The least of these...

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His discip1es asked him, "R*bbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said J*sus, "but this happened so that the work of g0d might be displayed in his life." John 9: 1-3

Precious Liam!

This is Leah. Today, I was holding this precious child. I could feel her tiny,slow heartbeat next to mine as she drifted to sleep. She was content in my arms being held and loved to fall asleep. What a blessing it was! 

Taylor with Shana and Heather

Melanie

Josiah and I

Cody

Cindy

Robert making a funny face

Mikey

Leah

Leah and Heather

Sweet Liam

Shana

Amity

Taylor and Kennedy

Susan and Vincent

Taylor and Cindy

Kennedy and I 

Most of these pictures I stole from Taylor! You can also follow her at taylor-createdtoserve@blogspot.com! 

These are just a few of the children that I have gotten to know over the past week and a half. Please pr*y for each of these children. That they will heal, be adopted, and come to know our s*vior. 

Little ones to him belong...

The past few days have gone well with teaching the Baker's kids and all. Marissa, Jamie, and Chrissy have run into some issues in trying to get their visas, so they will be gone for longer. Meaning, we will teach for longer. Hopefully, they will be back Monday so that Taylor and I can take over Emily's classes when she leaves on Tuesday. I am so excited to begin teaching. Emily has been helping me to learn the Ch1nese that I need to know in order to teach. My pronunciation is terrible with all of the different tones, but I'm learning. Whenever we aren't teaching, which right now we teach 8:30 to 3:30, we are playing with the children. They are all so precious. Everyday I am spending time with a different child, as I try to get to know all of them. Each of them carries with them a precious story. Most of them beginning with abandonment and sickness but through SFCV they are being given life, hope, love, and a future. SFCV gets them the surgeries they need and helps them to recover. They have a home here that feels like a home and not an institution. They have an ayi that cares for them and with the ratio being about 3:1 they have strong bonds to them. They get to go to school and to therapy if they need it. They get to make friendships with children their age as well as the staff and everyone that comes through these doors to help. They are loved by so many here. SFCV also helps these children to find families, cause that is what they all need. This place does so much for these children and they are so much better off because of the work done here. I feel so privileged that I can be helping this cause in the slightest way. The l0rd is also here. In the volunteers that come through. In the English staff and a lot of the ayis as well. His love is here.

Today, I was holding a little girl named Leah. She is new to SFCV and only a few months old. (I'm not sure exactly how old she is) They do not know what is wrong with her. When she came here she was malnourished and they thought she may have a heart problem. They know now that it is not a heart problem but they don't know what is wrong with here. She doesn't cry, doesn't even make noise, and she is extremely small. The smallest, frailest child I have ever seen. The truly sad part is that a lot of the caretakers have superstitions. Some of the children they believe have an illness that is bad luck. Because of this, they do not want to touch those children. Leah is one of them. For some reason there is something about her that they do not want to be near. For the past week, I have been going and holding her everyday for at least a half hour when I can. She will just look at me or at the window. She makes no sounds except for an occasional sneeze and hick up. Today, as I was singing J*sus loves me to her, in my awful voice, the words really hit me. "Little to ones to him belong, they are weak but he is strong" We sing these words so often over the years that we don't stop to think about them. This child that I have been praying over is his and this child is in his hands. The l0rd has a plan for this child and even though she has been abandoned, cast out, and unloved, he loves her. So everyday I go and hold her and rock her and sing her that song. And, even though I know that no memories are made until around the age of three, I like to think that one day when this child grows up she will have a memory of that song and this crazy white girl singing it and she will come to know our amazing s*vior who loves her and cares for her. Please pr*y that she will get better and they will be able to figure out what is wrong. Please also continue to pr*y for the work being done here.

"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me" Mark 9:37

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of g0d belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of g0d like a little child will never enter it" Mark 10:14-15

(Lots of pictures of the children to come soon)

I will follow you..

