The rest of Thursday...

Before I paste in the post for today I thought I would apologize to any of you that thought you were logging on the read a typical mission trip type blog. You didn't probably know what you were getting yourselves into...

Thursday night...

Wow, so I didn’t update at all today. It was a very full and busy day. The boys both greeted me this morning, one with a hug and wanted me to carry him to breakfast. It was progress even if it was short lived. I cannot imagine what it is like for these children to come here. During family time this morning I was left with just the boys for a few minutes and they were both good, doing crafts and talking to me and singing a song. I think the good times lasted until just before lunch. I think some of it may have to do with their schedules and diets..... So much change has got to be hard.

I apologize in advance that my posts may become shorter. I am overwhelmed with emotions and just not sure what I want to say. The goal of this blog was to update everyone on the days activities but instead has turned into a little preaching and then, what I hope to be, and “adoption story”. Both Tiffani and I have reached out more to Jenny today and I believe made a lot of progress there. I do think that she really likes us. We have had several talks (Tiffani and I) about what it would be like to bring this girl into our home. Tiffani has been great. She has shown so much maturity this week and I am very proud of her.

Family time was funny. All four of the kids were trying to do these foam puppets hat we had brought from home but they use glue and apparently it does not dry fast enough for them. It was funny to watch. I would hold the items for them and count to 10 in Chinese and then they would copy me. Of course, Jenny wanted to do the puzzle again. We have to time her to see if she does better each time, which she does. She really loves doing them. I wish we had brought more. We are going to let here take this one and find a way to send her more. She is a very smart girl. Hua Cha (Alex) is really just happy if you give him a pack of tissues. They only last about an hour but he seems to like just carry them around. He also has serious OCD like someone I know that is typing right now. He will make sure that the tissues are perfectly aligned and if they give him a problem he will just throw them away. The other boy, Tom, doesn’t really do much or want to. He just watches and smiles most of the time.

Craft time came next. The kids all made crowns for the performance tonight. Oh wait, I think I missed assembly time. Yes, during assembly the kids sing and dance. Jenny actually got up and danced. We couldn’t believe it. She also volunteered to have a part in the little story time. Amazing the changes you see in a week. The boys don’t care for the singing and dancing. They both just watch.

I’m not sure if I put this already but last night we were to write letters to the kids and translators. They are just short notes telling the kids how much fun you had with them and that type of stuff.

So, lunch next. We have been all sitting together now, me and Tiffani’s families. The older girls are waiting for us and making sure we are all together. Jenny has been making sure as well. She has wanted to sit next to Tiff a lot. Lunch was okay today. Oh, I forgot, it was good, they brought out the S&S chicken. YES!!!!
Game time came next. We did a game where you snort next to the person next to you in a circle and if they laugh they are out. I got Jenny to come stand next to me and actually hold my hand. I didn’t think she would come over but she has really come out of her shell. It is so nice to see the smiles but at the same time it is sad knowing that they will have to go back to the orphanage tomorrow when they are finally starting to open up. Okay, yes, I am already crying. It is really, really breaking my heart right now to think about this for all of these kids but especially Jenny. I think about how I so much want to bring her home into our family and even if that were to happen I think about the time she will have to wait for us. It’s not fair.

I bet there are many of you out there reading this now who had asked me if we were finished with adoptions and I do remember my answers. What can I say? You cannot stop God from completing the tasks that he has at hand and I truly, truly believe in my heart that at some level He has put this little girls life on my heart. It may not be that she joins our family but that our being here would get her a home. I will be honest though - this morning I pleaded, you know, the crying out the the Lord type of pleading, with streams of tears, that whatever it takes this child would become ours.

Nap time came next today. Me and Tiff walked to the store and got some warm sodas and what we thought were chocolate chip cookies. They were okay but not what the package showed. Me and Tiff had some good conversation during this time and then started to make a video (see below I hope). It was a good time.

Pool time started at 3:00 today. MiMi was still sleeping so Tiff went up there and my boys were also sleeping so I went with Tina and Jenny down to the pool. Tina is one of Tiffani’s translators. We haven’t been able to talk that much but she has told me little things about Jenny. She has a good heart. So, I decided that I needed some more photos and gave the camera to them to use in the pool. I figured it would be interesting to see what I got back. These older kids that the camps love playing with cameras. If you have a cheap, waterproof, shockproof camera it is great. Something really cool happened “somewhere in the world a young lady was baptized”. I have no idea where I heard that rumor, nor where it took place, PTL!!! He is good.

