Ling - Empowered through Education

Meet Ling! Ling came to our orphan care project two years ago in 2020 when she was seven. Ling had been born with a cleft lip and palate, which we can guess is the reason that she was abandoned as an infant. After surgery to repair those, she then spent the next seven years growing up in an institution. The orphanage enrolled her in the local school system when it was time for her to start first grade.

Unfortunately, Ling did not do well in school. She felt ostracized by the other children, who ridiculed her repaired cleft lip. In addition, she had never attended any preschool or kindergarten program, so she was very behind the other students. To make matters worse, she did not have a family support system to ensure her homework was completed, to work with her to catch up academically and help her deal with these emotional challenges. It was just a few months after Ling started school that her orphanage, realizing that things were going badly, asked if she could join our family model of care project.
 

We can’t undo the trauma that has happened, but we are working hard to ensure that Ling knows what it means to be part of a family and receive unconditional love from a consistent caregiver. She is developing close relationships with her foster mom and sisters. Best of all, she now has the support she needs to excel in school. She studies very hard and is growing in confidence. Ling loves to read and is a good storyteller.

Thank you for being there for Ling. Not only are you making a difference in her life - your support helps us reach out to other children who continue to suffer unintentional harm due to institutional care. Our orphan care programs, working within the government run orphanages, strive to create systems of care that prevent additional trauma to children who have been abandoned and are living in orphanages.

Baby Qi

Meet Qi! Qi was abandoned in spring 2022 in a northern province. Routine screening showed that she had a congenital syphilis infection (transmitted from her mother before she was born), so she was admitted to a local hospital for treatment. After she was cleared for discharge she transferred to our home.

Little Qi has captured the hearts of all she meets with her cheerful personality and bright, inquisitive outlook. To see her now, you would never guess she had such a rough start! She loves the ever popular “where’s your… naming game”, where her nannies point to a body part and say its name. Now she can even point to her nose or ears when her nanny says “nose” or “ears”! Her very latest accomplishment is taking a few steps on her own, much to the delight of her devoted caregivers.

Her recent follow-up showed that she is still testing positive from her previous infection, which should have cleared with the initial treatment. So we are making plans to transfer her to Beijing so that she can consult with the specialists about her unique situation. Fortunately, the lifting of lockdowns will make that a lot easier, but we’ll have to wait until after the upcoming Chinese New Year holiday.

 

We don’t know what the future holds for little Qi, but we hope that she will someday join a family of her own. Until then, her Little Flower “family” will be there every step of the way, advocating for her needs and loving her for the very special, unique person that she is.  

Overcoming Adversity with Family

Here's an update from Rebekah on Mao Mao, who did “age-out” of the system without getting adopted, but her Little Flower family has been with her all the way. 

Mao Mao was born with spina bifida and had been living in an orphanage in Shanxi province.  She joined one of our group homes when we first launched the project in 2005, when she was 8 years old. Today, she is 25 years old and works in our Beijing office as our bookkeeper.

Rebekah: What do you remember about those first days at Little Flower?

Mao Mao: I don’t remember exactly how old I was when I first came to Little Flower... at some point, I came to Beijing for surgery and from there I went straight to Brent and Serena’s (founders of Little Flower) home for about 2 years. I don’t know exactly how it happened but my life changed when I joined Little Flower. 

Mao Mao during her time at Brent & Serena's home

I remember one day, Brent introduced us to two sets of group home parents. We spent some time getting to know them. Afterwards, Brent talked with us to find out which set of parents we liked and would like to live with. This was a big decision. My mom looked friendly and was plump. But I was scared of my dad. He wore sunglasses the day I met him. I talked with my friend, who was also going to join a home with me, and we decided to pick my mom and dad together.

Rebekah: Please share a memory you have growing up in your group home?

Mao Mao: In those first years, I remember celebrating Chinese New Year together with all the other group homes families. It was such a lively and special time – all the parents cooked, the children played together. We received hóngbāo  (red packets with a monetary gift traditionally given during holidays and special occasions) and we watched fireworks together. So many good memories.

Rebekah: What about your education? Where did you go to school?

Mao Mao: Initially, we were homeschooled. Then, from 4^th grade onwards I went to school. I went to a few different schools including a private school and then a public school. Eventually, I enrolled in a vocational school.

Mao Mao (center) with friends from accounting school

Rebekah:How did you decide on your career?

Mao Mao: My parents had a big influence on my career choice. They helped me think through my options and interests. Due to my medical history, it’s important for me to be able to sit during the work day. As a bookkeeper, I can sit and work on my laptop easily. In 2018, I needed to do an internship for my degree and asked Li Ayi (our accountant) if she could be my mentor. It was a great opportunity for me as I could learn from someone I respect and also continue to be part of the project I benefited from. I graduated in 2019 and took up a full time position in the Beijing office. 

At the Beijing office

Rebekah: What do you like about your job?

Mao Mao: I like learning about the rules and regulations we need to follow in accounting and making sure that we comply. I am detail oriented and like breaking down my task into smaller steps. This way of thinking also helps me with my daily life outside of work. If there is a problem, I use this style of thinking to break down the issue and think of each step.

Rebekah: Where are you living now?

Mao Mao: I live with my dad (Mao Mao’s mom passed away in 2020). I am the only “child” from the group home that still lives at home. I am still in touch with all my other siblings from the home, even the ones who got adopted and now live in the US. I meet up with the ones that are still in China regularly and they still come over for the holidays. 

