"POLICE!"

“POLICE!” I can’t even say how many times I heard that word.
The Olympics brought huge challenges as we faced a VERY strict government. We had multiple police checks and searches. One of our camp locations was shut down with a four day notice. And about half the time I was at camp we were confined to our camp location.

But camp went on! And so did all the smiles and laughter and memories. Some were great memories and some left me completely stretched, like the day one of the kids pooped on the floor 3 different times. People stepped on it and the smell was everywhere. Actually, the smell would normally hit us first and then I would go frantically looking around for the poop before it spread. I can not tell you how happy I was when diapers for older kids arrived.

One of my best memories had to be taking 5 orphans to the Olympics. The highlight was meeting Olympians that had just won bronze medals. Not only did the kids have the opportunity to hold (and bite into) Olympic medals, but the athletes gave them piggy-back rides outside the stadium. I smile to think of that little orphan girl, who was left as worthless, holding an Olympic medal atop an athlete who represents the greatest strength and glory possible for an athlete. How beautiful!!!

And so with the close of the Olympics came the end of the 2008 Bring Me Hope summer camp. We had nearly 800 people attend, 350 of them orphans. Each of them deeply injured at some point. And that is why we come- to shine God’s love where hurt and rejection exist. I think this letter from one of the orphans captures the goal of our camp:

“The experience I got from this camp makes me feel the love of family. There are so many family groups here, which reminds me what love is. Tracy (translator) told me you got up very early every day and pray for us. You believe God will bless us. At first I don’t believe it…Now I believe God exists. –Sarah”

Thank you all for making this summer possible! See you in 2009!

NBC and WORLD Magazine

WORLD Magazine Coverage of Camp:
http://bringmehope.org/worldarticle.jpg

NBC Coverage of Camp:
http://video.nbcsandiego.com/player/?id=286883

Wait here, I'll come back

I'm HOME! I really, really missed my family! For the first couple days I just couldn't hug my little sisters enough. This was the first year that my whole family didn't go to China. Mary, my 6 year old sister told my mom, "Mom, let's not do that again."

Today is my first day back in the office. Ahhh, it's so hard to get motivated. We had all put soooo much into this summer and it hurts to think about starting over again. But at the same time there are some exciting new possibilities developing. I'll keep you posted.

Before I go, I wanted to share this story with you. Definitely motivation for me to keep going!

From a Camp Volunteer in Nanchang: (Tom Pfingsten)

This is Jonny. He's a little slow, but he remembers one phrase very clearly. And he doesn't talk a whole lot, but he repeated this phrase several times into my translator's ear tonight when we asked him if he could remember anything about his childhood. It was the last thing his parents ever said to him.

"Wait here, and I'll come back for you."

Going to the Olympics

Yesterday was the capstone to the whole summer. We took 5 orphans to the Olympics on Thursday and Friday to finish our Olympic Summer camp in Beijing. NBC covered the children's trip to the Games:

http://video.nbcsandiego.com/player/?id=286883

Superman Daddy

Some exciting news! This week NBC will be filming our Beijing Olympic Summer Camp. The kids will have a chance to see the games first hand as well as meet some famous Olympians. I can’t wait!

Last year several of these kids were just amazed to see running water inside their room. While at camp they asked us, “Are we in America?”, even though their home was just a few hours away. It is so fun to give when they have so little. I’m looking forward to sharing their story with the world. Please pray that people will see the orphans amidst all that is happening in Beijing.

Here’s a Youtube video from our last week of camp in Xin Zheng. Somehow those dresses always make it into the camp video :>)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aETsUpjtFri5oY

Favorite quote from last week:
“You are my Superman daddy.”
-From an orphan to his buddy

Photos & stories posted at: http://misschmelar.blogspot.com/

More Unknowns & News from Nanchang Camp

Hey Everyone, Wow, another busy week in China with unknowns around every corner. The Olympics started and everything is just CRAZY! At the beginning of the week we heard that we might have to cancel the rest of summer camp. And currently we are not allowed to leave the camp premises. But each day has led to another day full of smiles and hugs and permission to continue. One more week to go at our camp in Xin Zheng. I'm also excited to send you an update from our camp in Nanchang. This was our first year running two camps in different parts of China. Great job Nanchang! I can't wait to talk with you all!

Week 1 Nanchang Update:

Our first week in Nanchang was amazing! Swimming, making memory books, dancing, singing, eating together were all highlights for the kids. We even had an impromptu water fight out by the hotel lake (with only one small casualty who briefly fell into the water) and enjoyed a firework show on the last night of camp. Yet simply hanging out and playing during free-time were some of our favorite times together.

From the kids:

“My delightful friend, this week I felt really good. I got not only happiness, but also friendship, unity, and security…The existence of you is just like a beautiful picture in my life.” –Tom #1

“Your name is pretty interesting. We all know that Jordan is a basketball player and he is a well-known basketball star…Before I know you, I just like a wild child who had no idea how to treat people. But now, you change me a lot. I have to get rid of some bad habits such as impolite and mean. I really appreciate you.” – Tom #2

Difficult Week 2

We just finished another week of camp. This week was really hard. I was talking with a friend and they said that people love to hear the truth; so the truth is that the first part of the week stretched us to a breaking point. We had several kids with severe special needs that we were almost unable to handle. With the added stress on volunteers and staff, it just felt like everything was in a downward spiral.

I can’t even explain what happened, but by mid-week the tide begain to change. We got diapers for one of the kids, moved one of the girls into a room with just staff, and overall learned how to care for them. Our volunteers and staff were incredible as they were pushed to new limits. When it came to say goodbye there were many changed hearts.

One of my highlights was a boy that we nicknamed Strong. He had Down Syndrome and just kept us smiling the whole week (he’s shooting a watergun at the camera in the Week 2 Youtube). In a staff meeting we were talking about the verse, “He who is least will be the greatest.” I was thinking about Strong and how he is a beautiful person; so loving and caring and full of joy although I'm sure he has been frequently treated as the least. Some day I hope to serve under him in heaven.

Youtube of the week: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYo3Ou-VFkw

From a volunteer about the child he spent the week with:
"I showed my little buddy the pictures of my four girls and wife. Billy stopped, looked at the picture and then looked at our translator, Andrew, and said "Two Chinese?". Andrew told him how we adopted both of them to give them love. He then said that I was a good person with a big heart to adopt two girls. Billy stopped again and said with a serious but sad face, "Why has nobody adopted me?". There was no way I could hold my tears back so I put my head down to hide them. I heard Andrew tell him that I was praying. I lifted my head and said, "No, I am just sad". Billy could see the tears on my face. He paused and then said, "Don't worry, God has adopted me".

From the kids to us:

"Katie, I’m a boy with few words. I lost my parents when I was young. I never feel the warmth of a family and stay at the orphanage. Though the time we stay together is very short, I have felt the love and warmth. I felt very happy. At last, hope you happy every day." Tom

"I’m sunshine. I am very happy to stay with you and form a family. These days I feel the true love from you. It is like the mother’s love. I will become a good child and go to visit you."

"Dear Uncle, I really appreciate your kindness. It is you that make me feel more love. You also make my life more colorful and meaningful. These several days will be my permanent memory. Thanks a million Uncle. If it was possible, I will return to your kindness and love." Love yours, Zheng Yuanyuan

"I’ve been having a feeling of being happy and having a home! Although we have only a short time together, we learned a lot! For example, we make the “suncatcher” together, we swim together, we play in the waterpark together, we have meals together, etc... All of these have given me a home! You know that we are from the orphanage and we grow up there. So thus, we have no home actually. To be honest, this is the first time I’ve been feeling with family." Yours, Qi