The Hands of God
"When God calls you to go, just do it!" This is the message from Michelle Jeffress who ventured to the city of Hang Yeng, China to spend three weeks with orphaned and abandoned children.
Imagine the smells, noise, pollution, poverty and over-crowding of a third world country. Then imagine being abandoned because you were born imperfect in a place where there is simply not enough of anything to go around. Arriving in China, it was easy for Michelle to feel depressed and overwhelmed by what she saw. But when she entered the orphanage run by International China Concern (ICC), the contrast was staggering. Within the walls of the orphanage were children who overflowed with joy and happiness, despite their misfortunes.
"When our eyes met, there was a real connection and I could see God’s love flowing from the kids" Michelle said. "It was a life changing experience. To spend time playing, singing, dancing or hugging the children was so special. These kids don’t have any parents to tuck them into bed at night so to be able to spend time with each of them was so rewarding."
Michelle is the first to admit that her time in China was exhausting, emotional and challenging. And some of the children’s stories could break your heart. Michelle remembers playing, cuddling and laughing with a nine year old girl called Ping Ping. The regular carers were astonished to hear her giggles as they had never before heard Ping Ping laugh! There had simply been too much sadness and trauma in her young life to allow laughter.
Another little girl had Cerebral Palsy and always kept her withered hand curled up and hidden under her armpit, not showing a soul. Michelle gently painted the little girl’s fingernails, who then rushed around the orphanage showing everyone her beautiful fingers! "I believe I was called by God to go to China and I know that I made a difference to the kids while I was there. It’s wonderful to be in God’s will and know that He has everything under control!"
God’s hand in the trip was clear to Michelle from the beginning. "When I first heard David Gotts, the founder of ICC speak at church about the abandoned children I felt like God had his hand on my head, urging me to go. Isaiah 61:1 was a special verse that my mother gave to me many years ago and this was a recurrent theme of the evening meetings with ICC, 'He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners’. I even had confirmation of the trip from a stranger in a Sydney coffee shop who felt compelled to tell me ‘you’re going to China!’”
And God’s faithful presence was greatly needed. As the team was going through Customs into China they each felt the weight of their Bibles in their bags, but the officers waved them through and searched the locals instead! "I’ve never felt more reliant and close to God as I did on that trip. I needed God’s strength just to cope with everything I’d seen during the day. But I can’t wait to go back to see my sponsor child and the other kids again!" Michelle, a dental technician, is planning on returning to the orphanage in 2011 with a dental team.
"Pittwater Uniting Church’s new theme is Engage-Grow-Go. And I would strongly encourage anyone who feels a nudge from God to just go! The spirit and love from these children will change your life."
