Week Two Camp begins...

in a few hours. The kids are headed to Nanshan as i type. so we have had extra free time this morning. so nice.

 

so far, we learned that we have TONS of translators. last week many cancelled at the last minute so we were short and the staff was really worked. and there have never been a big team of volunteers. this week is the same, team china and only a handful of others. but they are so wonderful . we have all enjoyed hearing how they landed here in china this summer.

 

we have 24 kids coming- ages 8-16. bob and i will only share two teen age boys this week and have two translators. they are giving us a breather after nine kids to care for last week. whew! we are excited to meet them and build into their lives. more later...

 

here is a funny story:

 

the world cup game showed at 230am last night (sunday) here in china. many wanted to see the big game btw netherlands and spain. so they all went to bed early and set alarms and congregated in david's room in the predawn hours for a two overtime period game. fun. needless to say, i slept thru it. but bob wanted to watch it and so did all the kids and b&k. so he made his rounds knocking on doors trying to wake up the dead. no luck. every single one of the exuberant soccer watchers slept right thru it with me! except bob. he had fun with 15 other BMH people cheering on the game. the mosquitos really won though since bob got his first bites in david's room.

 

we hunt mosquitos every night. last night was a stellar killing--10 before bed. and we have a plug in raid thingie, and ancient burning chinese thingie, Off! spray, tea tree oil and mosqitos nets. not to mention one of us is ruthless when the door is open. our room has tens of flip/flop marks with spattered bugs and fitzpatrick blood smushed on the wall. nice. well, it couldn't be all glamor and luxury this week.

 

and the chinese laundress (bob and i) did soooo many loads of laundry in our sink. another little perk of camp life.

 

but the girls b, k, k & r just got done turning their room into a salon and painted toenails and fingernails for hours. since reilly and kate did not get a chinese pedi, the teens treated them to a morning of pampering. these girls are wonderful. i keep telling them i didn't bring them here to nanny my girls but they seem to really enjoy hanging out. it is such a pleasure and a joy for me to have such lovely young ladies modeling teen years for mine. another free perk of our time here. mer, i promise i clear them out occasionally so yours can have some peace! :)

 

btw--we are unable to access this blog. we have no idea what is posting and what is not. we cannot read your comments. i am working on getting someone to copy and paste and send your encouraging words to us. we covet your conversations with our Dad.

thanks so much.

 

another funny story:

 

each time a foreigner arrives in a village, they must register in the police station with their visas and passports. david and anna (the chinese negotiator) went early last week to do the right thing. usually he likes to get permission before he comes to a city, but this nanshan thing worked out at the last possible minute so he did not have permission. when he went to the police station, the man in charge began their time of questioning with uh-oh kind of moments. david was tense and a bit nervous. they answered all the questioning and the police officer said david would need to write a letter of apology. david had told us that we may have to move overnight so this was serious. david kept doing what he does so well, winning hearts and networking. that man can charm the socks off anyone! he is so genuine. anyway, after david shared that all we are here to do is love on orphans and take them to the beach and amusement park and feed them and sing and play--the police officer asked if HIS kids could come. David laughed and said sure. they are supposed to be joining us this week. He has given David favor with man. so amazing.

 

last week bob had a orphanage director' son so it is very desirable for chinese to spend time with westerners. in fact, the highly educated translators pay BMH to come for a week to talk with us! the Helper diffused a tense situation. the police officer even said that david did not need to write that apology letter after all. WOW!~

 

okay, this will be my last long post for a while. we have kids coming! yipee!

 

i can't tell you how amazing it was to share the Good News with the chinese here and have my girls witness the entire thing. i am eternally grateful for coming here. you can't teach perspective. but boy, how the Father has been showing His to my kids. TO ME! in the last days. i am walking on sunshine. i simply awed that Daddy would use someone like me to work through. and with my children observing it all. what an amazing unspeakable indescribable gift to me in the middle of what He is doing. i am so happy and thankful. i am so appreciative to the bolts for bringing us here to experience what has been rocking their world for the last 5 or 6 years. man! this is unbelievable. very hard, very stretching, very life changing, view shifting, heart breaking, tiring, taxing but AWESOME. wish you were here! :) so many more neat stories but i don't have time to share them all.

 

can't wait to share this week's stories and pictures with you...if we have a chance.

 

hugs from team china.