Agape Way 2010 New Year Banquet

Agape Way’s New Year banquet was held at 11 o’clock on Saturday, February 6.  Over 300 people came to the banquet including 130 students and their families in the Sponsors’ program.  They first gathered in the dinning hall of Number Three High Schools for the opening ceremony where Mr. Kenan Sun from Paris, France spoke on behalf of Agape Way sponsors and supporters.  He shared how Christians in Paris worked hard to raise funds to support the impoverished children. Mr. Sun  encouraged the students to become successful individuals: First, have a loving heart; Secondly, have a goal for your life even though it may not be reached; Thirdly, persevere, persevere. Never give up.

Afterward the crowd proceeded to Grand Spring Restaurant for luncheon. The students and their parents enjoyed the delicious meal greatly.  Many of them were able to take home leftovers from their tables.   

After the luncheon, Mr. Kenan Sun was interviewed by a student reporter.  It was Mr. Sun’s first visit to Sichuan.  He and his wife have been sponsoring one of the students along 28 others from churches in Paris.  He was very touched by what he saw during his visit. He said, “When I saw these children today who were deserted or orphaned, I hope that I can share’s God’s great love so they can be brought out of the depth of their pain.  Many of the children’s backs have been bent due to heavy load of life.  They lost smiles, or the basic right to smile or they don’t know they have the ability to smile.  They bowed their heads even when having their pictures taken.  They are only children.  They should not have carried such a big burden.” When asked what touched him most, he said, “What I felt most was helplessness,” almost choking he continued, “I feel so powerless to solve their problems.  I don’t know what to do.  What I can share with them is my faith so they know there is still love and hope.”  He told the reporter that he is going to share with his friends in Europe what he saw and will continue to work with Agape Way to support the children.

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Agape Way Gave Me Hope

     I am a daughter of a poor farmer. It is Agape Way that has been helping me to walk my life path. It is Agape Way who has shown me the light and given me the hope.

February 6 is an unforgettable day for us poor students because the love that Agape Way has brought to us touched our hearts.  Just like last year, we had another happy gathering before the Chinese New Year. Looking at the delicious food that was specially prepared for us on the tables, our faces were full of happy smiles. The uncles and aunts from Agape Way enjoyed watching us enjoying the dishes.  They kept telling us taking your time to savor and enjoy.  Maybe many of the families have not enjoyed such delicious luncheon so happily for a long time as we simply could not afford.  It was God, Agape Way who gave this opportunity to celebrate the New Year together. 

Dear uncles and aunts of Agape Way, did you know that to us poor kids, you were like the warm sun in the winter, the bright light in the darkness.  Because of Agape Way, we are no longer afraid the bitter cold in winter and the darkness at night.  Please allow me to express our deepest gratitude to Agape Way on behalf of all the poor students under the care of Agape Way for bringing us the love of God.  We want to give special thanks to uncles and aunts who answer God’s call to work for Agape Way. We will do our best to share the love of God with others.

May God bless you all in the New Year!

                                                   Hong

Hong is a junior in high school student sponsored by Agape Way.

Dear Uncles, Aunts of Agape Way,

On behalf of all the students of Agape Way, I want to express our sincere gratitude to you for your selfless support that has helped many children in poverty to overcome numerous obstacles. 

I had to drop out of school when I finished 6^th grade due to my family’s financial difficulties. One year later, Agape Way workers learned of my situation and helped me to go back to school. Jane has been helping ever since 2002. I remembered my happiest day in my life was one summer day when Jane took me shopping and bought me two sets of summer clothes. We also had a photo together. 

Now I am a junior at Chengdu University.   In the past 10 years from middle school to high school to Chengdu University, Jane, uncles and aunts of Agape Way have walked with me. You cared for me and helped me to grow wings of my dreams. I did not feel alone when I was in difficulty as your love accompanied me. I felt so happy. Many students who received support in the past 10 years must have felt as happy as I am.

Growing up in the countryside, I learned how precious the opportunity to learning was and how hard the life could be. My father died of sickness when I was very young. From then on I have learned a lot about life. My grandmother taught me to be grateful to everyone who has helped me. One day during my spring break, I had the opportunity to accompany Aunt Li of Agape Way to visit a few students in need of help. In a remote lonely village, I was shocked to see the earnest desire to learn from the children’s eyes. There are so many children who still need help. I felt so powerless. I wished that I could extend my hands to help them and comfort them. I wished that they would grow up healthy and God would love them as He has loved me.

