Each week we will be featuring a post about each camp location, giving you all an insight into the beautiful world of camp. We are honored to be able to work in China, to be with these kids and to experience such a wonderful place!
This week the focus will be on Bring Me Hope camp at SIAS International University in Xinzheng. This is BMH’s fourth year at SIAS! The University is the perfect place to hold camp, with it’s large, beautiful campus and great accommodations. Each year the kids enjoy being able to explore the waterfalls and fountains, as well as playing basketball on one of the many courts at SIAS and swimming in the pool!
The first week at the 2012 camp was incredible! One of our volunteers for the week was wowed when her 16-year-old orphan buddy read her goodbye letter to her in front of the group.
“I don’t often tell people my dreams because I think they are far away,” the letter read, “But I want to tell you that my dreams seem closer now. I want to learn English and become a translator.”
Here’s a story about camp from Rach, a volunteer for week 1 at camp in Xinzheng:
“Its hard to come to a summer camp for orphans without any pre-conceived ideas about what it will be like…about what the kids will look like, how they’ll act, what they’ll talk about. For me, this week completely smashed every expectation I had.
I thought that coz these kids were orphans, they would have a massive chip on their shoulder and be super angry at the world. But actually the girls in my group were just the opposite. They were considerate to each other and full of joy. There was an attitude of thankfulness that defined everything they said and did.
When we took them to buy a snack before the movies or shopping for new clothes they were reluctant to let us, and when we insisted, their genuine joy and thankfulness just blew me away! They didn’t ask for more or take advantage of their ‘rich foreign friends’, they just took time to enjoy what they had been given, and be thankful.
The other major thing that impacted me was hearing the kids talk to Dad. Nearly every single sentence started off with “thankyou so much for…”. No wonder they have so much joy – they’ve chosen to focus on the good gifts from Dad and not their own self pity. You’d hardly even know that they were orphans. Also, they’re currently looking for a new building for their orphanage and the size of their trust in Him as they asked Dad to provide was a huge example to me!
It was such a privilege to learn from these beautiful kids these week!”
