Pictures from Chifeng

This young man, Li Peng Fi, was a very talented artist! He turned 18 and so aged out this year, but they are sending him to college.  He is EXTREMELY talented and very smart!  

This is from one of the days we brought in balloons and had balloon wars and suckers!

One day we took the children to the grasslands and some of the children took a horseback ride.

The last day at the orphanage we had a "beach party" where we blew up beach balls, gave the children sunglasses and stickers and played games in the courtyard.  The kids loved looking "cool" and putting up the peace sign for all the photos.  :-)

Here are some of the kids on the last day at the orphanage.  Some days there were more or less kids depending on what is going on at the orphanage that day.  They also tend to keep the children that are sick separate so they can get better.

For some reason the boys kept putting the disc frisbees on their head.  This boy we called "David" and he had a few disabilities that limited his ability to walk.  He had a handmade walker which he used to get around.  He was one of the brightest and sweetest kids there.  His smile, as you can see, is completely endearing and contagious.  He is extremely smart and knows quite a bit of English.

Christine (who led our trip last year) knew David very well, as this was her third trip.  He was ecstatic to see her.

The "peace" sign is the favorite photo pose. :-) They called this guy "Ernie".

As a special treat, the director of the orphanage and several of the staff members took us out to eat for a traditional Chifeng feast.  There was live music and dancing and several traditional ceremonies.

This was our translator and guide Cissy.  Her chinese name is Lu and I called her Lulu.  We became good friends on this trip and I am excited to see her again this year!

This is one of the classrooms at the orphanage.

Some of the artwork and coloring of the kids.

I can't read Chinese, but I was told that the kids color the picture and write a story to go along with the picture on the right.

This little girl we also called "Jordan" I believe.  She was amazing with the sweetest heart.  She would sit on our laps so content and cuddly!  She LOVED the stickers and my necklace!

This one we called "Jill".  When we first got there, she was a little guarded and shy.  Her smiles were few and it seems like she was trying to figure out what to think of our group.  My goal on the first day was to see her smile, and when we played duck duck goose on one of the days, her smile was through the roof!!!  She always wanted to hold our hands and take us places.  

This was the first day.  We had tons of stickers everywhere!!!!

We introduced them to the game "Duck Duck Goose" and they loved it!  They also taught us a few games as well!

There is Jill and her big smile!!!

One day we brought chalk and jumpropes and had a blast writing on the sidewalk

The older kids are very loving and helpful towards the younger kids.  This girl we actually called "Mini Mom" because she always had at least one 2 yr old on her hip with her at all times.  :-)

This girl totally caught my heart.  She was so spunky.  She had suffered a club foot as a baby and a botched corrective surgery had actually rendered her right leg completely useless.  She didn't let it stop her for a minute!  She could outrun some of the boys with her crutch and was running back and forth on this day chasing the dodgeballs.  I loved her "can-do" attitude.  Talking with one of the orphanage workers, she was explaining how the disabled children are not coddled but instead encouraged to work out solutions to their disabilities.  If she was teased when she was younger, she had certainly earned all of the respect of the other children now and definitely did not let anything stop her.

This one we called Jack.  His joy of life was contagious.  

This one was the cuddliest, sweetest girl.  She was always so excited to show the projects we would work on and  make us proud.

One day we took some of the kids on a field trip to the grasslands.  There we had a "cookout".  This young spitfire, Sun Ying is eating hot-sauce flavored vegetables from a bag.  

I called the boy on the left "Doc" because he just seems so dignified.  The one on the right we called "Funny Boy" or "Bug Boy" because of his fascination with insects and science.  Doc had a real dry and witty sense of humor and Funny Boy was sarcastic and silly.  So you can imagine they made quite the comedic duo.  :-)

On one of the days we made dumplings with the kids! 

This was kind of an impromptu special treat, where an affluent business man and his friends wished to take us out to eat at a very nice restaurant in Chifeng.  They ended up taking us out a few times and it was very exciting as we were able to experience different aspects of the Chifeng culture each time.  He also brought his friends from the news team to the orphanage to film the children and bring more awareness to them in China.

This is Fan Ya Li.  I really bonded with her as she helped me with my Chinese and I helped her with her English.  She was 17, so this will be her last year at the orphanage.  They will be sending her to college, as she is a smart little cookie!  Her English is very good and I hope she is here this year so I can speak with her some more and exchange stories and language!

One of the girls, Bekah and I wearing traditional Inner Mongolian headwear.

