Newspaper Article with Corrections & additions!

Adopted Wythe County student returning to China

Posted: Friday, October 25, 2013 5:58 pm

By WAYNE QUESENBERRY Staff

Seventeen years ago Beverly and Daniel Burke went to China to bring home her newly-adopted 5 ½- month-old daughter Ivey. Early next year the Wytheville residents will return to that country for a short-term teaching session at an orphanage similar to the one where Ivey lived as an infant.

“I think it will be neat to go back and give back to the people like me had I not been adopted,” noted the 17-year-old George Wythe High School senior. “I want to show them that someone cares.”

Her mother said the orphanage in Fuzhou is a group home for children considered “unadoptable.” This, she said, means the children could have behavioral problems, are between the age of 12-18..

“I can’t wait to hug the children and let them know that someone loves them,” added Beverly Burke, an employee of the Virginia Workforce Investment Board. “We will stay at the orphanage while we’re there.”

According to her, the upcoming camp is sponsored by a non-profit faith based organization that recruits volunteers to teach English as a Second Language to children at the orphanage during their winter break. Children from a government orphanage, Beverly Burke, might be able to attend the camp to be held Jan. 26, 2014, to Feb. 8, 2014.

Also making the trip will be Beverly and Daniel Burke’s 15-year-old son Timothy, born two years after his sister’s adoption. He is a sophomore at GWHS.

Their dad is Daniel Burke of Wytheville. He is now divorced from their mother, and remains very active in their lives.

The Burkes are busy collecting money for their trip to China that will cost them $2,500 each, which includes airfare, some lodging, craft supplies, and food. Their next fundraiser will be held Saturday, Nov. 9, beginning at 5 p.m. at the Wytheville Moose Lodge.

Proceeds from the Bingo games will go toward their trip. There also will be several vendors selling merchandise.

The family has an account through Truliant Federal Credit Union in Wytheville. Checks for the trip can also be made payable to Beverly Burke.

“As the face of adoption changes,” said Beverly Burke, “and the numbers of children being adopted internationally declines, we as Christians have a wonderful opportunity. As China has cracked down on child trafficking, it has also increased pressure to care for those that are not adoptable due to them aging out of the system or significant medical needs. These are the children with which we will work.”

She also noted the team will teach skills to the house parents in Trust-Based Relational Interventions developed by two professors at Texas Christian University. The family-based intervention, Burke said, is designed for children who have experienced relationship-based traumas such as institutionalization, multiple care givers, maltreatment and neglect.

In August 1996, Beverly Burke and her then-husband arrived in Fuzhou, China, to adopt Ivey Mariyn Cui Burke, who was born Feb. 18, 1996. They were there for three weeks.

“Ivey only spent three days in the orphanage,” Beverly Burke said. “She was in foster care.”

According to her, she and her husband turned to adoption after years of trying to have their own child. They worked with an international adoption agency and qualified to select a child from Thailand.

“I have no idea why we were directed to China,” Beverly Burke said. “I guess God had another plan.”

On Sept. 4, 1998, she gave birth to her son, Timothy. Burke refers to him as a miracle.

Ivey Burke said she always knew she was adopted. She has a scrapbook of the highlights of her life put together by Beverly Burke.

“I treat her like she’s my mom,” Ivey Burke said.

Her childhood, she said, was normal and happy. Ivey Burke is a typical American teenager.

Ivey and Timothy Burke are active in the youth activities at Wytheville Baptist Church. She has been in the church's Praise & Worship Band, lead the singing for the contemporary worship service, leads the Meet You at the Pole for GWHS, and is currently organizing this year's HOPE for the Hunger Event in May of 2014.  Timothy Burke assists his father with running the technology for the services at church and both took part in the Hope for Hunger event in park in 2013.

At GWHS, Ivey Burke is a member of the National Honor Society, the marching band, the concert band and the Science MACC Team. She also works part time a KFC/Taco Bell in Wytheville.

Commenting on her trip to China, Ivey Burke said, “I feel like I need to go back. I want to see the world where I would have lived in and what it’s all about. I want to experience that.”  Timothy is excited to see the country his sister was born in.

She plans to attend George Mason University after graduation and major in forensic medicine.

The Burkes’ upcoming teaching mission can be followed on their blog site at fuzhouwintercamp.blogspot.com.

Wayne Quesenberry can be reached at 228-6611 Extension 20 or wquesenberry@wythenews.com.

