Butterfly Home

Guest Post by Jen

What would you do if you were told,

"Your baby is dying - send him to the orphanage"?

or

"Your baby needs a life saving operation that will cost five years salary"?

For many families in China this hopeless situation is a reality and many children are abandoned.

The Butterfly Home is the first hospice for children and families to give them hope, loving care and a future. FACT: half the children they care for die in loving arms. FACT: half the children they care for live and find forever loving homes.

Mike and I first met the Butterfly Home founders four weeks ago after Rachel had made the initial contact for us. Mike and I immediately felt a great appreciation and respect for Lyn and Allan and the loving service they are providing here in China. We are in awe of their compassion, commitment, dedication and perseverance. During our casual orientation visit for volunteers they shared with us their vision. They shared the stories of all the babies presently in their care.

My heart was pounding deep inside my chest by the time we left. As we walked down the four flights of stairs the lump in my throat was making it hard for me to breathe. I burst out the doorway into the alley where I couldn't suppress what was welling up inside me any more. All my emotions poured forth and left me a weeping mess.

We hadn't even met the children yet, but we knew they were blessed. These children's lives will be different because two people decided to do something about it. There are so many other little ones abandoned, left to die. It breaks my heart. As a mother, grandma, and person who works with special needs children, I'm crushed at the thought.

Mike and I had the privilege to love on the babies at the Butterfly Home for a two afternoons each week since we've been here. One of the little girls has been adopted and Mike's role was to familiarize her to a white male face with whiskers, like her daddy waiting in North Carolina. Angel took to "Daddy" Mike right away and they enjoyed many afternoons of play together.

The first time I held William I carefully assessed how fragile he was. His little hands and feet were delicate and weak. His tiny chest expanded and contracted so deeply as he labored hard to breathe. He stared past me as I rocked him I wondered if he even knew I was holding him. My bucket load of emotions was about to spill over when I thought, "God, where are you"?

Simultaneously this little man I was holding turned his beautiful brown eyes toward me and he flashed the biggest, longest, most gorgeous smile. I can't put into words that moment. But I know He was with us. Peace, love and trust packaged into a baby's smile. What a gift!

Yesterday was our last day to play with the little pumpkins at the Butterfly Home. Mike and I have gotten to know each of their personalities and they are absolutely adorable. We thanked Allan and Lyn for opening our eyes to this huge need here in China and for the privilege of cuddling the babies alongside their Aunties. Mike and I struggled through the last hour we were there, knowing we'd be saying goodbye.

Mike and I walked back to campus, both of us crying in the drizzling rain. Mike said it was like Our Father was crying with us.

"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine you did for me."

Mike and I are being challenged by this by this truth.

- Jen

Please take a good look around the Butterfly Home website.