9 Jingmen children now in Grace and Hope for Children Foster Care Program

Here is a list of the 9 Jingmen children who are now in the in the Grace and Hope for Children Foster Program.

In order to protect their privacy we don't publish their real names but their given names by Grace and Hope for Children.

Jin Ruth, Jin Laura, Jin Leonard, Jin Sarah, Jin Patty, Jin Virginia, Jin Karla, Jin Celia en Jin Felipe.

All children have found sponsors except for Jin Felipe.

We hope to find a sponsor for him so he may continue to live with his foster family.

The new reports of these children have been mailed to their sponsors in the first week of January 2008. It will take 3 months before new updates will be mailed.
It is an event to really look out for!!

A boy Jin Felipe is waiting for a sponsor

Another young child waiting for his sponsor is called Jin Felipe.
Jin Felipe is a beautiful little boy of one year and a half old. He knows to stand for himself without any help and make a few steps.He is very attached to his foster mom and loves to be hold by her. He is fond of playing with stack blocks. Listening to music is his passion too.

Again due to Hubei provincial protocol we are not allowed to show photos of children in the foster project on the internet.
It is a Hubei rule to serve and protect a child's privacy.
Grace and Hope is dedicated to work together with the Hubei authorities and will respect its guidelines.

We hope you can understand and know you will see your child's face once you come out for sponsorship.

Jin Celia has a sponsor!

Great news to share: our Jingmen girl Jin Celia has found a sponsor.
It is such a joy to know her foster care will be paid for and guaranteed to continue.
According to Hubei law we are not permitted to show you any photo of this nearly 4 year old girl but we can tell you she is a very cute and clever girl.
Coming month she will celebrate her 4th birthday with her foster family.
We are so happy for her to have found a mom and dad; just like other kids she can grow up, learn and play knowing she will be loved and cared for every day of her young life.

Looking for a sponsor for 3 year old Jin Celia

Jin Celia is a 3 year old girl.
She has a special need. She was moved to foster care on October 1 2007. The foster family has a 10 year old son and Jin Celia is their first foster child.
Her foster mother is a caregiver at the Jingmen orphanage. According to her foster mother Jin Celia is a lovely girl full who likes to sing, dance and draw.

Due to the official Hubei provincial policy Grace and Hope is not allowed to show Jin Celia's photo of her on their website.
Jin Celia is her given name by Grace and Hope for the foster program. In daily life Jin Celia will listen to her name given by the orphanage staff.

Who is interested to be the sponsor of this beautiful little girl who will turn 4 years old in February 2008?
Your sponsorship will guarantee that she will continue to live with her foster family who she truly is bonding with.
Sponsorship of Jin Celia is possible for a little more than $1 a day, namely $35 a month.
For more information please mail privately to
Patty Smith (markandpatty6@msn.com) or Marjanne Laeven (marjannelaeven@orange.nl)

Thank you so much for taking Jin Celia's sponsorship into consideration or telling others about it.

Touristic facts about Jingmen

Jingmen Travel Guide
Population: 3,006,000

Area: 12,100 square kilometers (4,671 square miles)

Nationalities: Han

Administrative Division: 2 districts (Dongbao, Duodao); 2 counties (Shayang, Jingshan); 1 county-level city (Zhongxiang)

Useful Telephone Numbers:
Tourist Complaints: 0724-2376134, 2376997
Weather Forecast: 121
Zip Code Inquiry: 184

Location: Located in the heart of Hubei Province, Jingmen can be the communication hub inside the province. It is 217 kilometers (315 miles) west of the provincial capital, Wuhan, 120 kilometers (75 miles) east of Yichang City. Bounded on its south and north are Jingzhou and Xiangfan.

History: Although this area was inhabited as early as the Neolithic Age, it was established as an administrative unit in late Shang Dynasty (16th - 11th century BC). The name of Jingmen began in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) when the government established county to administrate this area.

Physical Features: Lying between the Jingshan Mountain and the Jianghan Plain, Jingmen has lower mountains and hills in its northwest and central part. Plains and lakes are mainly distributed in southern Jingmen.

Climatic Features: Enjoying a subtropical monsoon climate, the city has a relatively temperate weather, rich in rainfall and sunshine. With clear four seasons, it has an annual average temperature of 16C (61F).

