Referrals and Storms
Some agencies began receiving referrals yesterday.
- An agency received referrals for their 12/20 families but not their 12/28 families
- An agency received referrals for their 12/26 families
This tells me that the 28th is not likely included, and the 26th is. I’ll take it to an R5 that the cut off is the 26th or 27th.
I haven’t started the Babies! post yet, if anyone wants their blog listed when I start it, please list your blog name and URL in the comments to this post and I’ll add them in when I create it.
And now, let’s switch gears and talk about the storms. Some orphanages are without electricity and water, some are having trouble getting food. Half the Sky is working to help the orphanages that they are involved with, they’ve got a web page up with the status of the orphanages they’ve been able to contact:
http://www.halfthesky.org/work/littlemouse.php
If your child’s orphanage is not listed on the HTS storm page, and if your agency has any kind of relationship with the orphanage, then I urge you to get in touch with your agency and ask them to check on things and see if there is anything that can be done to help. Unless your agency has someone on the ground close, there may not be, as banks are closed in many areas so they may not even be able to wire in emergency funds to help out right now.
As for me, one of my daughters’ orphanages is surviving okay with difficulty, and no one has been able to contact the other.
It’s amazing how much your heart strings pull towards an orphanage on the other side of the world. An orphanage that once kept your child alive. Maybe not nurtured in the way she should have been, but alive until you could get to her to nurture her yourself. I’ll do what I can to help those orphanages take care of the babies that are there now.
February 2nd, 2008 at 12:27 pm
RQ~ Thank you for posting this on the main blog! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
February 2nd, 2008 at 12:34 pm
My blog is Adoption & Fire and the link is http://adoptionandfire.typepad.com
I am really worried about this weather in China and the possible aftermath. Thank goodness for HTS and what they are doing and for those like RQ who are spreading the news on how we can help.
Wendy
LID 12/27/05
February 2nd, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Our site is called Waiting for Lily Grace and the link is
http://www.oneworld-onelove.com
Stephanie
LID 12/20/05
February 2nd, 2008 at 1:10 pm
How can one heart hold so much happiness and sadness at the same time? My heart is overflowing with joy at knowing we will finally be parents. My heart is aching with sadness knowing that so many are suffering in China right now. My baby-to-be may be one of them. It is truly wonderful what HTS is doing…but they are only able to help a small portion of the orphanages with the money they raise. I certainly hope they have enough left over from this Little Mouse fund to help the other orphanages and that the ministry of civil affairs can offer assistance to all the orphanages. Our waiting children are in those orphanages…they have suffered enough in their short lives. Is it too much to ask for warmth, food and shelter until they are able to come home? I cry everytime I think about their current struggle. I sure hope the weather changes soon and that all of the orphanges endured the bad weather with no casualties, trauma, or damage.
February 2nd, 2008 at 1:52 pm
I too am so worried about the storms. Hunan is being hit really hard and the SWI right next to where my DD was from is being hit hard (Yueyang city being hit hard– dd from Yueyang county which is foster care only SWI). I emailed my China facilitator this morning and posted on my SWI board. I really am concerned and when you hear about the destruction your heart just aches. I am trying to find out what we can do. When I hear I will let you know.
Christy :)
February 2nd, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Thank you for posting about the orphanages. Any help they can get would be greatly appreciated.
We are LID 12/26/05 and our blog is called Waiting for Eliza. It is at waitingforeliza.blogspot.com
February 2nd, 2008 at 2:29 pm
We received our referral yesterday and just got pictures. They’re posted on:
http://www.babyjellybeans.com/web/do/site?ID=10603
(sorry, I don’t know how to add the link)
Laura
LID 12/20/05
February 2nd, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Thank you for posting this RQ…my hear goes out to all the children in the affected SWI
February 2nd, 2008 at 2:43 pm
ps I meant my heart…Thankfully HTS is involved…
February 2nd, 2008 at 3:24 pm
LauraSmith~ I posted on your blog too but just want to say, your little girl is absolutely gorgeous!!! You must be jumping for joy!!!
February 2nd, 2008 at 3:30 pm
We are LID 12/20/05 and expecting our referral next week. Here’s the link to our blog:
http://adoptinghannah.blogspot.com/
February 2nd, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Just wanted to edit my blog name to include the “http”.
http://waitingforeliza.blogspot.com
February 2nd, 2008 at 6:34 pm
Laura, your little girl is darling! Congratulations!
February 2nd, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Laura,
WOOOWWW! Your little girl is so pretty! Lucky mom!
Reglissoly
LID 03/15/06
February 2nd, 2008 at 9:57 pm
Thanks for the update on the situation with the orphanges….Ironically, I stand in the kitchen weeping while my boys beg for more lucky charms after playing wii on the flat screen tv in 75 degree sunny weather….what a great reminder to all of us….if only we could bring them home right now like we have all been trying so hard to do….Maybe this will help encourage China to get more of the children into homes before next winter??? Could we be so lucky?…My heart explodes for those of you getting referrals, but you are in my prayers as it would be very difficult to discover that your child is in one of the suffering locations…Hopefully this isn’t too dramatic, I just know this audience is the only one who understands what it feels like to wonder if your baby is hungry or cold…..
February 2nd, 2008 at 10:03 pm
It breaks my heart to know so many are suffering in China, especially the children. I’m so grateful for organizations like HTS and all they do. At our local FCC gathering tomorrow night we’re taking up a free will offering for HTS. Maybe other FCCs can do the same? I’m sure every little bit will help.
