomy government run orphanage in much need of repair. The Chinese directors invited New Hope to help with the sick babies who otherwise were considered untreatable. ALL OF YOU, who donated to PFO in 2010, enabled what you see here, for these children and many more in the years to come!

Sun Li's New Smile

2011-05-09T02:10:00.000-07:00

In 2010, Portion for Orphans donors funded cleft lip surgery for 20 orphans at New Hope Foundation in China. Here is Sun Li's new smile! If you would like to see more follow-up video clips from the trip and to receive enewsletters from PFO every few months, you can subscribe atwww.portionfororphans.org.

Going to Meet Jonas!

2011-03-16T03:02:00.000-07:00

Hello PFO Partners ... I just received pictures of the latest 6 children at New Hope Foundation, China who have received cleft lip surgeries via PFO funds. This little guy is so cute! I'm going to visit New Hope Foundation on March 29th. Hopefully Jonas and some of the others will still be there. What's amazing is that so many of these children are adopted that it is always a new group each time I go. Praise God!

Your prayers over the trip are greatly appreciated. I look forward to sharing lots of pictures and video clips with you all!

Sally Lockett <><

2010-09-30T01:25:00.000-07:00

This is my husband Casey, with Art, Nok and Sai, on our 2009 visit to Khon Kaen, Thailand. The children were eager to have us read and re-read a very limited selection of books.

Portion for Orphans is kicking off fall fundraising for a number of projects at Mercy International Children’s Villages in Thailand. We would like to fund a library at an orphanage for the 39 children in Khon Kaen, Thailand. The total cost of this project is $4,000. Upon completion of the library, funds will be used to purchase equipment for an agricultural project at the newest center in Phrae, Thailand. This project will enable the staff to grow rice, vegetables and fruit trees, not only for the children, but also to sell as a means of creating income for other needs. PFO also helps to provide meals, school fees and Bibles for these children.

For more information, to make a donation and to subscribe to periodic email updates, please visit www.portionfororphans.org As always, 100% of donations directly benefit the children unless you designate a portion to administrative expenses. Please help us spread the word.

Sally Lockett <><
Founder/Director, Portion for Orphans

Mercy International Phrae

2010-09-15T03:12:00.000-07:00

In August 2008, PFO raised funds to furnish one of the homes at Mercy International Children's Village in Phrae, Thailand. You all saw pictures of the empty home, of the home with all of the items you funded, and now... of children using all of those items! I thank each of you for your support of all of PFO's projects, not all of them can be seen as visibly as this one, but they are all life changing for the children we serve.

See www.portionfororphans.org for more information or to make a donation. As always, 100% benefits the children!

Sally Lockett <><
Founder/Director, Portion for Orphans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17T5Wb0-ta8

Mercy International Phrae

2010-09-15T03:04:00.000-07:00

Re-posting this due to a technical issue.

In August 2008, PFO raised funds to furnish one of the homes at Mercy International Children's Village in Phrae, Thailand. You all saw pictures of the empty home, of the home with all of the items you funded, and now... of children using all of those items! I thank each of you for your support of all of PFO's projects, not all of them can be seen as visibly as this one, but they are all life changing for the children we serve.

See www.portionfororphans.org for more information or to make a donation. As always, 100% benefits the children!

Sally Lockett <><
Founder/Director, Portion for Orphans

Latest PFO Update Link

2010-08-27T00:32:00.001-07:00

Here's the latest PFO news ... thank you all for helping to build this ministry through prayers and support.

http://www.portionfororphans.org/newslettercurrent.php

New Life Home Trust, Kenya - 4

2010-08-26T00:53:00.000-07:00

Here is a little follow up on the $39,000 that PFO partners enabled us to send to New Life Kenya for their 2010 medical expenses.

FYI

2010-07-14T08:12:00.000-07:00

Just to be clear, underneath the below video clip are some other clips. We are not familiar or affiliated with any of these other organizations. Sally <><

A New Family

2010-03-31T02:24:00.000-07:00

In 2009 PFO funded a cleft lip surgery for Dang An Ran. She has now been adopted and is called Ysabella. The below was written for PFO donors by her new mom, Jenny. ;)

When Giving Changes Lives

When we received that wonderful phone call last

June of 2009 that my husband Robert and I were finally going to be parents, our entire world shifted. The details we received

about our new daughter from our agency during that call would change our lives forever. We would learn that our baby girl had a cleft lip and palate and we would learn that she was receiving tremendous care at New Hope Foundation in Beijing, China. While we were waiting to travel to adopt our daughter, whom we named Ysabella, we kept busy. I made it a great hobby to keep up with

various families who were also waiting to adopt, as well as researching and learning about the organizations who helped care for and bring Ysabella home to us.

