I just want to tell you that my daughters are still dancing........we had a great time. You planned everything very well and hopefully have had time to rest! Thanks!

This note from one of our parents says it all. Poodle skirts, bobby socks, saddle shoes, full-skirt formals--families rocked around the clock at our 50's- style Happy Feet Dance on February 25! Our own Jonathan Scott served as DJ, keeping the crowd hoppin' and boppin'! Many thanks to coordinator Jennifer Spaulding and the many volunteers who pitched in to set up, help throughout the event and clean-up! Oh--and congratulations to Callie Messinger, limbo champion! To see all the Happy Feet pictures, click here.

Most days you'll find Vickie Birkheimer at her desk, busy with all the details of the day to day financial business of A Helping Hand. But this quiet, soft- spoken woman has an artistic side that few people get to see amid the tapping of the adding machine.

Shown above: Dori-Ellyn came home with her parents, David and Becky Gregory, from China last month. Her parents report that she is adjusting very well. See her referral picture, and the pictures of some of the other new arrivals, by clicking on the link below.

Hurray! In February, 6 more children arrived home with AHH families! We joyfully welcome these new additions.

When parents Greg and Jennifer Logue received a letter from Tony Brewer detailing the work AHH is doing for orphans, they read it to their children, Morgan (6) and Raegan (20 months). Morgan was so moved she sprang into action, gathering spare change and her own offering money to "help the children." The result was a $54 donation for orphan relief! The Bible says, "A little child shall lead them..." Thank you, Morgan and Raegan, for leading us all toward compassion and action!

Joseph A. Burt, CLU, RHU, of Lousiville, Kentucky secured a $10,000 grant from the MDRT Foundation on behalf of A Helping Hand Adoption Agency. Burt, of New York Life and a 40-year MDRT member, is an active supporter of AHH and grandfather to five adopted Chinese girls! The grant will help support our Cambodian project which provides food, medical care, and education for orphans and street children. This year, the MDRT Foundation will award nearly $1 million to more more than 100 charities. It was created in 1959 to provide members a means to give back to their communities. It is a philanthropic arm of the Million Dollar Round Table, the premier association of financial professionals.

*AHH family chosen for the hit show Extreme Makeover: Brian and Michelle Hassall adopted their son, Sam, in 2004 (joining big sister Alex). The family's amazing story caught the attention of the TV show, and the Hassell's new house is under construction! To read more about it, click here.

*An on-line publication in Pennsylvania has published an article about The Red Thread Foundation, a non- profit organization that helps provide medical care for older orphans in China. The Red Thread was founded by our own Jennifer Lane Weippert, Manager of International Adoptions. Read the article here .

*Li Jackson, the bilateral arm amputee featured in our December newsletter, has now made the cut for her school's soccer team! Li was also recently confirmed into the American Anglican Church. During her preparation for that occasion, she completed a survey of spiritual gifts which indicated she may be an Evangelist! Congratulations, Li!

The following families received referrals in February!

Congratulations to:
Jimmy & Renee Bargo
Lynn & Rebecca Battershell
Shannon & Patricia Brown
Betsy Coomer
Lee & Patricia Fain
Doug & Marie Gould
John & Leah Graham
Charles & Dana Hendrickson
Erik & Gina Horner
Stephen & Heather Horst
John & Monica Horton
Tat & Zena Huen
David & Amanda Kalin
Steven & Melinda Lanham
Betsy McGowen
Kelly & Shirley Nichols
Perry & Amy Oakley
James & Lynn Oberloh
Eric & Kristina Peterson
Charles & Cynthia Popp
William & Deborah Short
Malinda Suit
Gerard & Jenny Tsang
Cliff & Jamie West

David the Psalmist wrote: “The Lord preserves the strangers; he relieves the fatherless” (Psalm 146:9). Also in Psalm 10:14, we read, “Thou are the helper of the fatherless.”

How does God relieve orphans and the fatherless? He does it through people who yield themselves to be his instruments, his hands, his feet. It is not enough to pray for these wounded souls. To the extent that we have the measure of God’s love within us, we must personally do something to help relieve them.

Organizers of the One Club World Championship have selected AHH to be the recipient of corporate donations generated through sponsorship of the One Club events across the U.S.A. “A Helping Hand’s commitment to changing the lives of orphans one home at a time inspires and challenges us to want to make this a huge success,” says One Club COO Jeff Keeble. “I am an adoptive parent and truly admire the convictions of everyone I have met at A Helping Hand. At One Club, we can’t imagine a better partner. ”

One Club events are a series of fun and competitive golf tournaments using only one club. People interested in supporting AHH through these events can be involved in one of two ways: 1) through corporate sponsorship, or 2) through hosting a tournament at a local golf club. Be watching for more details in coming weeks!