Con J
waiting on TA
February 2nd, 2008 at 10:37 pm
We are LID 12/27 and expecting our referral on Monday.
http://www.theblendedmcds.blogspot.com
February 2nd, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Thanks for putting this on the main page, RQ…we’re still waiting to travel, and our baby is in Hunan. It kills me that we should have been there already, to be with her…even if we were in this mess, we would know that she is safe, has food, clothing, and warmth.
All reports of nannies are that they are doing everything they can, but there just isn’t enough to work with in this situation!
We know nothing of what is going on in our specific SWI…
-StrawberryShortcake
LID 12/14/05
DOR 12/06/07
Travel…not soon enough!
February 2nd, 2008 at 10:57 pm
We want our blog included:
LID: 04/23/07
Eliza’s Journey Home
http://www.elizasjourneyhome.blogspot.com
Thank you!
February 2nd, 2008 at 11:59 pm
One of my daughters came from a very poor SWI in Hunan Province, and I have no information about the children and elderly still there. They do not participate in HTS. Of course, my old agency is closed for the weekend. I’m dying to know how to help. For now, all I’ve been able to do is give to HTS. At least *some* babies can be helped even if I can’t reach those that tug at my heart because they share the same beginnings as my daughter. We are all starved for information and feel so helpless.
February 3rd, 2008 at 1:18 am
Laura, I agree, your baby is beautiful! Congratulations! We were in Chongqing in April 2007. Can’t wait to see more pix this week. I remember those sleepless nights awaiting good news :) May it come soon!
February 3rd, 2008 at 2:05 am
I second the crying. I’m very happy for those about to see their little ones. Congratulations! Best wishes on you and your journeys. May you and your little ones be safe and travel well.
I’m devastated to think of the people in China in such a horrible storm. I sat washing my dog tonight crying because I knew how many do not have any water to drink or food or warm shelter, let alone the hot bath my dog was getting. My thoughts are especially with the little ones who can’t help themselves and with the strong, determined care-takers that are facing blizzards, ice and snow to be there to keep them alive. I can’t even imagine being there right now…I’m so thankful that Half the Sky can be as well as the many others who have shown compassion for those less fortunate.
February 3rd, 2008 at 9:57 am
half the sky has updated reports on the orphanages in China and how they are dealing wit the storms.
February 3rd, 2008 at 9:58 am
We are expecting our referral tomorrow, Feb 4.
http://www.harperleewieland.com
***anxiously waiting to see if it is twins***
February 3rd, 2008 at 11:27 am
Our original LID was 12/26/05 but because we had to give them additional information they said they moved us to “getting our referral before the 1/1/06 families and after the 12/31/05 families.” We were told that we would be in next month. So perhaps, they have some type of plan each month.
Congratulations to those families that will see their child soon!
Also waiting anxiously to see if we will get twins too!
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:13 pm
has anything changed in the box yet?
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Skittles, the box wont be changed anymore. CCAA has stopped doing that
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:41 pm
We too are expecting our referral tomorrow.
http://www.chasingchinadreams.blogspot.com
Come celebrate with us!
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:55 pm
mercedes14:
I might be dense, but how does that quote make sense? Anyone want to explain it to me???
February 3rd, 2008 at 12:57 pm
The box was changed to say Dec. 27th……
February 3rd, 2008 at 1:36 pm
waiting4 2nd –
did you hear from your agency about the box changing? thats big news!!
February 3rd, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Yes, it came from my agency!
February 3rd, 2008 at 1:46 pm
wow, waiting4. that is so cool. thanks for reporting, you get the gold star for today!!
love your agency, sounds like they are one of the first to know, and it’s very kind of them to let clients know on a weekend!!!!
February 3rd, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Congrats to all who have received referrals. My heart goes out to all those in China especially the children that may not have heat or enough food to eat. Thank you RQ for posting the info about Half the Sky. I am so thankful that HTS is working so hard to bring relief. My fear is that once they get through this bad weather and it starts to warm up, they may have to deal with flooding too. With a January LID my heart aches knowing my child may be in an orphanage that is affected by this weather.
February 3rd, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Waiting4, They actually said the box has changed?!?!?! Really? WOOOPEEEEE, yippee for all those included!!! :-D
This is the most hopeful I’ve felt in months and months and months. With a 3/1/06 LID we now stand a chance of seeing our daughter this year! I so hope they keep up this pace. YAY!
February 3rd, 2008 at 7:15 pm
mercedes14 Says:
February 3rd, 2008 at 11:27 am
Our original LID was 12/26/05 but because we had to give them additional information they said they moved us to “getting our referral before the 1/1/06 families and after the 12/31/05 families.†We were told that we would be in next month.
Mercedes14, I don’t understand what “before 1/1/06 but after 12/31/05″ means either. Does it suggest the March cut-off will be Dec 31?
Could you explain what it means to you please?? It sounds like very interesting info!!
February 3rd, 2008 at 7:46 pm
I wish I could explain better as I too still get confused. I get the impression from the correspondence with my agency that since we were moved out of line based on need for more information that it holds you up one month. The new LID is odd to us too. Kinda like we are floating between two dates. I thought the same thing that perhaps they are hoping that they will make it out of December by next month. I have been speculating for over two years now, so we are just hopeful that it is next month with no guarantees.
February 3rd, 2008 at 9:50 pm
I wish I could explain it better than before. We seem to float between the two dates somehow. I am guessing that we are a LID of 12/31/05 now. From what I have been told, if you have to give more information, then they move you to the next month. They indicated that they believed we would hear next month. I am hoping that it means they will make it out of December.
I attempted to post earlier with no luck, so if this repeats itself, I apologize.
February 7th, 2008 at 11:43 am
As other’s have posted the batch after CNY is historically a small batch. Maybe they are going to refer to the 31st and “mercedes 14″ will receive her referral before they start on 06? - Where’s the shrugging smiley?