One day I was reading a newsletter from New Hope, and discovered that Ysabella's cleft lip surgery had been funded by an organization called Portion for Orphans. I found their website and one thing led to another with another discovery that our daughter was on PFO's blog! There she was in the flesh being filmed by Sally herself. How absolutely ecstatic my husband and I were to see her every day with just the click of a button. I cannot tell you how many wonderful compliments we have received on the excellent lip repair that was done courtesy of the surgeons at Operation Smile in China. With the help of PFO and all the wonderful donors, children like our Ysabella received this important surgery which allowed her to have even more of a beautiful smile. PFO funds enabled the surgery to be paid for, as well as Ysabella's nanny to travel with her from Beijing to the surgery location. What a blessing this has all become. Now that Ysabella has been home with us over six months, she has become even more of a beautiful person. She loves fish, loves to ride outside in her little wagon, hug mommy and daddy, and just be a normal little toddler complete with mini tantrums and giggles. Every

dollar that one person contributes can add up in countless ways. If you truly want to change a person's life, I think it's so important to give what you can. You not only change one person's life, you change all the other lives that he or she comes in contact with. Our family will be forever grateful to PFO and all the wonderful people who helped bring our daughter home to us - beautiful smile and all.Jenny, Robert and Ysabella G.

Hands-On

2009-11-23T03:14:00.000-08:00

New Hope Foundation in China could use an updated revision of their brochure. Is anyone up for volunteering at an orphanage, from the comfort of your own home? Let me know ... it needs to be professional so someone with prior design experience would be great!

2009-10-29T04:50:00.000-07:00

Concerning the recent article about PFO in the Stars and Stripes Newspaper ... The Stars and Stripes is distributed to military bases throughout Europe and Asia, downrange (war zones), and online. Their estimated readership is approximately 400,000 people! Oh my ... it's amazing how God can use the efforts of one person to really spread the word! Way to go Leah! Thank you for helping us give a voice to orphans around the world.

Photo by John Kay of kids at www.hopefosterhome.com

PFO in the Paper

2009-10-25T05:45:00.000-07:00

Today there is a really good article in the Stars and Stripes newspaper about PFO and the plight of the children that we serve. This is distributed on various military bases, I just emailed to ask about that. Please pray that God would use this to inspire more than we could ever imagine, enabling us to help more children. Copy & Paste the below:

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=140&article=65606

p.s. PFO became an official organization in 2003, we gained tax-exempt status in 2007.

Generosity of God's people on display ...

2009-09-28T02:33:00.000-07:00

On Sept. 20th, 5 protestant chapels on military bases in Stuttgart, Germany gave offerings designated to Portion for Orphans. This was a fundraiser specifically to help cover the 2010 medical expenses of New Life Orphanages in Kenya. On average, this medical orphanage incurs average annual medical expenses totaling approximately $25,000. New Life takes in children who are on the brink of survival, children who have been abandoned in fields, trash cans and hospitals, children that other centers cannot or will not take in. Many arrive HIV+, but with proper care and medical attention, more than 90% become HIV- within the first 2 1/2 years of life. New Life has taken in more than 1090 babies, more than 800 have been adopted. They have 7 homes around Kenya where the children who are not adopted grow up. New Life is founded by founded by UK missionaries and is a registered non-profit in the US as well as the UK.

I'm thrilled to announce that the total given on Sept. 20th was $13,729.43.

Because of these offerings, along with 2 VBS fundraisers over the summer and other donations that have come in from individual donors, PFO will be able to make a Christmas gift to New Life that will cover their 2010 medical expenses. That is awesome! God is really moving on behalf of His children and you all are responding SO generously! There are lots of pictures and video on previous posts from my recent trip to New Life.

As you can see, PFO partners with orphanages that are doing an exceptional job caring for children. Our vision is to help expand their work.

2009-09-28T02:19:00.000-07:00

Hu Jian Lun is just over 1 year old. I met this cute little guy at New Hope Foundation this summer. Due to his cleft lip and pallet, he had a feeding tube and arm braces to prevent him from pulling the tube out. PFO donors funded his $650 cleft pallet surgery. It costs a little more than before because we are working with a different organization and they must send the children as well as a nanny via train to the Operation Smile clinic. Our funds cover the cost of transportation for baby and nanny, as well as a hotel and food for the remainder of the child's stay in the hospital. In Hu Jian Lu's case, he went to the hospital 3 times for this surgery. Unfortunately, Operation Smile kept returning him due to various issues preventing him from having surgery. After a lengthy time in hospital, he has just returned 'home' a healthy baby with a beautiful new smile! Thank you all for helping take care of these babies. :)

Here is Hu Jian Lun before and after his recent cleft lip surgery! What a way to show God's love.

