Welcome to our Blessing Hands Blog

Thanks for visiting our website and learning about our charity that helps impoverished children stay in school.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

October 3rd is the 5K Run






You are Invited to the Rescheduled
5 K Run for Families


It is official. We have rescheduled the Run for Families for this coming Saturday, October 3rd. It will be at the Moonlight Stage Pavilion on 1st Street in Morehead, KY. Registration will start from 7 am with the run at 8 am.

Come on out and get one of our cool T-shirts designed by Dusty Coyle, shown in the center of this picture of Ezra Dike and me. If you raise $35 in donations, you get a free T-shirt. You can also buy one for $10.60.

Ezra is the Morehead Habitat Director. You can hear Ezra and me on the radio program Front Page with Chuck Mraz at the link below. One friend said she never knew enough about Blessing Hands or Habitat until she listened to the program. Maybe it will help you get to know us better too.

MP3 of 5 K Run Radio Program

We had great volunteers and participants turn out in the rain last Saturday. We hope you will come this Saturday. We have great prizes. The grand prize is a home stereo surround system worth $300 given by Colorama. It will go to the fastest runner regardless of gender or age.

The course can be found at this link. Try it out ahead of time.

Pre-register at this link.

Thanks,
Betty Cutts

Contact us by e-mail

For more information contact Ezra Dike 606 784-8408
or Betty Cutts 606 784 4785.


Saturday, September 26, 2009

Mo Chunfeng Needs a Scholarship to College



Mo Chunfeng's Parents are Disabled From An Accident








Mo Chunfeng Needs a Scholarship


logo

You can give a $500 scholarships to Chunfeng by credit card at this link.
Checks can be sent to Blessing Hands at 106 Timber Lane, Morehead, KY 40351. Any amount is welcomed.






About Chunfeng


Mo Chunfeng is accepted at
Guilin Tourist University. She wants to major in management or business administration. She has been a Blessing Hands student for three years. She has a 27 year old sister that supports the whole family. She graduated from Baisha High School this year.

She and her family believe in a positive attitude toward life.


You can view her movie on Youtube at this address.









Mo Chungfeng




There are six members in my family- grandma, father, mother, sister, brother, and me. My Mother and Father became persons with disabilities in a traffic accident. My mother's leg was lost, and my Father's leg was broken in two in that accident. After my father's leg was joined, my father had much difficulty working. The bad driver ran away without paying any medical fees. My mother was badly injured, and the medical fee was very high- more than 100,000 yuan ($14,684 US). We borrowed money from our friends and relatives. The money was not enough, so we tried to get a loan from a bank.
So now our family owes a lot of debt. Now my mother has nothing to do but walk with a walking stick and can't look after the family at all. My grandmother was bitten by a snake in in her foot when she was young. Without any money she couldn't go to see the doctor, so she became disabled because of that.
My younger brother will graduate from junior middle school and go to senior middle school very soon. I will go to college, so we will need a lot of money to pay for our schooling. Now the only laborer in our family is my elder sister. There is some trouble to pay for the fee of our daily life, so how can we afford the schooling of my brother and me? What is more, we still have to pay back our debt.
I'm a student who longs for knowledge. I'm looking forward to going to college to learn more knowledge, so I long for the scholarship. I hope you can help me realize my dream of going to college.

Mo Chunfeng
National Score 341




Blessing Hands is a 503 (c)(3) US charity that helps students in Yangshuo and Qinzhou, China go to school. We have had 23 students apply for college scholarships this year and eight of them have gotten sponsors through our newsletter. One more, Mo Zongli, received a scholarship from a different US Charity that has sent him to college.

You can review all the scholarship newsletters on our blog at this link. Chunfeng is the last student to be featured unless some that have not gotten college letters yet are accepted into college late. Thank you for your patience with the many newsletters we have sent out recently. We will go back to only a few newsletters a month now.

Betty Cutts
Director of Blessing Hands







Rained out with Lightning

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RAIN CHECK
5 K Run for Families is postponed until next Saturday, Oct. 3rd.

The lightning called off the run today. We have tentatively set the 5 K Run/Walk for Families for next Saturday at the same time and place.

