Hi Everyone,
I hope your week went well. We had another full week with so much to tell you. Here's a few hightlights:
253 Lives Changed (and counting): http://bringmehope.org/lives_changed.asp
BMH's new database that has a letter and picture from each orphan as they come to camp.
Here's a few pictures and letters from the children last week:
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I think, if I can use the sea water as the ink. use the big tree as my pen. I still can not write all the love between you and me. It's beyond words... I'll treasure this memory forever:
"Jim, I love you! ... I very love you! ... very very love you"
Although I can't speak English, but I think you can understand these words, these simple words, but, which have deep meanings!
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You're my angel that God give to me. I believe love in the world never fails now. I get warmth and strength from your love. I'll keep this experience in my deep heart forever. Your angel hands give me one hope that be with me forever."
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Your strength convinces me that love never fails and the greatness of love. Love can exist everywhere, love can make us become a family. The first person I want to see is you when I am admitted into a university. Aunt Susan, please allow me call you "Mother" here,
Best wishes for you!!!
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Desperate Love- (From Sam Vidler, director of Xi'an Camp)
When Simpson arrived at Xi'an's BMH camp 2009, he was obviously an intelligent, quiet boy. His disabilities are only in the formation of his hands, but his mind is sharp - very sharp. In fact his translator often commented that he is smarter than she is.
He still has a grandmother, but she is unable to care for him, and he has been in an orphanage for years. In this climate, he experiences bullying and theft, and knowing no other way, would repeat this to more vulnerable children.
Within 2 days of camp, he expressed his desire to leap out of a window on the last camp day, to become injured and not have to return to the orphanage but a hospital instead.
So, it was set to be a challenging week.
He went through the usual emotions that many teenage boys experience in this situation, where they are bathed in love and compassion. There was initial distrust, then a softening and opening up, then as the week was drawing to a close, an anger and defiance, as the prospect of losing this experience grows more real and immediate.
With the wonderful work of Alicia (volunteer) and Jane (translator), he truly got to experience Chr*st's love, and we know, from this, he will be touched forever.
And he did not try the window. Although sad to leave, a new light shone in a previously dark existence.
But, what about after camp?
Boys like this can either be destined for a life of anger and desperation, and maybe even crime, or a life in which valid role models exist, and his painful past can be recycled for good, and (prayerfully) for G*d.
It is boys like this that can be transformed - be given a real chance, that will effect the next 40-50 years of their life.
It takes commitment, patience and perseverance. But it is achievable.
He needs a program of consistent mentoring. This is another step in the BMH philosophy - The Ranch commencing in 2009. Let us know if you would like to be involved, receive updates, or help support the project!
The Ranch Video (intro):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f78k13USvYg&feature=channel_page
Hi Everyone! Wow, so much to say! We had an incredible first week with the orphans. I'm attaching photos and stories in hopes of bringing you to camp as you read this email.
Biggest Slumber party ever!
Bedtime stories, snacks, and late night talking. Hmmm... I wonder what topic the girls talked about? But I do know that the boys got in some good wrestling! Lots of fun!
Reunited for a week!----
Last year we had about 350 orphans come to camp. So much pain, sorrow and tragedy in little hearts. One of those kids was a young boy named Billy. We wrote about him in our 09 magazine. (Read the full story here) During camp last year Billy asked his American buddy why no one had adopted him. It broke the volunteer to answer him, Billy followed up the question by telling his volunteer that Jesus had adopted him and not to worry. When He got back to the orphanage Billy ran away in hopes of finding us. After he spent a night and a day walking the streets and country-side of China, he arrived at camp. But camp was finished. And the desire he had to be reunited with his friends was met with disappointment. Eventually a student found him and called the orphanage to come pick him up.
After waiting 1 year, Billy came to camp again this week!!! Here is an update from Sam Vidler, director of the camp that Billy attended:
"Billy's week was a rollercoaster - as many ups and downs, twists and turns, and always going at full speed. He arrived knowing what camp was about, and jumped straight into it. However, there are many aspects of Billy's life that are tumultuous, and we had the challenge and the privilege to work through some of these. He left camp knowing that he is truly loved, and the darkness he has experienced in parts of his young life, can have a new light shed upon them."
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I Hate my Parents!
I think everyone can understand when an orphan says, "I hate my parents!" One girl told her translator about why she has no feet. When her mom abandoned her, she left her in the snow. By the time someone found her, she had frostbite so badly that the doctor had to amputate both her feet. Because of her mom she has to spend the rest of her life in a wheel chair.
So it breaks my heart to hear them say, "I hate my parents." But how can you tell them that hate and bitterness will poison their life? That they need to forgive and try to move on? I hope in some small way that we encouraged them this week. Also, I felt like this was a challenge for all of us that do have parents. If you bitter at your parents: FORGIVE & APPRECIATE THEM! Most likely they didn't leave you out in the snow. And there are many orphans that would rather have the parents you have than the employees that take care of them.
Fan Fan ---
This was Fan Fan's second time coming to camp. Because of difficulties, she had to go back to the orphanage in 2008. This year, the staff in Xian perservered through some incredible challanges. And this year she stayed for the who week at camp. Here's an update from Sam Vidler.
Fan Fan - this is a girl who has developmental delay and difficulties with relationships, and the concentrated schedule of camp brought some of these out. But through G's amazing power, and pr*yer, her week turned around, so that by the end, although her participation in large group activities had to be reduced, she had the time of her life. She literally transformed overnight (Tuesday night to be precise) from a girl who was wailing, sullen, trying to bite others, to hugging the staff and smiling all day. Incredible to see!