2009-09-08T00:35:00.000-07:00

Thailand ... Unbelievably beautiful country and people! Casey and I had a wonderful and fruitful time visiting with the Australian Directors of Mercy International, who've started 3 orphanages across Northern Thailand. Overall, Mercy looks after more than 150 children, each of whom have their very own unique story.

Here are some pictures of us with the kids...

Prayer Requests ... Please pray with us for opportunities to fundraise for Thailand, for a covered play area and hopefully a new home for the kids in Khon Kaen, who against the odds are growing up healthy and in need of more space. Also, on Sept. 20th, 5 Protestant Congregations in Germany will take a designated offering for PFO, 100% will help cover the 2010 medical expenses for New Life Kenya.

2009-08-24T18:35:00.000-07:00

Safe and smooth arrival ... Casey and I spent the afternoon and evening at the first Mercy Orphanage yesterday. It's a home for 40 precious kids that are HIV+. My favorite part of the evening was after dinner when all the kids gathered around for a devotional. They do this each night and a different caregiver teaches them something from the Bible. The older boys are learning guitar and they led the group in a few worship songs, ones you would know but in the Thai language. It was very neat to see all the children worshiping so wholeheartdely and respectfully. PFO donors have enabled us to provide $15,000 of support for these chidlren in the last year and a half. These funds help provide school uniforms and supplies as well as nutritional meals. I'll post pictures when I'm able, for now we are heading out to the next center a few hours West of here towards Chiang Mai. We'll be visiting with the founders concerning current needs and future projects we can help support. Please be praying for the Mercy kids and John Kay as he is in China.

Off to Thailand...

2009-08-22T03:06:00.000-07:00

Heading out this afternoon for Thailand! Casey and I have a few weeks of vacation and decided to spend the 1st week visiting the 3 Mercy Homes across Northern Thailand. :)

We fly first to Khon Kaen, NorthEast Thailand. In the last year, PFO partners have made it possible to give more than $15,000 to help support the 39 children at this home. They are precious and I am so excited to see them and to visit with the directors. We then head to central Thailand to the main center and then up near Chiang Mai. If internet access is available I'll keep you posted as we go. You all have done so much for these children!

Please pray for safety, strengthened relationships with the directors, and vision for future support and ministry in Thailand.

Here's Nok and Pam in their little beds. :)
The whole group in Khon Kaen.

Kathy :)

2009-07-17T08:06:00.000-07:00

This is a very special post for a family in Texas who is pursuing to adopt Kathy, a little girl in China that I met recently. A friend of Portion for Orphans is sponsoring Kathy and the couple adopting her wrote to say thanks for helping take care of her while she waits for her forever family. Kathy is a precious little angel! The pink dress was made by a mom and daughter here in Germany.

One correction, Kathy is at Philip Hayden Foundation, not New Hope as I say in this clip. There were a few little ones all sharing one bicycle during playtime so we provided a couple more. The other kids had sort of claimed different toys, and Kathy didn't fight them. We wanted her to have a special toy too, but they will all end up sharing it in the end. :)

New Life DVD Link

2009-07-15T03:16:00.000-07:00

THE ONE VIDEO THAT SAYS IT ALL ABOUT NEW LIFE KENYA:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mYrpeVX6uA

New Life Kericho

2009-07-15T03:03:00.000-07:00

Near the Equator in Kenya, in the Great Rift Valley, there is a tea plantation spanning 30,000 acres! The plantation recently donated a plot of land for a New Life Orphanage. Stanford University funded the buildings. 15 children moved in in September, there's room for 10 more. It's an absolutely beautiful place. We went to a nearby lake with the kids in the afternoon and they had such a good time running and playing in a beautiful, safe place.

Little Ones Singing

2009-07-15T02:55:00.000-07:00

This is the day...

Way Cute Clip in Kisumu

2009-07-15T02:41:00.000-07:00

BEST CLIP!!

2009-07-15T02:31:00.000-07:00

Another of New Life's Homes in Kisumu, Kenya near Lake Victoria.

