2 children runaway from orphanage

I don't know if you all heard about 2 of the children that ran away from the orphanage after camp.They WALKED a day and a night to get to the camp.I don’t know if they realized that camp was done and life had moved on for all of us. Please pray that camp would ignite in people’s heart the passion to use their gifts and resources to help provide homes for children like Billy!

Letter from Sarah: (Shortened and edited)
Billy with another kid ran away from orphanage to find me at the university where we held camp.The children walked about one day and one night from their orphanage to the university.Luckily, everything is well except Billy hurt accidentally.Please don't worry, it's ok.

They arrived at my school on midday September 3.They wandered in our campus for they haven't any money to give me a ring or eat and they didn't know where I was in the campus.On the way to my school, they picked out some bottlessell and get 1 yuan to ring me, unfortunately, I didn't picked up it because I was having class at that time.

Anyhow, they found me at about 8pm that night.Another translator at camp met them by chance when they wandered near our school.And another girl told me she saw him falling asleep ontree of our campus at the noon.

Billy told me he went to the bookshop 30 times and waited me wherebought books for him at camp.Wethe orphanage and the orphanage assigned workers to come our school to take them back at last.Theyback orphanage11pm.I was moved very much, it's a little unimaginable to me.

He is looking forward me to looking in him. I am keep touch with him by phone.I am very happy for contactinghim and I am so happy for I can help and encourage him.

Thanks. Miss you! Best wishes! Love,
Sarah
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From David: On a sad note, I heard from a friend in China that the orphanage punished Billy by not allowing him to attend school for a year.

My Time in Jail

I haven’t really shared this story with many people, so you probably don’t know about the time I spent in jail this summer. It was towards the end of camp in China, and a small group of us were out at night. We were supposed to just go over to the swimming pool to pick up the life jackets that needed to be stored until next year. On the way there, we stopped and started talking about the bamboo scaffolding that had been setup to remodel some of the buildings. I asked my Chinese friend if we could climb the scaffolding (expecting to hear him say no). Well, he didn’t say no, instead he walking over to the scaffolding and climbed up a few feet and said, “Sure, we can climb it!”

I have to explain something about China. During the last 5 years, I have learned that a lot of things that we would consider illegal in US are really ok in China. Like the time we were going to jump off a tower into a lake. My good friend Adam was in the process of climbing around the chain link fence to get into the tower when we heard a village local start yelling and running towards us. Of course in the US those are clear signs that you are doing something wrong. Well, when villager got close enough we heard him yell some things to our translator. She relayed the message up to us, “He says that there is a nail you can take out and open the door. You don’t need to climb around the fence.”

So now you can see why I would think about climbing the bamboo scaffolding. My Chinese friend had just gone up a few feet and then came back down. I decided to go further. I was up about 20 feet when I heard the bamboo crack. I kind of panicked a little and looked down to see a long drop. It definitely would hurt. Fortunately there was a window up at that level that led to a breezeway in the building. I climbed in and made my way for the stairs. Well, little did I know that now I looked like a robber, especially because it was so late. Things got worse when I got to the bottom of the stairway. The gate across the opening was locked.

I look at my friends who were on the opposite side of the gate and told them I’d get someone’s help to unlock the door. (That was a very bad idea) The lady I found in the building panicked and wondered what I was doing in her building. I led her to the gate where my friends were so she could hear my story. That didn’t help at all. My Chinese friend couldn’t get the story out without laughing for almost the whole time he was talking. And you don’t have to understand Chinese to see that SHE WAS NOT HAPPY.

Finally, the lady left for her room to get a key. Little did I know that she was calling the cops. After several minutes passed, I looked at my friend and asked him what was going on. He said, “I think she is calling the police”

So that’s when I decided that I would not await public embarrassment. I decided to make my way back for the scaffolding. That didn’t work too well because when I walked passed my jail keeper she started shouting at me and then grabbed my arm so I couldn’t leave. So there I am, far away from home, exhausted from just finishing camp, in the middle of the night, with a Chinese lady hanging on my arm and yelling at me. And that’s when it hits you, “Wow, this is different.” So I walked back down to my locked gate and sat there looking at my friends who “kept me encouraged”. After a few moments, the campus police came and heard the lady’s story, looked over at me, said a few words, and then walked away. The jail lady grudgingly pulled out her keys and opened the gate. And that was the last time I’ll ever climb bamboo past 15 feet.

The Day I got back from lunch and the accountant and office manager locked me out

Oh, and they were hiding under the office desks. :>)

Nagaland

I have been asked MANY times- “What is the point of loving the kids when they will just be left again?” If you have come to camp, I’m sure you have asked yourself that too. I want to challenge you to keep thinking about that question- even as camp grows distant and life starts again. Was camp the end for you?

I just finished talking with Elilo. She is a young woman from Nagaland, India. Her ancestors were headhunters. Her parents both grew up as orphans. And now she wants to start an orphanage in her village. She has already bought the property and started construction.

I asked about travel to the orphanage and she said that on her last 9 hour bus ride to Nagaland they were robbed by bandits. She was scared for her life because sometimes people die. But they always face that danger when going through Hindu areas. Her life radiates Christ and truly reminds me of the quote from William Carrey, “Expect great things from God, Attempt great things for God.” (Her website is: www.nagalandorphanage.org )

Each of us has our Nagaland- Starting an orphanage, teaching overseas, becoming a foster family, adopting, mentoring a younger believer, or ... It looks different for every person AND it might not look too exciting. So think about it, what is your Nagaland? And are you willing to make sacrifices?

I am currently reading the story of Jonathan Goforth, a missionary to China. Before getting married he asked his wife if she would be willing to use the money he had saved for a wedding ring to send to a mission that God had put in front of him. Of all the most personal and special belongings someone could give up, it would have to be a wedding ring. And yet they both put God above ALL else in following His call for them.

Definitely a challenge to fix our eyes on Jesus and make Him the focus of our life!

Good times, -David

P.S. I was recently challenged by chapter 9 in Desiring God. Grab a cup of coffee and print out the chapter below for your next quiet time. It will be worth your time! http://www.desiringgod.org/dg/id172.htm

I Found My Twin

My grandaddy mailed me an article from Tennessee about another David Bolt.


http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/sep/28/efficient-frontier/

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!!!