God’s Resources

We wanted to be well equipped for the trip so we asked two friends who happened to be Physical Therapists (God is good!) to give us a 101 course in Physical Therapy.

Jeff Jue gave us pointers on how to build trust with the orphanage staff. We should get a sense of how they care for the children. He encouraged us to remain strong in prayer. He suggested that we should do prayer walks and have devotion and prayer sessions. The children are probably used to a set routine/schedule therefore we should be mindful and not be a distraction. Play time is probably the best time for PT intervention. Individual play with toys could help stimulate their senses and ease their shyness. Nannies are a good resource since they know what the children’s favorite toys are. Help unlock the child’s potential by modifying the activities to make sure of success. For example, move the object closer to the child with physical limitations so he/she can reach for it. Be patient, encouraging and accommodating.

Xian Chang taught us some techniques in Play Therapy emphasized for various parts of the body. The objective is to get the children to move and have fun anyway possible. A variety of resources/play such as toys, arts & crafts, play dough & clay, puppets, music, lights, story telling, jump ropes, bands, dance, movements, etc. are used according to the child’s physical need. We should encourage them to use whatever movement they have and help them only when necessary. Xian stressed that we should always consult with the orphanage and the care takers to inquire about each child’s ability and limitation in order to determine what is safe and appropriate for the child. The goal of these activities is to help build muscle strength and improve higher function, balance & coordination. Activities may be conducted on a one to one basis or groups of children. Xian brought a lot of his equipment and toys for demonstration and we got to play with some of it. We all regressed a little bit. It was fun to see Xian striking the pose of an archer.

Shepherd's Field Children's Village

About the Foster Homes:

Shepherd’s Field Children Village:

Shepherd’s Field’s vision is to resurrect hope in the lives of special needs orphans.

More than 100 children are at Shepherd’s Field Children’s Village. These children are receive:
• 24 hour care by experienced Chinese nannies;
• Prepared nutritious meals;
• Medical care by full-time western physicians;
• Physical therapy by staff and volunteers;
• Education at an on-site school;
• Surgeries to address their needs at area medical facilities; and
• Facilitation of adoption into forever families, internationally and domestically.

During 13 years in existence, they have:
• Received special needs orphans from more than 20 government run orphanages;
• Cared for more than 4,000 orphaned children;
• Provided more than 3,000 surgeries and medical procedures; and
• Seen more than 800 children adopted into forever families.

The Philip Hayden Foundation (PHF) was formed in 1995 to honor the memory of Tim and Pam Baker’s good friend whose untimely death inspired them to continue his passion for China’s orphans. PHF’s original purpose was to assist local orphanages by donating needed items and helping to arrange surgeries and treatment for at-risk orphans. In 1999, PHF moved to a foster home model focused exclusively on special needs orphans.

In 2002, PHF began searching for land to create an all-purpose campus that would have foster homes plus an on-site clinic, school, as well as vocational and recreation facilities. The land was donated by the government of the Tianjin Dawangguzhuang Economic Development Zone. Shepherd’s Field Children’s Village welcomed its first children in August 2006 and was at capacity by February 2007. There have been recent expansions where Shepherd’s Field will be the largest facility of its type in all of mainland China and home to as many as 150 special needs orphans of all ages.

New Day Creations

New Day started as a small manufacturing company in 1993 called Beijing New Day Arts & Crafts Company. In a small factory about the size of a one-car garage, they created a simple magnet in the shape of China with the words “Pray for China” painted in gold. They founded New Day to exhibit honesty and integrity in a business setting and to make a difference in the lives of their employees. The business started to grow, and they began teaching classes in finance, marriage and parenting to local staff.

In 1997, the factory was moved to the outskirts of Beijing. A couple years later, New Day purchased an empty plot of land in the village, with plans to continue expansion.

This property had been considered cursed by local villagers. Everyone thought that depression and hopelessness would overcome anyone who came to this land. Locals even knew it as the place where teenagers went to commit suicide. Because of this, no one would purchase the property, and for years it remained a place of darkness and despair.

But there was one man in the village who came regularly to the land to pray. One night, he had a dream that someday foreigners would purchase this place and build an orphanage, turning a place of desolation into a beacon of hope. Five years after his death, New Day bought the property—without any knowledge of his dream. After New Day built the foster home, the man’s granddaughter, an employee of the New Day factory, and her uncle told the story of the prayer and fulfilled dream.

With a heart to touch the lives of orphans with medical needs, New Day Foster Home began modestly. They began caring for six orphans who needed minor cleft lip and palate surgical repairs. In 2003, they began taking on more serious cases. The first critical case was Jon, a little boy in need of heart surgery. Without funds to pay for his surgery but with a firm belief in the power of prayer, they stepped out in faith and brought him to New Day for treatment. His surgery was a success and they moved forward to reach out to more children in desperate need. All of the surgeries happen because of generous donations from supporters and through doctors and hospitals who offer their services either at a reduced rate or free of charge.

New Day began supplying milk formula to several orphanages throughout China to give each child under the age of one year a healthy start. As the reputation spread to more orphanages throughout China, they received more requests for children to go to New Day. To better meet the needs, New Day began placing children with caring Foster Families in the local village and in early 2008, they launched a Healing Home to give life-changing surgeries and recovery care to more orphans.

New Day Creations remains dedicated to changing lives. The manufacturing company has expanded and still produces high quality gift items that are sold all over the world. In 2004, they founded New Day Learning Center, which offers English language training for college-aged Chinese students. They also do outreach to the elderly and poor in the village. The staff has grown to nearly 200 Chinese employees, and in all departments, they remain committed to paying a fair wage and providing safe working conditions.