2009-07-15T02:14:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, July 5th, a couple other volunteers and I took the 10 oldest children at New Life to Nairobi National Park. It was $3 per child! We saw giraffe, zebra, gazelle, warthog, ostrich, and even a lioness if you look closely at the last picture. :) Below you see Molly taking it all in.

Outside Playtime

2009-07-15T02:03:00.000-07:00

You will see in this clip that these children are very well cared for. Many have asked why we help orphanages where the children seem to be well off. I did seek out the most effective orphanages, and the goal is to enable them to expand and take in more children. What you probably can't imagine, is that many orphanages around the world keep their children looking very needy in every way in order to obtain more donations. The question then is, who benefits from those donations? Orphans are children who have lost what they long for the very most, their parents. They deserve the very best of everything else.

Nursery - Meet Nina :)

2009-07-15T01:54:00.000-07:00

Short clip of the nursery room.

Getting a bit bigger now...

2009-07-15T01:40:00.000-07:00

Tour of the 2-3 year old room. Just to confirm, New Life currently operates 7 children's homes across Kenya, in different regions. They have rescued more than 1,080 babies. 746 have been adopted, some have returned to their families, not all survived. They currently oversee 170 babies. I imagine many of you feel bad watching this, guilty that you don't adopt. I don't think that that guilt is of God, it is a perspective that often keeps us from doing anything at all. God longs for us, like His word says in Deuteronomy 24:21, to share with these children, to help meet their needs.

Welcome Center

2009-07-15T01:31:00.000-07:00

I mention in this clip that 'because of your donations we will be able to donate $20,000 over the next few months.' Actually, God-willing, we hope to donate $25,000 by Christmas, to cover the 2010 medical expenses for 170 babies currently living at New Life as well as newcomers. You all have already given $12,000. Please consider how you can help us spread the word and provide for these little ones. There is an INCREDIBLE NEW LIFE promotional DVD that you can view and share by clicking here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mYrpeVX6uA

Walk into New Life Orphanage with me ...

2009-07-15T01:17:00.000-07:00

Walk into New Life Orphanage with me ...

Unable to Blog

2009-07-07T04:37:00.000-07:00

I'll have to do catch up blogging for this trip when I return. Everything is going great, please keep praying. Sally

2009-07-04T07:14:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Nairobi this morning, after a 40 hour trip via DFW, Frankfurt and Cairo. Kenya is worth it, I love this place, especially the people. They are so welcoming and interesting.

I'll be here until the 12th, revisiting New Life Home Trust. PFO donors have enabled us to donate more than $20,000 to this Christian medical orphanage. The pictures below capture what they do for babies in across Kenya. New Life takes in orphaned, abandoned, and HIV positive babies that most other homes refuse. They've taken in over 1,080 babies so far. About 70% of the babies arrive here HIV+, but with care and medical attention, more than 75% of the babies have gone from HIV+ to HIV-. 100% of those remain negative today. Over 700 have been adopted into loving homes, and all are up for adoption.

I'll be able to post pictures and video throughout the week.

Sally Allred Lockett <><
Founder/Director, Portion for Orphans

Dang Qing Tong says thanks PFO partners for sending me for cleft lip surgery!

2009-06-04T22:16:00.000-07:00

Meet Dang An Ran :)

2009-06-04T02:09:00.000-07:00

Here she is... in a few weeks I'll post a picture of her with a beautiful new smile!

Video of Dan Yun Sheng

2009-06-04T01:15:00.000-07:00

This little guy is receiving cleft lip surgery as I write, the week of June 1st, 2009. Thanks for making that possible! Now here he is! :)

2009-06-04T00:47:00.000-07:00

June 1, 2009

Today is my last day in China … and it happens to be National Children’s Day! Philip Hayden had a huge celebration this morning with 100 happy meals for the kids, swimming, face paint, and crafts … the kids had a blast!

As for me, honestly, I am emotionally tired. Visiting orphans is a joy, but it is also heart wrenching that I cannot do more. It hurts to get close enough to realize that these kids know that something is missing. Sometimes they reach out to you in hopes of finding fulfillment, sometimes you can sense their frustration as they push you away or would rather not be touched. This trip, more than ever, I have shed tears and felt pain for these kids. They all know the word mommy, and they do realize that something is missing, even at a very early age. Psalm 34:18 says that God is close to the broken hearted. These children are so important to Him. Surely your consideration of their needs brings Him great joy.

