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Morning Tears: Helping Children of the Convicted
We come to China to make new lives. Some of us come to make our fortunes. Almost no one comes to make a difference. But Koen Sevenants belongs to that rare minority, experiencing reward and charity, hope and heartbreak from day to day.
Over six hundred thousand children in China have one or both parents in prison, often mothers serving long sentences for killing abusive husbands. Many more parents are executed for crimes such as drug trafficking. In either case, the children are left behind in a limbo of despair. Their parents' criminal status deprives them of state care. The stigma scares off relatives and villagers who might otherwise intervene, because by ancient tradition children of the unfortunate themselves attract bad luck.
In a world where tragedy lurks in every dark corner, we numb ourselves to such news, just to stay sane. Koen sees the faces though, not the statistics. He knows the pretty, haunted face of Xiao Yang, whose father abused her and killed her mother. Her benefactor since she came to his Children's Village in 2005, he has seen her scars heal, seen her laugh and play again. New problems sprout as often as new hope. Xiao Ge, whose parents were both executed, has also learned to smile and play. But in a few months she'll be completely blind, and with no papers, no school will help her.
These are the stories behind the statistics, the stories of Morning Tears, an organization that Koen has nurtured from scattered outreach to registered NGO, one of a handful in China that can issue invoices, making donations tax deductible. Ten years ago, he stumbled upon a relief mission initiated by four judges, one rapidly running out of money. "They set up three centers in Xi'an and gave an initial financial impulse," Koen says. "But after a couple of years, there was no money left. The last center was closing when by chance we discovered it, and since then we've put our efforts into it." Koen's "we" refers to his Chinese friends who have helped him in the million and one tasks involved in saving forgotten lives, from fundraising to psychological aid.
Once officially oblivious to the plight of convicts' children, the Chinese government is now actually cooperating with Morning Tears, and consulting Koen for child protection laws and procedures. Anyone who has strived to accomplish anything at an official level in China knows the huge credit this cooperation does Koen: not just as a humanitarian, but also as an organization-builder.
Only the tried and true may effect change at this level, but just how tried they are, we for-profit types seldom appreciate. "It was so emotionally taxing, so exhausting," Koen recalls. "In 2002 we raised enough money for three more years and decided to delegate the Children's Village. But three weeks later, we were back. We knew this was our life."
It's a life with enough challenges and out-of-the-box thinking to keep ten Jack Welches busy. On every symbolic date, such as May 1st, another group of convicts are executed. Official contacts in the prisons lead some children to Koen. Other times, it is a police officer taking a personal interest. Morning Tears finds a relative or friend of the family for half of the children brought in, yet Koen is loath to let simple blood ties settle the matter. "If we have to ask more than two times, they'll say yes. But then they'll treat the child harshly, and more often than not the child will be back in our care after three months," Koen reveals. Indeed, he cites the ingrained prejudice against convicts' kids as Morning Tears' chief obstacle, even more so than the kids' lack of papers, their malnutrition and often their diseases, such as hepatitis and TB.
Care at a Children's Village means more than food, accommodation, and a chance to go to school. Morning Tears commits to taking its kids on the painful journey from trauma and disassociation to healing and re-integration. Koen trains other caregivers in the elements of treating not just malnourished, neglected bodies, but also deep psychological wounds. Play therapy and excursions are the nice side of it, but the process is usually more painful, for all involved. Imagine if you can taking a child to visit her jailed mother, a visit negotiated from ten minutes behind glass to half an hour of hugging and sobbing. Even more trying are the farewell parties arranged pre-execution, the last time a child sees her parent alive.
Koen's therapeutic convictions are heuristically arrived at - there's no playbook for the work he does. "The children must learn to acknowledge what has happened to them, even in the brutal terms used by the person in the street. Only then will they have the coping skills to adapt to society outside these walls. It's very hard to draw children into this process. Most of the kids arrive in a disassociative state, so they seem better after a few weeks. The crying, the rage may take a long time to come, but come it must if they are going to truly get better." His courageous approach to healing also incorporates traditional Chinese medicine; tui na, for instance, has been instrumental in helping re-establish a healthy mind-body balance, evident in its effectiveness against psychosomatic disorders such as bedwetting.
Koen realizes the value of help from someone who's been there, and depends on his older, more centered children to mentor new arrivals. When a child first comes to the Children's Village, she walks through a welcoming line of all the residents. Brought to the dining hall, she shares in a celebratory meal while older kids stand and tell their stories.
These stories are alike in beginning sadly, but many point to a truly bright future. One young woman was so astute in her studies that Morning Tears felt compelled to raise extra money to send her to a quality high school. There she successfully prepared for and passed her college entrance exams, a rare feat in an area where only a quarter of rural youths even make it to secondary education. She is now studying nursing; another young woman is studying economics.
