Going Back to China...Where it all started !

I received my travel voucher today. This means I can now apply for my travel visa for my trip to China. Yes, I am going back to China. For those that do not know, I am now involved with a great organization called Bring Me Hope. http://www.bringmehope.org/ God has really put it on my heart to help orphans in some way. He has not necessarily put it on our hearts to adopt again just yet but there is a need to continue helping. It is a chance that I have to give back and I am so looking forward to it. Bring Me Hope puts on several summer camps each year for orphans from local social welfare institutions. These kids are typically ages 5-18. Many of these kids have special needs. The camps are a week long of swimming, hiking, crafts, stories, games and a chance to be shown love that they might not otherwise get. The camps are expanding to two cities this year, Beijing and Nan Chang. I am leaving for a one week camp in Beijing on July 24th. I am going with a good friend of mine Bill Byrne. He does our website and many others. I had inquired about the camp back in the summer of 2006 but it just did not pan out fir me to go. Bill and I talked one day a few months back and he mentioned BMH as one of the organizations he donates money to from the profits of creating adoption websites. I thought wow, very cool. He also said they made him one of their board of directors and he was thinking about going this summer to volunteer at one of the camps. I told him that I inquired about going soon after we got back from China but it was not Gods timing. Needless to say we decided to go together this summer. I am pumped to see what God has in store for us. I'm really not sure what I am getting myself into. I remember I went on a school field trip with Kim's first grade class awhile back and it was crazy. So,this must be God ordained becasue I really don't see myself as a camp councelor :) Giod has a sense of hompr I guess? I know all these kids need are hands to hold on to this week and someone to show them a little love. I know I can do that. I have to remember, this might be the only time that they see the light of Jesus in others. I have to be a shining example to them. I am starting to get things ready in anticipation of going, even though I am almost two months away from travel. I hope to blog daily from China and send you guys some photos and share the expierence. I really wish Kim and Hannah were going with us but it is just not the right time for Hannah to go back to China. I want her to have clear memories of her trip back to her homeland. I think right now she is still a little young. Besides, that plane ride home with a toddler is still a very vivid and painful memory that Kim and I probably still need therapy for. Just kidding it was all so worth it!!