Your Portion for Orphans donations are making a difference in the lives of orphans! A simple glance at the pictures below will prove that. As a result of YOUR DONATIONS, they are receiving facial reconstructive cleft lip surgery this week! The last one has already had lip surgery and will have cleft pallet surgery, which closes the roof of his mouth. I want to thank you on their behalf. Sheh-Sheh!

As soon as I have all pictures uploaded, I will blog the link. I'll also be adding video clips to this blog. For now, if you’re on Facebook, you can view them there. Just search Sally Lockett.

Thank you for following the trip. Please visit the PFO website to subscribe to our periodic email updates throughout the year. They mainly consist of news and follow-up pictures of donations and surgeries. www.portionfororphans.org

Thanks also to those who cover our administrative/travel expenses. You are like angels!

Hu Jian Lun

Dan Yun Sheng

Dang Qing Tong

Dang An Ran

Zhang Hai Yang

May 31, 2009

2009-06-02T10:27:00.000-07:00

The little ones from New Hope that PFO is sending for cleft lip/pallet surgery will take a train Monday June 1st, with their nannies, to check in for surgery. Please remember and pray for them during this time. There are pictures of them below, and I’ll send out post op pictures in a PFO update, please subscribe at http://www.portionfororphans.org/. It was suggested that I go around and replace batteries in the children’s toys today. I was more than willing to do what seemed like a small task, I had no idea how fun it would be!!!

These kids have all kinds of toys that had dead batteries in them. It was hysterical when Elmo came to life! The kids loved it! Who knew such a small thing could bring them so much joy! Here’s a picture of Elizabeth, a precious little girl who has paraplegia and club feet. She was rolling laughing. :) I also spent some time distributing the bikes, trikes and small ride on cars that your gifts enabled. You all inspired these smiles! Pic of liz with elmo, bike pics.

May 30, 2009

2009-05-30T09:07:00.000-07:00

I’ve never thought of orphans as less real than other children, but somehow looking into the eyes of these individual children for the last 2 weeks, holding them, having them reach out to me, hearing them cry… I’m realizing more and more that I’ve never fully understood just how REAL they are. Each one is just as special and unique as my 2 yr old nephew, with the same needs, desires, and longings… We all know it on some level, but somehow we struggle to fully comprehend that, as well as the fact that a simple touch can be the connection and hope that a child needs to get through. One boy, who has now been adopted, actually told me that one of his greatest memories is of sitting next to a volunteer, by a pond, and feeling a connection, a friendship. That gave him hope that there was more to life than institutional living. Little efforts can have such an impact on those who are hurting, and also upon those who are ministering.

12 of the children here are being sponsored by PFO partners. Here are a few of them: Malachi and I, Kathy & Moses, and Jerak doing martial arts. J It has been such a pleasure to meet each of these children. I could go on and on about them. Over 700 have been adopted into forever families.

After talking with the director about the current needs of the children here at Philip Hayden, an American lady who teaches here and another volunteer and I went to Wal-Mart Beijing. J We used PFO donations to purchase $400 worth of baby formula and $100 for 8 small tricycles. There was a special deal on the formula and we bought enough to win two free bicycles, training wheels and all! Here is a picture!

As I was checking out, many of you were on my mind. The Biblical plan for these kids is that everyone gives a little to help provide for their needs… so many of you are truly doing that. J.

Thank you for partnering with us! 100% goes directly to meet the needs of the kids.

May 27, 2009

2009-05-30T09:04:00.000-07:00

Today was my first day at The Philip Hayden Foundation, an American run children’s village for 100 orphans, many of whom are adopted. 95% have a physical disability or serious medical condition. The organization has provided corrective surgeries for more than 3000 orphans since 1996. I’m currently visiting their new children’s village, Shepherd’s Field. This is an all-purpose facility, the largest of it’s kind in mainland China. It is equipped with foster homes, a medical clinic, a school, and a vocational center. They are still fundraising for the school. Here’s a picture of the front building.

This morning, I had the privilege of meeting a 14 year girl named Ling-Ling, or Shelby in English. During PFO’s Christmas Sponsorship Project, a missionary friend of mine in Germany, Leah, signed up to be a monthly sponsor for Shelby. Leah sent a necklace and a picture for me to deliver to Shelby. She was ecstatic, gave me a kiss, and put her things in a very special place to protect them. This picture is of Shelby, holding a picture of Leah, and Leah’s adopted sister Alicia. Sponsors send $35 a month to provide for a specific child of their choice. Sponsors then receive pictures and updates of their child, and can even visit and send gifts. Each child needs 6 sponsors. For more info on sponsoring a child, see http://www.hopefosterhome.com/babies/index.htm or http://www.chinaorphans.org/sponsor.htm Please let me know if you sign up, sally@portionfororphans.org.