We had a wonderful group of volunteers show up today in the rain. Thank you all. Please come again in a week. Look for a notice in the paper to confirm the event
.
We have a great T-shirt. Get one for $10.60. T-shirts are free if you raise $35 in donations.
.

logo
You can see the race course online at this link.
See you next Saturday - Lord Willing,


Betty Cutts

Blessing Hands



Thursday, September 24, 2009

Windy Worked This Summer to Earn Her College Tuition

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Blessing Hands
Change a Student's Life
In this issue...
Windy Worked Last Summer
Dasi High School
Two Sisters have a sponsor
Be a Blessing Hand

Windy Worked Last Summer to Earn her Tuition to College.

She did not get to make a movie or interview.

Liang Minmin called me on her teacher's phone twice while I was in China to emphasize her desire to go to college and explain why she could not be in Qinzhou to interview for a scholarship. She was working to make money for college. She also sent me many pictures.

She has been accepted into a three year college and is majoring in computers. Only two Blessing Hands students from her school were accepted into college this year.

She entered her college on the 9th of September, but she still has not paid her tuition, because she does not have enough money. She is very eager to pay her tuition and be allowed to continue to study.

You can help her with a gift of $500 for a scholarship. This
link will allow you to use your credit card, or you can send a check to Blessing Hands, 106 Timber Lane, Morehead, KY, 4035.

If you can only give a little, she would still gladly receive it. Please also forward this to others you know who might be interested in helping her.


Blessings,
Betty Cutts
Founder of Blessing Hands

Windy speaks for herself.


I'm a student from Dasi Middle school. My name is Liang Minmin, and Windy is my English name. I have been a Blessing Hands student for three years. With the help of Blessing Hands, I can finish my senior study. So I am touched. I say thanks for Blessing Hand's help.
I like studying. I know knowledge can change my life. Because of my poor condition, I haven't any choice. I want to apply for a scholarship. My family is very poor. I have three sisters and two brothers. They are all students. We need a lot of money. My parents are farmers. My grandparents are very old. They are in poor health. My grandmother is always in the hospital. My parents cannot afford the medical treatment and our tuition. So I really hope to receive your help.
Today, I receive your help, but later I will help those who need help in the future.
Best wishes,

Liang Minmin
National Score 355
Contact Information
106 Timber Lane
Morehead, Kentucky 40351
219 232 8887


Dasi High School

A Rural School of Several Thousand Students



















I asked to visit Dasi School in July because I had always been impressed with the teacher's dedication to her 10 Blessing Hands students. The students live so far from school yet. Jenny Huang, the Blessing Hands volunteer teacher at Dasi, is always able to get her students to our tuition gatherings in Qinzhou, even though her students have to come a long way from their homes.

Jenny is in red under the blue umbrella in the photo. Dasi High School is very proud of their graduates like Minmin that get accepted into colleges.

Here you can see pictures of Dasi High School.

Classroom
classroom

Dorm with laundry drying.
Students sleep 12 to a room and sometimes two to a bed.




Teacher's rooms








Concrete ping pong tables



Teachers' dorms




Reading room

Recent Letter from Windy

I came to school on 9th, but I have not handed in the tuition until now, because I don't have enough money. Blessing Hands helped me with tuition continually (when she was in high school). I'm so happy and touched. Thank you.

At the same time, thanks to all the people who help me.


Liang Minmin

Qin Yuqiong's Two Sisters Have a Sponsor now.

Good news!

Qin Yuqiong does not have a sponsor yet, but her two sisters have a sponsor. One person wrote and asked to support the two younger sisters. Thank you so much.


I just hope that Qin Yuqiong herself will get a sponsor. You can give to her at this
link.

Follow-up Links
About Us

Blessing Hands is a 501 (c)(3) tax exempt USA charity that helps Chinese students in Yangshuo and Qinzhou, China go to school. Yangshuo is the Sister City of Morehead, KY, where Blessing Hands is located. We emphasize that our students can become blessing hands as they have been blessed. We have over 360 students from primary to college age in our program.

World Habitat Day

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5 K Run/Walk for Families

This Saturday is the
5 K Run/Walk for Families.


This Saturday Blessing Hands is joining with Habitat for Humanity to sponsor a 5 K run. We are excited and hope that you participate by coming or sending in a donation for the event.

I went recently to the dedication of a Habitat home. Habitat helps folks build their own homes using volunteers, low interest loans, and sweat equity from the home owners. With the help of many donors and friends a low income family can have their own home for the first time.

This is a picture of the proud new home owner. He let me take his picture in his new kitchen. He is a factory worker and has looked forward to his own home for two years.

The United Nations has chosen the first Monday in October to be
World Habitat Day - a day to stand up and let it be known that "affordable, adequate housing should be a priority everywhere." You can read more about it at this link.

