Camp China 2007

I'm not sure if I ever posted this slideshow on my blog, so I decided to put it on again.

These are pictures from Camp China 2007. I can honestly say I grew more this summer than ever before. I had to rely on Father more than EVER before. If you don't know the story of my summer and are interested, feel free to ask. Father did some amazing things in some very unexpected ways. These kids have my heart, and I miss them so much.

Interview

Just a quick post to say that I got an interview at UT Houston Nursing School! I am still waiting to hear from UT San Antonio for an interview.

Dear Brazil...

Hello Camp China Class 6!

I put this video together to remind you of our time at Camp China. This is the song I played for you on the last day before I left. If you still want the words to the song, email me or leave a comment. I would love to hear from you! I miss you so much more than you know. You each have a very special place in my heart, and I will not forget you. I love you forever!

Love,
Miss Katie

Update on Kevin

Brittany and I loaded up my bug and headed to Lufkin at 3:30 Thursday morning. Let me tell you after the 2:35 am phone call saying Kevin had a liver, there was no way I could sleep. So I was glad to drive Britt home. I got her dropped off at 6 and as I was driving home, an anouncement came on the radio saying they found a liver for Kevin. I thanked our Father again for hearing our cries and answering.

He went into surgery today at 1:45, and we just got word about 8pm that the surgery went well. Tana, Britt, and Brian will get to go in and see him in a little while. I still can't believe he has a liver!!!

On another note...Tomorrow is the day my wisdom teeth are being removed...10:30 am. Needless to say, I am not excited about that. :( Kevin getting a liver is MUCH more exciting!!

KEVIN GOT A LIVER!!!

Kevin got a liver!
Kevin got a LIVER!
KEVIN GOT A LIVER!!!!!!

The Associate Pastor at my church has been in bad health for a few monthes. He was put on the transplant list, but they thought a transplant could be a litle while down the road. Earlier in January while visiting his doctors in Shreveport, his health declined rapidly, and he moved to #1 on the national liver transplant list. As he was waiting in the hospital, a liver came, but Kevin was too weak to receive it; so they gave the liver to someone else. His body continued to get stronger and stronger, and Kevin still waited for a liver match. I got the phone call just now that HE GOT A LIVER!!!!

Now I am on my way back to Lufkin from College Station. I am taking his daughter, Brittany, home so that she can catch a ride to Shreveport for the surgery. Brittany was my roommate for my junior and senior years at A&M. She is a precious friend, and I love her [and her family] dearly!!

Please be lifting up this family!!
I will keep you updated!!!

Disciple Now 2008

This weekend was great...except that I came home with the flu. I got to hang out and lead 11 of the most amazing 7th graders in the world. We laughed...we decorated t-shirts...we wore tiaras...we sang...but most of all we learned about what it means to have an unashamed, living passion for our Father! I saw so many specific things that I asked Father for concerning the weekend come to be. I am always humbled by His faithfulness.

I like to have a "mini-theme" in our 7th grade home every year since it is the girl's first Disciple Now. This year we were princesses! It came from the passage in our favorite book that says, "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God". We talked about how our most important job as "princesses" is to bring other people to our Father so that they can be "princesses" too. With that in mind, we had a M-project where we put together "Princess Packs" for some Somalian girls who don't know our Father. The girls loved learning about the Somalis and put the "Princess Packs" together with love!

I was blessed to lead and learn from my 7th grade Princesses this weekend. They are precious girls with pure, sweet hearts.

DNow is quickly approaching...

Each January I am blessed to lead a Disciple Now at my home church. This will be my 11th Disciple Now...I was a student at 6, a co-host in 2004, and I have led the 7th grade girls 2005-2008. The girls are amazing and we have so much fun.

I am especially excited about this year because our mission project is something that has become so close to my heart this past semester. I will post more about that after the weekend. Our Father always does such incredible things in the hearts and lives of the students, and I am so honored to be someone He chooses to use! Lift us up this weekend (Jan. 18-20) if you think about it. Thanks so much!
DNOW 2006. 7th grade girls...SHINE LIKE STARS!

DNOW 2007. 7th grade girls...BEAUTIFUL FEET!

Hong Kong

Although my week in Hong Kong was unexpected, it certainly was fun! I stayed with the other Hong Kong teams at Hong Kong Baptist University. During my stay, the Ning Po teams adopted me. I was so thankful for them. Now I'm usually not one to have a difficult time making friends, but I was a little worried on my flight to Hong Kong. I knew I would be around the other teams, but I also knew they would be extremely busy with preparations for their students. My worry was that I would be in Hong Kong for an indefinite period of time and not know anyone. As soon as I got to the university, my worries were relieved by the wonderful Ning Po teams.

My stay in Hong Kong went something like this....I arrived on Friday evening fairly late and went straight to the University. Early Saturday morning, we made the first visit to the Emergency Room. This Emergency Room was more "western-ized" (if that's even a word). The nurses could speak English, there were no patients on IV drips in the waiting room, and my temperature was taken in a normal, sanitary way (unlike in Nanning). You know, those are all things we take for granted here in the States. I saw the Emergency Room doc that morning and he was not much help. He sent me for xrays, but he wouldn't look at my arm. He told me that I had to come back and see the orthopod on Monday. Because he (along with everyone else) was worried about the massive bruises on my arms and legs, he sent me for blood work. I had the blood work done (although it really wasn't needed), and I was told that the results would be back in a week...I was so frustrated because at this point I wanted to be at home. I stayed and went to the doctor on Monday where I was told yet again that my arm wasn't broken.