Today, we went to ch*rch in Beijing. There are two ch*rches that the interns go to while here in Beijing. We went to the international one today. BICF (Beijing International Chr1st1an Fellowship) is only for foreigners. You actually have to show your passport in order to get in. They have been allowed by the g*vernment to hold services each Sunday, however, they are only letting foreigners take part in this w*rship. It is quite sad in my opinion. There are two ch*rch services, a Ch1nese one and an English one. We obviously went to the English one and it was so cool to see Americans as well as people from all over the world w*orshiping the same g0d. The service was wonderful and very biblica11y sound. One great point that was made that really spoke to me, was the fact that the Ch1nese translation for being distracted is a divided heart. It is so easy to get distracted by other things and put your relationship with Chr1st at the bottom of your to do list. We all know this. However, the translation of a divided heart instead of a distraction puts it more into perspective. When we put other things before Chr1st we are not only distracted by life, but we have a divided heart. We give Chr1st a little, but then we give the rest to other things that we feel are more important or things that we can't seem to surrender. The message from the s*rmon today was all about surrendering to Chr1st and giving him everything. We do not do this in our lives and it is something that we should all be striving to do daily. Surrender your entire life to Chr1st, your entire life.

Where BICF is held in Beijing. 

After ch*rch we stayed in Beijing to eat and then went to a shopping district to walk around. 

Where we ate lunch. It was a Mexican and Vietnamese restaurant.

I obviously went with the chicken quesadillas (yes mom I am eating plenty) 

The roommate interns in front of the restaurant. Emily, Taylor, me and Marissa. 

There is only one legit Apple store in Beijing and this is it. Supposedly they have 5,000 customers a day come through the store. 

This is my buddy Liam. He lives in the clinic and suffers from heart problems and a possible case of hydrocephalus. He is precious and he needs a family. 

The five houses that children live in all in a row. 

This is the outreach center but it is also where everyone eats meals. 

The inn 

This is a view of the center of campus with the playground. 

The reason for the tittle of this post is because this song was played in ch*rch today. I have always loved this song but today it meant that much more.

Where you go, I'll go 
Where you stay, I'll stay 
When you move, I'll move 
I will follow you 
Who you love, I'll love 
How you serve I'll serve 
If this life I lose, I will follow you 
I will follow you 

The past few days...

It is crazy that I have already spent three days here. The days are passing quickly and I know that will continue for the rest of the weeks. My time here will be short. Our first day, which was Wednesday, we met our roommates, Marissa and Emily, and Emily showed us around the place. She gave us the tour and just the ends and outs of what to expect while we are here. Emily teaches the kindergartners and the older children English. Taylor and I will be taking over these classes as well as the preschool classes when she leaves in two weeks. After we sat in her kindergarten class and saw what she is teaching them, we took our first trip to Walmart in Lan Fang (no idea how to spell it but that is how I pronounce it in my head).

It was pretty normal, except for everything being in a different language and getting stared at by everyone. There was actually a great deal in English, though, and Emily helped us get the best Chinese products of things. We got enough groceries to last us for a while for only about 25 USD.

Here are some 'sizzled barbecue flavor' lays that I got. So good! 

This is for Hank. (Mom show him this) Marinated duck tongue! YUM

These are extremely nasty oreos. Not that you can't already tell, but we decided that we would try them and they are disgusting. I will bring them back for you all to try. 

So, that was our trip to Walmart! 

When we haven't been sitting in Emily's English classes and learning the ropes. We have been meeting all of the precious children here and loving on the babies. SFCV is a closed in campus with walls all around and a front gate. On the campus, there is a front office building, the inn, where we stay, the outreach center, which is where the children eat lunch and is used for various other things, the house of love, the house of blessings, the house of peace, the house of promise, which is the therapy house, the Zachariah house, the clinic, which is also called Samaritan's house, and the school house. So, each of these houses is home to different children. All of the children here are special needs. The houses are open for certain hours of the day for us to be able to go see them. This is to make things as consistent for them as possible and not have random people coming in at all hours. There are nannies, they call them ie's, that care for them around the clock. The children that are well enough, go to school from 8:30 to 4:30. So, when we are not in a class, we go to the houses and mostly the clinic to play and hold children. I have already connected to a precious baby boy named Liam who lives in the Samaritan's house. He has suffered from heart problems and is extremely developmentally delayed. He looks like an infant and is actually a year old. I will post a picture of him later. When I have time I try and go there and hold him as long as I can. A lot of the children here need to be held in order to get better, however, the cu1ture here is different than in America. The nannies are more hands off and the babies do not get held like they need to. So, that is where we come in. We hold them as much as we can and nurse them to health. Already I am making connections with the other school children. A few of them learned my name from the first day and hearing them say "Juuuliaaanne" from across the campus is the biggest blessing. I will post pictures of them soon and tell you more about each one. A few of the interns have to go to Hong Kong next week to renew their visas, so Taylor and I will be taking over Marissa and Chrissy's job of teaching the Baker's children. Tim and Pam Baker are the owners of SFCV and they have three adopted boys that are here with them. We will be teaching them at school all next week. Say a pr*yer for us as we try and teach a ten year old and two twin 15 year olds every subject. Ha. Taylor and I are just jumping around and filling every spot they need us to. The l0rd is teaching me all about flexibility and to not have a plan. 

