A Summary of my trip to China

Let me just start this post off by saying how grateful and blessed I feel at being given the chance and opportunity to go on this trip. There are some people who without I would have never been able to go. Thank you all so much! Not even just those of you who contributed financially but also those of you who kept me in your prayers and thoughts. They were greatly appreciated!

I said this in previous posts but I will say it again, I love China! I can't get over the love and emotion that has come over me from being there, unlike anywhere else or anything else I have ever experienced. I cried a great deal when I left but I now know, without a doubt in my mind, that that is where The Lord would have me, for whatever reason and whatever purpose, China is where I belong. Even though it was hard to leave, it served as a conformation to me. 

The group I traveled with was just amazing! We were a little bit of a mixed group, but most of them were adoptees, parents who had adopted, or people (like me) who have a heart for the fatherless. 

We also got to visit many beautiful places and go to many parks and museums. 

  

(Waiting to ride a dragon boat)

(A bamboo raft cruise down the river in Yangshuo, Guilin) 

(At a science and technology museum) 

(Walking over a suspended bridge) 

Although we did not get to go to as many orphanages as we had hoped because of various reasons we were able to go to one. All the children there were either deaf or hard of hearing but they are working so hard to improve, whether its their speech or motor skills. They were so sweet!

(One of the young boys in our group brought Legos for us to play with the kids) 

(Another young woman made the kids handmade dolls, balls, and finger puppets) 

We were also blessed in being able to go to an elementary school for the day to do crafts with the children and play games with them. 

After the craft the children were given the option to exchange their crafts with us. 

This little girl gave her craft to me and vise versa. She was the sweetest little girl!

Our group got to go on many hikes together, and boat rides as well! 

(All of us riding on a dragon boat together) 

 

(Hiking!) 

 

(We saw some monkeys on the way)

In all we had nine kids in our group but three of us are "older kids". A couple of times the moms in our group would want to go out in the evenings and get a massage so the other older girls and myself would volunteer to watch the younger kids for the night. We had so much fun every time. We had pizza parties, ballon fights, made forts, had puppet shows...the kids were so awesome! I miss them all so much!

The younger kids always claimed the back of our groups bus as well. They were inseparable. 

I also enjoyed shopping in China! I was able to bring back a lot of cool things for my family. 

(One of the shopping streets I went to. It was packed!) 

I also got to experience getting my feet massaged/cleaned by these fish! Such am interesting feeling...

Oh and the scenery! Absolutely gorgeous! I liked the city and being there but I loved being out in the countryside. It's breathtakingly pretty, I love the atmosphere, the people... 

(Inside this hut an older man was husking/drying corn)

I really do miss it so very much but I know I will be back (hopefully sooner than later!) and will get to see new things, create new memories, and hopefully be used to bring glory to The Lord. 

I miss you all and I hope we will be able to see each very soon!

Gabby

P.S. I did go to Beijing and get to see all the sights, climb the Great Wall...etc but unfortunately my camera (which is my phone!) was left (by me) in Southeen China... Thank goodness I ended up getting it back but I was not able to take my own photos of my time in Beijing. Thankfully some friends that were with me took some photos and promised to send them to me so I'll have to post them up in another post when I have them :)