Sorry I've been MIA the past few days! Jet lag is such a bummer. But I've also been working on a video with the clips and photos I took in China. I had to put that insomnia to some kind of productivity!
This kind of summarizes my time in China chronologically by the places I went, with pictures of the children I was able to meet, for those of you who have wanted to see pictures. Of course a video cannot capture everything I felt and saw, but it does help to convey the emotions and feelings going on in my heart and mind.
Thank you for following my blog and for your encouraging words and comments! Knowing there was such a support team for me while I was in China, really helped me to have the courage to fully and completely love and give myself to these children. And in a way, it also felt like you guys were with me and experiencing this journey alongside me. I love you guys! And I am so thankful to God for all of you and for this opportunity I have had to go to China. I look forward to the day I can return to China, and hopefully by then I will be able to speak Chinese!
With love, Kelsi Macklin
P.S. here's the link to my video if you would like to watch it......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CbD11xoOUM
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
In Chicago!
Just landed in Chicago! Next flight to Phoenix and then finally home to Sacramento. Looking forward to finally being able to flush the toilet paper as opposed to throwing it away in the trash can! Also looking forward to brushing my teeth straight from the sink instead of always using bottled water. It's the little things we take so for granted in America.
As I sit here in the airport waiting for my flight, the faces of different children I have met these past 2 weeks keeps flashing through my mind. Little faces, tiny hands, loving hearts, big smiles, hands reached upward. Just wanting to be loved, hoping for a forever family to take them home. As much as I may have wanted to take them all home, that's not the solution to the problem or the issue. Ultimately what these children need is Jesus. God knows their beginning and their end and His love for them far surpasses mine. It's so hard to let go. I don't want to. I just want to hold them in my arms and love them.
It was really cool, in the Beijing airport I saw this Caucasian couple with 2 Asian little girls. Probably around 7 or 8. One of the little girls was in a stroller and appeared to have some special needs, cerebral palsy perhaps. I went over to talk to them and one of the little girls, Hannah, who was 8, they had adopted 7 years ago. They were returning to adopt their second little girl named Olivia who was 7 and a special needs child. The one thought in my mind was hope. There is always hope. God's plans and ways are so much higher and greater than our own. I assume they were Christians because when I told them I had just returned from Maria's Big House of Hope, they were very familiar with Steven Curtis Chapman.
It was just such a neat witness of God's grace and faithfulness. Despite what we as humans may view as the impossible, so many children that need homes and families, God knows each child and their individual story and their personal needs. He is the God who loves them and will provide for each one of them.
This is my friend Stacey from Shepherd's Field. She is also 21. She's been an orphan since she was 4. She has a beautiful voice and likes to dance!
This is my home boy Eli at Maria's. He's two and about the most precious little boy ever! He's a bit mischievous but so sweet and happy!
This cutie is Samuel. He has the most beautiful smile. Whenever I came into his room, he'd crawl up to me smiling and holding his arms up to me.
This is Joey. He's the toughest and most determined little guy I have ever met! He doesn't let anything ever get in his way or stop him.
I should stop now, before I get all teary eyed and whatnot. I just keep reminding myself that God knows and He holds each of these precious little children in his hands.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
As I sit here in the airport waiting for my flight, the faces of different children I have met these past 2 weeks keeps flashing through my mind. Little faces, tiny hands, loving hearts, big smiles, hands reached upward. Just wanting to be loved, hoping for a forever family to take them home. As much as I may have wanted to take them all home, that's not the solution to the problem or the issue. Ultimately what these children need is Jesus. God knows their beginning and their end and His love for them far surpasses mine. It's so hard to let go. I don't want to. I just want to hold them in my arms and love them.
It was really cool, in the Beijing airport I saw this Caucasian couple with 2 Asian little girls. Probably around 7 or 8. One of the little girls was in a stroller and appeared to have some special needs, cerebral palsy perhaps. I went over to talk to them and one of the little girls, Hannah, who was 8, they had adopted 7 years ago. They were returning to adopt their second little girl named Olivia who was 7 and a special needs child. The one thought in my mind was hope. There is always hope. God's plans and ways are so much higher and greater than our own. I assume they were Christians because when I told them I had just returned from Maria's Big House of Hope, they were very familiar with Steven Curtis Chapman.
It was just such a neat witness of God's grace and faithfulness. Despite what we as humans may view as the impossible, so many children that need homes and families, God knows each child and their individual story and their personal needs. He is the God who loves them and will provide for each one of them.
This is my friend Stacey from Shepherd's Field. She is also 21. She's been an orphan since she was 4. She has a beautiful voice and likes to dance!
This is my home boy Eli at Maria's. He's two and about the most precious little boy ever! He's a bit mischievous but so sweet and happy!