"
Raising awareness about this global problem is the first step in making sure that everyone everywhere has a safe and decent place to call home."

This is the photo is of the Habitat home we dedicated with prayer and music. Ezra Dike, the new Morehead Habitat director, recently received a $100 community award for service, He has given that award to one of our scholarship students who is majoring in biology. He also is a key supporter of Substainable Morehead, a local recycling organization that is encouraging home pick up of items that can be recycled.

What great organizations to give to. Two with one event. If you want to support the 5 K Run for Families with a donation, make your checks to either Blessing Hands or Habitat for Humanity. Mail them to Blessing Hands, 106 Timber Lane, Morehead, KY.

You can also give any amount by credit card at this
link.

Donations for the run will be divided equally between Blessing Hands and Habitat for Humanity.


______________________________
_______________________

You are invited To Our Run

September 26, 2009

Moonlight Stage Pavilion, 187 1st Street, Morehead, KY 40351

Registration begins at 7:30a.m. Run starts at 8:00 a.m.
Awards Ceremony: 9:30 am

Entry Fees:$10 (T-Shirt extra)
$5 for students
$10 adults
Children under 12 free

Awards and categories will be divided by age and gender into classes for runners + Grand Prize for the fastest overall time by gender.

Door prizes will be drawn for merchant donated items at Awards Ceremony at 9:30 am

Runner Ages:18 & under, 19 to 25, 26-35, 36-45, 46-55, 56-65, 66+

Teams:
10 person teams are encouraged to collect pre-race donations. Any team that raises $500 or more will receive special recognition.

Greeks, school and youth groups, family, and business teams are welcomed.

Print out the team fundraising form to fill out and mail.

Entry Forms/Fliers and Preregistration:
US Bank, 122 E. Main St., Morehead, KY, 40351
Fuzzy Duck Coffee Shop, 240 Morehead Plaza, Morehead, KY, 40351

Directions: Turn North from US 60 at Bridge St. near the Rowan County Library. You can see the outdoor stage from the East 60 By Pass also called W. Wilkerson Blvd. Map link
Parking: Near Rowan County Public Library and Morehead Conference Center

Benefits:
Your generosity will help families have new homes in the Morehead Area and educate students in our Sister City of Yangshuo, China.

Volunteers:
Contact Ezra Dike by calling 784-8408 or email:
moreheadhabitat@yahoo.com

Contact Information:
Ezra Dikes or Betty Cutts
moreheadhabitat@yahoo.comm or blessinghands@gmail.com
Phone: 606 784 8408 or 219 232 8887
______________________________
_______________________

Thanks to our Sponsors of the
5K Run for Families


Sponsored by:
Platinum Level Sponsors: Holbrook Drugs, Whitaker Bank, St. Claire Medical Center, Good Shepherd Printing, Sustainable Morehead, Hamilton, Inc, Commercial Signs, Freedom Radio FM 91.7, Main Street Textbooks, Northcutt and Son Home for Funerals, All Seasons Flower and Gifts, Emerson Power Transmission, and All Seasons Florists, and Great Clips

Gold Level Sponsors: US Bank, China Café, Wholesale Auto Parts, Creations by Jacquelyn, Wendy's, Rowan County Veterinary Clinic, Richie's Auto Detailing, Chris's Guitar Shop, Appalachian Goldsmith Company, Curves, Every Bodies Fitness 24-7, Spurlock Spine Centre,The Salon and Day Spa, and La Finca Restaurant

Silver Level Sponsors: Sloan Market, Bo's Barber Shop, Bluegrass Beauty School, Morehead Tire and Auto, Reno's Roadhouse, Stuckey's Beauty Shop, Shoney's Major Brands, Jeannette's Catering, Richie's Auto Detailing, Media One, Mustard Seed Christian Book Store, C. Roger Lewis Agency, and Ponderosa

Copper Level Sponsors: E
campus.com, Blue Grass Beauty School, Kroger, A Head of Time, Cindy's New Image, Bo's Barber Shop, Ann's Hair and Body Studio, McDonald's, Penn Station, Cici Pizza, the Villa, Sunshine World Car Wash, Scrub Shack, Big 4 Lumber Company, Mary's Hair Fashion, Hardees, Shoe Sensation.

Sincerely,

Betty Cutts
Blessing Hands Director


Send checks to the address below.
Use your credit card at this
link.

