As the Geisinger medical team now settles back into their lives at home (and each pushes through their ensuing jet lag), we thought it might be nice to have a quick glance back at the events of this past week at MBHOH. Eleven children received successful surgeries to correct their cleft lip or palate, and while each surgery was unique, all were a success thanks to the diligent care, long preparation, and expert skills of each person involved. Our deepest thanks go out to each member of the Geisinger team for their selfless service as well as to the staff at MBHOH who together bring such tender and loving care to these children each day.

The 11 children receiving surgeries were: Skyler, Oliver, Grace, Asher, Dylan, Lakeisha, Kristen, Ella, Brooks, Whitney, and Susie. As you can see from the surgery schedule on the whiteboard, it was an amazingly full and busy few days for not only the Geisinger team and these 11 children, but also the nannies and nurses who have worked to bring these children to this point in their care.

An additional noteworthy event that took place this week on the “Smile Floor” of MBHOH was the departure of David (featured in the photo above), who was called back to the orphanage to await the upcoming arrival of his forever family. Although his presence is already missed at MBHOH, we are endlessly thankful that we are able to celebrate this beautiful news. We look forward with hope to his arrival into the arms of his forever family.  Please pray for David in the upcoming days — that he would know his family even before they come for him and that his transition would be sweet and full of familiar comforts.

Of course, all these miracles couldn’t be possible without the ongoing prayers and support of all the Show Hope sponsors who have done so much to see this day come for these children.

On their behalf, we say “thank you!”

Oliver's pre-op photo with his nanny.

Oliver's post-op photo. He is healing beautifully!

Today marks the first anniversary of the opening of Maria’s Big House of Hope! To celebrate, we are bringing you more news from Mikey Shook about the surgeries that have been going on this week. We are sorry they have not been more regular, but electrical and internet outages in China prevented daily postings. At any rate, Show Hope is beyond thrilled that the support of our sponsors has helped to change lives and establish MBHOH as a wonderful healing home for these precious children with special needs in this first year of operation!

Monday began early with the 6:30am repair of Asher‘s cleft palate. It is so interesting because Dr. DeSantis, the plastic surgeon, was gracious enough to show us what he does as he goes through the surgery. Grace, who was featured in the last sponsorship update, was the second  surgery of the day, and her cleft palate repair went great!! After lunch, Dylan’s cleft palate repair was completed, thus ending the 12 hour day of surgeries succesfully!

Monday evening, Steven Curtis, Mary Beth, Shaoey, Stevey Joy, and Robin, Joyce and Katie Hill arrived at MBHOH. They didn’t skip a beat when they got here, and ran up to the the surgical ward to take a look at what was going on. As they had been traveling for about 24 hours straight, they quickly called it a night to prepare for the next morning of surgeries.

On Tuesday, SCC led the group in morning prayer. Brooks was the first child to have surgery that day, and also the first child whose surgery SCC and Mary Beth were able to witness! As you may have seen on MBC’s blog, they were able to get up close and watch the entire surgery as Dr. DeSantis explained the procedure. Rob and Joyce Hill, along with their daughter Katie and the Chapman girls, were able to scrub in to watch the next surgery. They all had a blast seeing the incredible transformations taking place first hand.

The last surgery to wrap up an amazing week was for Susie, whose cleft lip was repaired. The procedure was quick and smooth and the team finished by 4pm. Everyone took time to rest and shower before we went to a great western-style dinner. We were all exhausted, but happy because of the massive and amazing impact of the week’s happenings on the children at Maria’s Big House of Hope.

Several of the children who had surgery earlier in the week are already back on their feet (literally and figuratively) and smiling away this afternoon! It’s amazing to watch the resiliency of these children through their recovery. One day we see them in the recovery room just after surgery, and the next day they are smiling (though a bit sore) back to their regular selves. This truly has been an incredible week in the unfolding history of MBHOH. Thank you for your prayers!