Morning Tears' story is a familiar one for non-profits: the need for additional funding, the money to send a young nursing student on to study child psychology, to help a blind girl acquire citizen papers and attend a special needs school, to build new centers where they're desperately needed. To date, Morning Tears has project sites in Xi'an,Zhengzhou, Chengdu, and Sanyuan. The organization even has plans to expand into South America and the United States. Apolitical and secular, Morning Tears runs and thrives on the premise that the least among us are the most deserving of our care.
"In the midst of winter, I discovered in me an invincible summer."
-A. Camus
Bank Information for Tax-Deductible Donations
China:
Bank of China, Beijing Xi Cui Lu Sub-Branch [中国银行北京西翠路支行]
Account No. 4160-3000-1880-2623-90
Beneficiary: Guo Zhi Hong (郭志弘)
BIC/SWIFT: BKCHCNBJ110
Belgium:
Fortis Bank
Account No. 001-4495454-65
IBAN: BE 18001449545465
BIC/SWIFT: GEBABEBB
Spain:
La Caixa d'Estalvis I Pensions
Account No. 2100.0233.99.0200332319
IBAN: ES28 21000233990200332319
BIC/SWIFT: CAIXAESBBXXX
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Comments
Congratulations to be Human!!!
The children of criminal father or mother, or both don't have to pay "in advanced", for any crime was not made by them...
It's only destiny or fate about their situation, but not to make sure their future life most be already lost in the darkness and rejected by the rest of the society!
They have to have a better life, even they would remember or know the terrible past among them.
Congratulations to this man who hold this organization, as well as the chines Government who support him and others, to follow a program for a "better life", of this young generation.
Xiao Ge.
Koen... tell me more of Xiao Ge please.
Until recently my wife and I had adopted a mountain school near Beichuan which is now destroyed. We own a successful 'English' pub in Mianyang and held parties to raise monies for it.
I understand there are blind schools and certainly one here in the Science City. What is your thinking about her real chances of a future? Email me via China Expat. Ralph
Need advice about funding a non profit in China
This story is so moving. Thank you for sharing it.
I am involved in an combination expatriate and local Chinese group that would like to fund a new school within a Chinese orphanage. We are stumbling on the road of funding. We have the ability to find money, but we have trouble giving our doners an official fapiao. Can you put me in touch with Koen Sevenants?
Thank you in advance for your help. God speed in your work to help these children.
Finding Koen
You can reach Koen at koen.sevenants@morningtears.com .
The first evidence of human
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BEIJING -- At the age of 12,
BEIJING -- At the age of 12, Zhuzhu seems to have everything a child could dream for -- plenty of toys, beautiful clothes and even a piano.
Children spend about 1,000
Children spend about 1,000 hours per year in school. So, helping children enjoy learning and being successful in school is an important goal for parents, other family members, and schools.
Helping children has been a
Helping children has been a profession for me and i find peace when i help any children in my country. They are like God for me.
Helping children AND the
Helping children AND the lonely. Nice combo.
A British mother facing
A British mother facing three months in a Dubai jail after an appeal court upheld her conviction for adultery is on the run with her two young children.
Marnie Pearce, 40, fled with her sons Laith, seven and Ziad, four, after a court ruled that she should be jailed for three months for being unfaithful to her Egyptian ex-husband Ihab El-Labban, 41.
Not all child molesters are
Not all child molesters are pedophiles, and not all pedophiles are offenders. Some individuals sexually abuse children as part of a pattern of antisocial behavior. On the other hand, some individuals will meet the criteria for pedophilia without committing a crime if they have recurrent, intense, sexually arousing fantasies or sexual urges involving a prepubescent child or children over a period of at least 6 months and if they meet the age parameters..
Way to stay on topic.
Way to stay on topic.
GreatSchools is committed to
GreatSchools is committed to helping you understand your child's learning difficulties, including those that can be diagnosed - learning disabilities, AD/HD, autism and Asperger's syndrome - and other difficulties without a diagnosis.
Artists Helping Children is
Artists Helping Children is a charity, which is "dedicated to bringing comfort to children in hospitals, clinics, and shelters by brightening their environment with murals and other art." In their mission statement they state that they create murals and other art forms with children, in order to "create an enriching and happy atmosphere to encourage their emotional and physical healing and well-being."
A Vietnamese man was
A Vietnamese man was convicted of murder Thursday for throwing four young children to their deaths from a coastal Alabama bridge last year, with the jury needing only 40 minutes to reach a verdict.
There are at least 2,225
There are at least 2,225 child offenders serving life without parole sentences in U.S prisons for crimes committed before they were age 18, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said in a new joint report published today.
