Three Strikes Not Out

I'm in touch with a 13-year-old boy, Liu Xinyang, in Chingchun, one of the 4 hardest hit Sichuan earthquake areas. At age 8, he was in a serious car accident and his right arm was disabled. May 12, 2008, both of his parents died from the earthquake. He was then taken to an orphanage, but he was rejected because of his disability. How could a young boy face three strikes in life like this? He has become withdrawn. (See attached bio in Chinese.)

Thank God, there is a teacher who loves him and arranged to have him checked out in the biggest hospital in Chengdu. The doctors said that corrective surgery could be done to his arm. It's estimated to cost about 20,000 RMB (US$3,000+). However, there is no money.

I'll do two things for him. I'll call him and do long term follow up and encourage him. I'll raise fund for his surgery.

Please pray for his restoration process, mind body and soul and God's provision of the fund. Let me know if you feel touched to contribute in any ways. Yes, he experienced three strikes, but in God he is definitely not out.

XinYang's Bio in Chinese
刘新洋，男，1995年8月出生在四川广元市青川县红光 乡石板村一个普通农民家庭。现就读于青川县关庄镇中心小学五年级。家中有奶奶，父母，姐姐及本人。平常父母除了于农活外，还利用农闲时间外出务工，靠勤劳的双手维持着一家人的生活，奶奶在家做家务，照顾两个孙子，一家人和生活过得还算幸福。可就在刘新洋八岁时由于一场车祸，差点夺去他的生命，经过医治，命虽然保住了，却让他的右手落下了残疾，至今，右手五个手指不能弯曲，肘部无法灵活转动。更惨的是本次5.12汶川特大地震,致使这个可怜的孩子居住地青川县红光乡石板村严重山体滑坡,致使他家房屋被埋,父母双亡,他原来美丽的家园形成了堰塞湖,家中只剩下十三岁的他、十七岁在外打工的姐姐、年近七旬的奶奶.这一切悲惨遭遇撕裂着孩子脆弱的心,目前这个孩子变得沉默寡言,非常自卑，这个孩子留下的残疾经华西医院教授诊断，可以通过手术治疗，让他始终弯曲的手指灵活屈伸，使他不能灵活转动的肘恢复常态，但需要一万多元的手术费，再加上一些到医院的其它费用，大概两万左右，对于他这个家庭是无力支付的。希望有好心人能帮助他，让他恢复健康，减少一些这个孤儿的痛苦。

Aspiring Musician

Hae-Lih and I have been sponsoring a legally blind boy in Chongqing. His name is Qianping Li. He is about the same age as my son, Kevin. Like Kevin, he also loves music. In fact, he is in ChangChun University majoring in music. When we visited him in the summer of 08, to our surprise, we found that he also sings very well and writes his own songs. They won many local awards before. Below is a song that he wrote. Oh, it would be so cool if someone would help him in his music career. He said he would be a music teacher in a school for the blind in the future, but I think he can do even more than that. I'll keep praying. http://www.wj66.net/showdj.asp?dj_id=2365

Taking Care Of The Pressure Cooker

The weekend with the teachers in Nanning this summer of 08 was indeed very special. People say that teachers for the special need must be very strong and have a loving heart. I think it is especially true in China. Work is extremely demanding in China. Resource is limited. Expectation of them and their expectation on themselves are high. In a nutshell, it's a pressure cooker. So we decided to get them away from the pressure cooker. What's better place than Beihai. Let the seafood nourish their body... Let the sea water flush out their stress... let the laughters restore their soul...

Here is the response from one of the teachers who has joined the Sunday club through Rainbow's recommendation.

