We interrupt this program to bring you this special news bulletin

I'm sorry.  I feel very burdened tonight to interrupt our prayers for SFCV to ask you to pray for ALL the NGO/foster care situations in China, specifically Henan province and any NGO that has children from Henan (which includes SFCV!).  The situation there continues to deteriorate.  

I posted a link earlier to a story about the LWB Healing Home in Henan.  The short version is that a Chinese woman was housing 18 children/youth.  She left to take some of the children to school.  While she was gone, a fire broke out and 7 children were killed.  The government has asked officials to make inspections of foster care homes.  It seems that even though these homes were given excellent reviews, the provincial government has ordered all the children to be returned to their original orphanage.  These are all special needs orphans.  This fire had NOTHING to do with NGOs.... totally separate.

As I posted in Wednesday's prayers, the Chinese culture (on a whole, not individually) has a different take on persons with disabilities and special needs.  

Please pray for these children that are being sent back to their orphanages.  Pray for their safety.  Pray for their hearts, this is another break in their attachment story.... each break makes it harder for future attachments.  Pray that their medical needs are met.  Pray that no more children will be ordered back to their original orphanage.  (As far as I know, SF has not had to return any children to their orphanage.)  And please pray that this is only temporary that they will soon be returned to their loving homes and reunited with their caretakers.  

Continue to pray for a hedge of protection around SFCV.  Pray for eyes to be opened, hearts to be changed and made new, and for the believers to stand firm in unity.

God bless!

Charlene

SFCV--A must watch report!

Please take 10 minutes to watch this video, I really think you will be blessed.


Sigh, I SO want to live there....

Why should I buy a calendar in March??

I realize it is now March and many of you are probably thinking it's too late in the year to purchase a calendar.  Here are a few great reasons to purchase this special calendar (or two, or three!):

*The MAIN purpose of the calendar is to bring awareness to the children of SFCV,

*The proceeds go to helping the the children at SFCV, and

*Who wouldn't want to wake up to these precious faces every day??

Some friends shared their great ideas on how they use their calendars.   One way that really encourages me is that they pray for the children of that month every day.  What a great daily visual reminder to lift these little ones up to God.  The calendars also make great gifts to pastors and church elders to help bring awareness to our churches.  Many times the command to care for the orphan gets overlooked just because it is not right in front of us.  This is a great way to daily keep these angels in front of us to remind us of their need.  You see it's never to late to get one for  your home or to give a few as gifts!

And the best reason to purchase a calendar in March--

The SFCV calendar is now only $15 (includes shipping)!!!

You can email me at troyandcharlene93@yahoo.com to get payment details.

Precious lives...

On December 16th, Austin went to be with the Father.  He had a severe heart defect and needed surgery.   Unfortunately, his surgery didn't come in time.

Austin Xie Minhuang

March 14, 2011--December 16, 2011

But precious Amity's story doesn't have to end that way...  

Amity, one of our new arrivals, is a little 4-month-old girl from Hohhot Inner Mongolia who has a complex heart condition. When she arrived at Shepherd's Field last month, her condition was stable but recently her oxygen level has dropped. It is now at a point where heart shunt surgery is necessary in order to save her life. The Huaxin Hospital in Beijing has a bed for her and they can do the operation prior to the Chinese New Year holiday. It is important that we get this done ASAP not only because she is in great need, but also because the hospitals in China almost completely shut down during the holiday. The total cost for the operation was estimated at ¥80,000 RMB ($12,500 US) but they will take a deposit of ¥30,000 RMB ($4,800US) just to get started and we can pay the rest later. 

Update: Amity survived her heart surgery this morning and is in relatively stable condition, but she's not out of the woods yet. Please pray for a full recovery for her.  She is very weak and needs lots of prayer support.

If you would like to donate to help Amity please email us at HelpAmity@ChinaOrphans.org. Anything you give will go toward her life saving surgery. 

I also have a new batch of bracelets to sell. All proceeds go directly to SFCV and will go to help pay for Amity's surgery. If you're interested in purchasing bracelets to help Amity and SFCV, email me @ troyandcharlene93@yahoo.com.  Tell me which card number and which bracelets counting from the top. Bracelets are $10 each (price includes shipping).

Card #1:

Card #2:

Card #3:

Card #4:

Thank you for helping Amity!

AMAZING fundraiser for SFCV Vocational Center

I am so excited to introduce this fundraiser. It is a very special project that is sure to be a blessing to all who see it.

Are you ready?

One Day at Shephards Field Children's Village coffee table book!

