Welcome to our Blessing Hands Blog

Thanks for visiting our website and learning about our charity that helps children in Guangxi Province.

Friday, May 31, 2013

Emergency Operation

Blessing Hands
Wei Senbao Update
Wei Senbao in the hospital bed



Wei Senbao's Operation and Aftermath

Wei had pain medicine and has been weak from two operations so close together.
Wei took pain medicine and has been weak from two operations so close together.
Wei had his first operation May 15th and all went well. He had the drainage tube taken out May 27th. However, he developed a bleeding blood vessel on May 28th and had to be taken back into surgery. This bleeding was unexpected and unusual. After the second operaton, he was in the intensive care unit, but he was moved to a common room on May 31st. 

The unexpected second operation seems to be a success, but he is weak and has pain from the two operations so close together. They expect him to stay in the hospital for ten more days and then remain in Shanghai until they know he is well enough to go home.  

Because the malformation was in a dangerous place, they were unable to remove all of it. Some is still there. They will be checking it at the end of the ten days to see if it is growing back.

When emergency surgery for his bleeding became necessary, Mrs. Xia, the charity volunteer in Shanghai that has looked after them, guaranteed the 10,000 yuan ($1,626 USD) money for the emergency operation until Mandy could wire 
Wei Senbao will have 10 more days in the hospital.
Wei Senbao will have at least 10 more days
in the hospital.
a deposit to cover the emergency operation. 

We still have to pay for his extended hospital stay, expenses at the Children's Hope Foundation, and transportation home. We have $5,586 left for these future expenses. 
 
Doctor Dai will be requesting reinbursement from government insurance, but they only pay a percentage and not quickly. Wei's story is turning out to be complicated, but we have hope for his complete recovery. Soon he will look like anyother five-year-old boy we trust.  I hope to see him in his home on July 14th
 
 
 
 
 
 
Will you be a blessing hand to Wei Senbao? Please give for his present needs and for his future medical care. 
   
           Give $35 for his care Donate or send any amount by check to: Blessing Hands, 106 Timber Lane, Morehead, KY 40351.
Please keep Wei in your prayers. 
Sincerely,
Betty Cutts, Blessing Hands Director

Monday, May 27, 2013

Update on Wei Senbao

Subject: Special News from Blessing Hands

Blessing Hands      Blessing Hands News
Dashuijing Primary School
Dashuijing Primary School will receive a water purifier soon.

Wei Senbao's Operation is a success

Wei had his first operation May 15th. All went well, and he should be out of the hospital after his tubes are taken out May 27th. His mother is thrilled that the disfiguring malformation is gone. He looks like any other little five-year-old boy now.
Wei's need touched many hearts. One of our administrators gave her salary for the year to his medical fund and our former students, who
Wei Senbao after his operation
Wei Senbao after his operation
have graduated, have started to give as well. I love it when people become Blessing Hands.

The Angel Mother volunteer in Shanghai has put in extra time with Wei and his Mom. Before the operation, she took them to a park with her child. Wei got to ride on kiddie rides he had never experienced before. At first he was a little afraid, but he soon got over that. 

Meng, Wei's mother, has been helping other mothers with seriously ill children, who are staying at the Children's Hope Foundation's home as well. Wei's story is turning out to be happy. I hope to see him this summer. 

We had to put down a deposit of 15,000 yuan ($2,439 USD) before his operation. We raised $830 USD through our KY Gives Campaign on April 24th. Thanks to all of you who sent in support both during this campaign and afterwards. We still have to pay for his expenses at the Children's Hope Foundation and transportation home. Right now we have $7,212 reserved for his second operation and other expenses.  Thank you all. 
Drinking Water is Boiled
Drinking Water is Boiled.
Water Purifiers