These next couple pictures are of a boy I called "Little Mister" or "Zion".  If I was 30 and weighed a little less, I would adopt this one in a heartbeat.  We had a very special bond during the trip and he definitely captured my heart with his sweetness and his joy.  Giving love to these children is 100% free and it changes them and it changes us.  You see the transformation during our time there.  As short of a visit as it is, it has a lasting effect.  Several of the older children shared of the impact these visits had to them once a year over the course of several years. 

Dumplings I made...and then devoured.  :-)  Yum!

Sun Ying enjoying her BBQ chicken on our picnic tarp!

Months Later and I Still Think About China...

It's interesting how a place and a face can so invade your space.

Rhyming is fun, once in a while.

Contending for a promise is hard when it seems impossible.  But I've also discovered that when you can hold that promise with completely open hands, you can find freedom.  I believe what the Lord has said to me.  I believe him.  I believe the dreams, the visions, the words, the prophecies, the scripture, the lessons, the books, the passages, the coincidences and all the other confirmations God sent my way to let me know that , "Yes, Melissa.  I have spoken this." but also that, it wasn't constant confirmation to guarantee the promise, but to let me know that this would be hard.  Near impossible.  An absolute miracle.

BUT HERE IS THE FREEDOM.

Holding a promise with both hands is knowing, but giving, and letting, and being.  I know what the Lord has said, and so I give it to him freely, with abandon.  TRUSTING him.  Trusting that I have to give back what was shown to me, because it was never and will never be mine.  It will always be his.  God let us have free will.  He lets us choose.  And that releases all control out of my hands.  It is God and it is choice.  And my part?  I stand.

Until God moves my heart along and changes the subject, I stand.  I do not move.  I believe.

But I believe with a quietness, and a peace.  A peace that requires nothing of me except faith.

I don't fast unless he asks. I don't pound my chest in war, unless he asks.  I have done those things, but now I wait.  I have surrendered.  It has all died.  Multiple times...over and over....cruel death after death....and now there is just life.

Me and Him.  He and I.  King and Princess.  The way it was meant to be.  There is only good for me.  There is only blessing and abundance.  So I rest...my hands holding a promise.  Wide open.

Knowing that no matter what--- no matter what man may choose--- I have made my choice.

My king, my love, my best friend, my safe.

And I know that all is well.  And no matter what outcome, I win.  I win.  And Love wins.

Love wins.

He Always Comes Through

God's hand is mighty to save.  He loves it.  He just loves saving the day and showing you that HE is your God.  He is the miracle worker, the storm trooper, the fire-lighter, your PROVIDER, the beginning and the end, the love song.

This morning I had $1400 left to raise for China and by 4:00pm it was all taken care of. 5 days to spare.  Why is he so sweet to me?  I don't know, but I like it.  :-)

Earlier this week, my previous roommate (the lovely Rachel Wesseling) and I had to move completely out of our house on Downey Ave.  So I am sitting in my new livingroom surrounded by boxes that I am sorting through one by one.  I am throwing things away...I'm putting things in new places...I'm strolling down memory lane.  I'm finding things I didn't even know I had! Including stuff Brian and Zach both forgot at my house when we were dating. (one guy at a time, of course...and YES I've notified them both that I have their stuff!) Life is funny.

I'm finding accounts of other times where my eyes opened and I could see that God's hand had never left me.  Still holding, still guiding, still MIGHTY to save. When I went to Washington for a class trip in High School, I had $700 left to raise and the weekend before the due date, someone just handed my mother $700 and told her that her and her husband felt like they wanted me to have it.  When I went to Indonesia, the money came rolling in last minute as well. Does God just like to rescue you right before the last finger slips from the cliff?  I don't know....but he always comes through.

Last year I found out that during a very traumatic moment in my childhood, Jesus had actually covered my entire being to shield me and protect my heart. I had always blamed him for what had happened to me in this memory, harbored anger and had felt betrayed for years.  But even in the midst of pain and heartbreak, when we are not always aware of what he is doing- He always comes through.

In Chicago, when I had lost my job and was POOR, in debt, and using my credit card to buy groceries, he brought me to a church family and friends who helped me float until I could reach the shore.  When my heart has been broken over the years in relationships, God has always sang over me in my darkest hours, pouring his healing balm over the cracks of my heart. He's been intentional about showing me my wholeness, of restoring, and REDEEMING.

He has always come through, and he always will.  His hand is MIGHTY to save.  Always.

Thank you, my love!  I can't wait to love your littlest children in China.  I pray that you will perform miracles of healing and miracles of the heart.  That parents and guardians will rise up around the world and reach out to these dear children.  I pray that you will use our team to bring relief to the workers at the orphanage, and to spread love and hope.  I pray for each little heart.  That it will grow, blossom, bloom, and be held in the sun...affirmed, appreciated and loved.  Thank you for always coming through.  I love you!!!!