Angel Covers' New Website

I am thrilled to announce that Angel Covers has a brand new website!! Please check it out at http://www.angelcovers.org/ We are sure you'll find it easy to maneuver and full of wondering information about our work.

With the holiday's fast approaching, please consider shopping with Angel Covers. Our holiday cards are beautiful! Drawn by the children of Humble Hearts, these cards not only provide a great way to connect with friends and family, but also support the Humble Hearts School.

Other products such as shoes, blankets, hooded bath towels and craft aprons can be found on our products pages. The profits from the sale of these products support children around the world.

Not sure about a gift? Consider our gift cards! Make a donation in honor of a loved one and we'll send a card with a personal message. Or, consider the numerous children on our website who need sponsors and give the gift of sponsorship to both a child in need and your loved one. We'll happily send a card to the recipient.

Once again Angel Covers has a very generous donor willing to match by 50% all donations to the Humble Hearts School up to $5,000. When considering your year-end charitable donations, please think of Angel Covers and the children we serve. With no paid staff and very little administrative costs, you can rest assured your donation is making the biggest impact possible. We can't thank Kristen Kent with i2k Communications and Sheri Wahl with Trowen Communications enough. Their hard work made this website happen!

Thank you all for your continued support!

Mama's Wish - Back To School

As I sent my kids off to their first day of school this morning, I couldn't help thinking of all our Mama's Wish students who are also returning to school. For each of these girls the simple act of going to school is truly a dream come true and would not be possible without the generous support from their sponsors. I am so proud of all of our Mama's Wish students and how far they have come. But my thoughts also turn to all the girls in the very remote, impoverished villages of QingHai province that may never get this opportunity, and how different their futures will be.

"Without your help, it wouldn't be possible to attend school. The only options I would have were to do labor at home or be married out. I am most grateful to you for you have changed my destiny. Thank you for your kind heart." ~Nan

For as little as $11 a month ($130 yr) you too can sponsor a Mama's Wish student and give her the opportunity to attend high school. We have many new girls that currently need sponsors and I'd love to match them ASAP so they too will have the chance to attend school. As a sponsor you will receive letters and photos from your student and have the opportunity to write back to her if you'd like.

As you send your kids back to school, please take moment to consider giving one of these bright girls this same precious opportunity.

"Wishing you every day happy!"

Karen MacNair
Mama's Wish Sponsorship Coordinator
karen@angelcovers.org
http://www.angelcovers.org/mamawish.html

Foster care

When you imagine a child who is recovering from surgery, what do you see? For many people, we envision a child in a clean, safe environment, with one, or maybe two parents who stay no more than an arm’s length away, ready to spring into action at the first sign of discomfort or want. In my “day job” as mom to three young children, I’ve lovingly attended to my kids through a total of five surgeries, the most recent being my seven year-old’s tonsillectomy and ear tube placement two weeks ago. Each time, I’ve stocked our kitchen with tasty post-surgery foods and drinks, made plans for our other children to keep them happily busy at a friend or relative’s house, and had several consultations with the doctors regarding pre- and post-surgery care. I’ve made sure prescriptions are ready to go and follow-up appointments are scheduled. Most importantly, I’ve been here, ready to give one-on-one attention to my child for as long as he/she needs it. It is not always easy—spending these past two weeks of 95+ degree weather helping my son heal has not exactly lived up to our dreams for summer vacation around here. But, there is no way I wouldn’t do all of this, give all of this, for my kids.

In my “night job” as Orphanage Support Coordinator for Angel Covers, I know that the reality for most orphaned children recovering from surgeries is nothing like what my children and yours may have experienced. These sweet little boys and girls are often taken to a hospital for surgery, and then returned to their orphanages to recover. The caregivers are devoted and do their best to care for all of the children they work with, but there isn’t

enough time in a day to give each child the kind of undivided attention that we all wish they could receive. There aren't freezers full of every popsicle flavor invented, stacks of rented videos and doting moms at the ready. No one is counting ounces of fluids taken in, obsessively feeling foreheads for fevers, or spoon-feeding ice chips one at a time in the middle of the night. The recovery process can be much longer, riskier, and lonelier.

But now, for some kids, the vision and reality are coming much closer together thanks to some wonderful foster families. Through a partnership between Angel Covers and Love Without Boundaries, there are three very special and adorable little guys who are thriving and growing under the watchful eyes of their foster families in Huaibei, Anhui Province. All three of these boys received surgeries through Love Without Boundaries, and after a period of recovery, are now enjoying the attention of their foster parents. We introduced you to Anton and Harrison in a recent post and are happy to report that they are settled into their foster home where they are developing well, gaining weight, and showing their individual personalities. Our newest foster child, Emillio, joined his foster family last week and is making a smooth transition into their home.

We would love to see our program grow so that all children receiving surgery will be able to benefit from the care of foster families, but for now, our goal is more modest. We are in need of sponsors to help support Anton, Harrison, and Emillio so that they can continue to reap the benefits of living in a family setting. Sponsorship for each child costs $70/month, and sponsorships can be shared among family members, friends, church or civic groups—anyone willing to help these sweet boys. In return for your support, you’ll receive a monthly update, including pictures, on your child.

Coming Soon -- Mother's Day!

Mother's Day is always a little bittersweet for me. I love having a perfect excuse to spend the entire day with my kids. We go for hikes, go out to eat, whatever....as long as we don't have to think about anything else but having fun as a family. In this busy world of school, work, sports, and so many other activities, it's great to be able to take a day and just hang out together with no other obligations.

But Mother's Day also makes me think of those kids who don't have a mom, or kids whose families just aren't able to give their kids what they need. These are the kids who need to be able to "borrow" our moms for a day. These children need us to allow our moms to give them a home, and education, or food for the day.

This Mother's Day, please consider donating to help another child in honor of your mom. Put your mom's name on a brick at Angel Covers and let those children see how much she cares for kids around the world. http://www.angelcovers.org/angelcottage.html Sponsor a child at Humble Hearts, a Tibetan Minority Region school, or at our nutrition program in Huaibei, Anhui to provide kids with the warmth, nutrition, and education you mom provides you. http://www.angelcovers.org/childsponsorship.html Give a blanket to a child around the world so he/she has something to snuggle with as you did as a child. http://www.angelcovers.org/giftcards.html Any time a donation is made in honor of your mother, a card will be sent telling her of your generosity.

You can also purchase mom cooking aprons, blankets, notecards, or sweatshirts. All of these products support children around the world and let your mom know that you appreciate all she has done. http://www.angelcovers.org/products.html

There's a saying that says imitation is the best form of flattery. Help us imitate a mother's love through your gifts to her. By helping kids around the world this Mother's Day, you will be letting you mom know what a great job she does.