Doing Something Unusual

Good morning again and I hope it’s an excellent week for you!

Someone asked me about other deaf children in our orphanage after I shared the news about giving 3-year-old Xiao Shan a cochlear implant (See Xiao Shan's Story). I'm very sorry to tell you that although there are four other deaf children in our orphanage, they are considerably older and are all mentally challenged - making them incapable of learning to process speech. However, we are giving them what such children need more than anything else - tender loving care.

Xiao Shan, who received the implant in early March, is doing well. Because her nerve has not functioned since she was born, it takes time to enhance the hearing. Tuning and adjusting the frequency of the receiver of the cochlear is an ongoing process.

Sue, who has been caring for her at the Home of Loving Faithfulness,has been communicating well with Xiao Shan using sign language for day to day things, including 'names' of people - and the pet dog at the home!

It’s probably too much to expect of a 3 year old to understand what’s going on because this is a complicated issue, but Sue is trying to increase her knowledge gradually and sensitively.

Xiao Shan has the potential to live a normal life and I feel very deeply that since she is mentally capable, we should make every effort to give her two cochlear implants. With these, she will have close to normal hearing and a good sense of direction.

I am told that providing such a child with two cochlear implants will be very unusual in China.  My thinking is that it would not be unusual for people who love children!

With the generous offer of free surgery and hospital care, please pray with me that we can raise the money to also offer Xiao Shan another implant, which each of us would want to give to our own children, if they were in her situation. We need HK$ 90,000, which seems a lot for a small piece of technology, but it will make a huge difference in the life of this beautiful child.

God bless you!

Comments

[Joel MacCollam]

Your blog is a great idea. I hope you'll put your image into the
"image block" on the first page. That gives readers at peak at you without putting you in the limelight rather than the children!

Thanks for not sugar-coating the reality that some of the youngsters you serve do have severe limitations that even the best intentions of technology can overcome. Too many organizations imply they can help everyone by medical means, which just isn't feasible. God bless.

[SM]

Thank you for the kind words - my photo is now on my 'About' page (not that I recommend looking !)

Our calling is to pray, love and care for the orphans as if they were our own. This absolute applies to those whom medical technology can help, and to those it can not.

What is so exciting for little Xiao Shan is that she can be helped. Hardships that may otherwise have been her lot, have given way to a new beginning thanks to the generosity of others. She received a cochlear implant and she will receive the all important training to learn to hear and speak.

Now my task is to raise funds to purchase another artificial cochlea for Xiao Shan. The doctors and hospital have been generous beyond words in agreeing to help again. I'm appealing to all readers to please help spread the word (click the blue 'Email It' button) or contact me (click Pink 'Contact' tab) and pledge your support. Thank you!