I just love watching children play. Recently, a friend had a Fisher Price Little People doll house delivered to me at MBHOH. This dollhouse has been a constant companion and entertainment to Jaelynn ever since. One morning I began watching as she carefully set up her little home. As she was making her little people talk, I realized that her nannies were using this tool to teach her about life in a real home…WOW!

Jaelynn knew who the grandma and grandpa were, where the dog belonged, and how the kitchen was supposed to be set up. Although she has never heard anyone knock on the front door of a home, she was having her little person knock with the grandma answering as she asked, “Who is it?” Jaelynn had the little “mama” cooking in the kitchen and had “baba” leaving for work. This little girl, never exposed to a family in action, was putting into play the things she had picked up from the world around her.

Shortly after she began playing, Jaelynn looked up at me, held out her hand with the baby and stated, “Look, she is just like me. She has a tumor just like mine.” For any of you who have had the opportunity to play with Fisher-Price Little People, you may recall they are designed with round bases that fit into their furniture and accessories. The baby Jaelynn had fit into one of these bases had a basket full of accessories. One of these accessories was a ball on a blanket next to the baby, but to Jaelynn’s mind, that was a tumor that looked just like the one on her back. The baby was “just like her.”

As Jaelynn looked around the room, she told me that there wasn’t a baby just like one of her “sisters” in her room who had a tube in her nose. When she asked “Why not?” I simply smiled and said, “I don’t know why.” The nannies giggled. Later I noticed that one of the dolls now had a line marked in ink from her nose – I think the nannies were fixing the problem.

I thought about this the whole rest of the day. While we so often necessarily get caught up in taking care of the medical needs of these little ones, we don’t want to miss the moments that are just like every other child…the “why” moments. To the little ones under my care, it does not matter how well I care for their medical needs, how well I can give injections, start IV’s, put in a tube, or calculate the medications they need- all they care about is who gets into my arms first, who gets kisses, who has a story read, or a doll played with, who gets to fall asleep as I rock and sing to them, and how I answer their “Why’s?” In short, they want to be loved and to know that they are uniquely special. They are “just like me” — made in the image of God. I want to have the faith of a child that simply trusts my Father. Though my language skills may fail at times in being able to answer the “Why,” it will never fall short in sharing with them the “Who” that loves them and made them uniquely special!

Read more about Jaelynn >

“As we returned home to Australia after the first Show Hope sponsor team to Maria’s Big House of Hope last year, we were keen to continue raising awareness about orphan care. We proposed the idea of a return trip with an Australian team. How blessed we are that the idea has actually happened!

“Our team is made up of 12 Aussies who arrived a few days ago. We have conquered the ancient stair master- The Great Wall, eaten incredibly yummy cuisine, experienced some local culture and have met beautiful little children. As we returned to MBHOH, we have been excited to reconnect with children who stole our hearts a year ago and excited to see the progress they’ve made in their health, development, and personalities. It has also been a privilege to watch the other team members grow in their understanding of God’s heart for orphans and to see them open their hearts to change. We look forward to experiencing more as we continue to listen to God, and choose to be obedient to His call.”

-Felicity and Merryn

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“Earlier in the year, I didn’t expect to be on this trip. We couldn’t afford for both me and Merryn (my wife) to come, I didn’t feel both of us could leave our three children, I had just started in a new job… and, if I’m honest, I was full of fear about the thought of it all.

“But God steadily worked to overcome all of those issues. Through the gracious provision of others, God made the way clear for me to come. Not only that, but He eased my fears, so that even as we then struggled to get our visas, I had a peace that we would get here and that everything would be okay.

“Even after all of that,  I still came not really expecting God to do anything to my heart. After all, the trip was about God stirring other people’s hearts to the plight of orphans; my role (as I saw it) was to support Merryn as she led the trip with Felicity, to help care for the team and to hopefully offer encouragement to the staff here. While I didn’t expect God to move my heart, He did! The past few days have been intense as the world wide orphan crisis has taken on a face – many faces actually, as I’ve spent time in different rooms interacting with different children – and the statistics and the word ‘orphan’ now have real meaning and significance to me.

“It has not been an easy experience for me as helplessness, doubt, and questions fill my heart. But faith has also filled my heart, because I have been reminded of Genesis 18:25. Abraham asks, “Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Though it would be so easy to just see the injustice and ‘wrongness’ of so many children without parents to love them in this world, the eyes of my heart have also been lifted heavenward. Though I don’t know ‘why,’ I have a settled confidence that their heavenly Father, the Judge of all the earth, will do only what is right. And that gives me hope.”