彼特：

你好，得知你和Roland 顺利回到西雅图的消息，我们安琪之家的全体员工
都为你们高兴。天上的父亲，总在保佑着他的儿女们。

谢谢你，把欢乐带到了安琪之家，以前，安琪之家的人从来没有这样开心过。
谢谢你，把爱无私地奉献给\了那些需要帮助的人们-----在我们几天的接触
中，我对你有了很深的了解。在我过去的岁月中，很多我本来可以做好的事却
因为一点点困难而中止了，想来非常惭愧。现在，我被你的精神深深感动了。
将来，不管在何时何地，从事何种工作，我都会以你为榜样------

那天在教堂里，我有幸见到了你，回家后感慨很多。将来也会以你为楷模，
搞好学业和工作的。我能看懂一般的英文资料，但写不出。我争取在近几年
内能提高英语水平。再多的文字和语言，已无法表达我对你的感激和敬佩
之情。我由衷地向你说一声：谢谢你！

并向你太太问好！！愿你们永远喜乐！！！  …姊妹

Giving When You Don't Have

We had a win-win project with a hardship students in Kunming. She translated some articles for us. She would get a little compensation that could relief her hardship a bit. After the project was done, she said she did not want to take the money because she wanted us to pass the money that God gave her to help the children in the earthquake zone. It is one thing to give when you have, but it’s a totally another level of giving and blessing when you don’t have. This must be what Jesus meant when he told the story about the poor widow offering two small coins (Luke 21:1-4). I’d say we got ourselves into a win-win project, wouldn’t you say?

Letter Of Appreciation

We spent lots of wonderful time with the CP kids in NN during this summer 08 trip. One of the teen age boys has much to deal with regarding himself, with others and with God. After we left, he wrote us the following letter sharing his appreciation. Thank God for his opening up.

彩虹工程的叔叔阿姨们：
你们好！很感谢你们这次来安琪之家看望我们，你们回去后，我们都很想念你们。
你们来了之后陪我们聊天，和我们交谈，使我们懂得很多的课外知识；而且你们带了很多的东西来给我们吃，这些东西我们从来都没有吃过的，我觉得这些东西非常好吃，我很爱吃；最让我难忘和高兴的是，你们还带我们去公园玩，我们平时很少得去公园玩，更别说玩那里的游乐场了。
在你们回香港的前一天晚上，我听说你们从香港到南宁的往返路费全部由你们自己承担的，你们不远万里来到南宁来看我们，你们真是非常的有爱心。
我也要好好努力读书，不辜负你们对我的期望。
我希望你们以后常来陪我们玩！

Mouse Loves Rice: July 08 STST

I was in China from July 20 to Aug 6 2008 for a Rainbow Missions short term service trip with Hae-Lih, Bosco, Gloria and Roland. We spent 1 week in Sichuan, several days in Chongqing and one week in Nanning. There were so many fun things during the trip. I wished you were there to share them with me.

It was very hot in Sichuan (about 40C). We had a huge red bean icy, bigger than anything you have seen.

We were in a 4-star hotel in Chongqing under extremely cheap price (188 RMB). The bathroom in the room is glassed in. You can see through!

We took the teachers in NN for an over-night trip. We waded water in South China Sea.

My ear phone was soaked in salt water, but it's still useable!

We ate raw sand worm.

We learned some Zhuang phrases. They sound really funny.

‘bun bao’ means handsome man..
‘bun dao’ means beautiful girl.

We flew from Nanning to Shenzhen, but the plane could not land because of the typhoon. We were sent to beautiful Guilin for half a day. Just the previous day the teachers asked if we could take them to Guilin and here we were sent by God to Guilin for a free scouting trip!

Oh no worries. We did not just play. There were many meaningful things that happened.

We taught in a village in An Xian where a group of brothers and sisters have been serving there since day one of the earthquake. The villagers want to build a church there.

We helped bring some supplies to the mountainous areas of Beichuan. Bosco and Gloria saw the ruins from above. 2/3 of the mountain fell. Entire 7-storey buildings were buried.

A 16-year-old girl was rescued and cured in An Xian. A field worker gave her many books and made her a librarian for the village.

The children wrote us touching letters. The children painted us pictures.

A young woman lost her husband in the earthquake. She refused to eat and lost 22 pounds.

After talking to her, she started to eat again.

Another young woman whose husband also died did better after our personal and phone follow-up.

The parents of a 3-year-old developmentally disabled girl in a tent city are struggling to find help for their child.

We reconnected with many friends in Chongqing. We now call some of them brothers and sisters.

We took the teachers in Nanning to an over-night trip. We wanted to honor their hard work.