We are excited about our summer projects in China. The water purifier team from East Oldham Middle School took their training recently with WaterStep in Louisville. We will be leaving June 24th to start in Yangshuo with three schools - Fuli Dutou, Xiling, and Zhongnan Primary schools.
Next, we will travel to Guizhou Province to install 5 more purifiers in the schools in the Anlong area. Wanfenghu Middle School will be the only middle school served. I think it is great that an American middle school will be 
a blessing hand to a Chinese middle school.
The water purifier team will return on July 8th, but Keisha Williams, our college intern, and I will continue on to Yunnan Province to meet Tibetian students we have been helping.
Ksisha Williams will travel with me as our summer college  intern.
Keisha Williams will travel with me as our summer college intern.
In Qinzhou, Anlong, and Yangshuo, we will be interviewing graduating students who want to go to college. It is a busy time when we take movies of the students applying and feature them here in our newsletter and online.
We will also be going to Du'an to take donated books from a primary school in Nanning to the Du'an students. I hope to see Wei and his cousins while I am there. Keisha and I will be returning on July 18th after a busy long trip.
I will try to send out notices as we travel, but internet service is sometimes spotty. Look for pictures on ourPinterest site. 

Summer Camp Teachers 

We are not having a camp this summer, but I know of an opportunity for summer camp English teachers. The Association for Christian Conference Teaching Services is looking for teachers to serve from July 14th to July 28th
Participants need to buy their own round-trip tickets and pay $1,500 for in-country expenses.  They fly into Guangzhou and then either take a high speed train or fly to Changsha. Interested teachers should contact Mr. He Gang at this Email or call 303-985-8808.  They only have two teachers so far and need a few more. 
 
 

I hope to see many of our students and friends while I am in China this summer. I will be gone twenty-five days and visit three provinces. Eight people will be traveling with us to install eight water purifiers and assist in other ways. I really appreciate all of our friends and supporters, who make up the family of Blessing Hands. 

I am most excited about adding thirty new primary students in three different areas. With the drop in the dollar against the yuan, we are going to have to start asking for
$40 a semester for school aid for them. Expenses for students in China are rising as well. When we get a primary student sponsored, we can follow them for many years, and the sponsor sees their help make a deep difference. 

Sponsor a primary child. Donate
Sincerely,

Betty Cutts
Blessing Hands

Monday, April 22, 2013

Wei Has his First Sclerotherapy Treatment

logo
Blessing Hands

KY Gives Day is April 24th.
 
"Money Bomb" Charities

The Morehead News Editor, Keith Kappes, Recently wrote a wonderful editorial about KY Gives Day. You can read it at this link.   He calls it a " Money Bomb".  In light of the recent bombing at the Boston Marathon, you can think of giving as your positive response to terror. 
 
Ky Gives Day is Wednesday April 24th. Six other nonprofits in Morehead have now signed up. We encourage you to go to the KYGives.org page on the 24th and support nonprofits in Rowan County and Kentucky. 
 
How to Give on 4/24
  1. Log on to www.kygives.org
  2. Search for a favorite cause or organization. (Blessing Hands)
  3. Donate!
  4. Repeat steps 2, 3 and 4.(Give to other Rowan County Charities)
  5. Ask your friends to give too!
Jason Justice
Jason Justice, volunteer helping with Ky Gives Advertisement
If you just can't wait, you can give any amount now atthis link. All proceeds from our participation will go to Wei Senbao's medical fund. 
 
I want to especially thank Jason Justice who has volunteered his time to design and put up posters about KY Gives Day in Morehead. He also promoted it with a newspaper article. 

Wei Senbao
Wei Senbao
Wei Has Had His 
First  Sclerotherapy Treatment

Wei has had his first treatment.  I looked up sclerotherapy on Wikipedia. You can see it yourself atthis link. 
 
"It is a procedure used to treat blood vessels or blood vessel malformations (vascular malformations) and also those of the lymphatic system. A medicine is injected into the vessels, which makes them shrink. It is used for children and young adults with vascular or lymphatic malformations. In adults, sclerotherapy is often used to treat spider veins, smaller varicose veins and hemorrhoids."
 
