In Loving Memory

Baby Ni



Born: September 26, 2009

Died: April 24, 2010

Peter hangs out with Luke from the OLC confirmation class.

By Megan

Lunch and A Show

Baby Ping enjoys playing ball while the nanny feeds him.

By Megan

Children Need Joy

I am convinced that children need joy much the same as plants need the sun. For without joy in life comes sadness and depression. A plant without the sun withers and dies. Certain plants need more sun than others and certain children need more than others. When they are starved for attention it means their soil is dry. We need to shower these children with attention; not to the point of flooding them until they become spoiled, but a light rain that helps them to know that they are cared for. A plant that is well tended is no better, just as all the plants are the same, but a well tended plant is beautiful. One of these children that have received necessary light (joy), adequate rain (attention), and good soil (a home) shoots up in confidence and growth. A child needs the light that joy has to offer!

Joy puts the smile and giggles back into a child and fills their heart. Children are so sensitive to emotions! When we look at a child with love they respond to that so easily! Some children have been hurt so much, but they are looking for that joy that we can offer them. We need to find a way past the hurt through continuous effort in touching their hearts with affection, care, attention and time! Some people don't offer their children time, not even 10 minutes, and they are starved for it! Wether it is selfishness, forgetfulness or being too busy, we should spare at least a little time with them. We need to be in the physical presence of our children and touch them. Let them know that they are loved. So slow down and don't just tell your children that you love them, but prove it through your daily actions. Day in and out, shower them with your attention and light their way with the light that joy can offer them. It doesn't take a lot, but it does require a conscious effort each day to show that child that they are a joy to you!

By Louis

A Toy for Kuan

While I was home over Christmas, my grandma and I did a lot of shopping and ended up with tons of cute baby clothes. Most of the holiday I spent showing pictures and telling everyone about the children I work with. Just recently my grandma sent me a box and it included something that my grandpa thought that the two of us should have bought. Kuan wanted a toy train. I took the toy over that day and Kuan was extremely excited about his toy Thomas because he loves watching movies about Thomas. Kuan wasn't the only little one to enjoy playing with Thomas, Mei played while Kuan wasn't watching.

By Megan

Children Are Precious

Each individual child is worth far more than we can imagine. From their bright eyes to their soft hair, sweet smiles and even their red face when they *ahem.* How can we not appreciate them? Well unfortunately there are those out there than don't. When they are more concerned about their own well-being or what is on their plate. They might even heap it on their child's plate, when their child is still too young to make sense of all that goes on in their lives. The children may be small, but their worries are no less. Also, they have a great big impact in our lives! Children bridge the gaps in generation; they make men, fathers and women, mothers. No more singular, but plural!

My own daughter brings tears of joy to my eyes, when I see her stare at me with those intent dark-gray eyes. I want to sing, and unfortunately for my wife, I have. If it wasn't for this child, who has changed and made everything real and meaningful for me, I would be just another guy. Thanks to this child, I'm now the guy that she looks up to, the guy that changes her dirty diapers, the guy that gets her to sleep when mommy is exhausted, the guy that tells her he will protect and keep her safe from that great big scary world. I'm the guy that tells her it's not such a great big scary world after all. The guy that lets her know that who she is is the most beautiful and that's all she ever has to be. So thank you for being my most precious child and making me that guy.

I can only hope that each child can have the opportunity to light our world up the way it needs to be lit up. Lastly, I would like to say, "Children you are so precious and it means so much that you could come visit us here on this great big planet, if only for a little while, and share with us all that you have to offer."

By Louis