Dwyatt Gantt
Executive Director

Nothing I have ever done has been more fulfilling than to see a child that needs a home find a home that needs a child. And we see it happen many hundreds of times each year. God has wonderfully blessed us and allowed us to be in the very forefront of international adoption. Annually we assist about 800 families all over the United States and other countries as well to adopt that wonderful child that seems so especially made for them. It is to us a position of trust and responsibility - a sacred trust to us which prescribes the way we must carry on this work. With integrity and service. There is a saying emphasizing the necessity of walking on two feet. Our two feet are giving homes to children who can be adopted and health and hope to those who cannot. We are happy to be partners with you in either of these.

Melody Zhang
Associate Director

Melody was born in China, raised in Beijing and had been involved with China adoptions before the beginning of Children's Hope International / China's Children Division in 1992. Since 1993 she has given vigorous and compassionate leadership to Children's Hope as Associate Director in St. Louis while traveling frequently to China as well as Russia, Thailand, Guatemala and Colombia. Because of her fervent compassion for children that are older or with special medical needs, literally hundreds of such children have been adopted and found loving homes. She is equally well known for the love and attention she gives to "our" adoptive families. Even while working full-time at Children's Hope, Melody completed her MSW at George Warren Brown School of Social Work in Washington University in St. Louis. Melody is fully and passionately involved in every aspect of the work - including foster care and Helping Hands projects in China and everywhere there is an opportunity. She and her husband Kevin are parents of three adopted teenagers and two biological daughters. Melody and Kevin and their children are living in Beijing for a period of time to oversee the growing work of adoption and aid in China.

Jessica Hill
Executive Assistant

In April 2006 Jessica came to Children’s Hope International with two years of experience in Children’s Ministry from First Christian Church in Washington, a BS in Christian Education and an AS in Intercultural and Urban Missions from St. Louis Christian College.

Married in May 2004, she and her husband call St. Louis home. “It has taken me a long time to realize that being a missionary is not just going overseas but a lifestyle. I feel very blessed that I have a job that is making a difference in this world,” she says. Jessica is an assistant to the executive and associate directors and serves as a contact for the Board of Directors.

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