Emy came under care of Show Hope’s Special Care Center in Jiaozuo, China in August 2009. She was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a congenital liver condition. If corrective surgery is received within the first few weeks of life, children born with this condition have a 30% chance of recovery without the need for further surgery. If surgery is not available within these early weeks, a liver transplant within the first few years of life is necessary for survival.

Recently, Emy’s nurses noticed that she was developing a yellow cast to her skin. Because of her history with biliary atresia, the nurses were understandably alarmed. Lab tests were quickly ordered and to the great relief of the staff, all results came back completely normal. After a little investigative work, the nurses were able to determine that Emy’s skin color had changed simply due to a recent increase in Emy’s intake of carotene foods like carrots. It is this same level of care and attention that makes it possible for children like Emy to thrive. In fact, Emy’s nurses celebrated since her skin color changes were actually the sign of beautiful, healthy skin.

Emy loves to play with balls and is able to follow simple instructions well. She attends preschool every day and is doing well in class. And like many toddlers, she is also learning not to put everything in her mouth. Emy sometimes gets jealous of the other babies but this sweet little girl is adored by everyone she meets!

As we celebrate Emy’s upcoming adoption by her forever family, please pray for her and the other orphans under care with this same condition. Orphans like Thea and Zarek (pictured) who need a forever family in order to survive. With treatment, children with biliary atresia can have an excellent quality of life.

By now the excitement of Christmas is wearing off a bit and hopefully is fading into a wonderful memory for all. As we turn our attention to crossing the threshold into a new year, before we do, join me in rejoicing in what we have been able to accomplish as the body of Christ in 2011. Whether you are a donor, an adoptive parent, a volunteer, a missionary, on staff at SH, a board member, an influential voice, a partner, one of our prayer warriors, or a vendor, I am grateful for the part that you played that resulted in life change for hundreds of orphaned children (now former orphans) in our country and around the globe. Your steps of obedience to play your part as one of the cast of characters in the life story of these kids that we have been a part of strengthen us as an organization. At times, you may have felt like an “extra” or a “stand in” but the stories of change are epic and the impact is beyond us. God’s plans are bigger and better than ours and while I don’t have time to recount all the miracles of 2011, below are a few headlines to recap.

Adoption Aid: In November, we surpassed our 3,000 adoption assistant financial grant helping qualified families adopt children from over 50 countries! Wow, I remember when we hit three hundred and I thought “someday there will be an extra 0 at the end and we will hit 3,000.” Dare we dream 30,000 someday (will need your help if you have major donor capacity ☺ )
Outlook 2012: The number of applications still outpace our funding and the volume of applications are projected to be similar to this past year so join us in one of our greatest joys which is to help fund forever families.
Read more blogs about Adoption Aid >

Show Hope Special Care Centers: We launched two more special care centers in China adding more than 75 orphans with special needs to our care. Obviously another full year of care at MBHOH for over 130 orphaned children and some of the greatest miracles to recap is that it is our understanding over a dozen children (as far as we know…maybe more) have been adopted by families who have been cared for at MBHOH. That is what I call a major circle of blessing and the main thrust in our purpose of our Show Hope Special Care Centers – for children to be put in a greater position to be adopted.
Outlook 2012: Possibly a couple more care centers in the Henan province! Stay tuned.
Read more blogs about Show Hope Special Care Centers >

Pre/Post Adoption & Empowered to Connect Conferences: We are grateful to have organized two conferences in 2011 which brought roughly 1300 people including hurting families, counselors and church partners. Furthermore, we implemented FREE resources for our adoption aid applicants to educate them about some of the prospective challenges ahead of them to better equip them with this life breathing information.
Outlook 2012: more free resources for applicants, the addition of a third ETC conference and a prospective new strategic initiative for training purposes. (Stand by)
Register today for 2012 Empowered to Connect Conferences >

Short-Term Trips: Roughly 200 people from around the country and different groups step foot into MBHOH this past year. Two additional surgical teams to make it three (from 1 team the previous year) unique medical trips to provide life changing surgery for 35 orphans combined throughout the year. Additionally, we had a dental team work on our nannies and several student and donor teams bring their energy and passion to Luoyang, China!
Outlook 2012: Another full year of trips!!
Complete the 2012 trips application >

The Movement Club: Our first Movement event took place in Nashville earlier this year as the catalyst towards a dozen or so Movement Clubs in high schools being launched in the Nashville region. Various service projects were executed and we begin to move into a National Launch phase with a new website just recently going live and now other clubs being formed throughout the country. We are excited for students to go beyond themselves and separate themselves as leaders in their school and community. Students can’t adopt, but lets not underestimate their passion to care for orphans today as we invest into them to become the adoptive families of tomorrow.
Outlook 2012: Watch out College students, Show Hope is coming to a campus near you!!
View video updates from The Movement Club >

Awareness and Events: Year 2 of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella was incredible! The orphan cause was lifted on high in Nashville community through this theatrical performance with Class A Broadway actors and actresses, not to mention Class A directors, local sponsors and supporters. Nothing like a unique event to piggy back a cause!
Outlook 2012: Tickets on Sale now!

