Category Archives: Bring Me Hope News

Summer Camp Update 1 of 6

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Hi Everyone! Just wanted to share a few highlights (or unexpected moments) from China.

First of all, I am just AMAZED how God has opened the doors for orphans to come to summer camp. About 1 month ago we got word that all orphanages were not allowing kids to leave the orphanage in fear that they might get Swine flu from a foreigner.

The developing news looked so dismal that I was getting ready to fly to another country to see if we could set up camp somewhere else. But as I thought about leaving China, it was almost too hard to bear the thought. And so we prayed and asked others to pray and God did a miracle. I don’t even know what happened. But in the last couple weeks some of the orphanages started to be willing to send their kids to camp. Currently all camps are full!!!

But we are not out of the woods yet. Yesterday an orphanage canceled on coming to camp. A few weeks ago a friend told me about another organization that canceled their work with kids. And here at my camp locations we have to take our temperature everyday. So please keep praying!

Second… Kind of an EMBARRASSING story. but those always make the best. Last weekend all of the camp staff flew in to my camp location to connect before camp begins. We heard about a local park that had go-carts, bumper cars, and zip lines. Well, as you can imagine, things aren’t as safe in China. But this park seemed rather harmless. First was bumper cars. A little faster than usual and maybe a few sore necks but all went fine. Next we went over the zip line. This seemed a little more sketchy but the zip line went out over a lake and also had a safety net under the wire.

I waited my turn as most of the team went across the lake. I decided that when it was my turn I would make an effort to push off faster than normal. The Chinese man hooked my harness to the zip line and I pushed off. As I started across the lake I had another idea. bounce… so I started bouncing.

Everything was going well until I looked up to get ready for my landing. I saw the Chinese man waving at me quite urgently to pick up my legs. It was then that I realized that if I didn’t pick up my legs, they wouldn’t clear the dock. So I lifted them high into the air… But … the bouncing and my weight timed just wrong and instead of clearing the landing I landed on the landing in sitting posture.

Well apparently, I didn’t hear the back side of my shorts rip off. Maybe I was just too stunned because everyone was watching and I didn’t want to look like I was hurt. So I just calmly waited for the guy to unhook me from the harness. As I was walking down the stairs I realized that all the girls were gone.. And the guys were laughing. and that is always a sure sign that something is wrong. I went to feel my injury and realized that there was nothing back there. Just air. And on top of that, there were people everywhere!!! And I couldn’t really go anywhere. Eventually I figured out how to use my shirt for covering and decided that I’d be a little more careful on the zip line next time.

So, that started our summer off with the first of many more stories to come in the next month. that’s what I love about China, you never know what might happen next.

Good Times,
-David

Here’s a note from a buddy I had last year. Looking forward to seeing the kids in less than a week:


Wanghai’s Goodbye letter:

David (Big beard :>)
You played with me, laughed with me. I think it’s the happiest time I have ever had this year. It is in the BMH camp where I played with you happily! :>) I hope you could send your photos to my email. Best Wishes! Keep fit!

Changes in the Air…

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Control; It’s an idea and pursuit that the American culture holds dear. But when even a step is taken onto the mission field (even if it is on our own soil), that illusion dissipates and we are left with the truth that nothing is certain.

Bring Me Hope runs summer camps for orphans in China. But what happens when the Chinese Civil Affair Administration has told ALL the orphanages in the country that the children are not allowed to attend outside activities because of the Swine Flu (H1N1 virus)? And what do we do when a camp location looks like it might fall through?

“I don’t feel like this means that we should just give up,” David Bolt wrote to all the summer volunteers. “There are still lots of children that can benefit from summer camp,” he encouraged them.

Alternative plans include having camp for children in foster homes, on the streets, and whose parents are in jail. But the Bring Me Hope team doesn’t have to look too far back to remember how God brought just the right children into their path last year.

“We had been asking God all year to send us to the neediest orphans in China, and he took us right to them when our Beijing camp site unexpectedly was shut down,” Kristen Chase remembers.

“Everything seemed to be in complete chaos when the team relocated to another city, but in retrospect, we see that God was sending us to orphans who were in more desperate and dire situations than where we had planned to be,” she said.

So while some camp details remain uncertain, the Bring Me Hope team presses forward in faith.

“We are in a situation right now where we have to either give up or trust God that things will come together last minute, and that He will do a miracle,” David Bolt said. “And one week before we leave for China, things are falling into place,” he added.

Encouraging news came recently from Tim Hedden, the camp director in Kunming, explaining the opportunity to care for children found in bad home and family situations and who are on the verge of becoming orphans. Also, we just got news that a wonderful camp location that was in question came through!

“I’m really excited about this summer,” David encouraged the volunteers going to China. “Even though there are a lot of hard things happening, I REALLY trust that God is going to work it all together for good, and it will be much better than I could have ever planned,” he said.