I have not heard if there were any complications or reactions. I heard it was a simple procedure and he should not have any problems. Instead of going home for 3 months, they have suggested that he and his mom stay in Shanghai for one and a half months at the Children's Hope Foundation. They are now paying 60 yuan ($9.68) a day for room and board to the foundation. It is still cheaper than having them go home and come back for the operation.  The volunteers and doctors feel that he will be better off near the hospital rather than in his small village where medical treatment is far away. They are home sick, but willing to stay for the operation. 

Wei senbao in his village
Wei Senbao in his village
Expense Report on Wei Senbao
 
I was checking the expenses of Wei and his Mother today from the time that we first sent them to Beijing for medical care and now that they are in Shanghai.  So far we have spent $4,655 for their care and needs during the two medical visits. You wonderful sponsors have given $12,166 for their needs. We now have $7,511 left in his fund with the first operation still to come. $645 has been given in advance for his hospital treatment, so some of the operation should be covered already by that deposit with the hospital. We don't know what is ahead or if he will need more complex care or transfusions. We did get  $50 for one of his cousins' school expenses. The rest of the children still need sponsors for school expenses. 
 
Give $25 for Wei Senbao's medical needs.  Donate  
 
Give $50 for the support of his cousins in school. Donate

5 Water purifiers installed in Longfu Township, Du,an, Hechi, Guangxi, China







Longfu Primary Schools Receive 5 Water Purifiers

Thanks to donors who have helped these schools, Blessing Hands was able to give five water purifiers. The pictures speak for themselves. We will be installing 7 more purifiers this summer.  A water purifier team from East Oldham Middle School will be going with us this summer to help the schools have clean water. 
Kids get their first cup of pure water.
Kids get their first cup of pure water.
The water purifier works by electrolysis and only needs a battery and sale to produce lots of clean water.
The water purifier works by electrolysis and only needs a battery and sale to produce lots of clean water.
Dr, Dai installed the purifiers.
Dr, Dai installed the purifiers.
These students will not get water borne diseases.
These students will not get water borne diseases.
The purifier can clean as much water as can be stored.
The purifier can clean as much water as can be stored. 
Four more schools got purifiers.
Four more schools got purifiers.

The stainless steel tanks keep the stored water pure.
The stainless steel tanks keep the
 stored water pure.
Plastic pipe is welded with heat.
Plastic pipe is welded with heat.

Earthquake

We recommend 博爱路 Agape Way as a good charity to donate to for earthquake relief.

We were so saddened to hear of the earthquake in China. We want to suggest that you give to Agape Way for earthquake relief. They have many partners in the earthquake area and were able to help many people during the last quake. Agape Way has pledged to work with partners in China to join the earthquake relief efforts.  One of their partners has already gotten into the area after several hours of traffic jams on the road. 
After the Wenchuan (8.0-magnitude) earthquake five years ago, Agape Way participated in the reconstruction efforts building 38 houses and 10 churches thanks to the faithful prayers and generous contributions from people like you.
"Agape Way was initiated by Dr. Wanbing Frank Li and his wife Dr. Aijun Anna Li in 1999 and was registered in 2001 as a non-denominational, nonprofit organization with a 501(C)3 status with the USA IRS." They can give you a US tax deduction and have experience in the area of the earthquake. I have already sent them a check myself. 
You can donate on their website at this link.   


Logo from Fuzzy Duck
KY Gives Day at Fuzzy Duck

Fuzzy Duck Book Store Offers Free Use of Computers to Donate

People, who want to give to charities in Morehead featured in KY Gives promotion, can come to the Fuzzy Duck Book Store and Coffee Shop on Main Street in Morehead to give online. A Representative from one of the six Morehead Charities featured online will be there to help you give at the KYGives.org website.   Habitat for Humanity, KY Unite, Gateway Homeless Shelter, Doves, People's Clinic, and Blessing Hands are the Rowan County Charities enrolled. 

Come on out for a cup of coffee or a good book, and take an opportunity to help others help themselves. 

You can give here if you can't come out on Wednesday and want to give from your home computer. 

You can also give by check by sending it to Blessing Hands, 106 Timber Lane, Morehead, KY 40351.