SCC Concerts: “I came to one of Steven’s concerts three years ago and as a result of that night, my wife and I have gone on to adopt three children.” – Show Hope Volunteer
Enough said! Don’t miss an SCC concert this coming year as we have seen the Lord use his voice and platform for God’s purposes. Thank you to all the 400+ volunteers
Outlook 2012: Saddle Up, SCC is at it again in February. Purchase tickets today >

Cry of the Orphan Media Blitz: Year 5. Thank you Focus on the Family, Family Life’s Hope for Orphans and our new partner, James Fund (Family Christian Stores) for another successful year. We reached over 20,000,000 impressions with our combined media voice and roughly 250,000 people viewed the “Answer the Cry” video in support of Orphan Sunday.
Outlook 2012: Discussions have begun already for next year.

Well, those were just a few headlines and we are forever grateful for your role in making life change a reality in 2011 for hundreds of orphans and as you can tell by the outlook comments for 2012, we need you to join us in the endeavors that He has called us to do moving forward.

If you are a donor considering a year end gift, or planning your giving for 2012 you are necessary; if you are prospective adoptive parent praying or contemplating adoption, you are necessary; if you are a volunteer seeking to volunteer for the orphan cause, you are necessary. To steal a line from our media blitz campaign, “You are God’s plan for the orphan.” Don’t let the enemy deceive you to think you are not!! Just like we learned in the parable of the lost sheep, for if even one comes into the family we should rejoice. Your steps of obedience TODAY, set in motion forever life change for someone tomorrow! Thank you for a joyful and adventurous 2011; may your pursuit of God and obedience to Him bear great fruit for His Kingdom in 2012.

There are so many things I love about the work of Show Hope. While there are constant reminders of the heartbreaking needs of the world’s waiting orphans, there are also sweet reminders of how God is actively at work to bring these same waiting children into a new hope and future through the miracle of adoption.

Earlier this summer, Show Hope celebrated the 2nd anniversary of its Special Care Centers in China like Maria’s Big House of Hope. On the heels of that celebration, it is only fitting that we would also have an additional celebration in the office of sending “Welcome Home” packages to the children who have overcome the greatest of odds and now find themselves thriving in the love of forever families through adoption. These packages include all the early photo history we have of each child who has been under our care.

As the mother of four children who each came home through the miracle of adoption, I understand how precious any piece of our children’s early history can be – not only for us as parents but also for our children as they grow and learn more about how God protected and provided for them before they were ever in our arms. As a result of Show Hope Special Care Centers’ integral role in the beginning of these children’s lives, we have the distinct privilege of being able to provide some of this early history. It is one more way to celebrate all that God is doing to bring “beauty from ashes” for these beautiful kids and their families.

Welcome home Elmer, Libby, Lakeisha, Martina, Jim, Elaina, Zane, Kelsie Rae, and Carolina!

Become a Show Hope sponsor to help provide life-giving care to orphans through Show Hope Special Care Centers >

Show Hope would like to thank In Ian’s Boots for donating shoes to the children at Maria’s Big House of Hope as well as the Show Hope Special Care Centers in Jiaozuo and Zhengzhou!! The shoes made a stop in our offices before being sent to China, and the staff here loved opening the boxes and seeing all of the adorable RileyRoos shoes just as much at the staff at MBHOH did!

In Ian’s Boots was founded earlier this year by Holly and Don Miller in memory of their son, Ian. Their mission is to provide new and gently used shoes to children in need, and the Millers’ passion and compassion is evident. We are delighted that In Ian’s Boots worked so closely with us from start to finish to determine what types and sizes of shoes were most needed in our special care centers!

If you would like to donate supplies to Show Hope’s special care centers, we invite you to review the list of the items that are currently most needed.  If you happen to have an item that falls outside those listed, please contact Cathy Troyer to see if it can additionally be helpful to the care of these children.  We’re thankful to In Ian’s Boots for doing just that and for the wonderful shoes MBHOH kids are enjoying as a result!

