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Hello friends,
I have been a part of a really amazing organization at UCLA called China Care Bruins (CCB) for the past three years. CCB works with Chinese Adoptees ages 5-17 years old, from the surrounding So-Cal area by providing them with a college mentor with whom they interact with through games, art, discussions and sports. I personally had an amazing little buddy named Maeve who taught me a lot about being proud of being an adoptee. Starting my second year I was also able to be the Co-Director for our outreach branch alongside Ronald Yang. I am now currently the Executive Co-Director of China Care Bruins alongside Macye Pau and will be continuing on as Co-Executive Director with Ronald Yang in the 2018-2019 school year. When I was the outreach director Ronald and I hosted documentary nights that touched on topics about adoption as well as parent panels for the parents to present their adoption story to our college members. The biggest plan we were able to execute was sending one of our members, Michelle Vu, to the One Sky Chunhui Care Home to interact with and assist in the care of children.
Now, I have received an awesome opportunity to travel to Beijing this summer (July 2018), with other Chinese Adoptees, to volunteer in the Chunhui China Care Home. The Care facility is home to many young children who are orphaned or abandoned and in need of loving care during their recovery and/ or preparation for life-saving medical procedures. The volunteer trip is through OneSky for All Children, a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide a home as well as physical and emotional nourishment to little ones without families. These children are vulnerable due to the lack of family and physical connection that most babies are provided with. OneSky assists with providing this necessary connection for the babies through their dedicated efforts. The organization has branches all around the world. They host other facilities that assist with child rearing and providing learning centers for children who may not otherwise have the opportunity for education in China and Vietnam. Feel free to learn more about OneSky and all that they do via the link here.
For the trip I will be acting as a trip facilitator and will be representing China's Children International, an organization formed for adoptees run by adoptees. The organization works to provide a warm community for adoptees to communicate with one another about sensitive and endearing topics. Feel free to learn more about CCI and all that they do via the link here. I will be working alongside Jenna DeVille, a fellow Chinese adoptee who is currently a senior at Florida Gulf Coast University. Together we will lead discussions about identity, culture, and other related topics.
Other than volunteering I will also be able to see iconic sights within Beijing and its surrounding area, i.e. the Great Wall, Wangfujiang Market, the Forbidden Temple, and more! Something even closer to my heart will be a trip to an orphanage outside of Beijing. I will keep you all posted on this incredible journey every day of my trip. I will also be making a Vlog to capture all of the amazing sights and interactions with people and of course food!
Your friend,
Sadie