The day we have been preparing for has finally come! This week, a group of doctors from Geisinger Medical Center arrived at MBHOH to perform cleft lip and palate surgeries for some of the children on the second floor, affectionately dubbed “the Smile Floor.” Mikey, our MBHOH Liaison, writes about the team’s first few days:

“The Geisinger team arrived safely late Friday night and didn’t waste a minute before they ran up to check out the operating room. The most used phrase was ‘Wow…this is more than we expected!’ After a tour of the stations that will be used this week, everyone settled down for a good night’s sleep.

“We started Saturday at the ‘late’ hour of 8am. For the rest of the week, work will begin at 6am. The team jumped right in by sorting 12 suitcases full of equipment they brought with them, which took most of the morning. At lunch, Dr. DeSantis gave an amazing presentation informing all of us on what the process of surgery and healing for these children will be like. I personally was very impressed and happy to be able to sit in on the lecture. As we celebrated (Show Hope staff person) David Trask’s birthday cake at lunch, he made a comment I think is worth sharing. ‘I have worked with some of the biggest rock stars of my day, but this (the surgeries) is the highlight of my life. Its not about what you have done, it’s about what you are doing.’

“In the afternoon, the team examined the babies that were pre-identified for surgery to make sure their health was good. It was really cool to actually know what I was looking at when they examined the children, and how they would fix it.

“Sunday began early with coffee mugs in hand. We prayed in an empty room next to the OR for safety, that everything would go well, that we wouldn’t get in the way of God’s work, and that God would keep his hand over the children. After the prayer, Skyler was brought in and put under anesthesia.  After about 3 hours the team emerged from the OR and Skyler had a freshly repaired cleft lip. Everyone crowded around to see her with huge smiles on their faces.

“The doctors and OR staff took a short break to talk about the surgery and how things went, and then were ready to begin the second surgery. Oliver, who had a more complicated bilateral cleft lip, was brought in. I was honored to be able to watch the entire procedure. It was one of the highlights of my life. I know for the doctors and nurses it’s something they do nearly on a daily basis, but for me it was literally a 5-year dream come true to watch a cleft surgery performed, knowing the impact it will have on the lives of these children. It was amazing to watch the doctors work earnestly for another 3 hours!

“It was truly awesome to see every part of the team working together for these children: The nannies caring for the children before and after, the nurses prepping the children, the anesthesia team putting the child under, the doctor and nurses performing the procedure, and the post-op team moving right in to make sure the baby was stable and had everything he/she needed.”

We are constantly amazed that Show Hope sponsors support this incredible work at MBHOH and that we are given the opportunity care for these children with special needs. We can’t wait to bring you even more information about the progress of the surgical team!

Pre-surgical exams - Oliver

If you have been following Show Hope’s blog, you already have a sense of the wide range of medical needs being cared for at Maria’s Big House of Hope. Like Gabriel, Jesse was admitted into our care with a diagnosis of hydrocephalus (a build-up of  fluid on the brain). As a result of this condition, he struggled with prolonged sickness and feeding problems. Through the high level of medical care and attention given to him at MBHOH provided by the support of Show Hope sponsors, Jesse is now having an easier time eating. This is having a significant impact on his overall health, and we celebrate his continued improvement.

Jesse shares the Jungle Room, located on the first floor at MBHOH, with Isaac, Lola, and Franky. While he is not yet able to walk, Jesse is an expert at crawling and travels across his room at lightning speed! He loves to be active and is often found inventing his own form of rolling gymnastics on the play mats of his room.

As we celebrate both the large and small victories found in the recovering health and healing of these children, please continue to pray that these children would one day find themselves in the arms of loving forever families able to care for their needs. This hope of love and permanency in a family would have never been possible without the groundwork laid through the faithful support of Show Hope sponsors. Together, we are seeing miracles.

As it gets warmer and school lets out, kids in the United States are heading outside to play in the summer sun. The children at Maria’s Big House of Hope love doing these same things, and some of the older children like Jim and Juliana are enjoying learning to ride big wheelers and tricycles outside.

