Featured Stories
Global
Dragon Boat Festival
Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, and it has been celebrated for over 2000 years. This double five day is considered to be a lucky day. Dragon Boat Festival is one of the four top traditional Chinese festivals, along with the Spring Festival, Tomb-Sweeping Day, and Mid-Autumn […]
Introducing Matias
Introducing Matias! Matias and his mom live in Yucatán, Mexico. This young boy has Treacher Collins Syndrome (TCS) and needs your help. So, what is TCS? A genetic mutation causes this disorder, affecting how the bones of the face grow and develop. Bone abnormalities affect more than facial appearance; they can affect hearing, vision, eating, […]
Remembering Chinese New Year 2020
Chinese New Year was a joyous celebration on our 7Acres Campus, as the Rat appeared. The older teens, Trudy and Sunny, made a delectable feast of Chinese treats for the staff, volunteers, and others who stayed on campus during the holiday. Earlier in the day, Maggie (Tian Xin Xin) and two nannies made jiaozi (handmade […]
Humanitarian
School Supplies Provide Smiles
Philip Hayden Foundation is stepping up to encourage children living in extreme poverty to attend school. We are partnering with a local charity in Mérida – Red de Ciudadanos de Mérida – to provide school supplies to needy children.
Gifts of Milk Bring Smiles
Look at these big smiles! The delivery of free milk to children and their families looks like hope to children and families in poverty. Every liter of milk is shared with a human connection, a promise that they are not alone. Philip Hayden Foundation partners with Red de Ciudadanos de Mérida to distribute more than […]
Day of Blessing
This holiday season offers an opportunity to bless others, and to share hope. Philip Hayden Foundation has designated several projects in Mexico and China that will impact children and strengthen families. You can choose a project to support! You can also designate your gift to be used in one of our four program areas – […]
600 Bananas…and a Whole Lot of Hope
Tim and Pam Baker are now living in Yucatán, Mexico. Just outside bigger cities are areas of extreme poverty, where families struggle to survive. In July, Tim met Dr. Eder Abreu, a physician with a heart for providing medical care to those who cannot afford to visit a doctor. Through his nonprofit, Red de Ciudadanos […]
Medical & Therapy
Preventing Family Hardship Through Health: Why Yucatán Needs a Health Fair
Health fairs provide critical tests and health screenings to promote healthy living.
Devasting Fire Creates Need
A devastating fire broke out on Saturday, May 13, destroying three shanty homes near Mérida on the Yucatán Peninsula. All three families lost all their physical possessions, but the third family had an even more significant loss – the loss of a husband and father. Your donations can help this family. Two young boys, Didier […]
Asthma Medication Needs
How many people do you know with asthma? As you may know, asthma affects the airways in the lungs, causing difficulty breathing. For some people, asthma is just an inconvenience. But for others, it can interfere with daily activities and lead to a life-threatening asthma attack. May is asthma awareness month, so let’s consider how […]
Andrés Benefits From New Hearing Aids
Andrés lives near Mérida with his mama and grandmama. Andrés has ADHD and autism, and his hearing loss made connecting with his community even more challenging. PHF partnered with Red de Ciudadanos de Mérida to provide hearing aids for Andrés.
Matías Undergoes Life-Saving Surgery
Dr. Fajardo, the only specialist in Mexico trained to complete the necessary complex surgery, evaluated Matías. Timing for this life-saving reconstructive surgery is crucial. Matías is ready for the surgery and passed his initial physical evaluation. Our partners, Red de Ciudadanos de Mérida, worked tirelessly in the past few months to arrange the surgery and […]
Fátima
Fátima passed away in February 2023. Your donations to the PHF medical fund will help her younger sister, Rosalía. The hearing aids will now help André. This sweet girl is Fátima Natalia, who is 14 years old. Doctors discovered a large, malignant tumor in her brain two years ago. Fátima had been in high school, […]
Introducing Matias
Introducing Matias! Matias and his mom live in Yucatán, Mexico. This young boy has Treacher Collins Syndrome (TCS) and needs your help. So, what is TCS? A genetic mutation causes this disorder, affecting how the bones of the face grow and develop. Bone abnormalities affect more than facial appearance; they can affect hearing, vision, eating, […]
Congenital Bone and Joint Disorders
This month we’re focusing on joint and bone disorders – two of the most common disabilities we see at Shepherd’s Field. And the two most common ailments? Arthrogryposis and clubfoot. Arthrogryposis – Arthrogryposis (arth-ro-grip-OH-sis), also called arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC), is a term used to describe a variety of conditions involving multiple joint contractures (or […]
Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Katy, Made Learning Fun at PHF
In honor of Occupational Therapist Month, we would like to highlight our very own Katy Everhart, MOT. Katy joined our Shepherd’s Field family when she and her husband, Dustin, moved to our campus in 2018. Katy served as the Occupational Therapist (OT) for our Bright Stars Therapy Program and was a fantastic addition! The […]
Bright Star Therapy Team Visits Lianjiang, Guangdong
Our staff and therapy team made a trip to the Lianjiang, Guangdong orphanage for the first time in the summer of 2019. Our Director of Operations, Lily Zhuang, made the long trek across the country and one of our Bright Star Therapy team members, Annie Sun. They met with the orphanage staff and their onsite […]
Education
All Boys All the Time in This Preschool Class
This particular preschool class was all boys all the time – full of energy and fun! Their teacher, Carm, noticed and celebrated the quirks that make each child unique and valued. These boys were seen, known, and loved at Philip Hayden Foundation. Each boy began to trust adults and thrive in our safe, secure environment. […]
Vocation
Bakery Empowers Workers with Disabilities
We have a brand-new opportunity in China! A group of six people started a bakery specializing in steamed buns, Buns of Joy. Their goal is to provide vocational training and employment for people with disabilities, adapting the job to be within their capability. The bakery started last June, employing two social workers and a few […]
Trudy Finds Her First Job With Encouragement from PHF
Trudy lived at Shepherd’s Field off and on during her teen years while undergoing plastic surgery to treat burns on her face and hands. She was not an orphan but still needed medical care and vocational training. Philip Hayden Foundation became extended family to Trudy, offering support and encouragement when she began to look for […]
First Person Stories
Matías Has Hope Thanks to You
An Italian Family Shares Their Adoption Journey to Francesco
Have you ever wondered how the adoption process works in other countries? The Italian Forever Family of Jerak Robbins – now Francesco – recently sent a welcome update. In Italy, a home study includes an interview with both a social worker and a psychologist. Then a judge determines the family’s suitability for adoption. Francesco’s family […]
Living at PHF’s Shepherd’s Field Children’s Village Gives Cody a Head Start as He Joins Forever Family.
