Beijing Day 5

We're getting there...only 2 more days to write about!

Day 5

We were up and on the coach again at 6:30am. We arrived around 11ish and went straight to lunch at a very local restaurant. We were sat in groups of 8 or so, and each table was in a different room, and the dishes were bought out one by one. There was chicken and corn soup, a green salad and then this big plate of shredded meat was set down. We all eyed it a bit suspiciously as Jacinta asked the waitress what it was. "Oh no guys...I don't know if I should tell you... let me go and double check what it was." We were in rural china, in a local restaurant, so I kinda guessed what it was. So before Jacina came back and confirmed it was what we though it was I took a piece and ate it. And it tasted good.

Dog

"Yeah guys...it's dog..." We had a big discussion about whether we should eat it or not (too late for me). Madeleine and her husband tried some, and so did Jacinta. Jo tried a bit too. I had a few more pieces. They also brought out a rabbit stew which wasn't too bad either.

We were back at the orphanage around 1ish. We were split into 2 teams again- one to knock down a wall and another to do other odd jobs for the orphanage and then play with the kids. I went to play with the kids, of course! First we had to wash the windows but that only took a few minutes with everyone helping. I was so excited to see the children again! I was immediately grabbed by this little girl and I was spinning her around and she was climbing all over me. I had to keep one of the cheeky boys from going in my bag- he worked out that was where i had sweets and balloons and stuff. I gave the little girl a rattle made from an empty water bottle with stoned in but not long after she gave it up to one of the boys it was dismantled. Those kids weren't stupid!

The girl got bored of me soon enough (perhaps because I was just sitting and letting her crawl over me, bottom in the air) so then I tried playing with the 10 year old boy. Like I said before, he is severely autistic, and I don't speak mandarin so I was wondering how I could engage... so I started singing to him. Just the ABC and Ring a ring of roses over and over but I think he liked it. I was holding his hands, and stroking his back, and he was smiling, and I just him to know that someone loved him. And through that I just had a revelation of how much God loves us. I really, really hope they can find homes for all those children and especially that boy. They all just need someone to love them.

While the children were napping we all helped to move the bricks from the broken down wall. It sounds boring but it was so much fun! We formed a human chain and passed all the bricks along. It took us no time at all!

On the coach on the way Esther helped us learn a song in Mandarin, about how we are special and unique to God, so after the children's nap we gathered them all round- and the staff- and sang to them. We also sang Every Knee Will Bow, Row, row, row your boat, and some more I don't remember. Even if the kids got bored we all enjoyed ourselves!

We left a bit later after feeding the kids snacks and drinks. For dinner we went to a very nice Argentinian restaurant with Robert Glover and other people from Care For Children. I ordered a really nice meal of Salmon. Some of the boys ordered sheeps testicles so I tried a bit of them too. I thought they were going to taste really bad so I was chewing really fast...but then I stopped and actually tasted them and they taste fine. Like kidney! So I don't think anyone can say I'm not adventerous with my food haha.