Shepherd's Field Children's Village needs you...

I volunteered at Shepherd's Field orphanage for a week in Langfeng, China and it was so rewarding to know that I was serving these children who really need our help. I can think of no better and more direct way to live out the verse of James 1:27 where we are to "visit orphans...in their affliction". There are over one hundred orphans there ranging from babies to 20 year olds with various special needs. They require basic services (i.e., education, vocational training, and healthcare) and also deserve our attention and love. I came with my awesome Physical Therapy skills (not really) and my servant's heart (very real.)

I worked closely with Drs. Bill and Anna Moody, and Laura the Speech Therapist. They needed the extra hands because the two therapists who had been there had left and thus the children haven't been evaluated nor treated for PT for a while now. Laura did what she can despite not being trained as a PT. The other people that tried to bridge the gap were the Ai Yi's (nannies). However they were also short staffed. It was hard work but I knew Anna wanted to get as many children seen and evaluated. It is inspiring to know that the staff there are so passionate and caring for these children. The team members all raise their own support and are determined to improve the lives of these children whether it's through adoption or something as simple as playing with them.

I loved the interaction and the relationships I had built during my time at Shepherd's field. Some of the high lights included...
- Playing the Wii with Grady, a typical 15 y.o teenager, who loves video games, on a small black and white screen and barely able to see the characters.
- Praying and listening to Clay and Jewell's testimony was one of the most inspiring and touching experiences.
- Having a water fight with the kids and staff during the hot and humid days in Beijing and eating popsicles afterwards.
- Seeing Elissa turn from Dragon Lady to Mother Hen.
- Eating and preparing a meal for about 100 children and staff. It's so fun to watch children really enjoy and gobble up their meals especially when it includes chicken feet.
- Talking with Wendy, a 20 y/o who is now learning computer skills to prepare her for a job. The conversation was so natural despite my poor Chinese. Our interests in movies, cartoons, and computers brought us together.
- Serving with Mary, Elissa, and Julia. It was nice to serve with two people who I've know for years in a country thousands of miles away. I will never forget all those diapers and wipes we got.

The orphans do not have a legal family but they have a loving family at Shepherd's field. I would recommend anybody who wants to help, no matter what their background, to come. All you need is a servant's heart.

~ Xian