I got back two days ago from 10 days on a journeyI will never forget…
One of my best friends, Brook called right before Christmas and said God had told her to take me with her on a trip to China to work in an orphanage. The regular workers had the week off for Chinese New Year and so they needed volunteers to come and staff the orphanage during that time. I cried at the thought and said yes without hesitation.
Had I known what I would encounter I probably would have said "no I can't do it". Thank goodness for ignorance as I would have missed the passion I would encounter. There were days of tears and fears and days of intense laughter. Everyday was filled with singing as that was truly the language they understood best.
We fell in love with the six girls we were given to care for. This was no typical orphanage, it was a special needs orphanage.We were asked not to show actual pictures of the children so I am going to show you some little paintings I did of the girls and share a some words I wrote about our time:
There were 6 little girls in room 16
There were Duai Duai,Shoe Way Yaoling, Rejoice, Coral and Xing Xing
Each was unique in a very special way
Each loved to dance to sing and to play
Meal time was around a table square
Where big spoons or chopsticks were tools for the fare.
Bedtime was a breeze with matching striped PJs
While morning was challenge what to wear yea or nay
They so love afternoons outside at the park
badminton, balls,bubbles but the scooters won the mark
They rode those wheels round and round and round
No one could miss the really joyful sound
Talking was different with a language not known
They loved seeing pictures taken with our iPhones
Coversations often happened without a sound
Just a hug or a nod understood the bounds.
It was sweet though so hard to say hello and then goodbye
We tried very hard to smile and not to cry
We will never forget the 6 little ladies in our hearts
But with Jesus as out Father we will never have to part.