Tonight, there was a couple in town from New York. They are in town for a few days passing through and so Taylor, Marissa, and I took them across the street to eat at a Chinese restaurant. It was delicious! The waitress spoke no English but we managed to order. There have already been several visitors that have stopped here for a few days and some for a few weeks. I know there will be many more coming this summer. It is crazy who all g0d is calling here, and each one with such different stories, but such beautiful f*iths. I will post about some of their stories soon. 

Across from SFCV.

Headed to dinner! First outing!

The Clinic, or Samaritan's House, where I try and spend most of my free time. 

Taylor and I in front of the office building. 

Stevie, the SFCV dog who loves to follow me around. 

Sorry this post is so long and so scattered. I will post more pictures soon. Please continue to pr*y for the work being done here and the many sick children that need healing and families.

Trust

This is the word that defines the first part of this trip. Trust. Trust that the plane would take off and land safely. Trust that our baggage would roll out onto the conveyor belt. Trust that we got the right amount of money back from exchanging currency. And most of all, trust that the man holding the little white shepherd's field sign, was indeed with it and would take us to the right place. I will never forget that moment. Taylor and I both gave a head nod to the man and as we came around the railing to where he was, he just grabbed one of Taylor's bags and began walking. Taylor and I exchanged a look and then just followed right behind him. It was like, well here goes nothing. The man spoke absolutely no English. We had to trust that this man was who he says he was and would get us to where we needed to go. Keep in mind that it is 12:00 am. So, as we drove through the city of Beijing and then out of the city, south to Tianjin, Taylor and I were both completely silent. Both silently pr*ying that we would make it and reminding ourselves that g0d is in control. We did make it safely and found our way up to our room on the second floor. We are sharing an apartment style dorm with two other girl interns in the inn. Emily is one of the interns. This is her second time here and she has been here for three months. She will be leaving in two weeks and me and Taylor will be taking over her teaching spots. So, for now she is teaching us the ropes and I am so thankful we have had her. She has been so great. Oh, and did I mention that she is only 17? Marissa is the other intern. She is 23 and has been here for nine months so far. I was planning on posting about my first day but I am fading fast. Taylor and I have been up since 5 00 when we could no longer sleep and I have stayed awake all day, which is actually night time, and now I am about to die. So, I will post about my first day later and with pictures! Goodnight!

Well.. here goes nothing

So, I leave for China in two days... you could say that I am kind of freaking out. I got home from school on Wednesday and since then I have been trying to round up everything I need and packing it all up. That is still a work in progress. The next two days will consist of finishing that process and saying goodbye to family and friends for two months. It has only hit me recently, how hard this is going to be. I just have to keep reminding myself that it is only two months. Beyond that, I am so excited! I have no idea what is in store for me this summer but I know that it will change my life. I want to thank everyone, if anyone reads this...besides my mom, for the prayers and encouragement over this past semester. Please don't stop praying for us. We are going to need it. Please pray for safe travels as well as for our time over there. Taylor and I are both going to be careful about what we blog about so I ask that you do the same in leaving comments. We want to protect where we are working. I will try and post often and with lots of pictures. I will also try and entertain you the best I can. But, with me and Taylor together in a foreign country for two months, it won't be very hard for us to have some entertaining experiences.

"Re1igion that G0d our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after 0rphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world". James 1:27