When to Go: Spring and autumn are the most favorable seasons to Jingmen.

Special Local Products: wild kudzu root powder, artemisia selengensis (li hao)

Scenic Spots:
Xianling Tomb of the Ming Dynasty: 7.5 kilometers (4.7 miles) from the Zhongxiang City, the tomb was built in 1540 by the Jiajing Emperor to commemorate his father. It covers an area of 600 mu (99 acres), surrounded by 3.6-kilometer-long (2.2-mile-long) vermeil high walls. Two gates are built in the front part connected with the inner part by a 1,300-meter-long (1,422-yard-long) path paved with slates, whose two sides was stood by varied statues of animals and figures. The grand tomb was list among the World Heritage in 2000.

Huangxian Cave: As the principal sight of the Dahongshan Scenic Spot in Zhongxiang. The cave lies at the south foot of the Dahong Mountains, containing the cave of 2,000 meters (2,187 feet) long and a deep pool. Inside the cave, the 20,000 square meters (23,920 square yards) cave lotus is the most spectacular landscape of the karst cave.

Tourist Tips:
On the Baiyun Avenue (Baiyun Dadao), three major bus stations are located, providing buses to Wuhan, Yichang and some other cities. Buses to Wuhan depart every 20 to 30 minutes with one and a half hours' drive. Every 20 to 40 minutes, buses to Yichang will take about 50 minutes to their destination.

Zhongtian Street (Zhongtian Jie) and Changning Avenue (Changning Dadao) can be the busiest areas of Jingmen City, gathering many shopping malls and supermarkets. They are good locations to find all kinds of authentic Jingmen specialities.

New Jingmen photos/Tip Jingmen photos on website Grace and Hope

I posted some photos of Jingmen City.
Interesting is the photo of a nearby Buddhist temple.
Tip: More fascinating Jingmen photos, showing the city's daily life, visit the Grace and Hope website and click on the section 'Photo Gallery' and choose Hubei, Jingmen.
For link to Grace and Hope website, go to the top of this blog's right column.

Buddhist temple in Jingmen

Buddhist temple

View on Jingmen City

Jingmen City

Street in Jingmen City

People walking in Jingmen City street

Foster care in Jingmen, a personal story

The Smith children enjoying the pumpkins.
Brady from Jingmen is in front right.


Foster care makes a world of difference in the lives of orphaned children.
We had heard this before many times, and experienced it first hand when adopting our son from Jingmen in April 2006. Our son had spent all of his life prior to meeting us with a foster family. This was somewhat unusual for a child from Jingmen so we were anxious to see what kind of effect it may have on our son. When we first met our son, he reacted to our coming the same as any child would react when being taken from their family! He was just plain mad about the whole thing! It was obvious from the start that he had been with a family that taught him how to live as a normal child, rather then an orphaned child. He had normal development and normal emotions. He was a typical boy at age 20 months with his own thoughts and feelings. This is quite different then what is normally seen in a child who has spent many months in an orphanage! Typically children coming from an orphanage setting will have numerous delays, both physical and emotional. Our son was completely normal, an toddler who was mad about his whole world being turned upside down!

Our son quickly adjusted to his new family, it wasn't long before his tantrums became nothing more then a typical two year old wanting to get their own way. Once he realized we were ok people, he quickly began to seek out hugs and kisses and come to us for comfort. He was a normal part of our family. I believe that his early life with a foster family was the best possible scenario for him to develop into a secure individual and grow in our family. His adjustment has been amazing and he loves his brother and sisters. He is now three years old and is active and busy. He loves to run and jump, ride his bike, ride a skateboard and a scooter and play football. He keeps us all running! He loves to tell stories and sing songs. He is full of love and life, we are so blessed to be his parents.

I am proud to be a part of the Grace and Hope foster care program for Jingmen. I've seen firsthand the difference a foster family can make in the life of a child. For about a dollar a day a child can experience the love of a family. Every child deserves that. I hope that anyone reading this will consider giving that gift to a child. It’s a small price to pay and makes a world of difference. Join me on this journey of bringing joy to the children of Jingmen.

Patty Smith