With the construction of the new playground, which is being funded by the efforts of the Natalie Wynn Carter Foundation, there is more fun in store for the children at MBHOH. These orphans will now have the opportunity they might not have had otherwise to get outside, play and be active. We cannot wait to show you more endearing photos as the playground is completed!

The Young Adult team helped this past week

Emmanuel's Admission Photo 12/24/09

When Emmanuel was admitted to Maria’s Big House of Hope on Christmas Eve of 2009, his outlook seemed bleak. At only four months old, he had already been diagnosed with Congenital Heart Disease. Emmanuel arrived with five other babies; however, four of those babies were too weak and did not survive. Despite the fact that Emmanuel had quite a difficult time gaining weight and was in respiratory distress a few times during his first few months at MBHOH, he continued to fight. Jona, the nurse providing Emmanuel’s daily medical care, nicknamed him “the survivor.”

By the time Emmanuel reached seven months old, he had grown healthier and stronger thanks to the care being lavished on him at MBHOH.  In March, he became strong enough to travel to Shanghai to receive his corrective heart surgery and recently returned back to Maria’s Big House of Hope to recover under the loving watch of his nannies and the excellent medical care given by the MBHOH nurses. As he recovers, he is becoming a much happier baby who loves to be held and cuddled.

Thanks to the support of many Show Hope sponsors, Emmanuel not only received the love and attention he so desperately needed, but also a life-saving, corrective heart surgery. We hope he will soon be eligible to be adopted…will you join us in praying for both his immediate need of continued healing as well as his long-term need of a forever family?

The young adult team shares more of what they have seen and learned at Maria’s Big House of Hope in the past week.

By Rachel Winters

We spent part of today at Maria’s Big House of Hope, and spent the rest of the day visiting the Jiaozuo SWI, where Show Hope has just begun operating a special care unit, like a mini-MBHOH, on one of the orphanage’s floors. Spending time at MBHOH has been both surreal and sobering, as I’ve sensed injustice in a whole new way.  As we’re faced with so many emotions and questions, it is easy to wonder why these precious little ones have been forgotten by the world’s terms, but the Lord is reminding me that they are not forgotten; instead they are valued and loved with the same love He pours out on us. Each of these children has been formed by the Creator of the universe. They have been given a purpose: to glorify Him. They each have good works prepared for them and good plans in store for them.

At the intersection of injustice and God’s glory, the body of Christ stands united – fighting injustice and waiting for his His kingdom to come. Halfway across the world from home, I’ve witnessed this here with my own eyes in every smile, every laugh, and every kiss. When the church chooses to face what the world calls ugly, undesirable, and messy, we will see Christ.

We too were orphans – adopted into a family whose love we couldn’t earn (Ephesians 1:4-5). Do we rejoice because of who our Dad is? I have been thinking about the parallels between orphaned children and my own life…with a heart full of thanks for the One we can call Father, let’s storm the heavens, praying for the ones the world knows as abandoned.

There are many different reasons why the children at Maria’s Big House of Hope are here, but in the end, they all have one thing in common. Despite their physical suffering, you can see the joy of the Lord in their eyes! Their whole face lights up when you play with them.

At times it is hard to comprehend why these children have been left without parents. It is not an easy question to wrestle with because there are no clean cut answers. However, the Lord has shown me time and time again this week that He loves these babies. He has provided a place for them to be cared for and loved at MBHOH. He has also provided for this team to love these kids while we are here.

I have noticed that often the children with the most difficult medical conditions are the ones with the most joy. They laugh without holding back, love you before they even know you, and make you feel special. God has revealed Himself mightily as a loving Father to me this week. When I look into the eyes of these sweet children, I know that the world would be a completely different place if we embraced and lived out God’s calling for us to joyfully care for the orphan.

The young adult team at Maria’s Big House of Hope is experiencing a time of growth as they care for orphans.

