I think I have a small addiction....

...to coffee! haha I found all these gift cards in my wallet today...scary, huh?

Anyways, I hope you all have a wonderful Labor Day tomorrow! Please be praying for my trip back to Cali! Thanks!!

~k

Learning from the "unreal," living in the "real"

"The most difficult person to deal with is the one who has the smug satisfaction of an experience to which he can refer back, but who is not working it out in practical life. The experience must be so genuine that it is shown in life..." ~Oswald Chambers

This quote really sums up what I've been thinking about and trying to live since I have gotten home from China two weeks ago.

Our time in Nanchang this summer was so precious. It felt almost surreal to see God's hand work in such varied ways each and every day. Some days I saw the Lord work by opening the kids hearts and letting them feel loved. Other days it was having conversations with our translators who were so hungry to know about Jesus. And sometimes it was my friends and I being changed...watching God mold us to be more like Him. It was one of those summers you can't believe you actually get to live...

Now, I'm trying to carry those "unreal" experiences into my "real" life...I want the faith God grew in my heart in China to carry over to who I am now in America. That's not always easy...

To be honest, the process to understand and embrace everything that happened this summer is a slow one (which is why I have yet to email my supporters since I've gotten home!) I was at the beach for the past few days where God started opening my heart to really think and journal and pray about all that has happened...I've still got a lot to hear from Him about, but, it's a start! A really great start! :)

I'm going to enjoy a few more days of vacation at home until I head back to CA to work on some post-camp projects. But until then...cookie making and a movie is on the agenda this afternoon!!! Can't wait!! :)

Jesus Action Figures and "The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog"

I spent some time with my girls today (I've known them since they were little), and we found some fun things in Borders...

"With posable arms and gliding action!" What the heck?! haha

Mia reading "The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!" So funny! :)

comfy home

i'm home in PA. life is comfy...really comfy.

i love feeling the night breeze through my window every time my head hits my pillow.

i walked into wawa today and froze as i realized it's been months since i've been in one! talk about monumental occasions! (back me up on this one east coasters, haha)

i had lunch with mom at panera bread...yum, so good!

and i just realized everything i said started with "i."

being home is great. but God, help me be others focused here in my quiet home town just as much as i am in remote parts of China with orphans...friends, please be praying that for me as well.

Hey From Debriefing Part 2 :)

Hey all! Here are some more photos from the last few days...

My awesome roomies!!


Lucia, Martha, and I hanging out in the city after our last staff dinner.

Mark found his true love...


People watching the Olympics on TV in Nanchang, China. This was a China vs. Canada soccer match I think.


Joey and the little Aussies runnin' around the airport. :)

Heading out of Nanchang to our debriefing...I just love this city.

Heading to our mystery location...isn't this just gorgeous?


hehehe...

Where we're spending the last few days of the summer...God's creation is so beautiful!!



Well, I guess I should get ready for the day...I hope you're all doing well! And hopefully I'll see many of you soon!

Love,
k

Hey from Debriefing!

We had our very last day of camp on Friday. All of Thursday when we went to the pool, ate together, or sang with the kids, we couldn't help but think, "this is our last time doing this for the summer." It was bitter-sweet.

This summer has been so blessed; God is has been so good to us, giving us strength when we needed it and flooding us with joyful memories. The children who came through our doors are such precious people, and it was an honor to spend time with them. I know healing happened. It's never complete in 5 days, but it's a beginning, or an end...we'll never know. We just hear small things like, "I don't have a family, but it is enough that I have you." Things like that nearly make me speechless.

And another thing that often makes me speechless is the friends I've spent this summer with. They are some of my favorite people on the planet!! Maybe these photos will help explain why... :)

Rocking out to this Chinese pop song they play everywhere here...it's really catchy! haha

When we run out of ideas to entertain the kids, Jason just dances...

Some of the girls had a sleepover in our room one of the last nights of camp, so fun!


More pictures soon, I promise. I just wanna get some shut-eye before the sun comes up, haha.
Nighty night!
~kristen

The best day of my whole summer...

I have to say, yesterday was the best day of my whole summer. I had the most wonderful time with a 17 year old girl named Summer. We swam together, danced and sang together...she taught me some more Chinese, and we hung out in her room making bracelets before bedtime. (This morning I went back to my room after our team meeting, and I found breakfast by my door with little flower notes that had little messages written on them to me. My favorite one said, "Ting's breakfast" (Kai Ting is my Chinese name.) So sweet...

Also, last night we had another great night playing games and dancing (one of our favorite times of the day)...One little 6 year old girl with Downs Syndrome stole the show! She danced on the stage doing all sorts of moves, and by the end of the night, she had everyone copying her! It was so precious!

Letter 2 to my supporters and friends...(written last week ;)

July 30, 2008

Hey Everybody,

I don’t know how, but I’ve found a quiet moment and I’m so excited to take hold of it to write you all. So here I am, comfy in bed, listening to the new Coldplay album and wishing the big gray clouds outside my bedroom window would finally explode with rain…

This week has seemed really different to me than the past 2 weeks of camp. I think one big reason is that we have changed some things around to accommodate nearly twice the number of volunteers as before. Most of the volunteers this week are Canadians, so we’re all trying to understand the language barriers between us, like how to properly say “badminton.” And our staff learned the Canadian National Anthem to help bridge the cultural gap, haha. It’s been fun.

This morning I helped some of the orphans make calls to their Australian and American Sponsors who have funded their time at camp. I couldn’t tell you how much it affected the sponsors to hear from the kids here...one lady was even tearing up just hearing one of the kids talk about how much he loved camp.

It’s really amazing to see how everyone plays a different role in making camp happen…People who sponsor camp make it financially possible for all of this to happen, international volunteers dedicate their time to creating relationships with the orphans, translators make communication possible, and all of you, who are the reason that I am here…

The last month in Nanchang has been so rich for me. I’ve had a great time having two orphan buddies I looked after during the first week of camp. And even though I still make it a priority to spend time with the children, my role has shifted to be more administrative lately. I work at gathering the photos and stories necessary to communicate camp back to the States, Australia, and beyond. I do enjoy that, but I also like helping people get messy in the craft room too. J

Anyhow, please keep us in your prayers. We want to finish camp well, despite fatigue and being bothered with small health issues like colds, etc. Pray that we would continue to be strong and united as a staff team, that our love for one another would only grow as camp continues. And please lift up the volunteers, translators, and children here, that their hearts would be both broken and mended with love and kindness this week.

Thank you a million,

kristen

“I want to serve you my God, I want to give you everything. Here I am with my arms open wide asking for you Lord to come inside. Won’t You make me new, won’t You make me true, Jesus won’t you make me like You? Touch my eyes so I can see. Touch my ears so I can hear. Touch my mind so I can know. Touch my heart so I can love You more.” –Shawn MacDonald

memories, memories :)

A beautiful baby in foster care.  I met her dropping off one of the kids from camp...I just love her smile!!! :)

Dropping off a camper at her foster home.

Goodbye's are never easy.

Before leaving...

Our staff singing the Candian National Anthem to the Candanian Volunteers...

Look at the beautiful rain!!

Looking at Rose's pretty bracelets :)

Hanging out inside on a rainy day!

Everybody singing 'I'm a little teapot' :)

Happy Birthday Mark!!!

My roommate Katie coming back from Walmart!

Jamie, sporting her new shades and uh...soap. ;)

all for now!! 

hugs from nanchang,

k