Please be praying for everyone involved with Bring Me Hope this summer. We are after whatever God has for us, so please pray for willing hearts and His guidance! Thank you so much!

For more information: info@bringmehope.org

Maggie’s Adoption Update!

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Update on the Mordick Family’s Adoption for Maggie. Read their story here!

“We are so excited to confirm that all is on schedule. We leave for Beijing on 5/22. Mike is heading home after completing the adoption, so he will take over daddy duties once he gets home. Maggie and I will head to Beijing on 6/3 after our swearing in ceremony in Guangzhou. We’re planning on touring the Summer Palace together. I thought the GW may be too much for her little legs or we won’t have enough time before we catch our flight home later that afternoon. Fortunately, I have so much already accomplished, and I have just a few things to purchase before we head out. Please keep us and Maggie in prayer. This is too exciting for words!”

Kids are Not Numbers

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Kids are not numbers. Statistics choose to represent them that way, but every child is an individual life. An undying soul.

Li Weng Xi is one such child. He came to camp this past summer in China, where we learned that he had Osteogenesis Imperfecta (or Brittle Bone Disease.) Because of a low production of collagen in his body, Li Weng Xi’s bones were very frail. Each step he took was chosen with caution, to protect his fragile body.

When asked how many times he has broken his bones, he told us that he had forgotten. The number was too great.

Camp ended, and Li Weng Xi returned to his orphanage. But he was no longer a number to us; he was a child we knew that needed help. So this past January, Hope, an experienced care-giver of children with special needs and a friend of Bring Me Hope, drove about twelve hours to check on him.

“He showed his legs to me, and they were really curved” Hope reported to us. “We told the orphanage that it seemed Li Weng Xi needed surgery based on our experience with children who have Brittle Bone Disease.”

So that same day, Hope took Li Weng Xi with her to a Foster Home in China who provides special care to children with Brittle Bone Disease. He has been living there since then.

“He is happy to be there,” Hope told us of Li Weng Xi’s experience in the Foster Home. “He likes the food there, and thinks his friends are nice. He’s really excited to have piano class, and he really likes to sing.”

In March, Li Weng Xi had surgery on both of his legs where he proved to be very brave. “I will be taller than before,” he said of his surgery.
Li Weng Xi will be getting his casts off of his legs any day now. Surgery and follow-up physical therapy will help his once bent legs to be straight, finally. He will be strong. And he will know that he is so much more than just a number.
Epilogue:

Because of our care for Li Weng Xi, his orphanage has given us permission to send two other orphans, Obadiah and Peter John, to live in Foster Care!

From Italy…

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You might have heard rumors that Bring Me Hope was in Europe, and it’s true! David and Jason Bolt visited Claudia Munoz (who will be involved with the Ranch Project) in Italy during early April.

Here is a clip of David sharing at a Church in Villarica, Italy…

http://www.youtube.com/get_player

She’s Almost Home!

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They have dusted off their suitcases, again. Updated China Visas are fresh in their passports. It’s almost time for the Mike and Cheri Mordick to pick up their third adopted daughter from China.

We knew her from camp as ‘Wanda.’ And you may remember how her adoption story began when she met to-be big sister, Jordan, this past summer in China. If not, you can check out that story here: https://bringmehope.org/sponsor.html . But here is the latest:

“Our agency told us that Yangluo (soon to be Maggie Yangluo) will be moved back into the orphanage from her foster mother. They say this is best as Yangluo won’t blame us for taking her away from her foster family. We’ve sent her a care package with clothes, candy, girly things and the most important thing….a photo album of her home and family. So, Yangluo knows that we are coming to get her in the “spring”. We know that her translator at the Bring Me Hope camp (Vincent) told her that she will have a good family in America, but I cannot help wondering what is racing through her mind right about now. I pray the Lord fills her with peace and happiness and a love for us. I can imagine that this can be a frightening thing for a young girl. Hopefully, much of this will be taking place within the month. We pray we can leave on May 1 if the paperwork comes though.

We are awaiting the Article 5 to be approved by the US embassy in Guangzhou, Guangdong. Once that is approved (sometime this week I hope!), then the courier will send all of our paperwork to the CCAA in Beijing. They will then, at some point of their convenience give us TA (travel approval). That part could days days or weeks. We’re praying only days, though. Once our agency receives that TA, they will make our appointments for us and hopefully travel some time in May.

I read Yangluo’s (aka Wanda) story in the new Bring Me Hope book, Love Delivered. Even though my daughter, Jordan, shared her story of abuse with me, it was very heart-wrenching to read it all in print. None of Yangluo’s medicals state the same story that she shared with everyone in China. There are many inconsistencies in her file and things that do not make sense. I pray she has the strength and spirit to overcome all of the issues in her life. I ask for everyone’s prayers in her transitions and our travels.”