Since our last newsletter 20 new children have joined the Eleos project. It is encouraging to see the difference that these families are undergoing. It is also good to see some of the families reaching out to help others. An example is Xiao Han’s mother.

It is not easy for one person to bear the burden for the whole family. Not only does she have to take her elderly mother to and from the hospital for dialysis twice a week, but she also must oversee Xiaohan’s studies, daily life, as well as her older brother who is in poor health. At the same time, she must work to make a living. Even during difficulty, Xiaohan’s mother prepared many of Xiaohan's clothes to donate to families in greater need. 

Shu Yao was born with CP in 2012, and her mother left the family five years ago, leaving Shu Yao and her older brother with their father. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, their father lost his job as a taxi driver and later suffered a head injury that prevented him from working. Now, the burden of supporting the family falls on their grandparents, who struggle to afford Shu Yao’s medical needs and her brother’s school fees. To help we provided and trained Shu Yao’s grandparents with a specialized chair for Shu Yao.

Xiao Nan was born in 2018 she completed kindergarten and will be starting elementary school next year. Her mother suffers from mental illness and is unable to communicate or care for herself or Xiao Nan. Her father lost his leg in a car accident. Despite their challenging living conditions, the family considers themselves fortunate because they live close to Xiao Nan’s school, making it easy for her to go to school and return home on her own. We recently provided Xiao Nan’s father with a prosthetic in the hope this will enable him to get a job.

Eight-year-old Miao Miao was born in 2015 and tragically lost both her parents to illness in 2018 and 2019. Her grandfather also passed away in 2020, leaving only Miao Miao and her grandmother at home. Despite these hardships, Miao Miao is a cheerful and bright second-grader who excels in her studies. Her grandmother, who suffers from diabetes and blurred vision, must take a three-hour bus ride every day to take Miao Miao to school. They live in public housing far from the school, and their only income is a monthly state subsidy of $260. We hope to provide financial and emotional support to this family in need.

Autumn festival is an important festival in China. During the festival, lanterns of all size and shapes are carried and displayed. Mooncakes, a rich pastry filled with various fillings are traditionally eaten during this festival. The children were able to enjoy traditional snacks, performances, games, and crafts.

The Savannah project added 13 children this year. Meet a few of them- Nolan, Caleb, Esther, Mia and Gabriel.

Gabriel- joined our New Day family this year. Since he is blind, he was being bullied by the other children where he was living so the orphanage asked if we could bring him into our program. We immediately placed him with a foster family. Since joining our family Gabriel has grown taller, gained weight and confidence. He has also learned many self-care skills.

When he first arrived, he was timid, fearful of others and afraid he would not fit in. Now he is the big brother and watches out for the other children.

Gabriel is quite a talented saxophone player and continues his studies with a music teacher. His dream is to one day perform at the Great Hall of the People. He is well on his way since the orphanage has him perform for events that they hold.

Watch Gabriel play the SAXOPHONE

Now in our 7th year, the work in Vietnam is going well. We are operating three distinct projects now - Medical, Guest House, and Student Sponsorships - all with the common goal of helping children and families in need. (Our student sponsorship program will take a huge leap next year, we'll share more in our next newsletter!)

The Guest House continues to be a blessing to so many, and we are often full to capacity. Now, as we approach the end of 2023, our focus is on opening a 2nd guest house near the large children's hospital in our city. (For any not familiar with our Guest House ministry, check out this short video to learn more.) 

We have currently received about 30% of the funds needed to commit to a house lease and hiring of new staff. We are so grateful for all of our friends and supporters without whom none of this would be possible.

Here are a couple of Blog Posts

Me And My Friends,

Report From September,

The Road To Growth And The Dream Of Family,

Eleos Project- August Visit