Summer Camp 2008

More Unknowns - Nanchang Update - Aug 11, 2008

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:

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

Week 2:

Week two of camp was a week of many reunions. It was so fun for the volunteers and staff to see familiar faces from past years of camp get off the buses on Monday morning. Just imagine the feeling of seeing someone you love only once a year! The week was full of laughter, joy, and new memories with old friends.

From the kids:

“This week is my most unforgettable time of my life, ever! And happiest! Every time you gave me kisses I always remembered them because kisses from you have opened my heart. Maybe only myself can see those kisses.” –Kelly

“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 us. 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

“I do enjoy this camp because it has brought so much happiness to me…There are so many joyful things that I want to mention them to you. I can not control myself smiling when I am thinking about these things.” –Dream

“Thank you for bringing me happiness. It makes me warm and feel loved. I think actually I’m a happy girl. I will remember you and love you forever. At the same time, I’ll put you in my mind, it will be a nice memory in my life.” –Haylee

From the translators:

“From this camp I learned the importance and value of every life.” –Shiny

“My problems are nothing to what these kids go through.” –Angela

Week 3:

Our numbers just about doubled when the third week of camp in Nanchang hit. We were blessed with volunteers from Canada, Australia, and the States. It was amazing to see how so many people from so many cultures came together for a single purpose. The atmosphere felt like our intimate camp family only grew to a huge family! Many new friendships were made, and because of that, saying goodbye at the end of the week was difficult. We know that everyone will hold this week in their hearts, and hopefully reunions will happen next year at camp when we meet again.

From the kids:

“You make me feel you are my mother, and I want to call you “Mum.” I’m sure it’s very happy to be your child…This week is the happiest time of my life.” –Sam

“Thank you for spending five days with me. I have not been so happy for a long time.” –Kip

“When I go home, I will miss you everyday. By the way, how old are you and why are your eyes blue? And your hair on your arms is really funny. They are long very much… ” –Nicole

“I felt very honored when the first time I saw you since you are tan and handsome , just like Harry Potter…when I was told you look like Harry Potter, I felt very happy because you are my friend. I think we are really harmonious when we were together. I believe we are really a happy family.” - Kenny

“…Though these things are small incidents, I can perceive your endless love. Thank you again for being with me this beautiful week.” –Li Yang

“I will study harder in middle school. I am proud of you and you will be proud of me ten years later. You helped me when I was young and I will return to you ten years later.” –Shelly

“This is the best camp that has ever been invented. Thank you for changing my life. I realize what a wonderful experience that summer camp was. Not only did I have fun, but also I learned much more about life and that changed my life in the best way.” –Sarah

“You are my angel, a beautiful and active and kind-hearted angel. I love you.” –Liu FangFang

From the volunteers:

“Many things about our time together make me smile…Holding your hands as we walked to places made me feel so good inside. When we danced, my heart danced…” -Brian

“I don’t care that he hugs me all the time…I just found out he lost his parents this year.” –Chris on his 15 year old buddy.

“At first I didn’t want to come to China because I was so stressed out about work, but this week has turned out to be the best therapy for me.”

From the translators:

“I learned to love anyone you have a chance to love whenever you can…” –Rich

“It’s good to love, however there is not always love in the world so we should show our love to everyone.” –Allen

“I learned that great kids can come from a background that isn’t so great.” -Michelle

Week 3 Youtube from Xin Zheng:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PObcd87jqdo

From a 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."

Photos from Nanchang:

Week 1-
 

 

Difficult Week 2 in China - 8-4-2008

Hi Everyone,

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

Photos from Week 2:

 

Weekend Update - 7-27-08

Here's the weekend update from China. Thank you all for your part in making these smiles possible for the orphans of China!

From the kids:
"This wonderful week made me feel our relationship is just fish and water, we cannot depart..."
"I can say I am the happiest girl in the world."

Youtube videos of the week:
From Zheng Zhou Camp: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It2qTAG6q9c

From our Staff: (Nicole Chmelar)
This afternoon when we told each other our life stories, we learned so much about each of our girls' lives... things that hurt to know. Things like the fact that most of the girls from my team were orphaned because their parents killed each other. When they started telling, it was like a water fountain broke loose... they were almost sobbing so hard they couldn't talk. How can you comfort an eleven girl who lost her parents only four years before? We listened and I told them that I was so sorry, but that we love them so much. We held hands. We cried. I wanted to pr so bad... I am so thankful that our Father can see their little broken hearts and He cares for them so much more than we ever could.

Photos of the week:

Flying in Circles

Family for a week

 

Beijing Pre-Camp Update: Plan B - 7-21-08

Hello from Xin Zheng, China! About 1 week ago we had some news that none of us saw coming. We found out that our Beijing camp would need to move because the government was shutting down the hotel we were staying in. I still don’t understand exactly what happened. But everything is CRAZY in Beijing with the Olympics coming. Anyway, we had four days to be out of the hotel. So we prayed! The months of preparation for the Beijing camp were gone in just a few seconds. And we still had over 400 people coming. We began putting the word out and ended up really connecting with an orphanage that has about 600 orphans. We found a college university (www.sias.edu.cn) that was willing to host our camp and within 2 days we were off to explore. We got the approval from the school and had the rest of the team leave Beijing and take the train to our new camp. One of my favorite memories was unloading the truck with ALL our random camp items. One of the translaters said, “You brought everything but the kitchen sink… But I saw that you brought one of those too.” Kids and volunteers and craziness arrive at the train station tonight. I’ll let you know how the week goes!

 

Leaving for China - 6-23-08

One of the things we did last summer at camp is have the kids dress up for a camp glamour picture. We have a large picture of Snow White that some of the kids stand in front of when they take their picture. One of the translators asked an orphan if they knew who Snow White was. The orphan replied, ‘Yes, she's my mom. And she is coming back for me.’

For some, Snow White on TV is the closest they ever get to having a mom. They see what others have in this life and the only way they can get a family is by creating an imaginary world where people love them. But Snow White will never come because imaginary people cannot love. They cannot give them a hug, or go down a waterslide, make a craft, or throw a ball with them.

But those things happen at camp. And that's the best part, getting to see children light up as they enjoy a week full of love and laughter. I look forward to updating you from China. A huge thank you to all of you who are making this summer possible!!!

-David Bolt, Executive Director