Mao Mao with her dad in 2005

Mao Mao with her dad in 2022

Rebekah: Outside of work, what do you like doing in your free time?

Mao Mao: I like spending time with my family. Watching television, eating, going out. Doing all of these things with my family. 

With her dad and siblings during the National Day holiday in October 2022

Rebekah: What are your hopes for the future?

Mao Mao: I love to learn and want to continue to learn about doing public welfare here in China. I want to help more people and become better at what I do.

At a park with current children at the Beijing Medical Home

Rebekah: Lastly, any other thoughts you would like to share?  

Mao Mao: I am so thankful to have my family. A family is so important. When you need to make a decision, you have parents and siblings to help you.  It’s very different to living in an orphanage, as often there isn’t one specific person caring for you. But a family looks after you.

I am very thankful to Serena and Brent and Little Flower. They will look for what you need and help you fix your problems. I think that if you don’t have a family, life is difficult.

As with Mao Mao's dad, each of our foster parents has come to realize that this is more than a “job” caring for children.  It is a vocation, a calling… one of the hardest and yet most beautiful and rewarding "careers" anyone can imagine.     And we have seen over and over again, the impact of being part of a family does truly last a lifetime!  Thank you to all of our supporters who made this possible for Mao Mao, and who continue to do so for each of the children currently in our family model of care.

Autumn Days in the Parks

In a big city like Beijing, public parks are a popular gathering place. Parks are filled with people exercising, practicing tai chi, flying kites, playing badminton, dancing, and the laughter of children. This month, we have been taking the children at our Beijing Medical Home to different local parks. 

These children are in Beijing short-term for medical care - some are waiting for a bed to open up at the hospital to have surgery; and others have recently had surgery and are waiting for a follow-up appointment before heading back to one of our long-term homes in Northern China. 

With so much outdoor space, the children had a lot of fun running around and exploring. They quickly noticed the leaves that had fallen and started to collect them. 

                 

                

We then found the the children's play area. Slides, swings, jungle gym, all the favorites were there. 

                  

                                       

This park even had a small petting zoo. The children enjoyed feeding the animals. 

  

  

  

  

We sat by the lake for a little break and watched the geese swim by. 

Afterwards, we showed the children how to use a vending machine. This was a first time experience for the boys. They were so thrilled to use one.

After all the exploring, we rode back to the main gate. We had two excellent drivers! 

 

What a fun and memorable day spent at the park! Thanks for joining us! 

The True Impact of Family

  We believe that family based care is the very best option for all children.  Unfortunately, for many children living in institutions this dream remains out of reach.  This is especially so when the child has unique medical, therapy and educational needs that are not easily supported in the average foster family and local school system.    After much research and consideration of the resources available to us, we decided to launch our own family based care project that would fill the gap for the special needs children living in orphanages around China.

 Max arrived just a few months after we launched this new project in 2005.  He was an active, inquisitive ten-year-old much like any other, except he didn’t have a mom and dad.  It didn’t take long for him to settle in to his new family and start the big job of learning, exploring and building relationships with his foster parents and siblings. 

 When we started this project, we already knew in our hearts that a family is the irreplaceable link needed to truly nurture the growth and development of a child.   But to see it unfolding in real life was truly miraculous to behold!  Each of the children in our group foster homes has had physical, emotional and psychological hurdles to overcome, yet each has made progress that wildly exceeded our expectations.  Max was no exception, and over the years he has grown into a smart, capable, hardworking young adult.  To say that we are proud of him would be an understatement!

A number of children in our group foster homes have been adopted by families outside of China.  Many of them have not, and Max is one of those who remain in China.  With the support of his foster parents, he transitioned to an independent lifestyle and began working in the tourism industry.   And just this year Max met a beautiful young woman and asked her to be his wife.  Sadly, his foster mother passed away two years ago so she was not present for that joyful occasion.  

Max says to his Little Flower family now: “I’m a child who was helped by Little Flower.  I came to Beijing in 2005 and joined a family.  Since then, I have had parents, brothers and sisters.  It has truly changed the course of my life.  I was so very blessed, and now even more so because I am getting married!  You have watched me grow up… I sincerely hope you can witness my happiness.”  

We are grateful to you for your prayers and support.  You are making it possible for children just like Max to receive the love and nurturing of a family.  We hope and pray that each of them can grow to be strong, confident, resilient adults who don’t let their difficult beginnings define who they will become.  Thank you for helping make this a reality for each of our little ones!

Sunflowers

At our Classroom of Smiles, we love using all of our senses when we learn. There is a Chinese proverb that states,

“When I hear, I forget.

When I see, I remember.

When I do, I understand.”

Below, we walk you through a typical morning session in one of our Classroom of Smiles in a city in Northern China. 

First up, we looked at the sunflowers and made observations. What color are the petals? Are all the sunflowers the same size? Our teacher, Nana, led the students in a small discussion. 

Then, we used our ears to listen to the sounds of the petals moving and the seeds shaking. Each child held a sunflower and made observations on what they heard. 

Third, we smelled the sunflowers. 

Fourth, we touched the flowers. Teacher Nana led the children in a song with hand motions (see the video below).

And finally, we used our mouths to taste the seeds. 

The toddlers in this classroom loved using all five senses to learn about sunflowers!