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PLEASE NOTE: While this blog was originally posted in November 2010, the Show Hope supplies wish list found below is updated as needed. The last update was May 2011. If you have any questions, feel free to comment on the post.

Now that Adoption Awareness Month is upon us, November provides a perfect opportunity to help raise awareness for the plight of orphans worldwide. Gathering these supplies is also a great activity to help bring the holiday season to life.

Around the world, millions of orphans live in institutions that are unable to care for the special medical needs of the children under their care. Millions more remain homeless and are left to secure their own shelter and comfort. These children are certainly among those Christ refers to as the “least of these.” Through Show Hope’s Special Care Centers in China, you can make a difference in the lives of some of these children!

As Show Hope’s flagship special care center, Maria’s Big House of Hope has already provided life-giving care and hope for hundreds of orphans with the most severe medical needs. Now, two additional centers have opened in Jiaozuo and Zhengzhou, extending this quality of care to waiting children.

One of the sweetest gifts in this work is the ability to see children who once sat on the edge of hopelessness find new hope. You can be a part of making this a reality. In addition to becoming a Show Hope sponsor, you can help provide much needed supplies for these special care centers. A short list of supplies is posted below, as well as a link to the full list of supplies needed.

(We are over-provided at the moment with blankets, shoes and clothing for older children, and toys. If you have already collected these items, please consider donating these particular items to other organizations that may have a greater need for them. If you have not yet purchased, please use the list below to provide the greatest impact for children in Show Hope Special Care Centers.)

Join us today in this exciting opportunity to transform the lives of these beautiful children. Join us in showing hope!

Needed Supplies – medications may be store brand or name brand
· Cough medicine for infants and children; expectorants
· Infant Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen
· Antibiotic ointment or cream
· Infant liquid multivitamins with iron
· Preemie diapers (not newborn but specific diaper for preemie babies)
· Oral Replacement Salts Flavored Powder – (Pedialyte® or other brands)
· Teething Gel
· Micropore tape (various sizes needed of this lightweight tape used to secure bandages or dressings)· Cough medicine for infants and children; expectorants
· Infant sleepers, one-piece, footed – size preemie up to 12 months
· Toddler one-piece footed pajamas – boys and girls – size 18 months, 24 months, 2T and 3T
· Onesies – size 12-24 months

Items can be shipped directly to Show Hope to the attention of “Special Care Centers Donations.” Please also include a Wish-List Packing Slip inside your package for ease of reference as we move these items to our special care centers. The shipping address is provided on the Packing Slip.

SH special care centers packing slip (.xls file)
View the complete Show Hope supplies wish list > (.doc File)

Other ways you can get involved:
Become a sponsor and help provide life-giving care to orphans with special needs every month!
Go on a short-term trip to Maria’s Big House of Hope!

It is with great excitement that we are able to share that Show Hope’s work in China is expanding!  Since the inception of this organization seven years ago, I don’t think any of us could have dreamed of all the ways in which God would invite us into caring for orphans. We knew that helping reduce the financial barrier to adoption would be the core focus of our ministry, but little did we know that we would someday also have the opportunity to be involved with ongoing orphan care, specifically in China.

Maria’s Big House of Hope officially opened last summer, July 2009, and since then we have seen nearly 120 children come to this facility and receive the much needed medical care, love and attention that each child deserves. Thanks to our many Show Hope sponsors, the finances have been provided to help pay the ongoing running costs of this facility.

As we have continually discovered while working in the fields of the fatherless, the need of orphaned and vulnerable children is always so great. The work being done in China, as well as that of the many organizations advocating on behalf of these children all around the world, is not only beneficial but life-saving as we work to show hope to each child. With the need being so great, you might very well question if Show Hope’s work in China will expand. Well…it is with great excitement that we announce just that!

Show Hope has been invited to partner with our friends in China to financially provide the on-going running costs of another special care unit for medically fragile orphans. This unit, located on the fourth floor of the new children’s welfare institute in Jiaozuo city of the Henan province, is only a 1½ hour drive northeast of Maria’s Big House of Hope in Luoyang. This particular care facility exists specifically for severely disabled children and those in need of hospice care until they enter eternity. The children, nannies, and nurses officially moved into this unit a little over a month ago. Once this care unit is running at full capacity, there will be approximately 60 staff members, 2 nurses and 36 babies.

Once again, we find ourselves both humbled by God’s invitation into this wonderful ministry, and grateful for friends like you who support us in it. If you aren’t already a Show Hope sponsor, please consider partnering with us in our initiative to provide the best possible care for one of these precious treasures, and help us to expand our efforts to reach as many of these waiting children as possible.