Thursday, October 2, 2008
Raising support for the next year
With the start of a new year I’m sending out my support letter to let you know about what I’ll be doing and see if you would be interested in joining my support and prayer team. Also I’m going to be organizing a garage sale to help raise support. Thanks so much and please email or call if you have any questions.
Camp Craziness
Week 2 and 3 in Xin Zheng almost did us in! But ALL the staff did amazing in handling our biggest weeks on record. Great Job!!!
"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!
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!
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
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
http://bringmehope.org/worldarticle.jpg
NBC Coverage of Camp:
http://video.nbcsandiego.com/player/?id=286883
Monday, September 8, 2008
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!
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.
Friday, August 22, 2008
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
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
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/
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