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Off to a great start in Kunming!

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BMH’s 2010 staff just finished a wonderful week in Kunming, China. We were able to connect, plan, and really bond as a group before heading to our three separate camp locations for the summer. Now we are all awaiting the arrival of our first campers come Monday! Keep us in your prayers! We cannot wait to see what God has in store for this summer.

Mission: Discomfort

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At the fourth and final staff meeting in Fallbrook last night, our fearless leaders unveiled a pair of slogans that will remind you of Texas hold ‘em and visiting the dentist, respectively. They are:

“All In” and “Be uncomfortable.”

I came in on the tail end of the meeting, and these two catchy phrases were already written on the whiteboard. They are a little unconventional, but they encapsulate the attitude necessary to both enjoy and contribute to a service trip like the one on which we’re about to embark.

The irony is that, earlier yesterday, I was watching a poker tournament on TV. I saw three or four players go all in, and then go bust. But we’re not going to go bust. That’s just not how it works.

As they apply to service trips, the two slogans are linked. Picture this: You’re in a foreign country, acting out a skit in front of dozens of children whose language you do not speak. Playing it safe would mean maintaining your adult sense of dĂ©cor and not committing yourself fully to the play. I’ve been there. The risk of “all in” is looking stupid in front of your teammates, the kids, the translators and maybe even your spouse and children. Any of you who saw David and Andrew Dickinson act out a skit last night—David playing the sheep, Andrew the wolf—recognized that there was the potential for embarrassment. But because they were so sold out to their characters, it was funny even to a bunch of American adults.

To go all in is to be uncomfortable. At least at first.

I think you’ll find, though, that it is how kids live—all in, all the time. So they will admire you for being on that level, too. I’ve done both on previous trips—played it safe and laid it on the line. I regret not having laid it on the line more often. I hope as a team we can create an environment where being all in is not quite so intimidating, and that, as individuals, we will see the value of our own discomfort in connecting with the children.

— Tom Pfingsten

Oregon Family’s Foster Care Story

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Lacey Scott’s family has volunteered with Bring Me Hope’s Summer Camps in China. Yet their extention of love touches little ones in their home community as well…

“My family started doing community foster care three years ago after realizing the potential our family had for doing good.

As my dad said, “so many families have so much to give, they only need opportunities to do so.”

We saw our opportunity in foster care, and once the decision was made it took less than four months to get our first foster child. He was a three month old baby boy named Aiden.

We instantly fell in love with his deep blue eyes and adorable belly laugh. As we bought new clothes for him and hauled him around to all our social events, he became a part of our family; he was our newest little brother.

And yet he didn’t belong to us, and we were continually reminded of this as we met his mom and grandma at their twice weekly visits with him.

One of the hardest challenges we found in doing foster care was this paradox: You love the kids like they are your own, knowing full well they will someday leave. But should that knowledge keep you from loving them while you have the opportunity? We decided that it didn’t, even after Aiden left seven months later.

Together my family grieved and cried over his departure and then found we still had more than enough love to offer another child. Since we became a foster family we have opened our home to seven different children, discovering that loving these kids is a difficult task but one that brings many rewards.

Now my family is embarking on another adventure together: adoption. Two of our little boys have no home to return to, so we are blessed to become their forever family.

Foster care has revealed many things about the nature of our family. My mum often says, “it’s brought out the best and the worst in each of us.” We’ve gotten overwhelmed at times and struggled to see how the sacrifices are worth it. But we’ve stuck together and gotten though.

Looking back, I am grateful for the work God has given us. And when my soon-to-be-adopted brother’s come running out of the house screaming “Lay-lay!!” when I come home, or when they fall asleep on my lap at night, I wonder whether they aren’t the ones blessing us.”

* Bring Me Hope applauds and encourages families like the Scotts, who find practical ways to care for hurting children in their own communities. If you’d like more information on foster care, please write to: info@bringmehope.org *

Elim Kids – A home for HIV kids in China

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It has been a big week for Chloe and Peter – a week of new beginnings…

A new house !
They moved into their new house a week ago and have settled in well. They are in the next building to us so we can visit every day and play with them in the playground.

We have been busy decorating with rainbow colours and butterflies and filling the house with toys and books.

