Christmas all year round.

We have a little secret to share. We didn't actually hand out every Christmas present at Christmas time. Our sweet children are still only young, and easily overwhelmed by lots of gifts. And we knew that they would appreciate some special things at a quieter time, when they could really concentrate on what they were receiving.
This was Paul's special day - he has some friends in the States who have supported him for a long time. Today he got to open their gift.

He looks very pleased with his cars and his telephone. Remember Paul is the boy who just loves to play "telephone."

 

But the most special things in this parcel were the lovely hand made messages from some little girls in America. Two little girls who, just like Paul, were born in China. They have sent their love in the form of beautiful artwork. We could see that a lot of time and imagination has gone into the making of these cards.

And Paul seemed to know that these messages were special. Even when he went off to play with his new toys, he still held tightly to his butterfly card.

Thank you girls, from Paul and from us. There is something really magical about children helping other children. We believe that little people who show compassion are going to be the adults who will make this world a better place.

New nurses.

We are over-the-moon excited that our two new nurses have just had approval granted for their visas. That means that all the right paperwork is in place, and the time has come for them to pack their bags and begin an incredible adventure. We are really looking forward to welcoming these young women to the Butterfly Home team. Both nurses are from the Philippines, and this will be their first time in China. They each have experience nursing in their home country, and they speak great English.

 Having permanent qualified nurses on staff will be incredibly valuable. Our children will benefit from their expertise and our staff will benefit from their teaching.  We will be working together to establish good nursing standards as a firm foundation for employing and training local nurses in the future. Having consistent nursing personnel in the Home will also allow Lyn to step into the office more often, giving her more time for management and future planning.  So important in a growing organization.

We are thankful to South Coast Christian College in Australia - this school has generously sponsored our nurses. www.sccc.vic.edu.au
Thank you SCCC - without you, we would not be making this exciting announcement at this time. We are deeply grateful for your support.

Please keep Irish and Danice in your thoughts as they prepare to say goodbye to their families, and make the journey to join us. It is our hope that they will adjust quickly to their new environment, and find the work both exciting and rewarding. We are excited to share both the challenges and the joys of this work with them, and we hope they will be enriched by their time here.

A different type of Butterfly House

We are so thankful for the support we receive from our neighbours. It comes in all different forms - donations of milk powder and nappies, letters of encouragement, financial support, and sweet volunteers giving their time and hearts. We love being part of a community effort - each set of arms tenderly supporting our kids is supported in turn by a whole loving "family" - both local and across the world. It's something really special.
 And we have to say - sometimes the support we receive comes in surprising and beautiful ways. Just recently, Lyn was honoured to open the Butterfly House at the botanical gardens. That's not another Butterfly Home ( though of course, that will be coming) - that's a Butterfly House - full of butterflies, not babies.

You can guess what the accessory of the day had to be. This is Lyn, and Hannah's ayi, Rose, both sporting beautiful butterfly nose decorations! They will be the big thing next season, just you wait and see.

Hannah came along too, and she posed in front of all the spectacular decorations. To be honest, Hannah was a little overwhelmed by all the pomp and ceremony. In this country, they know how to make an occasion really special. It's incredibly impressive, but for a little child, it can  all be larger than life. But Hannah's ayi was right there with her, and we were proud of the way she coped with such a stimulating environment.

 Of course, there were speeches.

And a symbolic release of butterflies. That was lots of fun. It was also meaningful for us - there is always a moment of release with each of our children. For some it is the incredibly joyful moment they go home with an adoptive family, for others the heartbreak of seeing them leave this world. But for every child, it is our job to make that journey beautiful and to love them every minute we have with them.

Great food is part of any celebration here, and this day was no exception. It's about this time that Hannah became really glad she had come along!

And the Butterfly House made a very generous donation to our Butterfly Home. In addition, they have pledged a donation of 1 Yuan for every ticket sold. So please, if you come here, go visit the Butterfly House at the Botanic Gardens. It's a beautiful place to visit, and they are kind and generous friends to us.

Ultimate recycling

How's this for imaginative fund raising? We have some creative supporters who have managed to transform the waste material from their equine companions (better known as " pony poo") into hope for our children. They have been faithfully collecting and selling pony poo to local gardeners to raise money for Butterfly Home. We love the idea that pony poo is being transformed into hope! That has to be the ultimate in recycling.
 We are so thankful to all our supporters and the many different ways they bless our Home. There are so many talented, hardworking people out there, and we love seeing the amazing ways that you all come up with to show love to our babies. We have been sent beautiful quilts and knits to keep the children warm and decorate the home. We have seen people use their talents in many different ways - from cycling to creating beautiful music and art, to hosting events or organizing Christmas gifts. People have travelled to visit us and given of their time and their hearts, while others have given in the same way from their homes. We want to say thank you to every single supporter - your encouragement means so much, and without your backing, this work could not continue. Life here is sometimes heart breaking, often challenging, but always worth while. And it is sustained by the kindness and generosity which is shown to our children. Thank you!

Neighbourly Love

We are so blessed by friends who help us from all around the world. We have supporters in the UK, Australia, USA, Singapore, Canada and India, just to name a few. But we also have incredible support from right here – our neighbours and our friends.
One company recently sent a wonderful donation of 24 boxes of milk powder and some beautiful toys. When we phoned to give our thanks, the lady who answered the telephone wept with emotion. She has a heart for our kids, and an understanding of all they have overcome. The company has pledged to send us some nappies, and this lady is hoping very much to visit. We are very grateful for such compassion right here where we are working.

Another kind hearted lady who owns a clothes factory has happily donated some great baby clothes. She visited with us, and had hoped to meet with Eve – but cheeky Eve is home in Europe now and keeping her new family laughing. So our visitor enjoyed her time meeting and playing with the other children. It was a joy to meet with her, and we are thankful for her kindness.

Other donations keep coming in from people all over the country. We have been touched by a generous gift from a couple who live in Beijing, and another from doctor who works in Guangzhou. Regular donations arrive from many different provinces. It means such a lot to know that our neighbours here really do care, and want to help the children any way they can. Thank you so much!