There are an estimated 143 million children without parents in our world of 6, 790, 062, 216 people. That can make us feel incapable of making a difference, but have you heard the Starfish Story? A person was walking down a beach tossing beached starfish back into the sea after a storm. A passerby came up to him, struck by the futility of the task, and said, "You must be crazy. There are thousands of miles of beach covered with starfish. You can't possibly make a difference." The person looked at the man. He then stooped down and picked up one more starfish and threw it back into the ocean. He turned back to the man and said, "It sure made a difference to that one!"

J Go light your world!

May 26, 2009

2009-05-26T05:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my last day at New Hope Foundation. I had a wonderful time reading books with the preschool aged kids and holding the babies. It was a beautiful day so I also went for a nice bike ride into the little village for some groceries. The kids were eager to read their new books, over and over again. There are some real sharp kids here and I pray they are able to get a good education.

This morning, I spoke for a while with Dr. Joyce Hill, the founder. I haven’t written much about her and… there is so much to be said. She has really challenged my definition of what it means to serve and what it looks like when done wholeheartedly and selflessly. Joyce has a rare condition, the fluid in her brain leaks, causing severe pain when she is upright. She has had constant pain for 2 years now and doctors have been unable to heal her. She is the founder, director and doctor of New Hope Foundation. She inspires me to serve, with all I am, no matter how I ‘feel.’ Please pray for Joyce. She feels so much pain and it can be very discouraging. God is so strong. He can work miracles through any yielded vessel, even when they can only be upright a couple hours a day.

Joyce mentioned to me that there are 5 children who need, and are strong enough to have, cleft lip & pallet surgery. With New Hope, this costs $650 per child. That covers all transportation costs as well as a nanny to go along and be with the child through the entire process. PFO donations will be used to cover these expenses for all 5 children that you see below. Thanks to all of you who've given and enabled this donation. Here are pictures of two children. Dang an Ran and Hu Jian Lu, who is currently fed through a feeding tube.

May 23, 2009 (P.M.)

2009-05-24T13:33:00.000-07:00

It’s 10:30pm in Beijing. A baby was just left at our gate, about an hour ago.

He's about 2, has cerebral palsy and I think he can't see. The grandmother left a note in Chinese with just a little information. I went and sat next to him, just he and I sitting there which I thought was odd. His new nanny was nearby. Tears just started FLOWING down my face, for the first time since I’ve been here. I could tell that the three Chinese nannies who were in the room noticed. I imagine they get sort of numb to this after a while, over 800 babies have come through here, but it seemed like my tears sort of woke them up a little and reminded them that it's a little person, who just lost his mom forever. They came and sat around him and … we sort of ‘talked’, pointing to his length and teeth, determining that he’s about 2 years old, and probably blind. The nurse had already checked him out but was not in the room. I can barely say this, but he won't get to stay here forever. It's hard to imagine this little guy's future, and the mom and family tonight. Know matter what, THAT’S HARD. It's difficult to say why they left him. He's well cared for, and well dressed, so it could be because if they keep him they can't have another child who will provide for them later on, meaning even this child would suffer with no one to provide for them. Or, it could be because they can't afford medically to provide for him. It's just hard to say. I've never experienced this before. It sort of makes it all real.

Please pray for this baby and the family. At least they knew to bring him here. Normally, I read over these entries a couple of times before posting, but I'm going to finish up and go sit with him again.

May 22/23, 2009

2009-05-24T13:24:00.000-07:00

Joanne is a friend of mine from college who now works near Beijing teaching English. She also serves as the Asia Representative for Portion for Orphans. She has spent the last 2 days here with me at New Hope Foundation. Joanne’s insight into this culture has been very helpful, especially in terms of being cautious while blogging.

Joanne encouraged me to explain why PFO is helping New Hope Foundation when it seems like a five star hotel compared to other places nearby. There are a few reasons, one of which I won’t explain here. Secondly, although my early dream was to help grass roots orphanages, it seems obvious now that the better method is to further enable the work of those who are already doing an exceptional job caring for orphans. This is much more realistic than attempting to change the methods of existing orphanages or create something new, from the other side of the world. This is our vision in each of the countries where we work, to expand the reach of those who are truly making a difference in the lives of orphans, enabling them to take in and provide for more children. All of us work hard for the funds that we are donating, and PFO is committed to ensuring that every dollar given really does reach and benefit children without parents.