A new “Auntie”.
We are so excited about the new lady who has taken on the job of caring for the kids. She is 28 years old and really loves G and the kids. They also love her and are enjoying playing with her. And we are also employing another lady during the days to help with shopping, cooking and cleaning and “toddler entertainment”. I came home one day this week to much screaming and laughter as they all pranced around the house singing “J loves me “ at the top of their voices.

A new name.
We are going to call our venture “Elim Kids”. The name was given to us by a Chinese co worker and represents the “sweet waters”of life in a family compared to the “bitter waters”of life in an institution. (see Exodus 15 :27).

A new vehicle.
The kids are delighted with their new mode of transport – one of the few double prams in China. Maggie has been suffering a bit of “pram envy “ but is happy to have a ride every now and then. This means we and other can take them out to the park to play and for walks. (when it finally warms up ).

New friends.
Peter and Chloe will soon need to employ a secretary as there are so many people to take them for a walk , play with them and even have them for a sleep over. This has been great as gives their carer a much needed rest from being a single mother to 2 toddlers.

This week they were happy to play with hair clips and face paint with some English volunteers who came to help.

New rules.
Peter and Chloe (and Maggie ) are gradually learning what it is like to live in a family. Lots of love, food and cuddles, toys and books but you also have to share ! Some days it is a hard lesson to learn but it is good to see that these days they actually have things that they can share!

A new website.
Soon they will have their own web site so you can keep up to date . It will be www.elimkids.com

Thanks again for amazing support with finances, prayers, sewing, fundraising and more. We really appreciate it and have enjoyed seeing first hand how “He sets the lonely in families”.

I am also excited to say that a good Aussie friend of ours is looking at setting up a similar house for those with special medical needs. We hope to transport them to a new house a block away and be able to support her and these very sick kids in a similar way.

Love, Julie and Sam Vidler

Michigan Siblings Shoveled Snow to Raise Camp Sponsorships!

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It is a long standing practice in my family to shovel snowy sidewalks for the shut-ins and elderly of our neighborhood. So it was no surprise when this past winter, my three youngest siblings were out any chance they got helping those who could not do it themselves.

Unlike many of the other kids around our area, the help given by my brother and sisters is given freely, as they do it for the Lord and not for pay. However, there are many kind and generous neighbors who appreciate the attitude displayed by the kids and the work done, and pay them nicely.

In the past, the kids have used a portion of this money for projects such as supplying a cow or a few chickens for a poor family in India, or have financed a well-dig in some far off country. This year, Katren (14), Caeley (12) and Samuel (10) set one of their biggest goals yet.

The three of them came to me with an envelope and big smiles one night and said, “We are going to send an orphan to camp to meet you!” They excitedly explained while showing me they had saved the money to sponsor a child for a full week of Bring Me Hope Camp. Further heart-warming, they did not even want the sponsorship to be in their name!

Last year, my brother Sammy had come to me with tear filled eyes and said that he felt sure I needed to go be a big sister to some little kids over in China. This year he helped make that possible. I am one proud big sister, let me tell you!

Carmella Hepworth

The Invision Project: Orphans & Cameras

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Bring Me Hope staff member Kristen Chase is tying together two passions of hers this summer: Orphans and Photography.

Alongside of Chinese friends, Kristen will be teaching a group of orphaned youth photography in what she’s calling “The Invision Project.”

“Many of the kids love taking pictures during camp, and I wanted to give them an opportunity to have a hands-on experience with it,” Kristen said.

“They have been through some really hard things, and I hope this will be a time of self-expression and healing for them. Plus I love seeing what they come out with when they’re given the attention and chance to succeed at something they’re interested in,” she adds.

Providing each of her students with a digital camera, the children will learn the basics of photography and then go out “on the field” to practice.

“We have some fun outings planned. I’m going to take them to parks, up to the mountains, and maybe even a zoo…if we can find a zoo in Nanchang,” Kristen said.

The Invision Project is looking for people to donate gently used digital cameras, SD cards, and rechargeable AA batteries.

If you have any of those items to donate or want to get in touch with Kristen, you can send an email to: kristen@bringmehope.org

You can follow the story here: The Invision Project