I have wanted to write about foster care in China ever since we got home. Somehow life with four kids has been busier than I expected. So I am finally getting around to this post!
Moriah was blessed by two separate foster care situations. The first, Love Without Boundaries, is an organization that was started by families who had adopted from China. They wanted to do something to improve the lives of those orphans who were still in China. Over time their work has grown to include nutrition support, homes for children who are not sick enough to be in the hospital, but not well enough to be in the orphanage,foster care, help to pay for surgeries, coats and cribs, etc etc... They do a huge amount of amazing work.
Moriah was one of five children who came to the Zhengzhou orphanage in the winter or spring of 2007. The orphanage director felt that these five children would do better in foster care than in the orphanage. There was no Love Without Boundaries foster care program in Zhengzhou, so he made arrangements for them to be taken to Keifeng, which is another city about two hours away. There, each of these children grew and thrived. They received loving care from their foster parents. We prayed daily that Moriah would be loved and cared for until we could come for her, and by God's grace she was. The agreement between the Zhengzhou orphanage and Love Without Boundaries lasted for only one year. The logistics of the arrangement made it complicated. So in June, all five children were brought back to the orphanage. They all got sick within a short period of time.
That is where her second foster care home came into the picture. Love Without Boundaries made it possible for all five children to enter another foster care program called Swallow's Nest. This was another huge blessing for Moriah and the others. Each of them received tender care which restored their health and prepared them for adoption. We were able to meet Pam and Clay who run the Swallow's Nest. What a highlight of our trip that was. They have given their lives to investing in "the least of these." And we are so grateful.
We knew that Moriah had been in foster care, but we didn't know very many details about it until we got home. At that time, Love Without Boundaries sent us the pictures and reports that had been written about Moriah. What a treasure to have these early pictures. One way that Love Without Boundaries raises funds is through a sponsorship program. Our Moriah had two sponsors who helped to pay for her care. It is just amazing to see God's hand of Providence as he cared for our little girl long before we even knew she would be ours. We will never be able to thank her foster parents in Keifeng personally, but I hope by spreading the word about this great organization, more little ones will be able to be helped. You can visit their site at www.lovewithoutboudaries.com.
The Swallow's Nest is funded by donations as well. Their site is www.swallowsnestzz.org We will never be able to thank these folks enough for the love they showed to our little girl. And we continue to pray for them as they help so many little ones in China.
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