As a family, we knew we were being called to adopt as we began that process domestically in the United States. God led us to adopt a baby boy with Down Syndrome through that journey. While our hearts and minds were opened to the needs of little ones born with special needs, God opened them […]
Blackberry Stains and Cleansing Rain
One of the first things I noticed after arriving at Shepherd’s Field was the scores of luscious, ripe blackberries that had just fallen from the bushes and littered the walkways across campus. In the days that followed, I watched as children played, walked, ran, and wheeled over the berries; workers crushed them underfoot; and visitors […]
A New Name but the Same Life of the Party
Kennedy, Yangyang, or Ling XuYang (however you knew him) is still the same boy now that he goes by Timothy. You’d never forget him if you spent any time working at or visiting Shepherd’s Field in recent years. Life of the party, always smiling and singing, funny with a great laugh and lots of hugs, […]
Unexpected Love Brings Overflowing Joy and Laughter
A month hadn’t passed in my new role as the Lead Therapist at Shepherd’s Field Children’s Village (SFCV) when I picked up this tiny, very fragile baby girl. From that moment, I knew our lives were changed forever. I immediately went to Tim Baker to discuss how and where to begin the adoption process – […]
Tim and Pam Baker Reflect on 25 years of Philip Hayden Foundation in China
This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the Philip Hayden Foundation’s work in China. In our very humble beginnings in 1995, our team was made up of my wife Pam, our four daughters – Bekka, Sarah, Rachel, and Esther – and me. We began with family projects at local government orphanages, primarily by purchasing things […]
Praying For a Father for Zoey Brings a Special Answer
As we celebrate our Silver Anniversary this year, we’re reminded of the countless incredible memories with our kids. One extraordinary recollection is the story of Zoey. When she arrived on our campus as a tiny baby, doctors stated that her special needs were so debilitating she’d be non-responsive for the rest of her life. Shortly […]
Amazing Andrew Flourishes in Forever Family
PHF has been home to some amazing kids, and we’re featuring Andrew (Zhang Yunfei) this time. Andrew was adopted from Shepherd’s Field in September 2015 by his Forever Family from the United States. Five years later, at age 15, he’s doing well with the love and support they’ve given him. His mom said he has […]
What Love Looks Like
The storage on my cell phone has been full for years now. Normal people would have taken the time to empty the needless things that fill it, but I can’t do that. That space is filled with an instant source of joy for me – thousands of images from time spent in a foreign land, […]
Resources
Cleft and Craniofacial Disabilities
Cleft lip and cleft palate are lip and mouth malformations that occur very early in pregnancy, typically before ten weeks. Clefting, or separation between the two sides, happens when the tissue that is available does not join properly. The split can be in the lip, the palate (the roof of the mouth), or both; it […]
Developmental Delays Impact Families
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), developmental disabilities are defined as impairments in physical, learning, language or behavior areas. Some disabilities are visible at birth, but others are diagnosed when a child’s development is slower than normal in a single area, like language development, or in many areas. Some developmental disabilities are related […]
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy is a group of disorders that impacts a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture. PHF continues to provide care for kids with CP in China.
Strong Emotions Are Complicated for Children, Especially Orphans. Healthy Strategies Can Help.
May is Mental Health Month, and challenging life experiences (trauma) can be part of lifelong mental health issues. Individual responses to trauma can vary from person to person. For young children, the typical response is feeling too much (overwhelmed) or too little (numbed). Strong emotions like anger, anxiety, sadness, and shame are complicated for children […]
Congenital Bone and Joint Disorders
This month we’re focusing on joint and bone disorders – two of the most common disabilities we see at Shepherd’s Field. And the two most common ailments? Arthrogryposis and clubfoot. Arthrogryposis – Arthrogryposis (arth-ro-grip-OH-sis), also called arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC), is a term used to describe a variety of conditions involving multiple joint contractures (or […]
Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month
March is Cerebral Palsy (CP) Awareness Month – but what is CP? How does it affect the quality of life and one’s lifespan? Cerebral palsy is a neurological (brain) condition that affects body movement or muscle control. CP occurs when the brain develops abnormally, or there’s damage to the brain before, during, or after birth. […]