We Are Going to Fly with the Eagles!

Eagles Wings....helping children fly above their circumstances and be all that they were meant to be!
Again, a story that goes back a few years, but is worth the telling.
When I adopted Lindsay in 2005, I was so fortunate to meet via email an amazing woman, an Australian kindergarten teacher, who had been volunteering at Lindsay's orphanage, Jiaozuo SWI, for several years. Her name is Linda Shum. At first she went on short term mission trips with China Heart and later she formed her own charitable organization, China Orphans Assistance Team (COAT), and led teams herself during her school holidays. Over time she was able to improve the living conditions for many of the children through better nutrition, training the workers (ayis) in child development, and eventually starting a preschool in the orphanage for the young children and those too disabled to attend the local school. She also hired and trained workers to do physical therapy with the special needs children and helped obtain medical care for more seriously ill babies. She used her own savings and donations from others who generously sponsored a child, or an ayi or a bed in order to continue and expand the work.

When I adopted Lindsay I was concerned by the lack of supervision for the school-aged children. Another mom who adopted a 9 year old saw the same things I did -- a *pack* mentality among the children, aged 6 (Lindsay was the youngest) to 12, no concept of respect for adults, few limits, no guidance or discipline or structure. Other than going to school and showing up at mealtime, they were on their own. We spoke to Linda about this, and the wheels began to turn.

Soon she had a vision for a group home that would bring the big kids into a more structured environment. For some this would serve as preparation for the transition into a forever family, for others it would provide a foundation for a life as a productive, successful adult in China.

Thus was born *Eagles Wings*, first one and now three group homes managed by a house parent or parents, staffed by local workers, and home to ten to twenty children. The children are all from the orphanage and range in age from infants to teens. Many of the children have special needs, some do not. All need the love and attention, structure and consistency that is difficult to deliver in the orphanage setting.

Which brings us to the present and the great gift that God has given our family to be a part of Eagles Wings. As the House Mother for Eagles Wings II, I will be managing the daily life of the household, ensuring that the staff understands and follows the COAT policies, and generally being a mom to twenty-three kids!