Artists for World Peace, Inc.

Dear Sponsor,

We hope you know how much your ongoing kindness means to the children still waiting in Chinese orphanages.

We are delighted to pass on a copy of a recent progress report about the child you so generously sponsor. This progress report below is just a small glimpse into the life-saving work that you make possible.

We so appreciate warm hearted sponsors like you.

With hugs from all the children and staff of Half the Sky…

Shu Qilong

Another quarter has passed and Qilong is now over one year old. The lively Qilong is healthy and he approaches everyday happily.

In this quarter, Qilong has made great progress in every aspect. His language and expressions are richer and he can undertake more complex actions. He has learned to crawl quickly and often crawls to investigate places new to him. He can use his fingers and hands well too. Everyday, when he is taking a bath, he uses his hands to pat on the water alternately with splashing water on his and my faces. He is very interested in his environment. He likes playing with the green ball. He pushes it and the ball rolls forward and Qilong will crawl to catch up with it. With practice, Qilong has been able to stand up by holding onto the railings or other objects.

July 20th was Qilong’s first birthday. We had a birthday cake with one candle for him. We put the cake on the small table and the other nannies and children gathered to watch Qilong blow out the candle, which I helped him to do. We sang ‘happy birthday’ and took some photographs for him too. At this time, Qilong crawled around the table and wanted to stretch out his hands to hold the cake. I held his right hand so we could cut one piece of cake for Qilong before we cut the rest of the cake so Qilong could share with the other children. As he was the ‘main actor’ that day, we painted his face so he looked like a cat. He and the other children enjoyed the birthday party.

When I helped Qilong to practice walking, he was unwilling to step forward. I took him to the running machine in the recovery room to practice twice a day. On the first few days of practice, Qilong cried loudly from the beginning to the end of the practice and refused to walk. After a few days passed, Qilong gradually stopped crying. A week passed, Qilong began to be willing to walk on his own. Then I began to use the ‘walker’ to train him. He has been able to hold the railings to walk and can walk more quickly with the ‘walker’ too.

When Qilong sees the other children playing with the toys he likes, he will try to take them away. When I say, ’stop trying to take the toys of the younger sisters away’ he still keeps doing it, while smiling at me. He is mischievous now and he can understand my expressions. When I scold him, he will call me ‘mum’ to show his affection to me. Qilong is very interested in the new toys and the toys which can move. He always sits to observe the new toys and then stretches out to touch them.

If I clap my hands to praise him, he is very happy. When he meets problems and needs help, he will crawl to me. Sometimes when I ask him to bring a toy for the younger sister, he will bring it to me at once. When I talk to him face to face, he will listen to me intently.

Come on, Qilong! I hope you can walk on your own soon!

Shu Jiulin

In this quarter, Jiulin has made great progress. She can play in more and more ways. When she plays, she sometimes bends her knees to her stomach and uses her hands to play with her toes.

Jiulin is a lively and bright girl. She is the most active child when having meals. When it is time to have a meal, she will walk quickly to me and eat the food quickly. Then she will pat her stomach proudly as if to say ‘I am full’ and then she will look at me while smiling happily. Sometimes she is a bit mischievous too. When she is to go to bed, she will pull her diaper off and throw it away. She throws the quilts and pillows on the ground too. When I see her doing this, I will say, ‘Jiulin, what are you doing? The smart child does not do this.’ Hearing my words, she will lie down to pretend to sleep.

During these days, Jiulin seems dependent on me. Once she sees me, she will walk to me quickly and ask me for a hug and then she will follow me. If I do not hug her, she will begin to open her mouth to cry loudly. When I pick her up she will stop crying and begin to smile and call me ‘mum, mum’. To help her to become independent, I often take the toys that Jiulin likes to help her to stand for a longer time. At this time, I will praise her and pick her up to kiss or lift her higher, which always makes her laugh out loud happily.