Summer at the Orphanages

The warm, lovely days of summer vacation are over in China. School for the fall semester has begun. Orphanage directors encouraged the children to stay at the care centers in July and August because many summer activities were planned for them.

Some children returned home to visit grandparents or relatives, but others stayed at the orphanages all summer. Some children miss their hometown, relatives and grandparents. Relatives also miss the children. It is a good thing for them to visit during the summer months, but some do not come back. Often, they decide it’s easier to stay home and not return to the care center – no discipline or rules, just doting relatives to spoil them. At the same time, they are too immature to realize the great advantages available to have a better life and an opportunity to get a good education that will determine their future. We are blessed that many children realize the great change in their lives and look forward to meeting their friends again and returning to school.

For those that remained at the care centers, there were many interesting games or sports such as basketball and ping pong to participate in. They had free time to catch crabs and fish, play games such as chess, or do some of their summer homework. In the evenings, they had an opportunity to watch some TV shows.


The children were given chores to keep their dorm rooms clean, help cut the grass, plant some new flowers and clean up the yard. At Wesley’s House, renovation began on classrooms in the old school to provide more space for orphans to live. Ronald Brown, son of Ron and Pat Brown, completed that work in time for new children to come this fall. He had a lot of help from the children and has some funny stories about their participation in the work.

Classes were prepared for the children at Wesley’s House. Peter taught the 5th & 6th grade students and a female worker taught the lower grade children. They had classes in the morning in both Bible and English.

American sponsors visited their children at the orphanages. Carol Mitchell, pictured here with her child at Wesley's House, arrived from Hendersonville, TN, LeEllen Smith from Troy, TN, and Chad and Carlyn Jackson from Alpharetta, GA. They took a 10-day trip to China to see the facilities and meet some of the children.

On September 5, 2009, Jim and Pam Griffith from North Canton, Ohio, visited Wesley’s House, which is named in memory of Pam’s brother. They donated funds for a computer lab that was set up and ready for the children when they arrived. They also gave money for extra gifts for the children. Mr. Liu, the C.E.O. of Toyota in China, escorted the Griffiths from Nanning to Pingguo. He also donated some gifts to the children.

At John Connor Brown, Mark planned a summer Bible camp for the children and it was very well attended. The children at JCB enjoyed a visit from the John Bailey family the last week of July. They donated funds for this orphanage and named it in memory of their grandson. John Connor Brown’s mother and brother were among the family members that visited the orphanage.

We know that similar activities took place at North Canton Christian Care Center, Mama Jo’s House and Neil Taylor.