The vision for New Hope is to provide medical attention for kids that Chinese orphanages are not able to provide for. These kids come from all over China, and after receiving medical care, most of them go on to be adopted into families of their own. Did I mention that over 800 children have come through here in 10 years?

A number of Chinese orphanage directors have even asked the directors here to implement this program within their orphanages. Three have given New Hope an entire floor to call their own within their government orphanages. So, New Hope has multiple facilities. They go in and create a floor, with nurses on staff, where sick children can be cared for. Other orphanage workers are sharing and implementing what they’ve learned from New Hope about child care. This place is raising the standards of care provided to orphans in this area.

Tomorrow, I’ll go to church and spend my last day at New Hope. It is legal for foreigners to go to church, I’ll just have to show my passport to get in…………….!

These pictures are of Joanne meeting Jade and Sally with a precious baby girl that has a rare stomach disease, causing her to vomit 7-8 times a day for days at a time. She is a princess, and now that I'm looking at this picture she seems to be pondering the word 'orphan' on my shirt. It's hard not to bring them ALL home. I'm praying for families to rise up for that purpose.

May 21, 2009

2009-05-21T22:00:00.001-07:00

Each of the children here at New Hope Foundation are here because they have medical issues, some of which are correctable, but turn out to be fatal if the child is left in a state run orphanage. For example, many children here are born with cleft lip and cleft pallet. This means it takes them a long time to get enough milk. As a result, many don’t survive in the government orphanages. Others arrive extremely malnourished. New Hope strengthens them until they are able to receive corrective surgery. It seems like every other baby here has a cleft lip or is recovering from corrective surgery. Right now 12 are preparing for surgery. At this center, the procedure costs approximately $650. PFO will fund a number of these with donations that have been coming in. Others of these children have complex heart problems, tumors, cerebral palsy, down syndrome and a number of other less common medical issues. Surgeons from all over the world serve these children. Many kids have been flown to the US and Hong Kong for surgery. Today I saw the director tear up, because one of the little girls is inoperable.

New Hope has a nanny for every 2 babies, and 3 shifts of nannies. They come from the nearby village. This center is only for infants with medical needs, most are adopted but not all. Those who aren’t, must return to the government run orphanages. Benjamin is one who does not yet have a forever family, there are many others.

I recently heard about a Christian woman who is pregnant with a 2^nd child. If she doesn’t abort the baby, both she and her husband will lose their jobs. However, if it weren’t for the one-child policy demanding this, the country would be more like Africa with street children digging through burning piles of rubbish to find food.

I realize this isn’t ‘pleasant reading.’ Thank you for caring and reading despite how it might make you feel. I feel the same tension every time I walk in to see the children, it’s sad, but it’s real, and we are called to speak for them and help them. The Biblical idea is that we all give a portion to help meet their needs. Thanks to all who’ve joined us in this effort.

Here is one baby currently waiting for cleft lip surgery,

here's a before and after pic of another baby,

and here's a picture of Benjamin.

If you’d like to sponsor a specific child, which costs $40/month, you can view the children who need sponsors at: www.hopefosterhome.com, just click on ‘babies.’

May 20, 2009

2009-05-21T21:21:00.000-07:00

First off, please know that what I’m able to say here is very limited.

Today, I realized that there is a firewall against blogs in China. Talk about a reality check. I was told it has something to do with the recent uprisings in Tibet. For now, I will have a friend post pictures and entries, and I will post video clips when I leave the country. Sometimes we get so used to having and doing whatever, whenever, that we forget it’s a privilege that so many don’t share. I can’t talk about what this reminder makes me most grateful for. I even found myself singing as I ran yesterday, because I’m so thankful I’ve heard the good news… Thanks goes out to all who’ve fought for our freedom.

It’s warm here and sunny. The people are very friendly, but in this village area they do not speak English. The food… well I’m eating Chinese village food, thankfully the Olympic competitors, Germans actually, dumped all their left over clif bars, peanut butter, and beds/mattresses here before they left. The Chinese aren’t too interested in clif bars or PB so I’m greatly benefiting.

Wednesday I got to visit a government run orphanage. I won’t share the details of how. It is said to be one of the better ones, which is surely why I was allowed in. It was nice to see the children’s drawings on the walls, and the kids sitting at desks learning. This is a result of a foreign non-profit that comes in and creates child-development centers for the kids. Down the hall, however, I poked my head in a sleeping room where 20 little ones were napping. It reeked of urine. I was told that wet diapers are hung out to dry, without even a rinse. In the winter, a damp one always replaces it. I think I heard that 700 diapers a day are used and I don’t doubt it. The young lady who gave me the tour was so sweet. The issue of orphans not receiving proper care is huge. It’s not that she doesn’t care, there are just so many children.