When I wasn't at a hospital, I enjoyed sight seeing in Hong Kong! So much fun!!! Although I must say, I wasn't a big fan of the food. It is so much different than food in the mainland. By Wednesday I was so ready to be at home! The problem was that I had to fly out of mainland China. My visa was only a 1 entry visa and I used that when I left mainland to go to Hong Kong. Wednesday and Thursday were spent trying to get a new visa, changing over my plane tickets, and getting things finalized for me to return to the States. It was all finalized Thursday afternoon in just enough time to run back to the university, grab my bags, take a 3 hour bus ride to Guangzhou, and find a cab to take us to the airport. It was a crazy day. Joyce helped, well a more acurate statement would be she did all of this for me! She got my bags checked in and then it was time to say goodbye. At this point I was on my own in China....SCARY! It was difficult to fill out all my papers with my right hand (I'm left handed) and get through security. I made it to my gate in just enough time to grab a bite to eat and board the plane! My trip home went well...I slept at least 8 of the 12 hour flight.

Thanks to Joyce (I don't have a picture with her) and both of the Ning Po teams who made my time in Hong Kong amazing! I love you guys! By the way....Joyce if you read this, please know that I am so grateful for you. There is no way I could have done all of that on my own.

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT HONG KONG!

*driving on the wrong side of the road

*going to church on Sunday

*top level, front row of the double decker buses (it felt like a roller coaster)

*Octopus Cards

*MTR

*Egg Tarts

*Joyce

*Ning Po

*Avenue of Stars

*Fireworks show

*oh the list could go on and on....!!!

Enjoy some pics!

Merry Christmas from China!

I had a wonderful surprise waiting for me when I got home from school today....a package from China! I talked to A on Friday, and she said that she was sending Christmas gifts to her American family. To my surprise, it came today....much sooner than I ever expected!

She sent two scarves (one black, one maroon), a small handbag, and a stuffed monkey similar to the "Get Well Soon" cat she gave me this summer when I broke my arm. I am supposed to give them to my family members, but deciding which one to keep for myself is a difficult task! When I opened the package, I also got another unexpected gift that left me in tears....the SMELL of China!! Crazy, I know, but it brought back so many memories from my time there....the markets of Nanning....outings with my students....bartering/bargaining...long walks and quality talks....the overwhelming sense of Dad working in the lives of my friends...EVERYTHING! That was the first time I have gotten to SMELL China since July 26, 2007. I am so thankful for this unexpected gift today! Here are a few pics....

Chinese BBQ!

As I was looking through my facebook pics, I came across these pictures from our Chinese BBQ. I was bummed when I got home this summer and realized that I neglected to capture the moment. So, I am grateful to my teammates who didn't let me down....this was one of my most favorite nights!

Chinese BBQ is unlike any BBQ in the US. I must admit though, the food was pretty good. We had BBQ tofu, BBQ fish, spicy noodles, boiled peanuts, and spicy veggies. Even better than the food was the atmosphere. "Nanning Nights" are perfect to me...maybe not to anyone else, but to me, they are PERFECT! Usually a cool breeze...stars...less humidity than I am used to in Texas...what could be better than that?!? Leave it to the students to take you to the best spots...local places that tourists never venture into. Such a fun night!!

S, A, Ange, and me enjoying "Nanning Nights" and BBQ Tofu! YUM!

I'm not sure why, but BBQ Tofu was def. a hit amongst Team Nanning!

I love Skype!

Skype has become one of my new favorite things in the world. I say this because it has opened up doors for me to talk to some of my students and friends in China. Last night, I called A and talked to her for about 10 minutes. The conversation wasn't long, but it was so good to hear her voice!

A and I became very close friends during Camp China 2006. I knew when I left that summer that our Dad had big plans for our friendship and that it would continue....our friendship has not only continued, but it has GROWN! We were both pretty emotional when I left the first summer because Dad had done so many things in both of our lives. As I boarded the train, A gave me a huge hug and said, "Don't worry Katie. It is only lots of Wahaha that separates us!" Wahaha is the brand of bottled water that we drank while in Nanning. If you look back there is a post about an interesting experience with Wahaha. That lighthearted comment made the distance from Nanning, China to Texas seem much smaller.

I was also blessed to be able to travel back to the same city and teach last summer (2007). I was so excited because I knew that A would be there. An unfortunate accident the first night I was in China left me with a broken arm and a short stay in China. I left after two weeks because of my arm. The news of having to leave early was a shock and I hardly had time to say my goodbyes. I wanted to video all of my kids so that I could hear their voices when I missed them, but I didn't have time to do it. Now with Skype, they are only a phone call away....and I love it!!

Here are a few pics of me with A in 2006 and 2007. She is my SISTER, and I love her so much!

A and I eating her new favorite snack...PEANUT BUTTER! (2006)

A and me hanging out after closing ceremonies of Camp China (2006)

First night in Nanning. We were so glad to see each other again! (2007)

Saying goodbye to my girls: A, Y, and C (2007)

A recent pic of A (in the pink hat) with some friends on a visit to Kun Ming (2008)