Being around Steven a lot over the last nine years, I have a front row seat to watch someone who God has gifted in writing and music. I have often said that he makes it look easy. I suppose the combination of working in your giftings and answering the call to channel those giftings “according to His good will and purpose” results in making things look easy when in fact, they are not. It also results in excellence of output or work. However, when you distill it down we can call it whatever but biblically I believe it is called “fruit of labor”. Its characteristics have the appearance of making things look easy and excellent in its output.

Friends, this Geisinger Medical team is filled with people who are excellent at what they do and they make it look easy. Today three more lives where changed with surgical repair. No details have been left unturned and it is quite impressive to witness. Even more impressive to me, however is their compassion for these kids.  This environment brings to surface the raw and authentic motivation as to why one would choose healthcare as a vocation.  It has been refreshing to listen to mealtime conversations about how much they care for these kids and observe their pursuit of them even after post op care.  It is infectious to say the least.

“Truly I tell you, whatever ou did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”  Matthew 25:40

First, Happy Mothers Day to all Mom’s out there not to mention my beautiful bride Kerry, the mother to my three amazing children.  You are a Proverbs 31 women “worthy of praise.”

I pray that everyone’s Mother’s Day celebration was a fulfilling day honoring mom and showering them with love, tenderness and gifts.  We, here in China, look back on how we spent our mother’s day rejoicing in a full 14 hour day of surgery delivering greater hope and a brighter future for several of the children here at MBHOH.  Although these children don’t have a mother, I couldn’t help but think that the gift of healing was given today for the future moms of these kids.  Today, a greater chance at being adopted was birthed which in the end will bring fulfillment as it says in Proverbs 13:12 “Hope deferred makes the heart sick but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” That holds true not just for the orphan, but for the one seeking to be a mom through the miracle of adoption.  It was a beautiful scene this morning as Stephan was being held by the nurse shortly after waking up and the team marked the white board – “DONE!”  It is always difficult to get that first one under your belt and they did just that in addition to three other special cases.

The team is working well together.  It is incredible how each one is playing a key role.  Early on in the recruitment phase of this project, as the number of volunteers stepping forward kept growing, there were several moments where I questioned the size of the group, but Dr. Erica McElroy, the trip leader knew each person would be critical.  Today that was proved true and I was reminded of what was said in Romans 12:4 “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”  This group is functioning as ONE making a beautiful chorus as a song of worship to our creator.

As a former athlete, there are many things that I learned from the playing field but I was taught that in order to be excellent and win you must prepare.  Hard work in practice would produce fruitful results in the game. In fact, it was in my college years that I first learned about the “5 P’s” which is “Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.”  As the first day of execution comes to bare tomorrow for the 2011 Geisinger Medical Center mission team to Maria’s Big House of Hope the preparation and hard work to this point has been remarkable to witness, to say the least.

The team of 22 medical professionals with various skill sets endured nearly 30 hours of travel from the moment we left the Geisinger parking lot at 5:30am on May 4 with over 900 pounds of medical supplies in tow.  Today, I witnessed the unpacking, the putting away, the lectures, the organizing, the mock walk-throughs and the laying out of what the next four days will look like for the Pediatric Neurosurgeon team and Cleft Lip and Palate repair team.  The plan is ambitious, not to mention exhausting, but the excitement and anticipation is feverish.  Friends, this is a determined team who won’t settle for anything less than excellence and their preparation has been astonishing to me.

In the last decade, I have often cited the scripture found in James 1:27 where God describes what Pure Religion looks like – “Pure religion is this to care for orphans and widows in their distress…..”  Tomorrow this group of professionals will meet the practice of medicine with the practice of pure religion.  Lord willing the clash of the two will produce eternal fruit for many children.

Stay tuned and stay prayerful!

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthian 15:58

DeSantis lectures the group in preparation for the week

About 8 months ago, on an ordinary day in September, I taught a class with Isaac as the only student in attendance. On that particular day, one of his roommate’s family sent him a package. During class, Isaac told me a little about it, and then informed me, “I do not have a mom and dad.” As I froze and subsequently began floundering around for a word of reassurance to offer him, he just kept shaking his head and saying “mei you,” the Chinese word for “don’t have.”

