Cries for a Mother

Last night I had the opportunity to babysit for a church's Good Friday Service. So, basically doing the nursery at church.

It was really fun:) Every time I do things like that, it reassures me that I want to work with kids sometime in the future. I love seeing how great they are... playing, discovering, learning. To me, it's so much fun to see how their brains work and develop. :)

But of course, along with the good and cute stuff, there are always kids who cry and whine and make trouble. I mean, sure, they're kids. But as much as it's annoying, I don't mind it. There seems to be something in my that feels bad for the kids who cry. Something in me that makes me feel patient with the kids who whine, and something that makes me calm with the kids who cause trouble. I don't know what it is, but I thank God for that...
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not some super human who never gets annoyed with kids, because I do. I've just realized I'm more patient with them.. and I think that became more apparent to me last night as I was working with two other teenage girls.

Anyways, that's not the point... haha. There will always be those kids who cry, right? Usually the reason because they want their mom, they miss them. Their cries are sad, not just because they were hurt... because they need their mother.

One little boy last night had this problem, he was sad the whole time. He wanted nothing but to be held and bobbed up and down. I ended up holding him the whole time, talking to him. There were a few times when I got smiles out of him, which made my day:)

But then I realized... there's this little boy who has a mom who loves him so much, and he loves her back. He has someone to take care of him. Someone to rush to him when he's hurt. Someone to feed him when he's hungry. Someone to give him attention. He has a mother. He has parents. He has a family.
This little boy is so blessed. SO blessed. Because across the world sitting in an orphanage are kids who do not know such love. And sadly, many will never experience it. Many will go through their lives not knowing what it feels like to have a mom and dad. They don't have a mom to kiss their scrapes. They don't have someone to take the time to know what's wrong emotionally. They don't have a home where they can bathe with warm water. They don't have a place where they can be read to and rocked to sleep every night before they fall asleep. They don't have a mom or dad to pray for them every night. These kids don't have any of that, none, and many never will. Many will never experience love and affection the way we are given here.

How sad is this? Can you imagine waking up every day and not having a mom to make your breakfast? Just waking up without parents. Think about it for a minute. Their cries aren't for a mom to come back to them, they cry because they want attention. They NEED attention. They have never known how it was like to have a mom (at least as long as they can remember). How sad is that? It breaks my heart for those kids just thinking about it. They just go throughout their lives as if it's normal, and it shouldn't have to be.

I've been reading a book called Silent Tears by Kay Bratt. She is a women who moved to China for her husband's job, and she volunteers in a local orphanage, and the book is basically her journal entries while she is living there. The stories in this book, are extremely sad. Horrific. I can't even explain to you...
I just wanted to share one excerpt from the book (pg. 106-107):
"While we were working, a new baby arrived who had just been discovered abandoned. She'd been found with a note in Chinese that gave her first name and her age; an ayi translated and told me the baby was four weeks old. She looked perfect! I'm certain her family abandoned her because she was a girl--under the one-child policy in China, most families want a boy to carry on the lineage.
...
I waited until a bottle with leftover milk finally became free, took the new baby onto my lap, and fed her. She ate ravenously, but after shed filled her little tummy, I still couldn't get her to calm down. Ann guessed she was probably still used to being saddled, so we bundled her in a towel, which instantly stopped her crying. I'm sure it was a traumatic day for her and she still yearns for her mother. She will have to get used to the life of an orphan, which means no more hugs, kisses, or cuddling except from the crazy expat women that come in a few times a week. I felt so sorry for her and hated to leave."

How sad is this? I sit here crying thinking about it.

And that is exactly why we do trips to visit these children of all ages. They need to know love. They need to know there is someone out there who care for them and pray for them. They need to know that there is a greater love, as well. We show the love of Christ to them. These kids need it... more than any of us could ever know.

The best part of working in the nursery with those kids who cry is this: when the parents pick them up, and you see the joy on the child's face that their mom has come for them finally. Its something that will never get old, to see the love that they both share for one another. Precious. I just wish that the kids in the orphanage could be able to share this experience.

Anyways, I didn't meant to put a damper on the day. It's just a thought that popped into my head last night. Yeah, that's how my brain works... I'm not sure if that's a gift or a curse haha (for those of you Monk fans out there) :). Oh well.

