I am often asked ‘What exactly does Love Without Boundaries do’?  My standard response is ‘LWB is a humanitarian aid organization helping orphaned and impoverished children in China through education, foster care, healing care and good nutrition’.   But LWB’s work encompasses so much more than those 26 words can possibly convey.

Let me share a bit of LWB’s background.  In 2003 a group of adoptive parents wanted to save the life of a child in China who was dying from a serious heart defect.  One child, one heart surgery, one life saved.  The outpouring of love and support from the adoptive community was so overwhelming that four additional children were able to receive life-saving heart surgeries as well. Soon after, Love Without Boundaries Foundation was born.

Even though LWB started out focusing on providing life-saving surgeries for orphaned children, it wasn’t long before we started asking ‘What about…’  What about providing an education for orphaned children not able to attend public schools?  What about providing pre-operative and post-operative care for medically fragile children?  What about providing foster care to children who don’t have a family of their own?  What about actually preventing children from becoming orphaned through family preservation and medical care for those in poverty?  What about providing cleft bottles and free surgery information to maternity hospitals throughout China to help new families with their cleft-affected babies, and perhaps help stop a child from being abandoned?  Over the past 12 years the LWB team has helped thousands of orphaned and impoverished children by asking those ‘What about…’ questions.  

The story of a little boy named Aaron is the best way I can think of to explain LWB’s mission of tryingto help children in the most “whole” way possible.  Aaron came into our hands as a newborn, born with a meningocele (spinal tumor) which required urgent surgery to save his life.   After his first surgery he moved into our Heartbridge Healing Home to recover from surgery and grow stronger with dedicated nannies and high-quality formula.  Once he was stable, he graduated into foster care where he was able to experience family life.  He is now an adorable 4 year old who is getting his first educational experience at an LWB Believe In Me school.  Aaron is doing very well now but is in need of a family of his own to see to his continued medical needs so he can remain as healthy as possible.  Because he has waited so long without finding a family, LWB has offered a $5000 adoption grant, in addition to a $3500 grant from another organization, with the hope that this will help him find a loving family who will make him their son.  Aaron is just one example of how we always do our best to provide both physical and emotional healing to kids in need.  We have seen such incredible things happen when people with a passion for helping children come together to make a difference.

And we certainly have been blessed with passionate people.  Currently we have 160 volunteers and thousands of sponsors from around the world who are working together every day to help as many children in need as possible.  It’s wonderful to see the collaborative ways people from all walks of life come together to make a difference in a child’s life.  It is not uncommon for a volunteer in Spain to email a volunteer in Australia, while skyping with someone in the US and China.  A truly global effort, and yes we love the internet!

LWB started with the goal of helping to save one beautiful child’s life, but it has grown to impact thousands more.  Through the years we have never stopped asking, “What about…”   This year we will be holding a Life Skills camp for older orphaned children aging out of the welfare systems, special education training for teachers in orphanage schools, and we will be opening our first provincial level healing home in partnership with Guizhou Civil Affairs.  We are so grateful to all of the people around the world who share our concern for orphaned and impoverished children and for partnering with us to change their lives in very real and tangible ways. 

Kate

Want to become involved?  Want to make a difference in an orphan's life? There are several ways you can! Volunteer. Make a donation. Sponsor a child.   Visit Love Without Boundaries' website and Facebook page to learn more.