Keep on Keeping on!!!
As many of you may know, November 9th is the one year anniversary of Nathan going home to be with the Lord. It’s been a very hard and challenging year for not only the Gongyi children, but for all of us. The children are doing well and the orphanage is slowly improving the building making it more comfortable for the children there. They had someone come in and paint cartoon characters on the walls and ceiling giving a happier feeling and atmosphere.
We are in constant communication through phone and different social media outlets to keep in touch with the children when we can’t see them in person. Hazel (left) and Shirley (right), two of the older alumni Gongyi children, have worked as teachers for Ben and I for the past few years. Shirley calls every Saturday to talk to all the children asking them how they are doing and tries to encourage them.
We live 4 hours south of Gongyi and try to make it there at least once a month. Unfortunately, this last time we went, our request to come and visit the children was denied, so we had a dinner for all the older children who could attend. Moses and Autumn were able to attend but the other younger children had conflicting school schedules.
Ben and I, along with our 3 sons, have had to make two trips back to the States to try to get the necessary documents needed to get the Next Towns Foundation Inc registered here in China. This is one reason why we have not been able to see the children more often. We have been in several meetings with the mayor, the head of the security department and heads of the civil affairs and education department trying to get approved. The process is so slow; we have been working on this since January. Another organization here in Henan just got approved and suggested we use their lawyer. The lawyer just turned in all of our documentation the last week of October and we are awaiting for our approval. This will open up doors for us to be able to help more children in Gongyi and hopefully give us an open door to be speaking life daily to the original Gongyi children at the orphanage in person. Right now, we do what we are allowed to with hopes that one day we can do more.
We can’t thank you enough for your continued support in helping spread love, hope, peace and joy to these beautiful children.
Ben and Michelle Godard
Posted: November 8th, 2018 under Uncategorized.