Last year I had the incredible opportunity to partner with Visiting Orphans and spend time in an orphanage in Chenzhou, China. My team and I went into the orphanage with crafts, games, and toys for the kids. Each day we showed the Love that Christ has for them through our actions. I was absolutely blessed by the beautiful children we met and befriended. It was such a joy to be greeted with their smiling faces each morning as they would take us by the hand and run inside to begin our activites for the day. I fell in love with each and every one of those children. At the end of our trip, the orphanage director told us that the Chinese are very reserved in their feelings, and though the nannies do love the children, it was a blessing for us to come in and show the children how to love and to be loved. The director told us that even in the few days spent with the children, she could already see we had made a huge difference in their lives. We all created relationships with the kids, and we were so sad to leave, and I know they were sad to see us go as well. But I knew in my heart that I was not finished there. Little did I know, God would be calling me back just a year later :). If you would like to read my blog from last year's trip, you may visit it at http://mygreatadventure-mhk.blogspot.com, where I will also be posting updates about my trip this year. If you wish to see pictures, you can look at my facebook.
This year I will be going to the same province, Chenzhou. Those children left a huge mark on my heart; I cannot imagine going anywhere else. My team and I will be traveling to China, June 6th-17th. We will travel to Chenzhou and visit the children like we did last year (loving on them), for about 4-5 days. Then we will fly back to Beijing, and visit the Shepherd's Field Children's Village, an orphanage that cares for children with special needs who would not receive the sufficient care at an ordinary orphanage. The last few days will be spent seeing the sights of China. This trip will cost around $3, 500 (depending on flight costs) which I am working hard to raise.
