News
Foster Care: Daniel
Posted on 11.17.2010 | Filed as Special Project
In China, we help to provide foster care for Daniel, a young boy with hydrocephalus. He was born in China on December 1, 2001 and was subsequently abandoned by his birth family. Shortly before his third birthday, Daniel underwent surgery at the hand of a neurosurgeon that The Shepherd’s Crook helped send to China, to insert a shunt to drain the excess fluid from his brain. Daniel’s shunt later became infected, and despite several more surgeries, his condition didn’t appear to be improving. In 2005, he was transferred to Hope Foster Home, a short-term and palliative care facility, as he was not expected to live much longer. God, however, had other plans for this boy. Daniel didn’t die, and he was subsequently moved to another foster home in China—Agape Family Life House—in January 2007. Here he is able to receive long-term care, which is important because, sadly, he will never be available for adoption.
Over the past two years, Daniel has made significant progress, in spite of initial opinions that he would never do more than sit in his wheelchair and stare at the sky. He is now doing much more than that. He has learned to walk with support and to feed himself, and he has gained an interest in music and television. His caretakers are optimistic that they can teach him to walk unaided. He has also learned to tell time, so he now knows when to expect such things as his snack and his favorite television programs. Praise God for this unforeseen progress!
The Shepherd’s Crook has committed to paying for Daniel’s foster care. The monthly cost is $300, and for some reason, we have consistently had trouble raising the full amount. In spite of this, God has continued to provide for Daniel and has kept him at Agape. As this is an ongoing expense, we are asking each of you to consider prayerfully whether you might be able to help this boy to stay in the foster home where he has begun to blossom. We currently have commitments amounting to half of this monthly need, but we still need $150 more each month. If you would like to donate to Daniel on an ongoing basis, please e-mail us and reference “Daniel’s Foster Care.”