Mission 2012 - Another Day Off

Entry Sixteen of my China blog:

Day Sixteen…our second day off! Today I tried to sleep in, but to no avail so I got up and had breakfast as per usual. Got an early call from the girls as they wanted to go see the doctor as Purdey was not well. So off we went to see the doctor at the hospital. Quite uneventful at the hospital, but at least it was quick. After we wrapped up there, we headed into the town center to have lunch, spicy noodles again…same as last week.

After lunch we headed out to the local museum which is showing off the local version of the Xian Terracotta warriors, although these ones predate those in Xian.

The follow photo is the "fire extinguisher" for the museum...

It was quite interesting, although it was freezing cold out there! After we wrapped up there, I went to grab a coffee from the place next to our hotel and then we all headed off for massages! Good times. 

After this it was simply a walk back to the hotel and thats where I stayed for the rest of the night.

Struggling To Success

We all face struggles...be it large or small. We all come to points in life where we question what step we should take next. With this comes the concerns over our abilities to succeed, the worry that we will fall, that we will fail. Security in life is such a valued thing, in all areas of life we see the concept of security being applied...but do these "securities" really guide us through the tough times? They may make the aftermath a little more bearable...but they will not give us the wisdom to face these situations...they will not give us the strength to push on when the going gets tough!

Looking at it from another angle...we put so much faith and belief in pieces of paper. Whether it be home or car insurance...or even simply money...we will easily put our trust in things of this world...things that when you really look at it...are not very secure at all. But we dont put our faith in Jesus as easily...why is that? Despite the amazing feats that Jesus conducted while alive, we still doubt His power in our lives.

Last month was Easter, a reminder that Jesus Christ died for us. One thing that gets preached time and time again is that there is a great power evident in the resurrection, but do we personally tap into it? Jesus died for each and everyone of us...He died to take away each of our sins. Not just the believers...everyone. This means that everyone has the access to tap into the power of God. Jesus wants to bless each and every one of us because simply put...He loves each and every one of us. He would have gone to the cross even if it was only for one persons life.

But then looking back at our lives...do we live with this in mind. Too often we just live in our own capabilities...we dont believe that God will or wants to help us. But we must ask our selves...what did He die for if we dont allow God to work in our life?

In Romans 8:26, we read of this point -

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

The Holy Spirit knows what steps we are to take...are we going to follow?

I will tell you a simple fact...Jesus WANTS to be part of the struggle! He wants to guide us...He wants us to succeed!! Friends dont always WANT to be part of the hard times, they want to be part of the good times. Look at football supporters...there when the teams going well...but they vanish when things arent so great. God is always there...He is by our side when we are struggling and He is still right beside us when we reach success. This is because He loves us.

But too many times we do it all ourselves...we feel that God will not help us and that we can only help ourselves.

Are we insecure? Are we impatient? Or are we simply too proud?

Whatever it is...we limit God's blessings...we prevent our lives from being enriched by the power that God has. But in order to live the life that God planned for us...we must open the door to God....we must allow Him into our hearts and ultimately into the cockpit of our lives.

Never forget the simple fact - God wants to help...He loves you so much!

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever - John 14:16

Mission 2012 - Coffee and Fun

Entry Fifteen of my China blog:

Day Fifteen…Breakfast and prayer meeting…then off to the center. Today we only had a half day at the center, so we started the day with bracelet making with the beads and string we had left over from last time. After this we did some whiteboard drawing and handed out stickers to the winners. The kids just adored the stickers and were so excited whenever they were awarded one! The morning was over quite quickly actually and before we knew it…it was lunch time!

After lunch I dropped off my laundry as today was going to be the last chance to get any done before we head back to Beijing. Then I decided I was due a coffee. Now next door to our hotel is a western restaurant which actually serves a variety of coffees, so in I went. I ordered a coffee and a waffle. The coffee wasn't bad…the waffle was woeful.

The afternoon we had a group meeting where we prepared for our performance we are doing on Monday and Tuesday next week. The theme…chinese new year story. I have luckily got the part of Narrator! After this we had a two hour break before the prayer meeting and dinner. I took this time to go down to the bread shop to get some tasty cakes. 