This cutie is Samuel. He has the most beautiful smile. Whenever I came into his room, he'd crawl up to me smiling and holding his arms up to me.
This is Joey. He's the toughest and most determined little guy I have ever met! He doesn't let anything ever get in his way or stop him.
I should stop now, before I get all teary eyed and whatnot. I just keep reminding myself that God knows and He holds each of these precious little children in his hands.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Shepherd's Field Children's Village
I'm here! After 3 hours of sleep and a somewhat delirious drive to the airport in Beijing to drop the team off then 3 anxious hours waiting for my taxi, I made it safely here!
Really neat place. Very similar to Maria's Big House of Hope but houses older children. Met some cool Chinese young adults who live here. Crazy stories. I feel so immensely blessed to have been adopted.
It's been a long day and I'm exhausted. I feel kind of lonely, it's weird to go from a super close knit group to trying to understand broken English the whole time and just wandering around. Tomorrow my goal is to be more intentional with the kids here. They deserve my undivided attention, despite how I feel. After being here in China, there is nothing I can ever really complain about again.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Really neat place. Very similar to Maria's Big House of Hope but houses older children. Met some cool Chinese young adults who live here. Crazy stories. I feel so immensely blessed to have been adopted.
It's been a long day and I'm exhausted. I feel kind of lonely, it's weird to go from a super close knit group to trying to understand broken English the whole time and just wandering around. Tomorrow my goal is to be more intentional with the kids here. They deserve my undivided attention, despite how I feel. After being here in China, there is nothing I can ever really complain about again.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday, June 13, 2011
By the way, I'm unsure what my Internet connection will be at Shepherd's Field Children's Village, so if you don't hear from me for a while, don't panic! I will update as I can, but I will be flying home on the 17th so I can update from the Chicago airport that day. Love you guys!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Leaving Beijing
Today we spent the day at The Forbidden City and Tienanmen Square. It was soooo cool! So much history! A lot to take in.
Tomorrow the team flies back to Chicago and I will be picked up to head to Shepherd's Field Children's Village. I'm kind of exhausted thinking about saying good bye to these people I have grown so close to and trying to psych myself up to meet a bunch of new people. Please be praying for me, that God would strengthen me and fill me with His peace. I really want to go and I know it's gonna be a great experience, but right now I am so physically and mentally drained.
It's about 11pm and we're leaving at 4am so I should go to bed. But thank you all for your prayers! I can't wait to share with you what God has been showing me and how He's growing me and stretching me.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Tomorrow the team flies back to Chicago and I will be picked up to head to Shepherd's Field Children's Village. I'm kind of exhausted thinking about saying good bye to these people I have grown so close to and trying to psych myself up to meet a bunch of new people. Please be praying for me, that God would strengthen me and fill me with His peace. I really want to go and I know it's gonna be a great experience, but right now I am so physically and mentally drained.
It's about 11pm and we're leaving at 4am so I should go to bed. But thank you all for your prayers! I can't wait to share with you what God has been showing me and how He's growing me and stretching me.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Back in Beijing
We left MBHOH today. It was hard saying good bye to everyone.
Hopefully someday I will come back.
We had a smooth flight into Beijing. Funny thing is that the gate next to ours was headed to Guangzhou, the city near where I was born. Too bad I couldn't have hopped onto that plane!
We had lunch in Beijing and then did some shopping, then dinner and now we are back at a hotel. Tomorrow we visit Tienanmen Square and the Forbidden City. Pretty excited about that!
Just chilling and eating ice cream on the sidewalk in Beijing!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Hopefully someday I will come back.
We had a smooth flight into Beijing. Funny thing is that the gate next to ours was headed to Guangzhou, the city near where I was born. Too bad I couldn't have hopped onto that plane!
We had lunch in Beijing and then did some shopping, then dinner and now we are back at a hotel. Tomorrow we visit Tienanmen Square and the Forbidden City. Pretty excited about that!
Just chilling and eating ice cream on the sidewalk in Beijing!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Saturday, June 11, 2011
last night at MBHOH
Tonight is our last night here at Maria's. We fly tomorrow from Luoyang to Beijing to spend a few days there before we leave back to the states.
We have to say our good byes tomorrow morning to the kids. Its gonna be hard. But we just have to trust that God who loves them more than we do holds them in His hands and sees the beginning from the end.
Psalm 139, each one of them are fearfully and wonderfully made. God has made no mistake and each of them are precious in His sight.
Resting in Christ tonight and His great love for each of us.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
We have to say our good byes tomorrow morning to the kids. Its gonna be hard. But we just have to trust that God who loves them more than we do holds them in His hands and sees the beginning from the end.
Psalm 139, each one of them are fearfully and wonderfully made. God has made no mistake and each of them are precious in His sight.
Resting in Christ tonight and His great love for each of us.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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