Blessing Hands
106 Timber Lane
Morehead, Kentucky 40351
219 232 8887
Blessing Hands is a 501 (c)(3) public charity that assists families and students in Yangshuo and Qinzhou, China with educational needs. We have over 300 students we are helping in secondary school and 50 students who receive $500 college tuition scholarships.
Our mission is to bless them so they can become blessing hands to others

Friday, September 18, 2009

Huang Jiayan has started school


Good News! Huang Jiayan wrote me from her college. She has received her loan and started school. It was touch and go there for awhile since our administrator in Qinzhou, Anna Liu, landed in the hospital with inner ear problems that made her feel like she was sea sick. She could not go to the bank to wire the needed scholarships for this semester.

Another teacher, Gavin, stepped in to help Anna and the essential wires got sent, but others are still waiting to be sent. In China people don't use checks but bank transfers and cards to pay for things. At this season there are long lines at the banks because parents are sending college money all at one time. Gavin has very little time to stand in line since he is teaching full time.

Another problem is that Anna is too sick to come to her office to show him where the information on each student's bank is filed. I have sent those files by internet, but even I don't have some bank information if the student didn't put it on their application form.


At least Jiayan has started her semester with joy. I am happy too because the loan I gave her is being repaid by people who have sent in money in honor of my 64th birthday. I think we will get the full $500 eventually from people who know me and want to support my efforts to help the kids in China. I was born on 9/11, but it is a joyful day for me still. I tell people I had it first before the terrorist.

In case you did not see her video, I have put it here.

We Made a Deal with Qin Yuqiong

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FEATURED QUOTE

Doris Wells: "Our Blessing Hands students come from the rural areas of China, and they and their parents know that the only chance they have of improving their economic situation is to get an education.

It is almost impossible for many of these rural students whose parents may be sick, dead, not have many fields to farm, or have no family to borrow school money from to attend school. Blessing Hands is able to find supporters to help these students enter the schools they have tested into.

While I was in China,
I was blessed to meet the young man my husband and I support. His father has died, so his mother is a single parent. His scholarship enables him to attend a good high school. "










Checks can be sent to
Blessing Hands
106 Timber Lane
Morehead, KY 40351



Qin Yuqiong Dreams of Being an Accountant or Manager


I Want to Change My Life.

My Name is Qin Yuqiong. The reason I want to go to college is I want to change my life. My English name is Shirley. I was born into a poor family. I am nineteen now. There are five persons in my family; Father, Mother, two sisters and me. My father's health is not good. He can't do much work, especially heavy work. My mother has to work for others to earn some money to support the family. My two younger sisters are students too. One is 15 and the other is 17.

There are few fields in my family, so life is very hard and poor. My family situation is not good. Every beginning semester while I was in school, my parents had to borrow money for me to go to school from family and neighbors. Then in my first year in high school Blessing Hands began to help me. Because of your help a heavy burden was released from my family.

Now that I have graduated I want to enter college, but I am afraid that my family doesn't have enough money to let me finish my college. I sincerely hope that you can continue helping me. I would appreciate it if you can give me college aid. I will continue to work hard in my studies.What I want to say most is thank you, thank you so much for your help.
Qin Yuqiong



We Made a Deal

When Qin Yuqiong interviewed for a college scholarship in Yangshuo, she was troubled. She thought that if she went to college, she would take money that her younger sisters needed for their high school education.

Students is China must pay for their own last three years of education. It cost about $500 for a year of high school. She had almost decided to go to work to support her sisters in school, and her parents wanted her to do that also. But her dream of college brought her to the college interview.

When we heard her story, we were touched. Doris, one of the Americans interviewing her, puzzled about how to help her. Finally Doris suggested a plan. If Blessing Hands enrolled her two younger sisters in our high school tuition program, would she feel free to go on to college?

Finally we made a deal with her. If she tried to go to college, we would sponsor her two sisters for $160 a year in high school. This deal is good even if no sponsor like you picks QinYuqiong to sponsor in college. We could not assure her that a sponsor would pick her.

So Blessing Hands has added two new high school students from the Qin family. Would you would like to sponsor one of them or give Yuqiong a $500 scholarship.

You can see her scholarship Youtube Video at this link.

Help her dreams come true.




Make College Possible
for Qin Yuqiong


Give $500 at this link on our web page. Or give any amount to help.

Sponsor one of her sisters at $80 a semester. Use Google Checkout on our blog.

A mind is a terrible thing to waste.




Contact Information

Director of Blessing Hands
Betty Cutts
219 232 8887