Today, I had the profound privilege of watching Isaac as he received his first package from his family. The sheer joy of watching his face light up as he opened his package, saw his new clothes, and talked on his new toy cell phone was like a dose of good medicine. Those sweet little eyes completely disappeared while his big smile and laugh took up his whole face.

The part that will forever stay with me, however, is when we flipped through the photo album his family sent him. As we turned each page, I told Isaac who each smiling face was – his mom, dad, brother, and two sisters. After we flipped through it once, I asked him who each person was the second time around. With every question, his response was the same. He looked at me, smiled and put his hand over his heart and with a voice full of confidence and sincerity Isaac simply said “Mine.”

Although he has never been in a family before, and has watched many of his friends leave to be taken home by their forever families, this sweet little four year boy has no hesitation or doubt when I ask him if he has a family now. In fact, just about every day he tells me that he has a mom and dad that are coming to get him soon. Whereas 8 months ago Isaac knew with certainty that he did not have a family, it is amazing to watch as he says with pride that yes, now, he most certainly does.

Help more miracles like Isaac’s become a reality. Become a Show Hope sponsor today!

“Today is our last day at Maria’s Big House of Hope. Our team’s time here has been filled with laughter, tears and hope as we have experienced our Father in a new way. The Lord does not need any one of us to care for the orphan, but He’s offered us the invitation to be His hands and feet. God has revealed Himself as Protector, Comforter and Healer.

“As we finish various work projects and give last hugs to these precious children, we begin to process all we have seen, heard and felt. Now that we know these children, we have a responsibility to them, to become advocates on their behalf in our homes, churches and communities. My prayer is for God to grant each member of this sponsor team His heart, wisdom and perfect peace as we pursue the call to care for the orphan at home.”

-Megan Flaker

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“I spent part of yesterday morning in the preschool classroom here at MBHOH. We spent time laughing, painting pictures and making messes. Making messes with kids has got to be one of the best ways to have fun with them! There is something about hearing and seeing these children laugh that makes the cleaning up afterwards a joy.

“You know the saying that laughter is therapeutic? It’s more than that with these kids at Maria’s Big House of Hope. When I laugh with them I get a glimpse of God’s delight for these children. I’ve been singing the song ‘Jesus Loves Me’ to them and instead of saying ‘me’ I’ve changed that word to ‘you.’ Through time at MBHOH, God has given me a powerful glimpse of His love not only for these children but also for me.”

-Crista Hobbet

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“I am on this trip to honor my dad who was a huge supporter of Show Hope. In fact, he wanted to visit MBHOH but unfortunatley passed away before he was able to come. I am continuing in his desire to care for the orphans of the world by taking this trip with Show Hope.

“God has been teaching me so much in the past few days! One thing that God has taught me is that although everyone has a role in caring for the orphans of the world (James 1:27), not everyone is called to care for them in the same way. Some are called to directly care for orphans first-hand like the head nurse Mariah Bywater. Some are called to be a forever family to a child. Some, like those of us on this Show Hope sponsor trip, are called to assist financially with orphan care or to go on short-term trips to spend time with the kids. Others are called to advocate for those who do not have a voice to speak for themselves. Whatever the means, God has invited us all to join Him in caring for orphans. This is a way to know and experience Him.”

-Rachel Singer

“The April Show Hope sponsor team met up in Newark on Friday and flew together as a team to Beijing.  As we got to know each other on the 13 hour plane ride and through our team building exercise of climbing the Great Wall, it has been evident that God uniquely placed each team member on this trip.  Our team consists of fifteen Show Hope sponsors from 12 different states and various walks of life who share a common heart for caring for orphans.

