Full Tummies

Our nutrition facilitator in China, Cindy, just visited Huaibei and sent some of the best pictures. The baby on the right is called “laughing Buddha” by the orphanage staff. How adorable is that?! You can see why too. She looks so happy.

Thanks to all of your support, the babies continue to look great. The orphanage continues to use the cleft bottles we sent, which is obvious from the pictures of the babies with cleft lips. They are looking great. Not too skinny at all. And 2 will be having surgery soon! That's a huge blessing because they wouldn't be able to have surgery if they didn't weigh enough.

We are going to send more formula and rice cereal this month. Cindy said the orphanage was clean and neat and that the aunties take very good care of the babies. Many of the younger children are attending kindergarten outside of the orphanage during the day, which is wonderful. We will be purchasing formula that is good for the toddlers too (Neslac) because there aren't as many infants right now. This formula is also especially good for the babies with medical needs and was purchased in April 2008 with great success. The kids love the taste and it’s full of great nutritional benefits for all of the kids. We will also continue to provide more than 200 bags of rice cereal each month.

In February we were able to purchase heater/ air-conditioning units that are getting a lot of use right now. This area of China is not only very hot in the summer, but also very humid. These air-conditioners are preventing heat sores and sleepless nights.

The support of so many is making this program invaluable. Children are not only happier, but they are healthier, and are able to have surgery if needed because they are strong. If you would like to be a part of this life-changing program, please email me at kari@angelcovers.org Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you’ve done for these children. You are making it possible for them to have a full life.

Toys, Toys, and more Toys

A wonderful donation arrived today. One thousand, five hundred, and seventy-five pounds of baby equipment! Boxes and boxes were stacked on palates, some taller than 8 feet high with rattles, play gyms, bath toys, stools, potties, swings, and so many other brand new necessities for babies.

A huge THANK YOU goes to the Kids II baby company for donating all of these great items. Babies in the Ukraine will have the joy of seeing these toys arrive hopefully this summer. We are planning to send a container shipment to Ukraine, which will include hundreds of baby bouncers, clothing, blankets, and shoes. Volunteers will meet the container and distribute the supplies to orphanages throughout Ukraine.

If you are interested in donating gently used clothing, or shoes we would love to have your donation. Please be sure the items have no holes, and are in very good condition. We will also be holding a "battery drive" so all of these great baby toys make noise for a long time to come, and a "blanket drive" so all of the children are warm next winter.

We'll keep you posted on this great project!

Children in Need

Angel Covers learns about so many beautiful children who need our help on a daily basis. Sometimes we are contacted directly by an orphanage, sometimes we learn of children through other organizations. Always the children are in desperate need.

In the past week, we have been contacted by Love Without Boundaries about 2 babies who desperately need our help. Cong is an adorable little girl in the Anhui province of China who has serious problems with her heart. Cong is almost 1 year old and needs to have heart surgery to fix a VSD, ASD, and Tricuspid Regurgitation as soon as possible. We are working to raise the $4,210 needed to complete her surgery and give her a strong, healthy body as soon as possible.

Angel Covers has also agreed to help find supporters for Hua. Hua was born prematurely on January 15, weighing only 1 KG. Knowing how expensive intensive care can be, the orphanage tried to keep Hua in an incubator at the orphanage, but quickly realized he needs more care and a special formula. Love without Boundaries asked Angel Covers to help. Approximately $3,000 is needed for Hua's care. Because $1,200 has already been raised, Hua was transferred to Hefei and is receiving the care he needs.

If you are interested in helping either of these sweet babies, please go to http://www.angelcovers.org/donation.html to make a donation. You may put the child's name you are donating for in the memo section and we will make sure your donation is used for the baby you stated. You may also send donations to Love Without Boundaries. Regardless of where you send your donation, you will receive updates telling you how your baby is doing.

Thank you for your support of these children! We are grateful for everything you do for children around the world.

Kari Fillmore

Nutrition is oh so important

Approximately 6 weeks ago, Angel Covers partnered with Love Without Boundaries to provide extra nutrition to the children in the Huaibei, Anhui Social Welfare Institute in China. Each month 120 boxes of rice cereal and 168 bags of formula are being sent to this SWI to help them provide these beautiful children with even more nutrition.

Seeing the boxes of formula and rice cereal arrive is always exciting. The staff at this orphanage love the babies so much, and they work hard in exhausting conditions to provide wonderful care for the children. This week we received pictures of the beautiful babies with full bottle and pudgy fingers.

Good nutrition isn't just about full bellies. It's about healthy lives, and strong bones. It's about being able to develop physically and emotionally without the stress of a an empty tummy. It's about aunties who don't have to hear a baby cry of hunger and wish they could do something about it. This nutrition program is important for the children as well as their caregivers. If you'd like to help us make a difference in these children's lives, please go to http://www.angelcovers.org/ and click on the donation button. It only costs $15 per month to help feed one of these precious babies so any amount, large or small, makes a huge difference in their lives.

There is nothing more peaceful than a happy baby and these beautiful, happy faces are what Angel Covers is all about.

Kari Fillmore