And some did not have the means to go for such a trip. We had a lot of deep life sharing.

A reporter friend came along. She was touched by Gloria picking up garbage in the bus.

We took the disabled kids to a park. People looked at them with strange eyes, but God loves them and we love them very much. Two disabled teens were not allowed to play bumper car. Yet the kids are courageous. They sang "sun above the cloud".

The teachers sang us a song called "mouse loves rice". Their love for us is like mouse loving rice.

Over half of the teachers went to meeting with us on Sunday.

The teachers in Nanning Angel house were sad to see us go.

I, alongside other blind people, learned to do Chinese painting..

We bought things from a craft shop in Nanning where disabled people work. I learned to make some of the crafts. The girl with burn marks was proud to be able to help me.

A call center in Hong Kong that hires blind people is expanding quickly. The boss does good book study with them. Hong Kong RM is consulting here.

Some volunteers in the earthquake zone did not have a place to take shower for many days. They had a creative solution. They walked to a motel, rented a room for 2 hours and took turn showering and washing clothes. They had to do it quickly of course.

We took pictures with one of the Olympic torch runners. That turned out to be Kate Wang, the principal of NN Angel house.

God is good! All the time!

If I was a photocopier: July 08 STST (1)

I was in China from July 20 to Aug 6 2008 for a Rainbow Missions short-term service trip with Hae-Lih, Bosco, Gloria and Roland. We spent 1 week in Sichuan, several days in Chongqing and one week in Nanning. It's a very memorable time. I wrote the following poem to remember this trip.

If I was a photocopier, it would definitely be a color copier, colors of the rainbow.

What would I copy in Sichuan?

I would copy the beautiful smiles of the students in the tent schools.

I will remember the good times we had together.

I would copy the off-tune guitars the volunteers gave you.

I will remember how ready you are to learn.

I would copy your running around gleefully among the ruines.

I will remember your innocence.

I would copy how silly you looked when you showed up half awake in class.

I will remember how lovely you are.

I would copy how you would make funny faces.

I will remember that you are still a kid regardless of what happened.

I would copy how you still go on your daily activities while staying in tents.

I will remember how brave you are.

I would copy the time we held hand and sang together.

I will remember that it's love that bound us together.

I would copy the letters you wrote to me.

I will remember your thankful heart.

I would copy the pictures you drew for me.

I will remember the rainbow colors of life.

When I get home, I will gather up all these copies.

I will make a house out of them.

From two ends of the world, we can rebuild our homeland together.

When I see this colorful paper house, I'm thinking of you.

I'll remember you in my prayer.

What would I copy in Nanning?

I would copy the times when I hold hands with the teachers, the paretns and the kids and sing "we gather together".

I will remember the wonderful time we had together.

I would copy your smiles.

I will remember you are all "bun bao" and "bun dao" as they call handsome men and women in the juang tribe.

I would copy how you made faces when taking photos.

I will remember the good times we had together.

I will copy the time we had raw sand worm for lunch and I almost fainted.

I will remember how special you folks are.

I will copy the time we stand in the South China Sea against the relentless waves one after the other.

I will remember the disabled children, the parents and the teachers' standing up and not giving up.

I will copy the time we lecture with our broken putonghua while you kept taking notes.

I will remember that you are so eager to learn because you want to do more for the kids.

I will copy the time when the disabled kids got on the big bus early, eager for the outing.

I will remember their strength in life.

I will copy these kids singing "sunshine above the cloud" on the bus.

I will remember there is hope in life.

I will copy these kids climbing up onto the wooden horses with difficulties.

I will remember God saying "you can do it."

I will copy the teachers' warm welcome.

I will remember how you love us just like a mouse loving rice.

I will copy the time when the parents, the teachers and the rainbow volunteers walking with the kids hand in hand.

I will remember the we can do it together.

Oh I should not forget to copy the faces of Bosco and Gloria.

I will remember that they will be staying in Nanning representing Rainbow to love the people there.

When I go home, I will gather up all the photo copies.

I will make a rainbow bridge, so that I can come back soon.

In the mean time, the rainbow bridge will remind meof you and I will remember you silently in prayer.