A picture can indeed speak a thousand words. But for Halftimer Kenneth Yeung, it was the words on a poster featuring the photo of a young Chinese girl that spoke to his very soul:

"Priority—A hundred years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove. But the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child."

Yeung, a native of the Shantou, Guangdong Province of China, understands more than most the meaning behind that message. Political oppression in China forced his mother to send him to live with relatives in Hong Kong when he was 11. There he struggled with language and cultural differences, as well as heart-wrenching homesickness. But sensing the hole in his heart and the voids in his life skills, caring neighbors reached out to boost him over the language hurdle and to bridge the gap of his parentless world.

"I learned early on in life that it is so important for someone to give you a helping hand if you don't have help from a family member," says Yeung.

Several years later, an equally caring teacher led Yeung to Christ. As he matured in his faith, one thing was certain: Yeung wanted to help others as his way of giving back. He prayerfully contemplated a career in ministry or social work.

"But God had higher plans for my life," says the 57-year old Halftimer. "He led me to San Francisco, not into social work, but into business -- and He expanded my influence far beyond what I could have ever imagined."

That business is a highly successful tea company Yeung named Prince of Peace Enterprises (POP). From day one, Yeung had an unwritten contract with God.

God's Business

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"When I started the business, I told my Lord that I wanted to serve Him. 'This is your business. I am just your steward to manage it for You.' That unwritten contract guides how I treat my employees--and how I use the funds the business generates."

The funds Prince of Peace Enterprises generates are substantial; annual revenues average 30 million. But Yeung says those profits are earmarked for eternal investment, not material gain. He first honored that focus by using POP profits to help hundreds of American families adopt Chinese children when no agency in America knew how to go about it. In 1993 Yeung and his wife also adopted a Chinese baby girl, Melissa Joy, who every day of her life puts her fingerprints on the message of the poster that had so captivated her father's heart.

"After all, raising children that know how to honor the Lord is indeed a worthwhile endeavor," he says, his voice full of a father's joy.

In China, where baby girls are often abandoned, the opportunity to make a difference in the life of a child is great. So great that in 1995 Yeung began an endeavor that took six years to bring to fruition.

Considered an embarrassment to their families, the mentally and physically handicapped of China are often thrown into garbage bins. Burdened to make a home for these unwanted children, Yeung negotiated patiently with the Chinese government, and in November of 2003 the Prince of Peace Children's Home (POPCH), located in the Wuqing District of Tianjin, opened its doors. Funded by the Prince of Peace Foundation and World Vision International as a joint venture with the Civil Affairs Bureau of Wuqing, the facility can accommodate 100 mentally and physically handicapped children under six and provides rehabilitation services to other disabled children in the province.

Groundbreaking Work

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The home sets a miraculous precedent in China: For the first time in history, the government has allowed a foreign organization to build, staff, and manage an orphanage. Today highly trained staff and caring volunteers lovingly embrace 30 children once viewed as society's trash--and they teach others to do the same.

"I told the Chinese officials that we would not only build and manage the orphanage, but we would also set up a training center to help caretakers from other orphanages in China," Yeung explains. "What the Chinese government really needs is to see a model that an overseas Christian organization can come in and build this type of thing with love and care. I told the officials that God has loved us, and we want to share our love with the children in China. They accepted that. They even allowed us to engrave a Bible verse on the cornerstone of the building."

The life path of Kenneth Yeung, forced from his own home at a young age, has not been easy. But as God has proved time and time again, Yeung's tender heart has always had a home. It's the warmth of God's love that keeps this Halftimer safe and secure no matter where his journeys take him. Sharing that love and security with as many children as possible is Yeung's passion. It is why the primary purpose of this Halftimer's wallet is not to hold cash but to hold the photos of beautiful Chinese children.

"If I can help change the fate of a needy child, I'd rather do that than have all the world's luxury."