China Exclusive: Orphanage makes Christmas wish for more support
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail Xinhua, December 20, 2012
The eyes of the orphans are transfixed on cakes, candies, candles and toys at the party celebrating Christmas.
Most of the children do not know about the western holiday but the Christmas party is their favorite activity in Shepherd's Field Children's Village (SFCV).
Tim Baker, founder of the foreign-invested charity which was established in 2006, has thousands of orphans with special needs or diseases to care for. X They come from at least 30 local orphanages from across the country, which can no longer themselves afford to look after the children.
Baker said that SFCV, located on the border of north China's Tianjin municipality and Hebei Province, accepts all children, and tries to find sponsors, medical treatment and adoptive families for them.
At present, more than 3,000 children have received surgical operations, and 900 of them have been adopted.
Seventeen-year-old Hou Tong was among the lucky ones who had surgery this year for his backbones, and can now move his wheelchair without help.
Hou performed two magic tricks at the party.
"So many lives have been changed here in the village," said the 55-year-old Baker, "But the biggest that has changed is my life."
Baker said when he was young he used to focus on himself, drinking alcoholic and indulging himself.
After several years running the orphanage, he began to care more.
However, during that time he has thought of giving up.
"When I feel sad, I go to spend time with the children, as they help me forget and make me happy," he said.
In the beginning, few people noticed the village, let alone give donations. He used to ask people for money but few helped.
Now, a lot of people actively ask "what do you want?"
"Sometimes, I receive three or four groups of guests a day," said Baker, adding that he once answered two hundred emails in one day.
People want to provide more help, including money, food and equipment, Baker said.
Chinese people also offer to do voluntary jobs, in both the short and long term, without pay.
The village now has two full-time volunteers and scores of part-time volunteers from all over the country.
More than 90 staff work in the village, and each of them takes care of six to seven children, with relatively low wages.
Since the summer, Baker said another 13 children have been adopted, three of them by Chinese families.
It is rare to see Chinese families adopt children with special needs, but three of 13 is an encouraging proportion, Baker said.
He believes things will get better.
Baker is planning to build a vocational school to teach children with life and job skills, such as English and using a computer.
"They need to know these basic things as they need to a live a normal life," Baker said, adding that the new school needs more money, equipment and volunteers. Endi
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)