So, here is what can be one of the toughest time at camp, Life Chart time. A life chart is a graph where you draw a line up and down (happy or sad) at different ages of your life. I went ahead and started to show them what it meant. We talked to the boys but they really didn’t get it and didn’t have anything to say and at this time MiMi was still sleeping. Jenny did talk though after a little bit and said that she had no memories from before 9. She did say that her father had died probably when she was 6 or 7 but she could not remember. That was her sad time in life. She then moved in with the grandparents but they were old and could not take care of her so she was placed into the system where after a short time she did go with a foster family. This only lasted for maybe 6 to 18 months. She didn’t really know how long. That became a sad point in her life but then she came to camp at that was a happy time. I have to wonder. Is the timing of this coincidence that she was able to come to camp this week? That for whatever reason her foster family could no longer take care of her? I don’t think so, just wish I had the cheat sheet with the answers. I did already say this, more than once, but if there is anything that you would ever want to do for our family I would ask that you join me in praying for her and this situation.

So this was great, after doing the life charts I got the idea to get the computer out and open up photo booth. WOW!!!! what a hit with Jenny and the translators. The boys did come over to take a look but weren’t too interested. Alex just like stacking his napkins and Tom was eating all the cookies. I know it may seem by the posts that I haven’t been spending much time with them but I really have. They just prefer it if I am not too close. They can only take a few minutes of me at a time (no comments on this!). The girls were all laughing so hard. they were rolling on the floor. It was hilarious. Good times...

Dinner came next. It was okay tonight but they seem to be running out of my favorite chicken. They did have bacon or ham really and a few other things and of course rice. We have been the last group to leave the dining hall for the last three meals now. It is kind of funny. There are enough people to fill about 8 or 9 tables (with 12+ chairs at each table).

Next came the assembly time. The kids were able to do a parade with the crowns that they made. Jenny was right up there towards the front. I still cannot believe the overnight change. There was a little story time too and then they all sat down to get gifts from a family group that just came in for the day and then we put on a movie for them, “Wall-E”. Not my all-time favorite but much better than big big wolf. The translator could not get MiMi to stay in the room so I went over to help and she jumped right to me. I think she trusts me (or really wanted my watch again, which I have now lost). She sat in my lap for the movie until about the time that I realized I was not dry anymore. Yes, you guessed it, no diaper, ugh! Oh, well, the things you do for love. It will still be one of the highlights to my trip. She is such a doll. If I thought I could bring home two children she would be it. She had been giving me kisses now too, kind of leaning her cheek against mine. The boys moved over next to me too, not too close, but close enough for them. I don’t think it is that they do not like me, just that it is hard for them to trust me. Completely understood...they have no reason to trust anyone.

After the movie the boys and girls split up and had a party which consisted of watching the kids tear apart a room. They had fun. I was able to talk with Willy, Mike’s son, quite a bit about camp and the other ministries that they are involved in. They had/have a C rock band that they are trying to transform into more of a family band. This will be great to see what happens for them.

Me and Tiff and David and Morgan all went to the office to call home now. I had not been telling David about the posts. Melissa filled him in and we had a good laugh, but I am going to watch my back now...hahaha...

So this leads me to this morning (really this started last night and I took a break from 1 to 5 to clear my head) and know I am back typing the rest of this post. Today the kids will go “home” after lunch. This will be one of the hardest days of my life. Actually, I think until My children all leave home to go out on there own this will be the hardest day of my life. I have already cried more tears this morning that I can remember in days past. Yes, most of them have been for Jenny but many for Jane who we met at the beginning of this trip and all of the children here. Many of them will not have the life that I think they deserve. They will not get the opportunities that we have. They have no families and no one to love them. They will have to learn to fight for their own survival. From what I was told, all of these children, save one, is adoptable. I pray that even in writing these words someone may make a decision to change a child's life. Not as a rescue mission or some valiant effort to make a difference or even out of guilt but simply to follow His word and take care of the orphans. I Promise you this, your reward will be greater than and sacrifice that you have to make. Remember, “Nothing is impossible with ___” who? Say it out loud!!!!

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Sorry Melissa, David and Morgan did good today. David was feeling a little under the weather but pushed through. I know that Morgan was having a great time, singing and dancing. I cannot believe how much she talks though, j/k. I had never had the chance to really listen to her before. She is such a sweet, sweet girl with a huge heart. You should be very proud of her this week. There are many girls her age who would not have done nearly as well as she has done. I know she enjoyed both the craft times and swimming. I think the swimming was the best. She ran the “simon says” game this afternoon too. Great job, got me out in the first round. She has lots of energy, more than the rest of us. Thanks for selling me out on the video. I am going to have to sleep with one eye open now. hahaha... I see an addition in your future, no? Watch out when Morgan gets home. She’s already practicing the puppy dog eyes I think...

I will try and upload more pictures today. There were others from the other day but I’m not sure why nobody can see them. I’ll have to check on that.

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Love you all.... Please pray for Friday. It will be a very hard and emotional day. Also, please pray for our family and Jenny. I would pray that God’s will would be revealed quickly and definitively. That he would open the doors that cannot be opened...This will only happen if it is His will....

(Insert Heart tugging video here...) (sorry, having a problem getting this posted. I will try again later).

Jeremiah 29:11...Phil 2:12-22....
Bill out.