Home and Final Thoughts

We made it home safe and sound.  Our flight from Beijing to Chicago was rather bumpy, but nothing that made me worry.  We were able to get some sleep.  We made it into Chicago at 7:30 in the morning.  We actually made it there 15 minutes before we left Beijing.  Try and wrap your head around that one.  So, we felt like we were living the day all over again that we had already lived.  Our flight out of Chicago to Atlanta was delayed due to a storm, so we waited an extra hour and a half to leave.  During that time, the jet lag began to settle in.  We were so exhausted, and trying to come up with interesting things to do to keep ourselves awake.  We were relieved when we finally got to board the plane.  It was wonderful on the Atlanta side to see my precious LeeLee's tears replaced with a huge smile and hugs.  Being reunited with the kids was wonderful.  Before we were even out of the airport parking lot, Hunter came out with this statement.....So, now Noelle has been to China, both the little girls have been to China, Dad has been to China, the only person that hasn't been to China is THIS GUY!.....So, I guess I will have to take my little man to China one day (I can't wait!!)

I wanted to take some time and update you all on all the things I couldn't say on my blog while in China....Our camp came under intense scrutiny by the local police.  There presence was felt all week, and it was like Satan was bearing down on our backs.  We had to be extra cautious about the things we said, and the things we did.  There are plenty of Chinese volunteers that help run these camps, and we were especially fearful for them.  We didn't want any alerts set up for them that would make their lives harder in China because they are Chinese Christians.  I kept reminding myself of the scene in the Bible where Jesus is on the mountain and Satan comes by and tell him to jump just so Jesus can show him his power.  Jesus looks at Satan and says, "Get behind me Satan!"  I just kept saying that out loud as our week progressed.  All in all, I felt that Satan did step down, because our mission was completed.  Seeds were planted, some lives will be changed.

There were some neat things that happened where we got to see God's mighty hand at work.  We had three translators come to camp who were already strong Christians.  These translators had a great impact on the other translators, maybe even more so, then the volunteers did.  There faith was amazing, encouraging, and humbling for me to watch.  They live in a place where the persecution in so alive and hard, yet their enduring faith shines in what they do.

All of the translators are only children due to China's one child policy, so none of them have ever really been around children.  Furthermore, they have never really been exposed to people with special needs since traditionally, the Chinese society looks at children with special needs as unlucky, so they become the outcasts, shunned by society as a whole.  I watched the translators squirm as the bus unloaded, and children in wheel chairs, kids with major cerebral palsy, and kids with downs syndrome came off of those buses.  As the week went on, it was neat to see the layers of fear peel off and be replaced with such love and affection for these kids.  They all of sudden realized that within each of these distorted bodies there was a child who more than anything just wanted to feel loved, feel excepted, and wanted to be a part of things just as any child would.  At the end of the week, I was walking back to the rooms with some of the translators, and they were talking about how the kids had moved their hearts, and I said,   "maybe you all should think about adoption one day" and to my surprise, one of them looked back at me and said, "I was just thinking the same thing.  I would love to adopt a child just like one of these one day."  I thought that was a beautiful statement coming from a 19 year old male who had just encountered special needs children for the first time.  How beautiful would that be if Chinese families started stepping out on faith to adopt these precious children with special needs.

We had an amazing camper this week named Albert.  Albert was 17 years old and was in a wheel chair. We had a talent show, and Albert got the microphone and said, "Let now give all our praise and attention to our heavenly father!"  He then began to sing worship song in Chinese.  I couldn't hold back the tears while he sang.  It was the most beautiful song I have ever heard. God used this precious orphan boy to deliver his message even we had to refrain from doing anything like that.  He had a captive audience of orphans and translators, so yet again, more seeds were planted.

There are so many other great things I could tell you about, but just know that God was at work...he was moving even though Satan was trying to stop him.  I covet each one of your prayers.  I would ask that you continue to pray for the camp.  God will reign victorious in the end.