We are so excited that New Hope Baptist Church in Hermitage, Tennessee has decided to partner with us this fall! Their children’s ministry has been busy planning curriculum for the campaign, which launched on September 13. The kids at New Hope are learning about the plight of orphans around the world and how they can help these other children through their prayers and fundraising efforts. This campaign coincides with National Adoption Month and Orphan Sunday in November.

In the coming months, we will give updates on their progress and ways to adapt their programming for your church. For additional resources on starting an adoption aid and orphan care ministry at your church, click here.

“I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me–the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.”

Acts 20: 24 (NIV)

As I watched this sweet video of Julian and Dwayne’s “race” at MBHOH recently, I reflected on the task of Show Hope–testifying to the Gospel of God’s grace to some of the least of the least, these special-needs orphans. While some may have cast aside these babies as hopeless cases, these children are receiving the love that makes all things new. This love can be seen through the nannies and nurses who are there holding them, sponsors supporting the work of Show Hope and people around the world lifting them up in prayer.

This is the race we are running: to care for orphans in their distress. Sometimes I find that I am Julian, teetering and falling down along the way. I find hope in the reminder that just as Julian’s caregiver picks him up in the video, God in His graciousness picks us up and moves us forward. Enjoy!

The joy of laughter was a sweet gift to the Upton’s as they traveled to China to meet their daughter, Haddie. Her contagious giggle erupted even at the first tickles from Bob and Collette. While still in Guangzhou, they shot this video to share a portrait of hope with their children Noah and Hannah who were waiting in the United States. At home now, Haddie loves to sleep in the arms of her mom and dad and is bonding with her forever family! Thanks to all the sponsors and supporters who helped give this precious child such amazing joy.

Five new children entered into the care of Maria’s Big House of Hope (MBHOH) this week. Our family is growing and we wanted you to meet one of these precious children, Kevin, who just arrived with serious health concerns.

It is sometimes hard to concretely grasp that your investment in this work is directly impacting a specific child somewhere in the world, but it is true. The amazing opportunity Kevin has by coming into the loving care found at MBHOH is beyond words.

As Kevin is adjusting to life at MBHOH, please pray for his transition – that he would feel loved, at home, and secure.  Please also pray for the medical and support staff who are caring for him.  Pray for wisdom and grace as they seek to love and serve him daily.  Your Show Hope sponsorship is bringing Kevin a new hope. Thank you!

Meet Rihanna, a little girl with a HUGE personality that Show Hope sponsors are helping at Maria’s Big House of Hope!

After receiving heart surgery in Shanghai in May, 16-month old Rihanna quickly developed a personality that can light up the room. She is always laughing and smiling! As one of the few children who can walk on her own, she is constantly on the go. This mobility combined with her great curiosity means Rihanna is always trying to get out of her room, the Elephant Room, to roam the halls.

She is very mild-mannered and happy to spend time with each of the nannies and staff members at MBHOH. As her health improves through the daily care she receives in Luoyang, we expect that she will be adopted into a loving, forever family. Please continue to pray with us for sweet special-needs children like Rihanna, and consider providing the love and care for an orphan every month at Maria’s Big House of Hope by becoming a Show Hope sponsor today!

After two difficult pregnancies, Charles and Lydia Headrick felt God placing in them the desire for a third child. Through investigation and prayer about adoption, the couple discovered that this was no “Plan B” for their family, but a very special opportunity. Though their adoption from China was a journey requiring patience and perseverance, they brought home Anna Claire Nilan Headrick with the help of a Show Hope adoption aid grant.

Anna Claire, at three years old, has begun to tell her own adoption story. Her mom describes:

We were traveling in a van, and Anna Claire was sitting in the back seat beside her friend Rebekah. I heard Anna Claire say, “Rebekah, God picked me out for my family. They got on the airplane and came all the way over the ocean. Then the China lady gave me to them, and I cried because I didn’t know them yet. Then we got on the plane and came home together.” Anna Claire nailed it right on the head when she said that God picked her out for our family! Thank you Chapman family and Show Hope donors who helped us bring home our dear daughter.

