A Second Starfish Home...

I want to share with you the opening of the second Starfish Foster Home in China. Many of you already know Amanda and her story. For those who don't~ She came from South Africa to China to minister to the orphans. After volunteering in an orphanage for some time the government officials finally gave her the OK to start her own foster home. The babies she receives from the orphanages are the little ones with serious, life threatening conditions. They would not survive in the orphanages and without medical care, often surgeries are needed. So, she not only provides for them, nurtures and loves them she also raises the funds to get them the life saving surgeries they need. She travels all over China to get each baby to the right doctor for their surgery. Then camps out in the hospital, often for days at a time as the little one becomes well enough to travel home. She is one of, if not the most selfless people I know. She truly is a reflection of Jesus for these precious little ones whose very lives depend on her and the people who help her... whether it be the nannies that help care for them or the family that sponsors a baby, to the person who bids on our One Child At A Time auction to raise money for surgeries.
A few days ago an orphanage contacted her. Telling her of 12 cleft pallet babies they have recently received. They are unable to care for them and unless they find somewhere for them to go where they can receive the care they need they will not survive.

So, Amanda stepped out in faith once again and she has transformed the apartment down stairs that was used as the volunteer quarters into the Starfish Cleft Home. Nine of the babies have already arrived from the hospital, 3 will be coming from the hospital any day and another little one was abandoned as this was taking place so there will be 4 more babies coming in the next few days!

She said "YES, Lord." Even though she didn't have the finances to care for these little ones for more than three months. She is trusting the Lord to provide. How thankful I am that Jesus has His faithful servant (Amanda) there, serving Him, serving His little ones..... I cannot imagine their fate if she wasn't faithful in His calling and if she didn't step out of her comfort zone (which most of us would be freaking out in! lol) and step out in faith, trusting the Lord to provide!
So...... here is the link to the new Starfish Home site~
http://www.chinesestarfishcleft.blogspot.com/

I am also have a flyer that can be printed out and taken to your Church, your workplace, your MOPS group, your child's classroom.... these little ones need sponsors. Please let me know if you would like me to email you the flyer. Amanda runs both homes on donations. These babies survive only because people reach out and minister to them from across the ocean.... you may not be able to travel to China and hold them, feed them, make them giggle.... but you can help sponsor a baby and your love and care will reach across the miles and enable them to have a healthy life.
It takes $150.00 a month to provide care for each child. You can sponsor a child for $25.00 a month. If you are unable to do that perhaps you can take the flyer and find 4 other friends who can join you in a team effort to sponsor a little child... You could each give $5.00 a month.... so little, yet it could truly change the coarse of a precious child's life. It can be the difference between life and death.
Also, please help spread the word about the children. About the Starfish Cleft Home... and most of all....... please Pray................... lift these little ones and their care givers up to the Lord. This is the most beautiful, powerful, and generous gift you can give these little ones...... standing in the gap..... bringing them before the throne of God, lifting them up in Jesus.
Thank you all so much and may God bless you.

If you would like to sponsor a little one~ You can leave a comment, or email here or with Kimberley at the Seventh Diamond. She is the one who in charge of getting sponsors for all of these babies! All ready people are coming forward but we need more. You also can go directly to the Starfish Site.

One last thing... I realize that when you truly start to look around at the world, at the children in the world, at the orphans in the world that it becomes overwhelming.... you may find yourself thinking, "What can I do? I can't make a difference. There are too many, there is too much..." Well, that is a lie from the pit of Hell. You can do something! You can make a difference! When you visit the Starfish Cleft Home's site.... scroll down and read the Starfish Legend on the sidebar.... it is after this legend that Amanda named her foster homes.... To the who don't believe I say, one person can make a difference! Just look at Amanda.... and for those of us thinking, oh, but we could never do that! She couldn't do it without you! For each person who helps by giving what they can.... that is how she is able to care for these little ones.... and to each of those babies you ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE! So, join in.... and become a STARFISH THROWER!