Back for the meeting then dinner and MASSAGE! By the time I got back…it was well after midnight…but I was feeling very relaxed…but with an array of red circles on my back from the cupping. Good times!

Mission 2012 - They Come Bearing Gifts

Entry Fourteen of my China blog:

Day fourteen…everyone is starting to get a little sick, part because of the weather and part because most of the kids are sick too. One of the disadvantages of coming to China during winter, although my previous trip during Spring time still suffered from its fair share of sick cases.

Up early for breakfast and then onto the welfare center we went. The day started as per usual…except today the music lesson was held in the boys own room opposed to the girls room which is the norm. This meant things were a little more chaotic that usual with the limited space available.

We were about half way through the music lesson when we were hit with the unexpected. Top government officials were doing a CNY visit to the center and with them came the media circus. Television camera, photos being shot at every chance….it was insane and the worst thing was…they came baring SNACKS!

Now you might think this is a great idea, but in some ways it is a good thing that the government officials came to visit the kids. But you need to look at the bigger picture….these kids dont get snacks…they get the bare minimum when it comes to food. So for people to come in and shower the kids in all types of snacks is just not a good idea, because as you can expect the kids went crazy! The more able kids just grabbed like crazy filling every pocket the could with as much food as they could grasp. But what they forget is…there are some children that arent as able so they are not capable of grabbing what they can. One example is XiaoPang who is confined to the wheel chair and has little to no control of his arms. So while the photographers and camera crew were shooting shots of the government official handing food to the kids, I took some food and handed it to the kids in wheel chairs, in particular XiaoPang. Now as we need to feed him too, I was sitting with him at the other end of the room giving him some food, when the circus made its way to where I was sitting. Then the government boss commenced questioning me, by way of Elsie translating, on why I came to volunteer, what I did back home and thanked me for my work. This is all good and nice…but to be honest I preferred to concentrate on XiaoPang and not the circus that was making its way around the room.

Once they left, the kids were totally hyper so we did what we could to calm them down until lunch time. We went and got our food and then back to the center we went. The afternoon we started by doing what was potentially going to be a very risky activity….PAINTING. So very carefully we sat them all down and set out paper for them to paint on. We were very careful to make sure this was well managed as it had a great potential to get out of hand. But to our success, it went exceptionally well. After that wrapped up, we thought this was a good chance to take them outside for some sports and fun. We ran some laps, did some exercises and played some games. This was also great fun and you could see all the kids really getting involved and enjoying. 

Despite the cold, going outside is a rare luxury for the kids and you can really see it by looking at their faces as we head outside for activities. They love to play outside, but its not a common thing. I guess its just another thing we take for granted in our lives.

After this we headed back inside and did some whiteboard drawing, similiar to previous occasions. This is something the kids really enjoy, as we draw something, they all guess what it is. Unfortunately I was called away as DangKou was having a bad day and was screaming at the top of his lungs. So I was hoping to take him down to the therapy room. But unfortunately it was locked and NOONE was around to unlock it for us. At this point he started screaming at the top of his lungs AGAIN. So quickly running out of ideas, I thought to take him outside to the play ground. But again afer only two times down the slide…the screaming commenced. At this point I had no idea, but to take him back up to the boys room. Fortunately for me, when we got back up there he had calmed down and was fine until dinner time.

We headed off to dinner…tonight at the congee restaurant where I ordered what I chose last time in Sanmenxia…Strawberry and Apple congee! Awesome stuff!

Get Wise To Satan

Its inevitable that in life we will face situations that end in argument. Be it with our spouse, close friend, workmate or random stranger...there will be instances where disagreements will occur, differences in opinion will come to head...and ultimately things will get heated. I strongly believe that the way that someone conducts themselves in an argument shows a lot about their character. There are those people who will get very nasty and attack the other individual on a personal level. There are those who are skilled in the art of debate and can argue their point of view very succinctly. And there are others who will just give in and let the other person win.