“We arrived at Maria’s Big House of Hope late on Sunday night after it was dark, and woke up this morning ready to explore. Most of us were up around 6am thanks to jet lag, but that meant we had a head start on meeting kids before breakfast! The hard part was deciding which room to visit first, with so many sweet little ones all pulling at your heart. What a joy to make a child smile and let them know they are loved.

“Since it was still Easter in the United States, we decided to celebrate here with the kids. We had an Easter egg hunt, colored eggs, enjoyed a beautiful cake, played pin the tail on the bunny, and even had face painting. Jessica was a good sport to sit still for this precious Maria flower design. Day One at MBHOH has been a joy and we are all so thankful to be here together. I truly wish every Show Hope sponsor could come a see this place with their own eyes. Thank you for your generous support that is making a huge impact!”

-Katie and McKensey, Show Hope team leaders

We love seeing new videos of the kids at Maria’s Big House of Hope, but we get even more excited to share them with you! Their sweet smiles are simply irresistible!  Because of the amazing support of our Show Hope sponsors and donors, children at Show Hope special care centers receive the highest level of care and nurture. Be sure to share this adorable video with your friends and pray that the babies you see here will be welcomed into forever families soon.

The orphans at Show Hope’s Special Care Centers are well known for their unconditional love. They don’t care what the world thinks of you, whether you are cool or not, or whether you win awards. Unfazed by Justin Bieber’s new haircut, which has stirred up controversy with his fans, or his loss of the Grammy for Best New Artist, the children at the special care centers still love Bieber!

In fact, Judah, who is at Maria’s Big House of Hope (MBHOH), won’t let his lack of understanding English or his Arthrogryposis, a condition that limits the use of his joints, prevent him from singing and dancing along to one of his favorite songs! In this video, he is joined by Jessica, Jaelynn, and Isaac. Even non-Bieber fans’ hearts will be warmed by their beautiful rendition of Justin Bieber’s hit song, “Baby.” Thank you to all the Show Hope sponsors who are allowing these children to thrive in this loving and fun family atmosphere!

As your heart opens to these MBHOH super stars, we encourage you to pray these children will be matched with forever families so they can experience a lifetime of love!

As we celebrated the new year in the United States last month and heard about the Chinese New Year celebrations in China last week, we became excited about the year to come at Maria’s Big House of Hope and the Show Hope Special Care Centers in Zhengzhou and Jiaozuo. We wanted to take a moment to give you a more intimate glimpse into the lives of the children that you read about on this blog. The orphans who are cared for at Show Hope special care centers receive the highest level of care and nurture because of the amazing support of our Show Hope sponsors and donors.

In the past week alone, a team led by David Trask visited China to prepare for a summer medical/dental trip, and at the same time The Movement kick-off was raising funds for MBHOH! We can’t wait to see what God will do at MBHOH in 2011! Enjoy this January video recap of the sweet kids at Maria’s Big House of Hope!

We first introduced you to Jessica through an MBHOH spotlight more than a year ago.  She has grown up so much since then! In the past year, Jessica started preschool and is doing phenomenally. She speaks Chinese well, but as she nears her fifth birthday, Jessica’s English vocabulary is also growing rapidly. She enjoys repeating the English words she finds in books, and often asks for the English words of pictures and objects around her. In addition to knowing the English words for several colors, she has learned that saying, “Please!” will get her just about anything she wants! Caitlin Ruff, our MBHOH preschool intern, shares that Jessica is a bright student who always comes into the classroom eager to participate in the day’s activities.

We are thankful for the continued support that Show Hope sponsors provide to Jessica. Because of you, Jessica’s ability to thrive continues to increase with the therapy she receives at Maria’s Big House of Hope for her Cerebral Palsy. In Jessica’s first spotlight, we shared that she was learning to sit up with a pillow. Now, with the excellent and loving care she has received, she is strong enough to support herself without the aid of a pillow! She also opens markers, colors, flips through books, eats snacks, drinks out of a cup, and peels the backs off stickers all by herself. Each of these tasks is a huge victory in her development! Jessica is currently featured in the “Pray for” section of our website, and we encourage you to join us in prayer for a forever family for this sweet girl!