Until next time :)

"Religion that is pure and faultless before God our Father is this: to take care of orphans..." James 1:27a

The good, the bad, and the ugly

I'll just start with this: FORTY THREE DAYS TILL WE LEAVE FOR CHINA.

Yeh, you heard me right. 43.

Can I just recap for a moment?

So, the last weekend in March, I realize I need to go back to Chenzhou. I needed to see those kids. I NEED to. Not a want, not as just a good deed, not because others were, because I personally needed to, because those kids need it.

4 weeks later (yes, FOUR) things are going great. I've had lots of ups and downs, but we all knew that'd come with the territory. I have been babysitting quite a bit, making lots of headbands and clips, and last week (the 16th) I had my first real big fundraiser.

Last Saturday, I had a car wash. I'd had it planned for awhile... it was actually the first thing I had set to do for this trip. I went into Mapco to see if I could have my fundraiser, and the managers were more than happy to have me.
Well... Friday (15th) I wake up, and it's raining. Like, thundering... pouring rain.

Awesome.

I kind of freak out a little bit. Like, ohh my gosh. I walk downstairs to check what the weathers supposed to be like tomorrow. "Showers throughout the day". yayyy.
Nevertheless, we buy all the supplies we need, stay up until forever to make posters and such the night before, because we were determined to have this thing.

Well Saturday rolls around.... and it's freezing. Windy. and rainy. My whole family including my little sisters (bless their hearts!) bundled up to embrace the cold.
Once we arrive at Mapco (like, almost instantly) it starts raining. And not a light rain either, like... raining. And of course, I'm not going to be washing cars in the rain. That just doesn't happen. So we drove all the way home and decided to wait an hour or so and see what it looks like.

I'm not gonna lie guys, my heart sank. I cried. Yes, call me a little crazy, but I cried. This was my only huge fundraiser that I had planned for sure at this point... and the weather was terrible.

Fortunately, my friend texted me to see what was going on (they had been sitting there for awhile just chillin... bless their hearts), and to tell me the rain had stopped. THANK THE LORD.
So we drive back to the gas station and set up.

It's still cold guys. Still windy. NOT ideal weather for a car wash. My guy friends, showed up in shorts... crazy kids.
But I just wanted to take a second and thank you all who came out to help me, it was such a blessing... I know the cold wasn't the best, but you all mean so much to me.
And thank you to all who came out and got your car washed, and those who gave me donations! Your support is so appreciated. More than you know.

I had one woman who came out and donated money. She didn't want her car washed, she didn't even know me. She had just finished Silent Tears the night before (which I am reading now, and oh my, it's a tear jerker), and she hopped on facebook to see I was having a carwash, and she immediately knew she needed to give me money. $100 ya'll. Yes, you heard that right. This woman and her family didn't even know me. So if you're out there reading this, I just wanted to thank you SO much. It makes me cry thinking about it. You guys are such a blessing to me.

Anyways, despite the freezing cold and wind and us all being so cold we couldn't feel our toes, the car wash went great. Better than I expected it to be. :)
This just goes to show... He truly is in control. I was a little upset, and my faith faltered a little bit... but He always shows through. Always.
This whole thing has been a big test of faith for me... and I knew that it would be when I signed up 2 months before we had to leave. But I wouldn't have it any other way... it's been a growing experience. Everyday walking to the mailbox to see if anyone's sent me donations. Or checking my email to see if anyone has ordered anything from me, or needs me to babysit. It's a test of faith. But slowly and surely I'll get there. I was called to go, He'll show me a way to get there.

So, I went to look at my account for my trip the other day, and I'm pretty close. I still have some to go, but I know I'll get there. But I just wanted to say thank you to all of you who have donated! You're helping me get there with every little bit you send me:) THANK YOU!

Anyways, that's just kind of an update on how things are going. Next week I have a movie night (Tangled and Toy Story 3) that I'll be having at my house as a fundraiser. EVERYONE should come out:) I'll be posting information on that soon. :)

Until next time...
Megan

A Little Frightening

So, last night I had my first pre-China nightmare. And I'm not usually one to have nightmares about big events coming up in my life (I hear of people, such as my mom, who do, but it never happens to me). I hope this is not a reoccurring theme. This is how it went:

I started with me packing my suitcase. For some reason... I waited until THE DAY OF my flight to pack. What?

