What Happens When You are Flung Out of Your Comfort Zone..

This is taken from a talk I did about my time in China at a International China Concern information evening last week :)

In April 2012, my boyfriend Gaz and I stepped out of the airport and into Hongkong to start our new adventure with ICC. We were both very anxious  as we had never done anything like it before and I remember telling the team of all ages,from me being the youngest at 19 to Christine who was 67 that I was very scared about the prospect of having a human being solely dependent on me. I also told Gaz that I was particularly worried about having a heavy, large child who I couldn’t lift or one who was unresponsive, so we prayed that night that we would both receive the child that God had in mind for us and that he would help us to be able to know what to do. On the first day in the welfare centre, I was handed an absolutely beautiful, small girl called Junjun who loved nothing more than being cuddled and being sung

too. All the team commented on a special bond that we appeared to have from the beginning and the whole experience of looking after her was a complete joy. My favourite memory is one day when we went outside. We had a lovely time feeling the grass, going for walks in the fresh air and even meeting a local pet dog- all very new and exciting. Suddenly, it started to rain and I mean torrential downpour. So I quickly bundled her in the buggy and started to run back inside whilst we both were getting soaked! As I was running along I could hear screaming from Junjun so I stopped to reassure her but as I looked I could see she was squealing and laughing her head off at this brand new sensation of wind and rain, a very special moment.

So how was I impacted by my trip to China?

When we arrived in the Welfare Centre there was a big sign on the wall declaring, ‘we have potential too.’ Getting to know a disabled child on such a personal level really opened my eyes to how cherished they are by God and how we cannot say what potential they have. This really made me cherish the sanctity of life and the fact that God looks after and values each abandoned child, though the state may have given up on the them. When Gaz and I left the welfare centre for the last time, I felt an overwhelming feeling of peace, that Junjun was in the best of hands and that God had got her. This made me evaluate that I should treat every individual I meet on the daily basis with the same idea in mind, that God values them all and so should I regardless of status or disability.

 It is amazing that I have heard about abandoned children in China for many years but it wasn’t until I got to know one individual abandoned and disabled child that I realised what this means. Each child abandoned has a personality, likes and dislikes and most importantly is cherished and loved by a saviour who gave his life for each one of them. If Jesus were in China today, I have no doubt he would be cuddling and spending time with these children which society has apparently given up on. As Jesus is no longer physically on the earth, I was heavily challenged about the fact that God needs us, it falls to these broken clay jars, you and me to be his hands and feet in this world. Gaz and I are hoping once we finish training and when we are specifically called by God, that we can go out to China for a longer period of time and try

Even 18 months later, my background on my computer is a photo of me and Junjun, to help me remember that all are cherished and loved by Jesus but also to challenge me to strive to practically show this love to those who many need it. So I would encourage you, if you are thinking about going to China- just go for it and embrace the transformation! If you aren’t thinking about going to China, start thinking about it!

Here is the website of the charity I went with International China Concern who do amazing, continued work with abandoned, disabled Children in central, urban China.

 http://www.chinaconcern.org/