Supplies Needed

Think of Vacation Bible School on STEROIDS!  Well that will give you an idea of what we will be doing on our trip.  What better way to teach kids anything...CRAFTS, RECREATION, MUSIC, LESSONS!  Living at the orphanage during that time means we also get to do lots of "lov'n on".

To make this trip a success we need craft supplies.  We will have to pack all the supplies and take them with us on the plane :\

Glue sticks, glue, brown paper bags, crayons, color pencils, stickers, markers, paint, paint brushes...Below is a link to Oriental Trading on some craft projects we would like to do.  For everything that is donated...we don't need to raise money for.

There are 40 kids and then adults.  The adults love the crafts just as much as the kids do and they live in the orphanage with the children. 

Here in the USA they say that kids in the foster care system don't have anything to carry their belongs in.  So I thought I bet that is the same way in the orphanage.  So what about one of the tote bags below or backpacks to carry their books to school?  Added bonus...they can decorate them!  If you have any craft ideas, or recreation ideas, or song ideas that can re-enforce simple English words or phrases....PLEASE comment!  We want you to be a part of our trip.  We want to take YOU with us :)

Tote bags 

Backpacks 

Fuse beads

Fuse bead boards - any shape or square where they can design themselves

Support

So very thankful to Danny G of WYVE for conducting such a wonderful, easy interview.  Ivey thinks Danny G is kewl!  Timothy was upset he was woken up & dragged out into the cold and then nervous about having to speak on the radio...and he was let off the hook!

Newspaper article to come out in Saturday, October 26 Wythe News!  Thank you Wayne Quesenberry for the interview.  I believe you asked Ivey if she felt different being adopted...then got to witness a teenage daughter/mother interaction!  With the raise eyebrows...I am wondering what the article will say :)

HUGE shout out to Sunny Hills Church...where you are always greeted with a smile & hug.  And can I say those spiritual hugs are so very nice!  I have known Alan Wilder (or at least OF Alan Wilder) for many years.  I have enjoyed his preaching.  So when I was with out a church home, I knew where I would go...and I don't regret the decision in any way.

Things are coming together for the trip.  When I realize the short amount of time we have left & all there is to do...I start to panic just a weeeeeeeee bit.  But I know that great things will be happening as a result of this trip. Both here in the USA & over in China.  Can't wait to get my arms wrapped around a child who will never know a mother or father's love.  But for 2 weeks...they will! 

Remember all of us in your prayers!

Beverly

Telling the Story!

August 1996, Fuzhou, Fujian, China: I was adopted by my two loving parents.  I came to my new county, to my new home, to my new family and built my life as an American citizen.  Two years later, I was blessed with a brother, a best friend, named Timothy. Over 17 years later (January 26-February 8), my mother, my brother and I have the opportunity to return to Fuzhou and give back to an orphanage that cares for “un-adoptable” children in a group home setting.  These children are my peers.  These children could have been me if not for the blessing of adoption.

Living Hope International is an adoption agency in Pennsylvania that supports the Living Hope Fuzhou Group Home, which is a Christian group home to orphans. Where I was lucky enough to be adopted, these children have lived here for most of their lives.  When the group home was started, the children were transferred from a government orphanage on the same premises.  They were raised with an all Christian staff and received unconditional love under the direction and guidance of a wonderful director.  The children are now of the age designated by China, 14 and above, to be too old to be adopted. Last year, Amy Gentry was asked by a Christian non-profit organization to lead a team of volunteers to this orphanage to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) during their winter break. 

The ESL camp in February was a great success.  Not only was the team able to teach English to the residents there, but for the first time children from the government orphanage were allowed to attend.  The team was able to show the love of Jesus as well as teach it.  The children that attended from the government orphanage were impacted so much they went back and asked to come and live in the group home.  These children were indeed transferred to the Fuzhou Group Home. 

Amy has been asked to return again this year and continue what she started and has asked the my family to join her.  As the face of adoption changes and the numbers of children being adopted internationally declines, we as Christians have a wonderful opportunity.  As China has increased pressure to care for those that are not adoptable due to them aging out of the system or significant medical needs.  These are the children with which we will work.  These are my peers.

Our team will not only go to China to teach ESL, but also to teach skills to the house parents in Trust-Based Relational Interventions. TRBI, developed by Dr. Karyn Purvis and Dr. David Cross at Texas Christian University is a family-based intervention that is designed for children who have experienced relationship-based traumas such as institutionalization, multiple care givers, maltreatment, and/or neglect. This will help provide the environment needed by these children to heal from their hurts.

We thank you for your support!

Ivey, Timothy, & Beverly Burke