Realistically there is nothing wrong with having a dispute or argument. I feel they can be quite healthy for a relationship. They actually show that there is still a pasion in the relationship between the two people. The problem a lot of the time when we do get into this position is the thoughts that begin to form in our mind. We can start to have images of how we would like to harm the other person, its like a spotlight is directed right on all that persons flaws and failings, our mind is clouded by distaste for the other person and our tongue is poised to unleash that anger on them.

At this moment we need to press pause and ask the question....are we listening to the devil or listening to God??

The dangerous thing is...we so easily can let the Devil not only speak into our mind...but actually take hold of our minds. Those thoughts of hatred towards the other person, those images of reaping revenge upon those who have hurt us, those words of anger that we want to throw at the one who has betrayed us...none of these things are from God, they are all from the Devil.

We must understand the simple fact that the devil is exceptional when it comes to justification, rationalization and highlighting other people's faults. Its remarkable how easily I can allow my mind to get wrapped up in the justification in my mind of why I should take revenge on someone who has hurt me. Thoughts of how supportive I have been to that person, memories of all the help I had provided them and constant reminder of what that person did to hurt me will take my mind to a place that is no where close to what God wants us to be.

This is why we must recognize what seeds the enemy is planting in our minds. This starts by putting on the brakes...taking a time out...and basically looking back over what is going through our minds.

It comes back to what you allow to fill your mind with on a daily basis. Are you feeding on Gods word daily or are you content to allow your days be plastered with elements that are unpleasing to God. This is by no means to say we are to give up all we have and go into full time ministry with no contact with ungodly people. I just mean that we need to look at what is guiding our ship....what fuel are we living on? Like my favourite analogy...if I goto the gym, work hard then go out for and chow down on fast food each night...Im going to ultimately perform poorly in the gym and not have the necessary nutrition and energy needed to perform at my optimum.

Sometimes we need to go further than just stepping back...we need to look at ourself on the whole. Are we filled with pride and unable to compromise, unable to see our own faults/mistakes? Have we become so self-absorbed that the needs of others has become irrelevant. Have we become so focused on reaching our own goals and needs that we are neglecting others...neglecting one of the most important commands God has given us...to love one another.

This all calls on us to take a stand and not allow ourselves to be controlled in a negative and harmful manner. We need to be vocal in our objection to the enemy! Daily we need to be quoting scripture, we need to be mirroring the characteristics of Christ and above all else love others unconditionally! This will all lead to a life that is pleasing to God...a life that is successful & fulfilling!

But why would we want to do all this? Why dont we just remain self-centered and strive for things that benefit ourselves? Well simply put...when we carry out the will of God, we open the door to unimaginable blessings!

But as soon as we allow the devil in, even just slightly, we are placing our selves in a position where we limit Gods ability to fully bless us. Each day we need to ensure we are wise with the decisions that we make, we need to ensure that we are conducting ourselves in a way that is not only healthy to our own wellbeing, but also healthy to those around us. And the great news is...God has given us the wisdom required to live an extraordinary life...we just need to learn to give God time and be prepared to listen to Him.

For the Lord gives skillful and godly Wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. (Proverbs 2:6)

Setting The Bar Too High

Most of us try to do our best in life...to make the right choice...to succeed in areas of difficulty...to rise above the rest...to ultimately bring joy to those around us, those that we hold dear. Or are we trying to please those people around us? Are we trying to satisfy the demands of people who play significant parts in our life? I think a lot of the time we are just trying to uphold the expectations people have on us. Those individuals, be it family or friend...they expect things from us...and ultimately if we dont achieve what they desire, we are looked on as a failure, as a disappointment.

Why do we care though? Well for me its that I care the person. Some might dispute this...but I do care...and if every move I made was visible...you would see that. But this isnt about defending myself or proclaiming how wonderful I am. When we care about someone, we dont want to disappoint them, so we do our utmost to ensure we dont let that person down. The horrible emptiness that can be felt when you look at someone who you care about, and all they have for you is the look of disappointment. All because you failed to reach the expectation they have on you.