Thank you for being a part of the miracle!

 Maria’s Big House of Hope really is a “big house with lots and lots of rooms!!” This week, we are pleased to announce the opening of a new wing on the Fifth Floor at Maria’s Big House of Hope! Overseen by Mariah Bywater, this area is dedicated to providing the highest level of comfort to children in need of palliative care. It is currently home to eight children. 

These children, the least of the least, are not being forgotten at MBHOH. The walls are decorated with the characters from Disney/Pixar’s Finding Nemo. Mobiles donated by Harpeth Hills Church of Christ Preschool, Maria’s preschool, adorn each crib. As these children look to the hope of heaven, their medical needs are addressed while they receive spiritual nourishment and one-on-one attention from several nannies. We are so thankful that the support of our sponsors allows us to show hope to these very special children. 

Today, we wanted to bring you a lighthearted glimpse into life at MBHOH, the second post in our “Daily Living” series.  

On Wednesday, the staff at MBHOH officially opened the unofficial “MBHOH Café.” One of the nurses who formerly worked at MBHOH left her espresso machine behind.  The staff set it up on Wednesday and began serving lattes (which are a rarity there!).  We thought we would pass along this video celebrating their good fortune!    

As an added bonus, you will see a cameo appearance by Mikaela.  She is the sweet little girl at MBHOH that we spotlighted last week on the blog.

Enjoy!

Meet Mikaela, one of the beautiful little girls Show Hope sponsors are helping in China.

Mikaela is currently receiving care at Maria’s Big House of Hope in the Peter Pan room. She really started coming out of her shell after receiving heart surgery earlier this year. She is constantly smiling and  has a funny little laugh that sounds more like a whistle. At just under a year old, Mikaela is crawling but isn’t quite up to standing or walking just yet. We are hopeful she will become a candidate for adoption. Please continue to pray with us for sweet special-needs children like Mikaela, and consider supporting Maria’s Big House of Hope through sponsorship today!

Are you wondering what day-to-day life looks like at Maria’s Big House of Hope? Well, we’re going to start a new blog series giving you a sneak peak into Show Hope’s more behind-the-scenes work in Luoyang!

Imagine cooking for a household full of hungry people. Maybe that doesn’t sound so bad, but multiply that by six floors of mouths to feed!! You quickly realize the labor that goes in to planning the menu and preparing the food at MBHOH.

Many people who recently returned from trips to Maria’s Big House commented how incredible it was to find a huge, fully-stocked, professional kitchen there. Unlike many large cafeterias we experience in the United States that serve pre-prepared frozen food, the meals at MBHOH are prepared fresh by the kitchen staff.

If you follow Show Hope on Twitter, you saw that today’s Photo of the Day is of two cooks preparing baozi dumplings. These delicious dumplings are usually filled with some type of vegetable or vegetable/meat mixture. Baozi is unique in the dumpling world due to its bread-like texture. The baozi pictured here are filled with a stuffing made of celery, spring onion, pork, and several different seasonings.

To make these delicious filled buns, the cooks chop up of all the filling ingredients and mix them together in a large bowl, adding the seasoning along the way. Once the filling is prepared, they make and roll the dough. When the dough is ready, they roll out little individual circles and begin to fill them with the stuffing. The sides of the full shells are folded in and twisted together at the top to seal the filling in to the dough. The last step is to throw the dumplings in the steamer and let steam for about 30 minutes. Here at the Show Hope offices we hear the finished product is awesome! If you’re interested in learning more about the preparation of this Chinese dish, click here.

We are so excited to be a part of a ministry that is touching lives of special-needs orphans, but we know we could not do it without a lot of help along the way. We’re thankful for the support that comes from people all over the world, from the Chinese cooks at MBHOH to our sponsors a little closer to home.  If you’re interested in joining our movement to care for orphans, learn about becoming a sponsor here.