What a packed day!! After breakfast we went to the orphanage. We were welcomed by children chanting, “Welcome! Welcome! Very Big Welcome!” They lined up afterwards and sang us songs. As I stared into the eyes of these precious children, each of their shining faces, I was touched by the intricate, beautiful handiwork of my heavenly Father. My heart swelled with affection for these children. My heart ached at the beauty of it all. They are each so precious, so loved, yet most of them don’t know it. They are waiting for someone to tell them.

We had a simple, yet delicious, lunch with them. The lunch was made from fresh produce purchased that morning at the open-air market. Then they took our hands and led us on a tour of their home. We saw their living spaces, classrooms, playground. The youngest is 3 and stole my heart with the sparkle in her eyes. The oldest is 15 and, like all middle-schooler here, lives at school during the week. After the tour, we saw the most rural areas. There was so much need I can’t even begin to describe it. Please see the pictures to get a peek at what we saw. I know a piece of my heart is here now. I am forever changed by what I have been privileged to experience today.

-Catherine

Feels SO good to finally be in Yu-Lin. We are preparing for our first day, it is filled with activities: shopping for groceries at the town market, touring a few hospitals, cooking lunch with the orphanage staff, playing with the kids…we are so pumped! Let the day begin!!

-Alberta

P.S. Thank you for all our beautiful friends and family back in the U.S. We truly love your support.

After a 10 hour bus ride from Hong Kong to Yu-Lin, China…me, Alberta, Catherine, and Alice have all arrived safely!!! It was amazing seeing the landscape change from high skyscrapers to clay homes, LV and Coach purses to fanny-packs, pollution and endless construction to beautiful mountain landscapes and rice fields. It was even more awesome getting to experience this trip with the other two board members, all with visions similar to mine.

After arriving at around 7:30 pm, we were welcomed by some staff workers of the Yu-Lin orphanage, were fed a great meal, and then had a unbelievable time of fellowship with two girls that work at the orphanage (one administrative staff and one volunteer) – shopping the night markets of the city.

We have an amazingly packed schedule tomorrow: visiting hospitals and rural clinics, touring parts of Yu-lin, visiting and playing with the kids of a local orphanage, etc. We pray the big man upstairs will blanket us with his power and armor of protection. Thanks for everyone’s support!! We will update with daily blogs [and pictures will probably come a bit later].

TIME FOR BEDDDD!!!

Looking up with great anticipation,
Brother Dan