If you want to give right now and not wait, you can give on our website. 

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Update on Wei Senbao

Newsletter 
BLESSING HANDS
Wei Senbao
Wei Senbao
Wei Senbao is an Outpatient Patient now. 

I wanted to give you an update. Wei stayed two days in the hospital and then was able to take his medicine as an outpatient and be with his Mom in their rented room. He is now just waiting for the doctor to come back from the USA, so he can have his treatment. Mandy gave his Mom a cheap phone so she could keep in touch. 
Wei Senbao at No. 9 Hospital in Shanghai
Wei Senbao at No. 9 Hospital in Shanghai
  
KY Gives
 
We have a college volunteer, Jason Justice, who has helped us make a flier and newspaper article about the KY Gives Day. 
 
This is a state-wide event that takes place April 24th 2013. On April 24th, log on to www.kygives.org and search Blessing Hands. Click the link to give to Wei Senbao. 

Kentucky Gives Day is a collaboration of the Kentucky Nonprofit Network, Inc., participating nonprofits and corporate, foundation and media partners. The Kentucky Nonprofit Network, Inc. exists to serve, strengthen and advance the Commonwealth's nonprofit organizations. 
 
Wei is in need of an operation and Blessing Hands is asking for your help. All Kentucky Gives Day donations will be used to help give Wei the operation(s) and therapy that he needs.  For more on Wei Senbao and his story, please visit our website.

If you would be interested in joining the Blessing Hands fundraising team then please volunteer to be on our KY Gives Team
.
With your help we can make this Kentucky Gives Day event a success!  
 
Dr. Dai delivering school supplies
Dr. Dai delivering 
school supplies
           Ling Wang Kindergarten
                & Primary School  
 
The narrow road is new.
The narrow road is new.
   







We just got pictures of Dr. Dai giving school supplies to the 50+ students at Ling Wang School.  
Dr. Dai helps us get school supplies up to this one room kindergarten. He also checks on their health. Wei Senbao lives in this village. Until last year it was 2 hour hike to visit the school. Now they have a new road and the hospital van can travel to their door.               
 
The kids get workbooks and notebooks.
The kids get workbooks and notebooks.
The kids are eager to see what Dr. Dai has brought.
The kids are eager to see what Dr. Dai has brought.














All the kids get about 10 pencils.
All the kids get about 10 pencils
The kids got balls too.
The kids got balls too.
       

















They are of the Yao
 Minority and very remotely located in high mountains. About half of the students will board at the larger school and sleep in dorms with large amounts of students when they get old enough to go to 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. Blessing Hands put cash jars in Chinese restaurants to get the cash to help these kids. Thank you for your donations in Morehead and Lexington. 
The one room school students line up for a picture.
The one room school students line up for a picture.
 
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Give $25 to Wei Senbao with this PayPal button,Donate or send a check to Blessing Hands, 106 Timber Lane, Morehead, KY 40351.
 

Sincerely,
 

Betty Cutts
Blessing Hands

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Wei Senbao has Pneumonia



Blessing Hands
News About Wei Senbao 
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Wei Senbao Has Pneumonia 
Wei and Mom after their appointment
Wei and His Mom After their Appointment

Wei Can't have his injection yet.
Wei is in the hospital for a week getting over pneumonia. He developed it just before he was to get his treatment to harden hislymphangioma (malformed vessels). He can't take the treatment now until April because his doctor has gone to the US and will not be back until April.
 
He and his mother will stay until he gets over the pneumonia and the doctor comes back. The hospital  stay is estimated to cost 6,000 yuan ($963) more. There will also be the added expense of room and board while waiting for the doctor to return. However, it is cheaper than them going home and coming back. 
 
Mandy had already gone home, but the volunteer from the Angel Mother charity is taking good care of Meng and Wei and helping them with the change in plans. 
 
We will try to keep you up to date as we know what develops. Please remember Wei and his Mom and their needs at this time. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
Betty Cutts, Blessing Hands Director
 
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Give any amount on our website