This book is beyond fantastic. It is hardback, 11.5" x 9", and has high quality glossy pages with photos and narrative about the lives of the children and staff at SFCV.

Take a look inside and you'll see:

the children and the wide variety of special needs represented there

and an incredible photo journal of a day in the life of SFCV

Breakfast time

School time

There are many more amazing pages of life at SFCV---the buildings, playtime, mealtime, school time, napping, therapy, the medical clinic, bathing, etc. There's the arrival of new children and the adoption of others. And of course the precious CHILDREN--pages and pages of beautiful children. (The photos were mainly taken in the summer of 2009.)

This fundraiser has a special purpose. As many of you know, sadly, there are children who will not be adopted, who will never know the love and care of their own family. When a child turns 14, they are no longer eligible to be adopted. What happens to them? Many older children/young adults are either turned out of an orphanage to fend for themselves or are put in an adult social welfare institution. This a more certain fate for the older orphan with special needs. SFCV is working to change that for the children they care for.

They are building a Vocational Center-- a place for these young people to learn a trade, to learn to care for themselves, to support themselves...to live a full life. There will be training rooms, small apartments, and even long term care for those that need it. It will truly be a life saver for many orphans. It will be 4 stories high. They have the first floor built, but now they must raise the money for the second story.

So how do you get one of these phenomenal books and bring hope to the orphan? This book is a limited edition. There are only 150 of them. For a donation of $100, you will receive one of these books and also have your name engraved on the sponsor plaque on the Vocational Center!

ALL proceeds from this book go directly to SFCV.

Just email me at troyandcharlene93@yahoo.com and I'll give you the payment information.

(Shipping & handling is $5, shipped media mail. You may choose another method if you prefer.)

In closing, this book is truly a treasure. Grace (known as Vira or ShuangShuang at SFCV) LOVES to look through it and see "her" China. It is beautifully done and a touching testimony to the love and care that the children get at SFCV.

Location:Broussard, LA

Fundraising...

I want to thank everyone who has helped us support SFCV.  Words cannot express how much we appreciate your prayers and your financial support.  I also wanted to make sure that everyone understands my heart.  While I wish it was everyone's passion to care for the orphan, I know that's not the case.  I feel called and honored to be able to advocate and fundraise for the orphan.  Please know that as I put these opportunities out there to pray for and support the orphan, I have no expectations.  If you choose to financially support these opportunities, it needs to be between you and God, not just because I am asking.  Of course, prayer support is a priority and something that everyone can do.  We would appreciate you adding orphans and specifically SFCV to your prayer list.

Ok, having gotten that out of the way, I want to reshare a few ways you can help orphans and/or SFCV.  (There are many other wonderful organizations out there to support, we choose to focus on SFCV because they cared for our Grace for over 2 years before she joined our family and we believe in what they are doing.)

Here's a couple of ways I have set up to raise money for SFCV:
1. Currently I'm selling Faith, Hope, and Love pendants and God is Love pendants, both with 16" chains.  Soon I'll have a SFCV coffee table book to sell.
2.  I have a JustLoveCoffee store set up to benefit SFCV.  Just click through the link here and SFCV makes a portion of each sale!
3.  Looking for some good books?  Check out BarefootBooks and purchase some great books!  A portion of each sale goes toward SFCV.
4. Vision Forum has some AWESOME books, toys, videos, and audios on raising a godly family!
5. and VERY importantly--you can SPONSOR a child at SFCV!!  For $35/month, you can sponsor a child.  You will receive updates and photos about your sponsor child.  You can send small care packages.  And you get the privilege of praying for a specific orphan, knowing that you are actually helping to care for this precious child.

We are also praying that in late 2011/early 2012 we may be blessed with adopting another precious daughter.  I have a few other sites set up to add to our TingTing fund, bringing another orphan into a family.
1. My Amazon store has books and such set up, just make a purchase through my store and a portion goes into our TingTing fund.
2.  Join us for the Ultimate Homeschool Expo 2011!  50% of the ticket price will go toward our adoption fund and I know that you will be blessed by the wonderful speakers, encouraged, uplifted, and also challenged in your walk as mom and homeschool parent!
3. And of course I am still making some bath and body goodies to sell on the side--lotion bars, soap, lip balm, oil face cleansing mixes...and I'm learning how to make more as I go.

Feel free to pass this post on to others who might be interested in supporting the orphan!

Thank you and may God shower you with His blessings!

