Shepherd’s Field | 2020 Chi Fan for Charity Recipient

Shepherd’s Field (牧羊地儿童村), located in Wuqing, Tianjin, transforms lives by providing therapy, medical care, and training for orphans with disabilities in China.

Beginnings

Timothy and Pamela Baker founded the Philip Hayden Foundation (PHF, 菲利浦海德基金会) in 1995 after teaching English in China for many years. Their friend and coworker, Philip Hayden passed away at an early age while working in China with them. 

After adopting their daughter Esther from Guizhou in 1992, the Bakers had a passion to help other orphans with disabilities, so they started PHF in their good friend’s memory. They wanted to provide a loving home for orphans while meeting their medical needs and advocating for adoption. In 2003, the government donated 7 acres of land outside of Beijing, so the Bakers could fulfill this vision.

Shepherd’s Field was established and soon after the children’s homes, a clinic, and guesthouse for volunteers were built. They welcomed the first children to the Shepherd’s Field campus. Generous donations from supporters all over the world have helped our Shepherd’s Field project flourish. Hundreds and hundreds of children received love and care on campus through the years.

Caring for Orphans with Disabilities

Shepherd’s Field  focuses on the medical and therapy needs of orphans with disabilities. The campus has a medical clinic and therapy center, a school, and a vocational training building. There is even a guesthouse for visitors and volunteers!

Now we (Philip Hayden Foundation 菲利浦海德基金会and Beijing Hidden Treasures Foundation 北京璞玉慈善基金会) have started the 7Acres project on the Shepherd’s Field campus. This new project’s participants are older orphaned teenagers and young adults with disabilities who are currently living in an institution. 

These young people who are often forgotten, will be now given the opportunity to learn life and vocational skills needed to thrive and live as independently as possible. Training is infused with love and compassion, fostering confidence and trust. We will become family for these young adults. 7Acres will also provide medical care, therapy and education in a loving, homelike setting. Therapy helps improve fine motor skills, gross motor skills, and speech.

Therapy

The Therapy Program has two main purposes.  First, we provide physical, occupational, speech and behavioral therapies to those in our care. Our team takes a hands-on approach in these young people’s lives. Here is where they can see and achieve their full potential. Our goal is to improve physical and cognitive development.

Training

As a charity organization, we also provide outreach services. We provide therapy training to our staff, orphanage partners, and local therapists throughout China. Our hope is that Bright Stars Therapy becomes an educational resource for not just the children residing on our campus, but also for the rest of the special-needs community in China. 

Medical

Our medical team oversees the routine medical care for our residents. They also collaborate with medical specialists at regional hospitals when planning care for the residents. Many of the residents in our care require regular follow-up exams. Our team works closely with the local doctors and specialists when our children are in the hospital.

Our Goal

Our goal is to help each young person reach their full potential. We would love to see every child join a loving Forever Family, but sometimes that is not possible. The adoption laws in China do not allow a child over the age of 14 to be adopted. Our commitment to orphans with disabilities in China is forever. Each child will always be a part of our family.

At 7Acres, we address the unique needs of orphans who have aged out of the adoption system. These young adults need more than reading and arithmetic. At 7Acres they learn about health and wellness, along with life skills like healthy cooking, and purchasing goods at the local store. They even learn how to apply for a job! A key part of success is belief in themselves. Confidence blossoms when they accomplish a skill for themselves and we are right there beside them, cheering for their success.

Beyond independent living skills, we also teach vocational skills. China actively encourages businesses to hire people with disabilities. But job skills are necessary to be employable. We train young adults in vocational skills and even skills like resume writing and interviewing. This is an exciting opportunity to transform the life of an orphan.

北京璞玉慈善基金会

北京璞玉慈善基金会（简称：璞玉基金会）由从事多年孤残儿童救助的志愿者团队发起成立，与菲利浦海德基金会共同管理、运营“牧羊地儿童村”项目。

璞玉基金会与海德基金会专注于孤残儿童及残障青年的医疗健康和社会融入领域，响应国家关注残障群体的倡导，汇集社会各界力量，联合国内外专业医疗、康复、心理治疗专业机构，搭建一体化残障救助体系及项目基地。

项目基地“牧羊地”最初为孤残儿童提供医疗资助、康复训练、特殊教育等基础救助。目前，我们在院内开展“7 Acres” 项目，将项目基地的功能扩展至为残障青年提供职业技能培训、社会融入、辅助性就业等社会性救助，不仅关注残障者的身体健康，更着眼于他们的心理疗愈及和谐融合。

我们的愿景：多改变一个生命，多重塑一个未来。

我们的使命：爱让残缺不再是遗憾，为残障者提供有爱的救助。

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Tianjin/天津

Beijing/北京

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