But where do these benchmarks come from? How are they set? Why is it that people will have next to know expectation on one person, but on someone else they expect the world? I hear a lot of people suggest its about trust...when you trust someone you raise the expectations on that person. But I dont feel that is the only aspect. The lifestyle that someone leads...that can dictate expectations. As a society we hold Christians at a higher morale standard than Atheists...but then how often do we hear/see/witness Christians making incorrect choices...and what is the result...disappointment in that person, they are outcast, not worthy to associate with. But did they really fail that badly? Do they honestly deserve that treatment?

Ultimately I believe one of the main dictations of expectation that people will place on another is their track record. If we are nice today, people expect us to be nice tomorrow. If you are the one to always phone a friend, its an ongoing expectation that you always be the one who makes first contact. If you are the one who organises the plans, ultimately the other person will leave it all up to you with the expectation  that everything is under control and they need not worry.

This is quite sad when you think about it. What happens that day you dont smile, or you dont make the first call or you forget to make the plan...you are a disappointment. So basically...despite the fact you have done so much in the past...you miss one and ...BANG... the past is irrelevant.

This highlights the simple fact that we are easily taken for granted in life. By nature its very easy for us to fall into the trap of complacency, failing to recognise what others are doing for us, or more accurately undervaluing what someone does. I think this is something that we are all guilty of in some way or another.

But its not till that day when its not there...when you are without that thing which has always been given to you...that you realise how lucky you were all that time.

What is it that you have been failing to fully appreciate? Is there someone in your life that works away tirelessly, but you have not given them the due appreciation they truly deserve? We all like to be appreciated...especially when we have performed an action that demonstrates our care/love for another.

Mission 2012 - Cooking Up A Storm

Entry Thirteen of my China blog:
Day Thirteen…some really crazy dreams last night, in particular the final one where i allowed another person to drive my car which resulted in my car being totalled just as I woke up...I guess these are the things that come with owning a new car!

Morning devotional and breakfast were pretty standard and then we were off to the center. I have started bringing the Kindle to breakfast to get some reading done while chowing down on the limited selection of foods on offer. Reading is one of those things that I actually really enjoy, but I just cant find enough time to fully enjoy it. As part of this trip I planned to take some time to myself and get some serious reading done...so I have loaded up the Kindle and Im working my way through whats on offer.

Today was considerably colder than the past couple of days so it was straight to the boys room with no messing about! The weather on average has been fluctuating between -1 and 1 degrees….so not a lot of difference…but today felt a few degrees lower than average.

Today as we entered the room, we were met with such joy and happiness, the kids were so excited. Not because we had brought anything particular with us or that we were going to take them somewhere specifically nice. They were just happy to see us and that was shown by the hugs we got entering the room. One boy in particular kept saying (in mandarin of course) "thank you for coming". 

How often do we show this kind of gratitude in our lives? How often do we just take the things people do in our lives for granted, without a second thought for what they have done for us? Its unrealistic to think that the kids realise that we have flown across the world to spend this time with them, but regardless of that, they are just happy to see us, happy to spend the days with us.

I guess you could also take it to another level…how often do we complain we are bored? These kids have very little variety in their lives. Day to day life goes by under a pretty standard routine. They cant spontaneously decide "lets go shopping" or "what movie would be good to watch?". Their only choice is…"where do I sit today?". That mind sound ridiculous…but its the unfortunate truth. We are so blessed…but we fail to see it on so many levels. I am so blessed and I continue to complain. God has blessed me so abundantly in life. Its said that its harder to pray when things are going well, as we can naturally become complacent. But the reality is…during the good times, this is when we should be praying just as much if not more. We should be singing the praises of God each and every day! Everything is given to us by God, whether we choose to believe it or not. And those things that we dont have that we still strive for…there is a reason for not having them too. God loves us more than we could ever full appreciate and for Him to not give us something that we desire suggests that there is a pretty good reason for it!

