My second two weeks at camp were just as breath taking as the first two, but in very different ways!
Thankfully my flights did not have much trouble and I made it to my next city with little problem. Of course, there was the fact that I did not really have to take that silly plane trip, but I didnt know that when I got the ticket! It would have been much cheaper, and probably faster {there were no tickets right to Xi’An from where I was, so I had to first fly past and go to another city, where I had to trade planes and then fly backwards to get where I was going.} for me to get a train. As it turns out, staff from the Xi’An camp had actually made the trip to Xin Zheng to spend the night and pick up kids at the local orphanage to bring them to camp at Xi’An. I could have traveled with them, had I known about it, but I am glad that I got where I did when I did, so it all worked out in the end.
Right away, I met the director of the Xi’An camp, as he was the one that came to the airport to pick me up. It was a nice ride to the camp. It was nice to have a chance to talk for a bit too. He gave me an idea of how camp was going at that location and I gave him a rundown of my first two weeks.
Soon as I walked into the hotel where we were staying, I was greeted by a “Are you Carm?” and when I answered yes, the asker said “Well, I just got a text from Becca she said to give you a hug from her, so here.” and I was then given a hug. I could have cried right then. It is rather interesting to look back once you have been through something, to relive the first moments. When I first met everyone there, just like at Xin Zheng, I could have not had any clue how much they would have all meant to me. They all did such a wonderful job of making me feel comfortable and back at home in the new setting.
For week three, I had a little boy named Liu Chong Yang. When I asked if he wanted an English name, he said yes so I asked if I could call him Louie. He said “You may call me Liu Chong Yang.” and anytime I gave another option he just repeated that I could call him his entire name. Heh. That week was a challenge for me. Out of all of them, it was the hardest one I had. Some of what made it a struggle is rather hard to put into words, or I just don’t want to because it sounds bad! It did not seem my translator liked me, our little boy, or much of anything other than her cell phone and room mate. It also turned out to be a really great week as far as teaching me things and lessons learned. The Lord really used that time to remind me I had some patience problems that I needed work on. On top of the communication problems I seemed to have with my translator, Chong Yang was sick for the entire week. The poor little guy came to us with a stomach virus of some sort, and also had a bad case of car sickness. Sadly, at this camp, we had to drive to any of our activities….so before we could go swimming, do pottery, or play at the fountain, we had to take a drive of no less than half an hour. The poor little thing would throw up almost the entire trip. He loved the pool though! I felt rather bad when I was unable to join him in the pool on the second visit due to things beyond my control, and had to ask a staff member to watch him for me. {My translator did not want to enter the pool again.} Thankfully, Chong Yang liked guys better and so I think it was a bit easier for the male staffer than it might have been for a girl….but he was still a handful! He was not a bad kid so much as one that really like to push the limits and in many cases he was a normal little BOY! If you have ever spent much time around an 8 year old boy, you know how much energy they have and can understand how it might be a bit hard to keep an eye on him when you are not able to call out and give advice or commands or such! 
It was fun though.
In week four I had a family of four again! My translator was such a cutie and she and I had such great conversations. She was a lot of fun. Our girls allowed me to give them English names so that it was easier for me to remember what to call them. {It is a suggestion that is given right away, and when Dora, our translator asked them if they would like English names both said yes.} Just like with Brooke,I asked them what they liked best, and what kind of a name they wanted. The older of the two said she wanted to be named something to do with winter. I had met an amazing Chinese staff member at my previous camp, whos name was Icey. It seemed perfect and I thought it would be cool to give her a name sake. The younger one said she liked the autumn time…..and of course you have a name right there so she became Autumn. I asked them if they would give me a Chinese name and they named me Xia Tian, which is Summer! 
As a family we had so much fun! They were both so well behaved and were very loving and open to being hugged and loved on! Good thing too since both Dora and I loved to pull them each into a big hug at times! Icey was such a big help too! Early on we could tell that she was the one that looked out for the younger kids, Autumn being one of them, and Luise {their room mate} being another one. She made sure that both girls had their shower taken care of, hair brushed, clothing in the right place for the next day, and all ready for bed in the proper manner and time! It was uncanny how much Icey reminded me of Brooke, everything from her motherly ways with the girls, even down to her looks! I often had to keep myself from calling her Brooke! One day, on the way back from lunch, I asked the girls if they liked ice cream. Icey {Who often spoke for the both of them, as Autumn was a bit mentally behind and did not say much.} said they liked ice cream and had eaten it before. I was a little saddened, I will admit, that it might not be as much of a treat as I had hoped {she made it sound like it was something they ate often, which I found a little strange, but you never know!} but I asked if they wanted to get some anyway. They both agreed and each picked out a different kind when we arrived at the corner store before heading inside to get to our next scheduled activity. After her first bite, Icey’s eyes got big and {through Dora} she told me she thought ice cream was something else, this she had never had! But she liked it a lot! It was cute.
Autumn did not speak much, but that does not mean she did not communicate! I grew very attached to her, very quickly, and found it very special when I was told it was believed she was part Indian {As in from India, not American Indian} I felt that God had given me my India right there in China! Soon, she began to mimic me and some of my ’silly’ actions. She would place her hands on her hips and pucker her lips the way I did when I was pretending to be upset with her throwing a ball too far away for me to reach. Often, after giving me this little gesture, she would break out into a huge smile and laugh, or say I love you in sign language. {Early on in the week I taught both girls what it meant, and told that was how I would be able to always make sure they knew I loved them, even if we were across the room from one another, or the music was too loud. It became one of our families favourite things to do.}
When we put them on the bus, saying goodbyes, and giving last hugs, both girls had the same reaction as the rest of my kids over the past three weeks. They seemed ok with going back, and did not cry at all or anything. After they got on, I went around to the back to stand near the window where Icey was sitting {She too had a bad case of car sickness and said it made her feel better to sit near a window.} it was then that it hit her, I think, that Dora and I were not coming with her and that she was leaving. She began to cry then, as she told us both she loved us and handed us balloons she had blown up. It took a long time to get the rest of the kids settled into their seats and ready for the trip, so we just stood there watching each other, holding hands through the window, and giving each other the English sign for I Love You. I am told she cried for most of the trip back to the orphanage.
I miss everyone so much now. As busy as work keeps me, I still find I have far too much time online! I am trying very hard not to be a nuisance to the friends that I made, and so I do not write to them as often as I want to! Lol. If it were up to me, I would talk to them all everyday still!
I miss my kids, and they come to my mind at odd points throughout the day. Something will remind me of them, or I hear their names, or I see a child that looks just like them. As much as that can make me sad, I hope that does not change. Both in the instance of the kids and the friends that I made. I want to stay in touch with everyone who became so important to me there, and I want to always have a love and longing for my kids in China. When I think about it becoming easier to live without everyone I met there…..it makes me more sad than when I realize most of them are hundreds of miles away from me right now! The Lord taught me so much through all of them!
I miss you all. I love you all.
