Typhoon Hagupit hits our daughters' orphanage!

Last week, our hearts skipped a beat when we heard about the big typhoon that hit southern China, primarily because it was going to hit Maoming city, where our daughters currently reside. Thankfully, they and their friends are doing just fine.

This is my opportunity to tell you a little about a program called Half The Sky (HTS), that has contributed greatly to the success of our daughters' physical and mental development. HTS is a Berkeley-based organization founded less than a decade ago by adoptive parents, Jenny and Richard Bowen. They started this program after realizing that children living in institutions are able to truly thrive under the care of HTS's trained, loving nannies. Shayne and Norah's orphanage is enrolled in HTS's wonderful program. To read more about HTS, go to http://www.halfthesky.org/.

Here is a report from Jenny Bowen that made us realize how thankful we should forever be to the nannies that love and care for our girls:

"For those of you who are worried about Typhoon Hagupit which hit Maoming, Guangdong on Wednesday, I have this report from ZZ, Half the Sky's managing director:"It was a big wind but not heavy rain, so a few brave people could still go out in the street. At Maoming CWI, they allowed the nannies to stay home and our program has stopped for one day. In the Family Village, some of the windows were broken due to strong wind, but they were immediately repaired."In Maonan CWI, (this is Shayne and Norah's orphanage!!) the nannies were so brave they came to work, but in the street they had to get help from the trees or the street light poles when the wind was too strong. Since they were told that the wind and stormwould arrive at about 6:30am, many of the nannies came before then –around 5:30am. What a group of dedicated and strong women!"All of the children are fine and there is no damage to either institution."

Thank the Lord that He's watching and protecting our little girls.