The Story of Danying - Wine Helping Orphans 2005 “DANYING” Shiraz/ Cabernet Sauvignon This wine is a 50%/50% blend of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is a beautiful blend of raspberry and blackberry, exotic spice such as nutmeg and cinnamon balanced with sweet cedar oak. The Shiraz component (50%) gives the wine white pepper and spices, whilst the Cabernet provides the rich red and black berry fruits. This wine is named in honour of our daughter, Zara Danying. We adopted our precious child, Danying, from China in the month of March, 2004, the very month these grapes are usually handpicked and crushed. “Dan” means the essence of red-like this wine- strong and vibrant. “Ying” translates to a beautiful singing bird. Both sing a symphony, one with voice, one from the vines. Just as the wine is a blend of two varieties, weaving their individual strength and beauty, so too is our family now a blend of Chinese and Australian cultures. 10% of sales of this wine will be donated to the amazing organization, “Asian Kids In Danger” (AKID) who support Asian orphans, slum children and women escaping prostitution. Currently being served at spectacular restaurants such as Songbirds Rainforest Retreat, Brisbane Sofitel, Fraser Island, the Conrad Treasury and Tukka Restaurant. In September 2006, we had the privilege of travelling with AKID advocates, Shirley and Jeff Vines, to Southern India. We visited four programmes supported by AKID. It was humbling and inspiring to witness the amazing achievements of these programmes. Children destined to a life of begging, poverty or prostitution were given loving homes, excellent education and ongoing medical care. What impressed us most was the joy and enthusiasm displayed by the adoptive parents, carers and teachers despite ongoing hardships - the desire to help was infectious and uplifting. The above photo shows Elissa giving gifts from the ladies of Stanthorpe to the 25 children adopted by Pastor Matthew. Here, Ewen is chatting with some of the children who live in this slum in Bangalore. Thanks to AKID, some of these children escape forced labour and instead attend Yuvoluk school. Yuvalok school social worker Daniel introducing kids from the school. Both girls have acute ear infections and require further medical treatment. One of the beautiful babies living in the slums of Bangalore. Following are some of the amazing stories from India that prompted AKID to passionately support such amazing programmes. 1.MIZPAH HOME The gorgeous little boy on the left is eleven years old. The other cutie is five. This photo demonstrates the dire consequences of malnutrition. This little boy was found living in the rubbish dump in the Indian city of Ooty in the Nilgiri mountains. At night he would burrow in the mounds of filth and rubbish to sleep and seek protection from the cold mountain nights. When he was found he had sores covering his body, he was missing every second tooth and was dressed in rags. The trauma he has suffered by being alone and vulnerable in such a place is yet to be fully revealed. He was hungry and weak, his eyes empty. With great determination, the beautiful folks at Mizpah Home have nursed him back to good health and put life into his eyes. They have given him a home that meets all his physical needs and more importantly fed his heart with much love and affection. Since this photo was taken he has grown nearly a foot, attends school and love playing and cuddling his new dad, Mohan. He lives with another 25 children who have also been lifted from the rubbish dump and a life of abandonment to a stable and loving home. Mizpah Home receives no funding from the Indian government and live off Mohan’s teaching income and the generosity of open hearted people like AKID. 2 THE BELLIRAJ FAMILY (Warning: this story is graphic and may upset) This a portrait of a very special family consisting of 16 daughters!! Their father is Pastor Belliraj, and their mother's name is Shanti. It is the story of their family which first so deeply and profoundly changed our view of life that we were personally led to grow our own family through adoption. One evening Pastor Belliraj was contacted by a doctor from the local hospital. He knew six baby girls were soon to leave the hospital, but because they were illegitimate and girls, they would most certainly be killed in the most inhumane way. Unwanted baby girls are usually dumped on the streets to starve or be eaten by animals, perhaps buried alive or their throats slashed. Pastor Belliraj and his wife immediately offered to adopt the girls. Recently, they have adopted another ten girls who were destined to the same fate. Now they have a loving home, receive a good education and have the knowledge they are loved, wanted and treasured. 3. COLLEEN REDIT IN CHENNAI Shirley, an Aussie from AKID recently told us of her experience while wandering the streets of Chennai. There in the gutter lay a lovely woman barely clothed in a thin dress, she was asleep or worse. Beside her sat two naked toddlers crying. Unfortunately this sight is not uncommon, however there is a lady in Chennai who is providing hope to the orphaned and homeless of Chennai - Colleen Rendit. This amazing New Zealand doctor provides housing, food, health services and education to many of the poorest and most desperate children of Chennai. Shirley likens Colleen to a woman of the same impact of Mother Theresa. She has built a five storey home which is home to over 1000 orphans. Several more thousand receive an education and a solid meal at her day facilities. As they mature, the children are given job training and assistance in finding employment. There is also a sewing and handicrafts area were women escaping prostitution and poverty are given a future with dignity. Colleen is also assisting the fishing village of Chinnakuppam which was devastated by the tsunami. The above photo shows AKID distributing parcels at Chinnakuppam. Each family has been given a boat via Colleen from donations sent by caring and proactive people. Colleen also provides medical assistance. The above photo shows one of the many children of Chinnakuppam receiving assistance in the wake of the tsunami. OTHER AKID ASSISTED PROGRAMMES AKID also provide donations and assistance to five other programmes which are varied but all have the same heart of compassion and active love. They include: -Asian Evangelistic Fellowship which offers health and education programmes to the children of the Mumbai slums. -Joshua Vision in Hyderbad which offers health programmes for children who work in the brickworks, children of prostitutes and children with AIDS. -Yuvalok Home in Bangalore which provides a home for orphans, many of whom were living in the dumps. -Emily Nswana in Zambia who provides an orphanage and school for children who have lost parents to AIDS. -Rehoboth Orphanage in Trisur, India. Another amazing Kiwi who runs an orphanage for over 80 girls. The orphanage was started in 1905, Phyllis has run it since 1957. Those who have met Phyllis say you are impressed by her overwhelming gentleness and caring nature. The orphanage also runs a small rubber plantation, grow their own vegies and milk their own cows to meet some of their costs. All the babies sleep in Phyllis’s room at night so she can attend to all. When the girls grow and marry, as is the Indian tradition, they return their mother, Phyllis, to have their babies and stay for 2 months to receive motherly advice and support. For more information on AKID contact Lynda Vines on (07) 5546 9088.