7/19/09
Hello from China!

Things are going well here! The Fuzhou camp team began holding classes on Saturday. They are teaching English to a group of kids from two orphanages. The Fang Shan Team has only a few days left in their camp. Both the Zheng Zhou and Hohhot camp teams took a field trip yesterday with their students, and will visit students' homes today (Sunday).

Here are some messages from the Zheng Zhou team:

From Charlene & Julia: We are having a wonderful time with the team and our students. Physically very healthy and have been eating really well. We visit a student's home tomorrow and will have a traditional Zheng Zhou meal tomorrow night (Sunday). Please keep thinking about us, we feel it across the world. We love you!

From Rachel & Judith: We miss our family, but are enjoying their stay more and more every day. Much love!

Lissie says "Hi" to her family.

Here is a message from Katie, one of our teachers on the Hohhot team:

The sun went own and the humid evening breeze blew the Chinese flag in the schoolyard. Kids sang a sweet song that joined in with the loud...Disco music? Yes, a few hundred Chinese students along with we fearless American leaders led the crowd in free-style dancing; the Macarena and Line-dancing! This went on for over an hour and looked like so much fun that the headmaster of the school decided to join in too!

This is just one glance into the many adventures we have experienced in China so far. Other activities include visiting a large museum on a field trip, experiencing complete openness with fellow team members about physical ailments, and singing "If you're happy and you know it" with students as loud as we can. Somewhere between the constant happenings, we Americans get some time to take a deep breath, recharge and refuel each other through the Book. During these times we laugh and cry, and share stories of our experiences. In these moments we see glimpses of the eternal. All of the above-mentioned activities are surely memborable, but through it all, it is the hearts of the people that will be cherished forever. Though we cannot always use our words to plant seeds, we may not need to. Each minute spent with our students is a precious opportunity to invest in their lives. Despite the weird food, lack of rest and unpredictable schedule, one look into the eyes of the boys and girls reminds me why I'm here.

I know without a doubt it's worth it. To those back home thinking about us, thank you very much! I miss you. All is well. Please be aware of the hearts of our students and the physical and emotional strength we all need. I can't wait to share stories with you when I get home! I love you! Katie.