Spread the warmth this Christmas

Spread the warmth of Christmas this year by Christmas shopping to help the orphans of SFCV have heat. 

In China, the government turns on the heat on Nov. 15th and turns it off March 15th. The full amount is due BEFORE it even gets turned on.  Please help us raise money for the SFCV "The Hearts And Warmth" (THAW) fund. 

I have pashmina shawls, silk scarves, purses, artwork, mirrors, bracelets, necklaces, and a special selection of bracelets and calligraphy made by the children of SFCV just for this show!

And without further ado....

Photo #1

Large painting on canvas (36"x24")

$115

 Photo #2

Large Painting on canvas (36"x24")

$115

Photo #3

Large painting on canvas (39 1/2" x 30")

$295

Photo #10--pashmina shawl--$20

Sorry for the off picture, I was trying to show the variation of color.

Photo #11--Wooden box--$15

(6.5" x 3" 2.5")

Photo #14--Bracelets made by the Primary Children--$10

Photo #15--Bracelets made by the Primary Children--$10

Photo #16--Bracelets made by the Primary Children--$10

Photo #17--Bracelets made by the Primary Children--$10

Photo #18--Bracelets made by the Primary Children--$10

Photo #19--Bracelets made by the Primary Children--$10

Photo #20--Bracelets made by the Primary Children--$10

 Photo #21--Medium woven purses--$8
(SOLD the two on the left)

Photo #22--Medium woven purses--$8
(SOLD top left and right)

Photo #23--Silk purse set--5 to a set

Pink is the last set.

$10/set

Photo #25--coin purses--$5

(These are a little different than the last batch, they have rigid sides)

Photo #26--coin purses--$5

Photo #27--coin purses--$5

Photo #28--coin purses--$5

Photo #29--jade bead bracelets made by the Primary children--

Green jade--$15

Yellow "jade"---$5

Photo #30--Large fan--$5

Photo #31--awesome calligraphy done by the primary children.  Each piece is signed by the artist!  

This is the symbol for Love.  I also have Faith, Hope, and Blessing.  I will add those tomorrow.

$5 each  

(I do have 2 sets of Faith, Hope, and Love with the background matching.)

Photo #32--Bracelets--$10

Photo #33--Bracelets--$10 (flower ones SOLD)

Photo #34--Bracelets--$10

Photo #35--Bracelets--$10

Photo #36--$30

Photo #37--$30

Photo #38--$30

Photo #39--$45

(I also have it in light pink and a darker mauve pink.)

Photo #40--$45

Love character with plum blossoms

Photo #42--$60

Photo #41--$60

Photo #42--$30

To purchase any of these items, please email me at troyandcharlene93@yahoo.com with the picture number and which one you'd like.  Preferred payment is paypal to this email.  If you'd prefer to send a check, email me for our address.

Introducing a few ways to support SFCV

I've been brainstorming a some new ways to raise money to help support the children at SFCV.  Thinking of my 3 favorite things--children, books and coffee, I've come across 2 ways that you can help raise money by buying things you may already be buying!

The first is Barefoot Books.  They have some of the most adorable books and many are educational!  

The second is JustLoveCoffee!  

Click through to these sites from here and shop--that's all you have to do!  Purchases made through these 2 links will help the children at SFCV!  

Latest bracelets to benefit SFCV

I received a few more bracelets yesterday.  I went ahead (with the help of my sweet models Shaoey and Grace) and took pictures of all I have left.  

Picture 1 (I have 2 butterflies and several of #4)

Picture 2 (I have about 5 of #2)

Picture 3

Picture 4 (2 of #1, 3 of #2, 3 of #5)

Picture 5

Picture 6 (too cute to put with the others--the only turtle bracelet I received!)

And this, this my friends, is one of the many children helped by SFCV/PHF through donations and sponsorships:

our very own sweet Gracie!

While selling the bracelets has been an amazing fundraiser and the funds will REALLY help the children, we really wanted to raise awareness of the children at SFCV.  SFCV runs on sponsorships and donations.  At this time of year, many people cut back on their giving to have money for other things... But the children are still there, the ayis (nannies) who love on and care for the children are still there, some still need surgeries, they still have NEEDS.  PLEASE consider making a donation or sponsoring a child.  For $35 a month, you will be one of 10 sponsors needed PER child.  You receive quarterly updates and pictures of the child you sponsor.   Please hop over to their site www.ChinaOrphans.org to see the children living at SFCV.  

p.s.  If you're needing a calendar for the new year, SFCV is also selling calendars with the children's pictures....  :-)