After entering college, I started to think about my own life. After my life path has become smooth and wide, how would I walk? No matter what choices I will make, I know my destination is chosen: I will become a volunteer. I will continue to develop your cause. I hope that the children will be as happy as I am and they will pursue what they want. I want to see them grow up well and to see their smiling faces. I know that this kind of life is the most meaningful life: to pass on the baton of love!

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Dear Brothers and Sisters, without the support of Agape Way, we could not imagine where Mei would have been.  Like Mei, many children are struggling in the deep pit of poverty and could not get out by themselves.  Will you be willing to extend your loving hands to them? You can make a difference in their lives this Christmas. We have prepared a Christmas gift catalog.  Please select one or two gifts in honor or in memory of your loved ones to support the children and Agape Way today!

Joyfully yours, 

Frank & Anna
 

Agape Way 2009 Christmas/New Year Gift Catalog

 Chinese New Year Meal

Many families in China survive by having only rice and salt. A $15 gift will let a student and his parents attend Annual Chinese New Year banquet, receive a small gift and transportation cost to the banquet. The traditional Chinese New Year starts on 2/14/10.

牢记恩典，永传爱心

 

在我小学六年级毕业，由于家庭条件的限制，使我不得不辍学在家，一年后，博爱教育援助的叔叔阿姨了解到我的情况后，给予我支持，让我再次踏入了学校门槛。此后，Jane就不间断地给予我帮助，感觉最幸福的一天就是02年夏天Jane带我去买了两套可以换洗的夏天的衣服，还和大家留影，感觉幸福极了。现在，我已经是成都大学大三的学生。在这十年里，从初中到高中再到成都大学，Jane和博爱路的叔叔阿姨们陪伴着我成长。你们一直关心着我，一直照顾着我，为我插上了使梦想飞翔的翅膀。在困难中，我并不孤单。有你们的爱陪伴，感觉很幸福。……在这十年里，许多学生接受过博爱路的帮助。我相信他们也是幸福的。

进入成都大学后，我开始思考自己的人生。在人生道路宽阔平坦之后，我应如何走过呢？无论怎样选择，我的征途早已确定：我将是一名志愿者。我将继续发展你们的事业，我也希望那些孩子能够像我一样幸福，能够去寻找他们自己想要的，看着他们茁壮成长，看着一张张开心的笑脸，我想：这才是人生最有意义的事！将爱心接力传递到底。

另外，处在困境中的孩子，我相信困难是暂时的，困难也不会摧毁我们强烈的求知之心，相反，困难是锻炼一个人不怕挫折的勇气和百折不挠的信念的好机会，困难是一笔上帝赐予我们的财富，而对困难我们当迎难而上，我们永不服输，也只有经历过困难的人才会体会到“山重水复疑无路，柳暗花明又一村”的豁然开朗的喜悦。虽然生活充满坎坷，我们也相信生活依然是美好的，因为上帝是爱我们的。在你遇到困难时，当所有人都抛弃你的时候，上帝是不会离开你的。

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Do you ever wonder how your contributions are handled when you sponsor a child? Well, I wish each of you could come to Longchang County and meet the couple who take your contributions, add the love of God, and deliver them with Jesus' hands!  Meet Wanyun and Shanzhong. 

This faithful couple work tirelessly to bring your Agape Way assistance to poor and destitute students. Beginning with visits to the local schools, they interview teachers to find out which of their students need help. Then they travel throughout the countryside checking on the home situations to verify the need.  I've seen them both brought to tears when encountering the desperate suffering of some of the families they meet. Their hearts are so tender and compassionate.

After you sponsor a child, they award the money at quarterly gatherings called Award Ceremonies. A hundred or more children and their families gather to hear a message and receive their individual awards.  This is where they hear over and over again about the love of God. They hear the message that they are loved, that they are special and that God has a plan for their life. Shanzhong and Wanyun are passionate about sharing God's love with the recipients and their families. [insert picture of them sharing with the students at a table]

They also work hard to keep accurate records on all the students and their sponsorships. Working from their home office, Shanzhong keeps accounts and records for over 600 students. It is a huge job but he is up to the task.

I wish each of you had the opportunity to meet this faithful couple. And they are not alone in the task. Many of Frank Li's other family members assist as volunteers to bring your compassion to the needy. I cannot convey in this letter how much they love the Lord and how much His Spirit moves through them to those they serve on our behalf.

You can know with confidence that money is not the only thing being delivered by Agape Way. God is touching lives by His Spirit through Wanyun and Shangzhong in Longchang County.

Debra,  High Point, NC
(After my second visit to Longchang)