One couple abandons a comfortable life to rescue abandoned children.

PRESS RELEASE
November 15, 2011

For Immediate Release
Contact: Christy Anderson
Litfuse Publicity Group
christy@litfusegroup.com
206-569-5522

One couple abandons a comfortable life to rescue abandoned children

Robin and Joyce Hill have helped over 1300 Chinese orphans with severe medical problems

SEATTLE -- There are over one million orphans in China, and the annual mortality rate among institutionalized orphans there ranges from 60 percent to 72.5 percent. Robin and Joyce Hill were living comfortably as ex-patriates in Beijing when they visited one of these orphanages. Just as Robin's firm of 20 years was on the cusp of transferring Robin to another country, he and Joyce were faced with a decision: to continue their safe lives in 1st World luxury or heed the unquestionable call they felt to live among the Chinese and save abandoned children. The House of Hope by Elisabeth Gifford (Monarch Books, distributed by Kregel Publications, November 2011, $13.99) is the story of their life-changing decision.

The House of Hope tells a story of grace and surrender, of hope and human dignity. After visiting a state-run orphanage in China, the Hills couldn't put out of their minds the babies who had been abandoned due to hopeless, untreated medical conditions. The Hills moved their family out of their gated housing into a small apartment far from Beijing and oversaw the construction of the first of five homes for medically fragile children.

Joyce Hill says, "We are adamant that even the most unwanted, abandoned and--to human eyes--worthless among us deserve the best care and best possible chance at life."

As of today, the New Hope Foundation has cared for over thirteen hundred babies dying or in need of urgent medical care. Author Elisabeth Gifford says of the Hills, "I am amazed at their cheerful fortitude in spite of Joyce's painful chronic headaches and the precarious financial and political situation that they cope with."

The House of Hope will change the lives of its readers and challenge them in their own spiritual journeys. Robin and Joyce Hill are an example of God's care and provision for those whom society does not value.

All proceeds from The House of Hope go to support the New Hope Foundation.

What Others are Saying about The House of Hope

"They are wonderful servants of God who lovingly care for the 'least of these.'"

-- Francis Chan, author of Crazy Love

"Read this amazing story of God's grace, and accept the challenge to make a difference."

-- Steven Curtis Chapman

"The House of Hope can only encourage all who love to read about God's grace, His faithfulness, and His love for all people."

-- John Mumford, National Director, Vineyard Churches UK and Ireland

You will discover how one couple fully sold out to God has made it possible for so many to live. A modern day miracle of God using His people to change the world!

-- Jon Davis, Lead Pastor, Beijing International Christian Fellowship

"Liz Gifford's compelling account of how a family gave up their comfortable, expatriate life in China to take sick and abandoned orphans into their home is both moving and challenging. In telling how hundreds of China's most neglected children have been rescued from oblivion, the author remains lucid and unsentimental, letting the stories speak clearly for themselves. The House of Hope is what every reader longs for: a great story well told."

-- Rhidian Brook, broadcaster and author

About the Author

Elisabeth Gifford is a journalist who has written for the London Times and the Independent Newspapers. She lives in Kingston, England, and teaches children with dyslexia.

Suggested Interview Questions

For the Hills:

How long did it take to go from your decision to stay in China until you saved your first baby? Can you tell us about that journey?
Tell the child's story that stands out to you the most today.
How has this ministry affected your marriage and children?
Have your older children been involved in your ministry?
What kind of challenges have you had in relationship to the Chinese government?
What do you hope readers take away after reading The House of Hope?
Who or what has been your biggest inspiration?

For Elisabeth Gifford:

What drew you to write the Hills' story?
How did you hear about the Hills?
How has their story affected your life?
Who or what has been your biggest inspiration?

The Hills and Elisabeth Gifford are available for national interviews to promote the release of The House of Hope. To request a review copy, schedule an interview or for more information, please contact Christy Anderson, christy@litfusegroup.com.

Litfuse Publicity Group | Seattle, WA | 206-947-3743 | @litfuse

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