Summer Camp Update 2 of 6

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