-Matt

Typically the days leading up to an anniversary of something tragic brings forth some anxiety due mainly to the anticipation of emotion that is evoked when you “remember the day.”  For the Chapmans and the Show Hope family, we find ourselves in an emotional state beyond what any of us could have anticipated because of yet another tragedy.  Donna Daniel, Show Hope’s newest board member, and her husband Dan, tragically lost their 17 year old son Michael on Wednesday evening due to a skateboarding accident.  Our heart goes out to Dan and Donna and the rest of their family. No words that we have can console what you are experiencing.

As I spoke to Mary Beth throughout the week to receive updates on Michael’s status until he went to be with Jesus, she kept referencing the scripture “comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”  (2 Corinthians 1:4)

Three years ago today, Maria Sue Chapman went to be with Jesus.  Considering I spent a number of days at Maria’s Big House of Hope a little over a week ago, I was reminded of her legacy and often thought of her.  I became more mindful of where she is now, and as a result I find myself more grateful for the work on the cross that assures us of our undeserving but rightful place in heaven.  Life is indeed a vapor and there is suffering going on around us, and even perhaps for many of you reading this blog, but the reality is we have a greater destination heavenward thanks to the ransom Christ paid for us, death on the cross.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21

Get to know some of the babies at Maria’s Big House of Hope in this month’s recap video! We also just uploaded two new videos to give you a sneak peek into the daily lives of Jessica and Naomi, who are both seen playing in the recap video.

Watch Jessica’s new video > – Jessica learns how to say the English word “eyes” in Kindergarten and in the process, takes the opportunity to entertain her teacher as well as visitors to her classroom.

Watch Naomi’s new video > – Naomi not only feels grown up by being able to help Caitlin with an errand at MBHOH, but she also has the chance to learn a valuable lesson that will serve her in the future:   cell phones and indoor sunglasses are not a very workable combination….but how does a girl choose?

Nashville’s News Channel 5 aired this special feature on Show Hope’s adoption aid and orphan care work tonight. The video segment features special interviews with the Chapmans and the testimony of the Wright family, who received a Show Hope adoption aid grant.

Read the full story at News Channel 5 >

Become a Show Hope sponsor to make more miracles possible >

Over twenty medical professionals from Geisinger Medical Center set out to travel over 7,000 miles carrying over 900 pounds of supplies to help change the life of fifteen orphans in four days.  I am pleased to report that this mission was indeed accomplished. It would not be truthful if I said that it was completely smooth sailing and stress free, but considering the environment this team delivered with minimal hiccups.

There is always a story behind the story, but the truth is each team member gets to be a part of the story that is unfolding for these orphans.  One month old hydrocephalus babies with new shunts and two year old cleft babies with new smiles.  I am proud of this team for believing in a vision and investing their own time and resources to travel half way around the world to practice ‘pure religion’ (James :127).  Thanks to all who supported, followed and prayed for this team and a special thanks to my wife Kerry who stood in Joyces kitchen in China three years ago and believed that God was asking her to be an instrument to get Geisinger teams to perform at MBHOH.

God is faithful!  “The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it.”  1 Thessalonians 5:24

It wouldn’t be a true mission trip if it didn’t have  a curveball or two thrown our way, not to mention the emotional ups and downs like a roller coaster ride as the team leaders work through decisions in detail.  We woke up yesterday to generator noise which meant only one thing..a power outage.  The weather has been sketchy all week which was fine since the mission work was inside, but it caught us off guard needless to say as it was not something we expected.  We knew it is always a far off possibility but why now?  When would it come back on?  Would it come back on? - were the questions that immediately came to mind.  The thoughts were out of control, we only had four days to fit in every case that we could so any delay in our schedule would throw off our plan.  We felt powerless in every way imaginable.  However, it is just like God to bring to bare a moment to remind us of our limitations and how powerless we really were in our own human frailty in our own strength.  I said earlier in the week during our morning devotion time that “apart from him we could do nothing”(John 15:5) but I didn’t think it would be taught to us in a real practical way!  Without electricity, we really couldn’t do anything!  At any rate, by God’s Grace, the power came back on within 30 minutes of the first case and we barely skipped a beat.  Three more repairs are DONE and in the books.  Great job team.

“I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness.” Romans 6:19

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