Anyhow back on track, the morning was as per usual with the music session. I spent the latter half of this time with one girl who really likes to hug people…tight! She is so happy when someone will just hold her, she would be no older than 4 or 5. Such a beautiful girl, such a tragedy that for the majority of her day she is left alone…sitting on the floor. This is by no means the fault of the carers in the center, they have 10+ kids to take care of simultaneously, if not more. No the tragedy is the fact that she is missing out on a childhood of love and compassion. When we are down, we go to our loved ones for support….but again do we value this as much as we should. Do we realise what we have in front of us before its too late?

After music we went back to the boys room, but I was quickly called away as DangKou was really upset today, screaming at the top of his voice. So it was down to the Therapy room, which always calms him down and brings a smile to his face. As I had a bit more time to play with, we spent approximately an hour in the Therapy room before I took him back up to join the rest of the kids.

Lunch time came and it was same old, same old. Picked up my laundry and had nice 45 minute rest before it was back on the bus to the center

Now on Tuesday, the afternoon didnt run as smoothly as would have hoped, so today we were super organised with our planning. We planned for colouring for 30 minutes and a whiteboard game for 30 minutes, before they would all head off to the kitchen and we would have the cooking class. The colouring went well, with all the children actively involved and having a good time. It was good to see them quiet, but as we drew near to the end you could sense they were getting a little restless. So it was time for the whiteboard activity, this involved me up front drawing on the whiteboard and the kids guessing what the picture was of. Usually it was an animal of some variety. Now let me start by saying that Im probably the worlds worst when it comes to drawing…but still I managed to draw the likes of a Cow, Sheep, Butterfly and even an Elephant. This was actually a really fun activity for all, the kids were really involved the entire time, attention span wasnt an issue and there was plenty of laughs. One thing in particular that stood out for me was that XiaoPang, who is a young boy who is confined to a wheel chair and has very little control of his limbs, he was one of the boys that got the most answers right and was smiling the whole time. That brough happiness to my heart…seeing him happy like that. For most of the day he is left out, for most of the activities he cannot join in due to his condition. But this was a time he was joining in, lauging and having fun. Knowing I brought joy to one child makes this whole trip worth it. 

One thing that came up this week was the fact that certain areas have food donated to them while others do not. One example is that a local bakery donates bread to the girls room, while the boys miss out. This means at morning tea time, when the girls are eating their baked goods, the boys go without. I have to admit that the girls are of course very cute and when volunteers come in for a day, they inevitably get drawn to the girls room. But the boys deserve as much love as everyone else. This isnt a girls vs boys debate, its just me saying that each child is special, each child deserves to be loved…especially the undesirable ones.

At 3:30pm it was time for the cooking class, so we all filed down in pairs to the kitchen for the class. This was run by Poh Suan and she was teaching them how to cook fish with noodles. This was an awesome idea, with the keys being to teach the kids hygiene and safety (in particular with knives). All the kids had the opportunity to participate in preparing and cooking the food, from washing and cutting the vegetables, to preparing the noodles and fish. All the kids were really excited throughout the exercise, especially at the end when they got to eat the food! This was an excellent idea and really demonstrates that despite their disabilities, these kids have so many skills. They are more than capable, despite what people think they cant do.

In life, we all want a chance. When we make a mistake, we always want a chance to fix it, to do it right. When we go for a job interview, we want a chance to show them we can do the job. But the harsh reality for these kids is…they will never get a chance in life. They are stuck in that center for the rest of their life. I know that sounds really depressing…but its the truth. But they deserve so much more. I was thinking on the way back from the center today that if I had the capacity…I would adopt one of the boys, in particular HeZhong. This boy is more than 20 years old, he is one of the boys that helps most around the center and in fact is quite shy…especially when the camera comes out. But he is so kind-hearted, each day when we arrive, he runs up to me and shakes my hand and says "thank you for coming" in mandarin. He loves to laugh and hug you. But his whole life has been confined to a welfare center and because of his mental disability, this is where he will remain. Its my prayer that God will work a miracle in his life…for he deserves much better than this. While with my own knowledge, I cannot see a way that things can improve…but with God all things are possible. So I will continue believing that God will intervene in his life.

After the cooking class, it was end of the day so it was off to dinner and then worship meeting to wrap up an eventful day.