I was throwing things in my suitcase. All of my clothes (which for some reason were all white) went in, which took up about 1/4 of the suitcase. The orphanage donations went in afterwards, which overflowed the suitcase. It didn't zip.

I was freaking out.

So my mom and I are jumping on top of it, you know, the way they do in the tv shows, because that's somehow supposed to make it shut... somehow. But hey, it did... Eventually.

So rush to the airport, my dads driving like a maniac to get me there on time.

We get there, check my bags. And for some reason my whole family came with me through security. When I suddenly remember, I FORGOT TO PACK SHORTS. Or any kind of pants for that matter. All I had to wear for the next two weeks was the pants I was wearing right then at that moment. So the clothes I packed were all white t shirts?

Awesome.

I remember freaking out, going through the shops in the airport trying to find some type of pants/shorts to buy. Nothing. Nothing was to be found. HA.

Talk about a nightmare. I woke up right as I was running around the airport. But really? It was not cool.

Let's just hope I remember to bring my shorts on this trip, guys.

Faith Like a Child

(Posted to Facebook as of Monday, April 4th):

So, many of you folks have experienced the lovely weather that Nashville has brought us today. Fun, wasn't it?

Well, at about 2, I was faithfully reading Huck Finn (*cough cough* sleeping) when my momma told me she had to run to the store. We didn't have any food in the house, blah blah blah, so I had to watch my sisters. So as I'm awaking from my lovely nap, our little radio that tells us all about the weather coming our way goes berserk. *severe thunderstorms with 70 mph winds with the potential to turn into a tornado coming your way*

Awesome.

So we clean up downstairs, get pillows, games, books, flashlights, and all that jazz and head into the bathroom.

While my moms trying to figure something out around the house (she decided to stay home, thank goodness) my sisters and I are just chillin in the bathroom.
Annnd, the youngest is asking why we need flashlights if we already have a light in the bathroom.
"Well the electricity could go out... And then it'd be dark." I say.
"But Megan, if the electricity goes out, we still have the light in here." She tells me.
Oh dear, me.

She asks why we need to be in the bathroom, why we need to wear tennis shoes and socks (the SOCKS, I mean, that was torture to her).
As I'm trying to explain this in simplest form, and trying not to freak the child out, she begins to get that worried look on her face.
But I say to her, "But don't worry, we have Jesus on our side." :)
(Okay, so it was a little cheesy, but nothing short of the truth. And she understood, so yeah).
Both my sisters smile and say, "YEAH! When we were changing, we prayed that everything would be okay. We know that when we pray to God about a bad situation, He always makes it good again." With the biggest smiles.
After that, they were fine. Giggling their heads off, I might add. They were just having a grand old time.

Now that, THAT is what the Bible means by faith like a child. Wouldn't it be fantastic if we all had faith like that? Praying for the impossible, yet believing for the best, for a miracle, and never going back on that. They just left it all up to Him, KNOWING He's got us in the palm of His hand.

I know I personally struggle with this. Its gotten better over the past year, but even with this mission trip coming up, I've been freaking out about the money. But I know I just have to trust and believe. I'm one of those people who enjoys being able to plan her day out and being in control of her life and everything that happens. But I've been taught last year, that I'm not the one in control, HE is. And in the snap of a finger, it could all change. So, its been an eye opening year, but I KNOW he's in control and like my sisters said, He makes all things for the good, all things to glorify Him.

So my prayer and goal from this day forward, is to have faith like a child. :)

It's officially official!

ALRIGHT. It's officially official. I am all set up with Visiting Orphans, and everything. I'm so excited:) But I still need money, ya'll. So I just wanted to let you guys know, if you're feeling led to donate to my trip, here are a few easy ways to do it:

Checks! You can email me (dancingjesusfreak@gmail.com) and ask for my address, and you can send them into me. Write them out to Visiting Orphans, and put a note saying it's for me. :)

Visiting Orphans! You are able to donate online at VO. Click here for the webpage. On the tab that says "Gift Designation" click the one that says: "June 6-17, 2011 Chen Zhou, China Trip". THEN under "Would you like to designate this donation to a specific team member?" click "YES", and type my name in the box.

Thank you guys so much! Hope you have a great weekend:)