Stars and Rain Education Institute for Autism:
Beijing, China
Heartspring is working to make a difference. There are hundreds of thousands of families in China who are affected by autism. These families often face a desperate situation. They have little or no knowledge of autism and do not know how to teach or cope with their child. They are also largely excluded by a society that does not understand or accept them.
The Stars and Rain program was the first nongovernmental organization in the People’s Republic of China to address the needs of children with autism. The founder of Stars and Rain, Tian Huiping (Hope), is an amazing woman with an amazing story that will warm the heart. Much like the founder of Heartspring, she is a true pioneer and inspiration to others around the world. We are proud that this program is a sister organization of Heartspring in Wichita, and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship.
The Children of the Stars Documentary tells the story of the Feng Jia Wei Family who travel to Beijing in a state of suicidal crisis as they cannot cope with their violent autistic son. He is unable to speak or connect with them on any emotional level. His mother and father have brought him to the city to attend a special course at The Stars & Rain Education Institute for Autism. Their hope is to find a "miracle" cure. The film follows them as they grow to understand their son has a life-long condition whilst undergoing a deeply touching journey that reveals the incredible power and tenderness of parental love. Learn more about the Feng Jia Wei family and view the Children of the Stars documentary trailer on YouTube.
Read personal accounts of Heartspring staff's successful visit to Beijing's Stars and Rain Institute during the week of March 3, 2008 on the Heartspring China Blog. Four members of the Heartspring family, including Connie Coulter, autism specialist; Lindsay Randle, speech language pathologist; Gary Singleton, CEO; and Jim Wong, Chairman of the Board of Trustees; traveled to China to share ideas and resources as well as provide on-site training at Stars and Rain. As World Autism Day neared, cameras from CNN followed them into the classroom to record as they collaborated to exchange ideas to treat children with special needs. View photo highlights of the trip below.
The Children of the Stars Documentary tells the story of the Feng Jia Wei Family who travel to Beijing in a state of suicidal crisis as they cannot cope with their violent autistic son. He is unable to speak or connect with them on any emotional level. His mother and father have brought him to the city to attend a special course at The Stars & Rain Education Institute for Autism. Their hope is to find a "miracle" cure. The film follows them as they grow to understand their son has a life-long condition whilst undergoing a deeply touching journey that reveals the incredible power and tenderness of parental love. Learn more about the 
Read personal accounts of Heartspring staff's successful visit to Beijing's Stars and Rain Institute during the week of March 3, 2008 on the 