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Photos from Kunming Camp:
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From my blog:
David gets athletes foot? ------
This week my feet started itching really bad. The first thought that came to my mind was Athletes foot! And oh no, I can't tell anyone. I'll be labeled. My friends and family will constantly be making sure that I don't spread the disease. They won't want to wear my sandals. They'll make me clean the shower with bleach... etc. Then I started thinking about the orphans. They are labeled. And for them it means a lot more than athletes foot. Their label can determine their future: Where they work. Where they live. What schooling they get. What love they experience. All because of a stupid label. 
Mustache???? -----
No Sharpies----
Cupping! -----
I walked into our office the other day and it smelled like smoke. A bunch of the staff were sitting around with the following items.
- A Lighter
- Glass cups
- Paper
As soon as they saw me they started shouting at me to sit down and experience Chinese medicine. At first I was confused. Then they explained... Light a piece of paper, stick it in the cup, and then quickly jam the cup with the fire in it against a part of your body. The fire burns up the oxygen and sucks your skin and muscle into the cup.
I looked over and saw one of the Chinese staff members with a huge burn on his back. They told me that they had learned from their mistakes. It wouldn't happen again. I was looking for a reason to leave the office but one of the girls was sitting there with half her leg sucked into the cup and smiling. Of course I couldn't leave.
They lit the fire and shoved it into the cup. Just as they stuck the cup on my leg my little brother told me not to flinch or it would let more oxygen in and burn more. Well, I didn't flinch. But... the rim of the cup was burning hot. My skin cinched and I started yelling at the staff member. Which just mixed with everyone's laughing. Afterward I felt really lucky compared to my friend. Only slight burns and blisters on my leg and arm. Here's my friend's burn-
Group photos ---
More Photos: ---
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonboltphotography/
facebook.com/bringmehope
Closing:
As I shared in the last update, Bring Me Hope came REALLY close to closing this summer. So many crazy phone calls, emails, and news reports along the way. But here we are in China, and more kids arrive tomorrow. It seems that every year the same thing is true, "Camp is disaster after disaster that ends in something beautiful!" This last week we covered the kids in love. Hugs, kisses, I love you's, and for the boys, wrestling :>) When they got on the bus to go home, they KNEW without a doubt that they were loved.
They had a need to be loved and they soaked it up. It made me think about how God is sooooo willing to love us too, but often we don't think we need His love. I pray that this week you need His love and know it!
Good Times,
-David
Hi Everyone! Just wanted to share a few highlights (or unexpected moments) from China.
First of all, I am just AMAZED how God has opened the doors for orphans to come to summer camp. About 1 month ago we got word that all orphanages were not allowing kids to leave the orphanage in fear that they might get Swine flu from a foreigner.
The developing news looked so dismal that I was getting ready to fly to another country to see if we could set up camp somewhere else. But as I thought about leaving China, it was almost too hard to bear the thought. And so we prayed and asked others to pray and God did a miracle. I don't even know what happened. But in the last couple weeks some of the orphanages started to be willing to send their kids to camp. Currently all camps are full!!!
But we are not out of the woods yet. Yesterday an orphanage canceled on coming to camp. A few weeks ago a friend told me about another organization that canceled their work with kids. And here at my camp locations we have to take our temperature everyday. So please keep praying!
Second... Kind of an EMBARRASSING story. but those always make the best. Last weekend all of the camp staff flew in to my camp location to connect before camp begins. We heard about a local park that had go-carts, bumper cars, and zip lines. Well, as you can imagine, things aren't as safe in China. But this park seemed rather harmless. First was bumper cars. A little faster than usual and maybe a few sore necks but all went fine. Next we went over the zip line. This seemed a little more sketchy but the zip line went out over a lake and also had a safety net under the wire.
I waited my turn as most of the team went across the lake. I decided that when it was my turn I would make an effort to push off faster than normal. The Chinese man hooked my harness to the zip line and I pushed off. As I started across the lake I had another idea. bounce... so I started bouncing.
Everything was going well until I looked up to get ready for my landing. I saw the Chinese man waving at me quite urgently to pick up my legs. It was then that I realized that if I didn't pick up my legs, they wouldn't clear the dock. So I lifted them high into the air... But ... the bouncing and my weight timed just wrong and instead of clearing the landing I landed on the landing in sitting posture.
Well apparently, I didn't hear the back side of my shorts rip off. Maybe I was just too stunned because everyone was watching and I didn't want to look like I was hurt. So I just calmly waited for the guy to unhook me from the harness. As I was walking down the stairs I realized that all the girls were gone.. And the guys were laughing. and that is always a sure sign that something is wrong. I went to feel my injury and realized that there was nothing back there. Just air. And on top of that, there were people everywhere!!! And I couldn't really go anywhere. Eventually I figured out how to use my shirt for covering and decided that I'd be a little more careful on the zip line next time.
So, that started our summer off with the first of many more stories to come in the next month. that's what I love about China, you never know what might happen next.
Good Times,
-David
Here's a note from a buddy I had last year. Looking forward to seeing the kids in less than a week:
Wanghai's Goodbye letter:
David (Big beard :>)
You played with me, laughed with me. I think it’s the happiest time I have ever had this year. It is in the BMH camp where I played with you happily! :>) I hope you could send your photos to my email. Best Wishes! Keep fit!