Here’s a picture of a little girl I met there. You can see it looks like a school.

May 19, 2009

2009-05-21T20:48:00.000-07:00

Here’s a picture of Dr. Joyce doing what she does best, casting the legs of a child with club feet. She had to snip a tendon in the ankle and the casts reshape the ankle, enabling the child to grow and walk normally. Many older children in this area grow up and still have club feet. Many orphanages are bringing their children with club feet to Joyce and she corrects it. J

Today, Robin and I flew to Luoyang, south of Beijing. They are opening a new, state of the art center, for children being rescued from China’s notorious ‘dying rooms.’ In many orphanages, hopeless children are left alone in these dying rooms to pass away, alone and in pain. If they don’t die of their illness, then of starvation and neglect. This sounds awful, however when the orphanages can’t provide the support the child needs, it’s their way of putting these children out of misery as quickly as possible. Whew.

The good news, is that Steven Curtis Chapman’s ‘Shaohannah’s Hope’ raised the $1.5 million to construct this new center. In a similar center run by New Hope, 60% of the children don’t survive, but they will be loved and given a chance. 40% do survive and go on to be adopted. Here are two picture of the new medical center that will take 130 babies at a time.

Like I said before, these people are surely entertaining angels… their lights shine in such a way… I am truly inspired to be a little less about me and to pay a little more attention to those in need.

For those of you who aren’t aware of Portion for Orphans’ work, we raise funds for a number of orphanages mainly in Thailand, China and Kenya. 100% of what we raise benefits the children. Donations can made at any time via our website www.portionfororphans.org If you’d like to make a donation directly to one of the orphanages we support, just contact us for more info.

May 18, 2009

2009-05-21T20:17:00.000-07:00

WOW is my first impression! Today Robin picked me up at the Beijing Airport. After a 2 hour delay due to swine flu precautions, we got a Starbucks and headed to New Hope Foundation, formerly known as Hope Foster Home. New Hope is a medical orphanage near Beijing, founded 10 years ago by Dr. Joyce and Robin Hill, from Australia and England.

The one child policy in China is the main cause of orphans, however Joyce said if it weren’t for the policy they’d have street kids all over and that orphanages would be overflowing. Children who are born with disabilities in China are often abandoned, mainly because the parents don’t feel they can provide and because disabilities carry strong stigmas in China.

Children with medical needs do not receive proper care in the government orphanages. So, New Hope brings them to their home, provides life-giving medical assistance, and most go on to be adopted. Over 800 children have passed through New Hope Foundation, have received all kinds of corrective surgeries from doctors willing to help, and are now in families of their own all over the world.

There’s one little girl here who is a bit older than the rest. Her name is Jade, she is a very gentle spirited 5 year old who befriended me within seconds. She had a heart problem and has already received heart surgery. Joyce told me that her chances of being adopted are slim. She and I spent a while playing together this afternoon, she showed off all of her English Vocabulary. It’s hard to be face to face with a child who does not have a mom, it’s impossible to imagine the repercussions of that. This picture is of Jade and I.

Joyce and Robin are Christians, but it is illegal to share the gospel and teach Bible to Chinese nationals. Joyce knows they would be exploited for teaching their Chinese staff so she focuses on what she was called here to do, provide medical assistance to these babies.

www.hopefosterhome.com

Off to China

2009-05-16T14:51:00.000-07:00

Off to China... May 16th 2009

Dear Friends,

Tomorrow, God-willing, I'm heading to China for two weeks. I'm too excited to sleep! It is an honor, a privilege, and a HUGE JOY for me to go, on behalf of you all, and visit orphans. I'm inspired just thinking about visiting with the directors, who are no doubt entertaining angels, and to see the precious children we exist to serve. I'll be spending one week at New Hope Foundationwww.hopefosterhome.com and one week with The Philip Hayden Foundation www.chinaorphans.org.

Here's a picture of the Nemo Play Room at New Hope Foundation and of the Mongolian yurt style volunteer quarters.

I have every intention of blogging during my trip at www.portionfororphans.blogspot.com This does depend on internet availability, but I hope to share a little each day including pictures and video clips.

Your prayers are much appreciated during this time.

Thanks,

Sally Allred Lockett <><

Founder/Director, Portion for Orphans