I hope not. Most of the time
I hope not. Most of the time the court will order them not to be around children. But it kinda depends on what the person done. I lived next to a man that was a registered sex offender. When I found out I was furious. Well come to find out he had sex with a girl when he just turned 18 and she was fixing to turn 17. Because her parents were high class they made a huge deal about it and now he is a registered sex offender.
Children spend about 1,000
Children spend about 1,000 hours per year in school. So, helping children enjoy learning and being successful in school is an important goal for parents, other family members, and schools. It takes two major institutions, the home and the school, working together to successfully educate the child. Helping Children Succeed in School is a program written by University of Illinois Extension educators that gives successful strategies for parents and caregivers to help their children succeed in school.
Helping Traumatized Children
Helping Traumatized Children Learn demonstrates how trauma from exposure to family and other forms of violence can help explain many educational difficulties teachers across the Commonwealth face everyday. Such difficulties include the inability of children to focus, understand instructions, form meaningful relationships with peers and teachers, and control their behavior in appropriate ways.
What are the situations
What are the situations confronting poor people in the United States and in the world, and what are the underlying factors causing their hunger and poverty?
Helping angel
This is a very good initiative. But think about the society in witch we are living .....there are few chances to make something like that work. It will take an angel to make it happen.
Good thing we have angels
Good thing we have angels like Koenn Sevenants, then.
But as your children grow
But as your children grow older you won't always be there at mealtimes. These articles will help you teach them good nutrition, so they can grow up strong
HELP A POOR CHILD is a
HELP A POOR CHILD is a non-profit, voluntary organisation, founded in 1980, to provide assistance to children and families struggling in terrible poverty
There are at least 2,225
There are at least 2,225 child offenders serving life without parole sentences in U.S prisons for crimes committed before they were age 18, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said in a new joint report published today.
Children's anger presents
Children's anger presents challenges to teachers committed to constructive, ethical, and effective child guidance. This Digest explores what we know about the components of children's anger, factors contributing to understanding and managing anger, and the ways teachers can guide children's expressions of anger.
Do you think that convicted
Do you think that convicted young offenders should be named publicly?
Morning Tears is planning to
Morning Tears is planning to open programs to help children with a parent in prison in other countries.The biggest part of activities are for children who have a parent in prison are currently taking place in China.
Morning tears is doing a great job
Morning tears is doing a great job by helping children. May god help them more to keep up their efforts and keep up their good service towards serving children to their best. Salute to the organisation.
humanity exists
humanity still exists ,, with organisations like you serving , one can always think that some one out there still does really care.
good
nice one!
good effort
thats a very good effort to help those kids i think we should take this a an example that we should do everything possible in our limits to help the needy.
mission accomplished
a touching story hope you guys succeed in your mission .with organisations like you serving , one can always think that some one out there still does really care.
Thank you
These inspirational stories show us that every single person can make a difference no matter how small you are. And when people find what you are doing rewarding, they would help you reach your goal. I hope that you'll be able to continue what you are doing with the help of many.
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MOVING
We are stumbling on the road of funding. We have the ability to find money, but we have trouble giving our doners an official fapiao. Can you put me in touch with Koen Sevenants?
Finding Koen: Redux
You can reach Koen at koen.sevenants@morningtears.com .
Children are most important
Children are most important in our life-our future.Thanks for letting us know.
We are stumbling on the
We are stumbling on the road of funding.
Indeed
The time of childhood
The time of childhood is very important. The very young child cannot survive without constant support and caring by adults. Supporting and caring children are very appreciable. Good sharing
Thank you for sharing with
Thank you for sharing with us.You are doing great cause and wish you succeed and i pray those children get best in their life.
regards,
sam - Tax relief
This is great work from you
This is great work from you guys and i wish you all succeed in you work and bring smiles on those children's faces.
regards,
Salon - Loan modification
God bless those
God bless those children,they deserve every happiness.
regards,
Dave - Los Angeles DUI Lawyer
Doing Good Cause
you are doing right time help for those children,my best wishes for you get succeed in it
These children deserve lots
These children deserve lots of happiness and everybody should come forward to help them.
Why do such things happen,we
Why do such things happen,we all are there for you.
Donate Boat
Donate Boat
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In our World there are so many children whose parents are in prison.There is no one to take care of them and they are misplaced in the darkness and are unwanted by the rest of the society!These children deserve a lot of happiness and everybody should come forward to help them.
Wonderful article! It really
Wonderful article! It really brought some happy tears to my eyes. I admire people who care about the most vulnerable members of our society. This guy gives the chance to learn love, not just disappointment and gives the most important think a child can't live without, I mean the hope for the successful future.
More than 90 per cent of
More than 90 per cent of prisoners’ children get no special help when a parent is in jail, despite being at much greater risk of turning to crime themselves, according to research.
Penny Stocks
Good work ,not only has
Good work ,not only has today’s society sadly neglected children, but even where efforts are made to help, too often it comes to nothing.
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