PingYu Home of Hope

Michelle and I are very active and try to stay as healthy as possible. We love exercising with the kids too. We are either going for runs, lifting weights, doing work out videos or just playing different games with the kids. Recently, one volunteer came and taught us a new way to play Dodge Ball with 3 balls…this game is so intense that we have played it for 4 hours one time without a winner, but had a whole lot of fun playing it. We wish someone else would come and teach another game though, because this is the ONLY thing they want to do anymore:)

Gabe and Tyler, our youngest son.

Aaron and Joey.

Sammy and Anna.

Aaron knocking out Jaxin.

Becca and Crystal loving on each other.

Tammy taking her turn riding the bike around our yard. Our Middle School kids have to ride bikes back and forth from here to school, so the younger kids practice and try to learn how to ride before then.

Abby enjoying the sun on the swing.

Thomas(left) and Graham playing ball with our 2 labradors.

Eli(our middle son), Sarah and Danny taking a picture with Daddy and Mommy.

Lester with our eldest son Jaxin and Anna with Michelle.

Kelly(left) and Crystal(right) monkeying around on the monkey bars.

Tammy enjoying the playground.

Hollie and Ellie take their turn on the slide!

From left to right, Noah(pictured on the left), Joey, Lester, Frank Chris and Gene reaping the rewards of their hard work in our garden. We got carrots, melons, corn and many different kinds of leafy vegetables.

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Date Night

Catina won a friendly competition we held at our home and her prize was to go out on date night with Daddy and Mommy!

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Dentist

A lot of the older Chinese people believe that you do not have to brush your teeth until all the big teeth come in. Unfortunately, with that kind of thinking, a lot of our children have pretty rotten teeth. We have had 2 children already get braces and have 5 more children who will need to get them when they are older. Above left, the dentist and Michelle are getting Becca ready for her to get braces. Catina had just a regular check up…it looks like it does not matter what country you go to, no one likes going to the dentist:) By the way, when you bring your child to the dentist in China, you get to be the assistant whether you like or not;(
Thankfully braces are not as expensive as in the States; they run about $240 for just the top teeth.

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Home of Hope Leaders
There is nothing like servitude, especially when its serving children. Currently there are 3 Home of Hope Orphanages in China. The first opened in February 1st, 2000 and is run by Nathan Bell(in the orange shirt). The second opened in October 31st, 2005 and is run by Bob and Cindy Sayre (pictured on the left). Michelle and I (Ben) opened our Home March 1st, 2010. Together, all 3 Home of Hopes have helped over 150 children. The sad thing is, if you just look at the fact that just in Pingyu there are over 1000 registered orphans, helping 150 children just is not enough. There are several cities, who have called asking for us to come and help them with their “orphan problem” as they called it. Luke 10:2 says, “These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”” The need is so great, but the workers are so few. I can personally tell you that there is no greater reward than to lead a child with no hope of anything, to all the hope in the world and beyond. We do want to take this time to give special thanks to anyone and everyone who has gotten involved either financially, prayerfully, by donating different objects like clothing or toys, by those who have come and volunteered and for those who write encouraging letters to the children and to the leadership in each Home of Hope. If you are interested in getting more involved in any 3 of the Home of Hopes, please email me at ben@homeofhope.org
Blessings
Ben and Michelle Godard

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Our Soon To Be New Twins Girls!!
Meet Kimmy (FengCuiTian) and Kara(FengAiTian). They are 7 year old twin girls whose grandfather came to our gate asking for help. Their father died 2 years ago. The grandfather said the father turned a little crazy and ran away; they found him dead under a bridge. They said he starved to death. Their mom was kidnapped and sold to their family. Once the father died, the mom escaped and ran back to her hometown and wants nothing to do with the girls.
The grandfather is a poor farmer not making enough money to care for the girls or pay for their education. Primary school is free in China but the school is too far for him to bring them to school, so like most schools in China, they live in the school…which is not free. He was afraid that the school was going to kick the girls out of school because he could not afford the tuition.
When we went to see the girls, we went to the school and met with the headmaster and asked him to allow the girls to stay there for the rest of this semester and then next semester we would bring them to our home. If we brought them now, we could not get them into our local school. This winter we look forward to welcoming Kimmy and Kara into our family!