Category Archives: Bring Me Hope News

Continued Hope for BMH Campers

It’s been six weeks since the last Bring Me Hope camp ended in China.  As we all settle back into our normal routines, it can be easy to forget the little ones we’ve left behind.  That’s why it’s so inspiring to hear about volunteers who have decided to intentionally advocate for their children after camp.

Rob Malloy, a student from Ireland, was a volunteer at the Xi’an camp this year.  Since coming home in August, he has made it his goal to find a family for his buddy, Lei Xiao Feng (Jacob).  With the help of BMH staffer, Kristen Chase, he put together an article (featured here ), YouTube video, and an email asking if anyone would be willing to adopt Jacob.  The response has been incredible! We are confident Jacob will soon have a forever family.

Volunteers and BMH friends, would you take a moment to ask The Father what you can do to help the kids?  It may be writing them a letter, supporting their orphanage, finding an adoptive family, praying for them…  We trust He will show you the way if you ask.  Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do for the children!  He does amazing work through His people!

 

Rob and Jacob

Sillybands & Orphans

Brother and sister, Jessica (9) and Dylan (7) of Paoli, PA, donated handfuls of their sillybands to be taken over for the BMH campers in China this summer. They spent time drawing pictures and making cards for the kids after watching “Hannah’s Story”.

They had lots of questions about the children in China. They feel moved to help the orphans and let them know they’re being thought of in America.

It seems it’s never too early for kids to learn about helping others!

Unconditional Love

“It is not the physical pain that endangers orphans the most. It is the mental pain caused by stress from years and years of being neglected, pushed aside, disregarded, unloved, and made to feel undeserving, and in almost all cases, made to feel like a possession rather than an equal human being. Even more it is the lack of unconditional love, the right to be accepted, as a child and to be loved, as a child, no matter what you do is the most wounding.”
— Roger Dean Kiser

A saddening quotation, yet we are filled with hope that He will change and heal the lives of the Chinese orphans who come to camp, through volunteers who show His unconditional love. Love never fails!

Xiao Shan and his "brother", Josh Hood. Kunming 2010

Silas’ Family is Staying Strong!

Silas, Hannah, and her brother are back in their village doing well. The children are both in school and enjoying it. Two of our dear Bring Me Hope friends went to visit them two weeks ago and took the children to the zoo! They had a wonderful time together!

Silas is excited about Dr. Mindea coming to do his surgery. David is in contact with Stanford, coordinating the plans for Dr. Mindea to come to China to preform the upcoming surgery. We are still in awe of this amazing miracle!

We will keep you all informed as details start coming together for Silas’ surgery in Beijing. Until then, would you continue to lift these things up?

1) For the thousands of details to fall into place (the hospital, equipment, flights, hotels, transportation, funding, etc.)

2) For Silas and his children, that their faith and love for Him would continue to grow through this whole process.

Thank you for remembering them! We cannot wait to be reunited with this sweet part of His family!

Hannah and her brother enjoy their first mountain climb!

The Odgers move to China!

This month marks the end of a long journey for the Odgers to move to China, and the beginning of a whole new adventure as they serve the people there.   Below is an update from Steve Odgers sharing how He has led their family to China.

“Our journey to China began during a Bring Me Hope tour down under in 2008. As David spoke and we saw images of the orphans attending camp our hearts were broken, as evidenced by the tears streaming down our faces. We knew then He had a plan for us, which included coming to China to be a part of camp. We didn’t realise camp was only the beginning of the plan. In His kindness and gentleness, He has only revealed that plan step by step as He knew we could cope with it.

After our first year at camp as volunteers for two weeks in Xi’an, the connection with China had deepened to the point that I was ready to pack up home and move to China. Not long after returning I had a dream there was a poor Chinese man knocking on my window. I opened the window and he came in and got into my bed. I was about to object when I noticed it was not just him but also his children who were now sleeping in my bed. I misinterpreted the dream as meaning at we needed to go to China immediately, however it was two more years until we would actually move here.

Those two years have included another trip to China to work as staff at camp last year, selling our business, giving our children time to ‘catch’ the same vision the Father had given us, allowing our extended family time to come to terms with our leaving, and the myriad of other things that needed to be put in place for moving to a new country. The dream really revealed not only the substance of His vision for us but also the process. First I heard the knocking, then I opened the window, let the man in, allowed him into my bed and finally realised that he had brought his entire family. If I knew what the final situation would be it is likely that I would never have answered the knocking at the window. What we are now doing in China is finding out what He meant by allowing China (the man) and all his children into our bed (our life).

At present that includes living here, home schooling our children, Cathy formally learning the language, me working as an English teacher and physical therapist, all of us attending BMH summer camp again this year, and helping our friends the Vidlers with their work with Elim Kids (see www.elimkids.com). Who knows what else our Father has in store for us but we look forward with anticipation to seeing what He reveals in His timing.”

Isn’t their story incredible?  And this is just the start of their time there!   We love you, Odgers Family!

The Odger's

The Odgers with BMH staff member, Carm Hepworth

The Invision Project

Bring Me Hope’s own Kristen Chase has started a project teaching orphans photography!
Last summer ‘The Invision Project‘ took six orphan girls on a photography adventure in Nanchang.

Not only did the girls have a great time, the results they produced were absolutely stunning!

Kristen has started selling handmade greetings cards with their photos! You can find them on sale HERE!
Proceeds will go towards giving other orphans the opportunity to learn photography through ‘The Invision Project’.

“Little One” by Zhan Xiao Fen (Sarah), age 14

To see more of the beautiful photos or learn how you can get involved, head over to her blog: http://theinvisionproject.blogspot.com/