Kaifeng

This is the city that will host our first school.  What an amazing journey in less than a year.  A non-profit, a board, our first fundraiser – 2009 Chinese New Year and now two board members visiting and establishing a relationship – friendship – respect with the orphanage director Mr. Wang.  A man that we are so blessed to connect with – he has a heart for orphans (not always the case with orphganage directors – it is a very prestigious government position), and he is smart and business minded, an impeccable host and he asks for us to care for those kids in his orphanage that he nor most of China has no idea or finances dedicated to – kids with special needs.  So here we GO!!

JOIN ECHO!

Give money, support our fundraisers – Chinese New Year 2010 February 20th, Host a house party with quality art from orphans for sale, join our board or travel to Henan province.  The orphanage director has given us an open invitation to visit, photograph, video tape and we built a solid beginning with his office manager who will document receipts for all of our purchases and pay roll for teachers.  CCAI needs to officially make a decision to support the process with their connections and structure but this was very hopeful in our conversations today.

I want to say thank you to:

Sarah Wagner & Dominic for starting Scrolls From China
Jesse and Maria Roberts with Rise Up International which helped us moved forward with our first fundraising effort.
Our current board – Jenny Murphy, Brian Murphy, Chris Hanson, Cyndee Overland, Casey Jaeger.  Thank you to those three others who will listen to the details of our trip and hopefully join our board.
HD Weddell – my principal for giving me the ability to go.  H – the director here welcomes volunteers from our IB program who are interested in China and educational and social issues.

To all of those who have supported us….there are so many of you….Thank You!

Three special thank you’s….

1.    Casey – for sacrificing from his job to make these connections happen.  One person wasn’t sufficient for this journey.
2.    Joshua, CCAI and especially Xia – they made this vision possible
3.    Most importantly – to my wife Stephanie.  She has always wanted for what has happened these past few days to actually occur and to come down from the clouds into reality – stop talking about it Robert and make it happen.  Well she is my dear love who through her physical pain everyday that she experiences gives love to me through all of my love languages and on top of that runs a house with four small children.  Stephanie – I love you!

It might sound like everything is peachy rosy and that all of the work is done…and that maybe even the trip is over.  Still a long ways to go but with patience, prayer and purpose we will help these amazing kids in Kiafeng who have special needs and WE will give them an opportunity to smell the delight of their city which was one of the ancient capitals of China outside of their orphanage walls.