By: Ashley Longardner

We arrived at Maria’s Big House of Hope earlier this week, and being here has completely overwhelmed me. Every thought I previously had about orphans and orphan care has been challenged.  I have found that I am completely guilty of having no place in my life for these beautiful children.

In the church, we often hear, “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress…” (James 1:27) One of the things I couldn’t stop thinking of once I got here was, why is there no real concerted effort inside the church to care for the fatherless? And what am I doing to tangibly care for those without forever families? “But don’t just listen to God’s Word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the Word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what your heard, then God will bless you for doing it.” (James 1:22-25)

Orphan care is easily forgotten because we are so easily distracted from the needs of this group of 140 million individual children. But the God of all creation describes Himself as “Father to the fatherless, defender of widows.” (Psalm 68:5)

David, Oliver and Asher

There are so many children waiting for forever families. Do you have room at your table? Do you have the finances to start a fund inside your church to help sponsor families that have been called to adopt? Do you support an orphan care ministry like Show Hope? Don’t wait for someone else to take the first step…take a step in faith toward what God is calling YOU to do.

We received our first email from our team of young people heading out to Maria’s Big House of Hope to serve the children there!

By: Anna Haas and Caroline Greene

Thursday night the team met up in Newark where we ate dinner together and got to know each other. Then Friday morning we began our journey to Beijing. After 13 hours of flying we were greeted by Mikey Shook and Emily Richards who took us to Hope Healing Home. Upon arrival, Robin Hill gave us a tour of the home. We were able to spend some time with the babies before heading to the Mongolian style tents, called yurts, to sleep.

Early Sunday morning, we attended an international church service and then spent the afternoon at the Great Wall. At the Great Wall, we all got our first chance at bargaining and practicing Mandarin phrases. Below is our first team picture at the Great Wall.

That evening we caught the overnight train from Beijing to Luoyang, where many of us had to embrace the squatty potties and very friendly fellow travelers.

This morning we arrived in Luoyang and came to Maria’s Big House of Hope. We will be here for a week and have many exciting activities planned. We look forward to getting to know each other better as well as the babies and nannies!
These are our awesome team leaders Katie and Wendy that have been doing an awesome job at leading our trip.

Please pray for the team while they are over there!

In February, we asked for YOUR help, and you responded! Now, Emily and Tanner Richards are volunteering a month of their time at Maria’s Big House of Hope, and they are using your donations to set up an incredible preschool space for the children. Here, they share about the classroom.

“Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”  –Matthew 19:14

The reality is that orphans do not receive much of any academic or social education. Schooling is oftentimes overlooked in light of the many pressing challenges orphaned and vulnerable children face. However, in the past three weeks that we have been in China, we have discovered that despite the many special needs these children have, many of the kids at MBHOH are eager and able to learn.

Situated on the first floor next to the green Jungle Book room, the bubbly kindergarten area provides many of the beautiful children at Maria’s Big House of Hope the opportunity to learn, play, and develop important skills they otherwise would not be able to. The room itself is cleverly painted with bright colors and captivating images, creating an enriching environment to further engage the kids.

We spent that last few days organizing donations and supplies given by Show Hope sponsors and supporters. From friendly puppets and colored pencils, to fun puzzles and educational toys, the activities offer an exceptional atmosphere for learning. Additionally, we are constructing a curriculum for volunteer teachers to use so the lessons taught throughout the year retain essential continuity.

We have already found that the children here, just like any other children around the world, love learning and enjoy expressing themselves through painting, block-building, reading and physical exercise. Currently, a few of the kids, Jim and Juliana, are learning their ABCs and how to count up to five in English! There is remarkable joy in seeing these children come alive in the classroom. As more and more volunteers travel to MBHOH and help with the preschool, these kids will have more chances to learn and grow. Show Hope ’s commitment to fully utilize MBHOH as a tangible expression of God’s transforming love is a powerful testimony and uplifting inspiration.