PingYu Home of Hope

Michelle and I seem to have huge life changing events happen in February. We started dating in February 1998. We married 2 years later on February 5th, which was on the Chinese New Year this year. We became parents for the first time February 2001. We both received our calling to, “Go to China!” in February 2005. We moved to China February 2007. Then moved to Pingyu to open our Home of Hope in February 2010.
I am so blessed to have such a woman as Michelle, standing hand in hand, right by my side, for the last 21 years of my life. She truly is a Proverbs 31 wife.

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Chinese New Year!

Most of the children we help have some sort of family member alive. We welcome them to come once a month to come visit the children and call every Sunday to keep in contact with them too. Most of these family members are not capable to give the proper care and attention on a daily basis that is required to give the children a safe living environment. During the summer and winter holiday, those who have safe homes to go to, go back for a short time to visit those family member(s). We have several children who have no family or do not have safe homes to go to, and as such, stay with us all year around. We try our best to give them a great time, especially during the Chinese New Year, so they don’t feel left out.
We can always count on Michelle making wonderful food to help fatten us up!
This year, Nicky (above left) and Shirley (above right) helped Michelle cook. We also had 3 young ladies come to volunteer who also helped make our delicious feast. May is a local girl from Pingyu and Courtney and Alexi are sisters visiting from the States.
From left to right:Courtney, May, and Alexi

New Year Entertainment
We save up recycling money all year to help give special treats to the kids who don’t get to go back. This year we rented these costumes and let them walk around the park in them. The girls took pretty girlie pictures while the boys, dressed up in bear costumes, walked around seeing how many hugs they could give out. Then the boys tried to see how many roller coaster rides they could pose on. It was a pretty fun time.
Becca and Anna

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Pingyu’s Generosity
Over and over, Pingyu City people like to help out with different things to help our children. If they are not making donations of rice, oil, flour or used clothing, they give cheaper prices when we clothes, food, and other supplies. Some businesses get involved by letting our children go see a movie for free, go swimming for free, attend special art, English, dance and other classes free of charge too. This newly opened Bounce house invited us to come anytime we want for free. The place is a great place to burn energy and have a great time.

Anna and Michelle having a blast!
Wally absolutely loves is it and shows how brave he is by doing flips, spins, flops and drops…and of course wants all eyes on him each time:)

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Let it snow, let is snow, let is snow!!!
It started snowing the other night and we all bundled up and ran outside to enjoy the snow while it lasted.

Jaxin and Eli and Tyler and I
Jake and Davey
Becca and Anna
Danny with a snowball and Catina with a boot full of snow…Danny:(
Pingyu is a very, extremely flat town, so one needs to get creative when it comes to sledding. We tied a rope around a float and pulled the kids around. Good fun for the kids and one hard work out for me!
I got tired pretty fast pulling kids and losing the snowball fight, so I found it much safer inside with a good book and Bear (my Labrador) keeping me warm and toasty.

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Our old place

Our old place is completely knocked down and one big pile of rubble. Kind of hard to go by it and see what it looks like, but are so thankful for the Home we have now, we are truly blessed. Michelle and I want to thank you all for the continued support in helping us spread love, hope and joy to such wonderful children