Christmas in now just a few days away and you have had time to reflect and think on many new things you have seen and heard about this special holiday, even in China it is special even if it is not a national holiday, it is still a very special time of year!

      I am sure many students are a little concerned about all the controversies they hear about concerning the celebration of Christmas. Why all this confusion? Have you heard the idiom, "Politically Correct Speech?" This means words, pictures, decorations, or artwork that does not offend someone who holds different views or beliefs. While this type of speech may appear nice and good it does not reflect the truth and history that people need to know to truly understand different cultures.

      A few days ago I was in Beijing and wondered if I could find the real reason for the season in the many stores that were selling decorations. More and more I am finding business people who are also trying to use the this special time of year to make more money, so many Christmas shops spring up in many larger cities. The ones I found and searched through were located near the many foreign embassies located in Beijing. So I naturally saw many foreigners shopping but I saw many more national Chinese shopping as well. Families, single people and business owners were shopping to decorate homes and shops. But, I wanted to find decorations for the sacred instead of the secular. You can look at the pictures in the above photo section to see if I succeeded. Now why do I look for this? Well let's look at some history.

      Christmas was always a religious holiday started by both Jewish believers in Jesus as well as non-Jewish believers of Jesus who were later called Christians. Today, Jewish people who believe in Jesus as God's Son are called Messianic Jews. Jewish and Christian people are not new to China.

      This is part of China's ancient history as you find out when you study the history of the Kaifeng, Jewish people in Henan Province. This is also a large part of the Christian religion as well. Christians believe that Jesus' birth, life, death & resurrection was proof that he was the Messiah, God's Son, whom the Jewish people were waiting for. Jesus was born a Jew and his birth is celebrated during the Christmas Holiday by Christians around the world. Did you know that the date of December 25th was actually set by a Christian council around AD 350. Prior to that, the birthday of Jesus was celebrated on many different dates with one ancient manuscript mentioning a celebration as early as AD 98.

      There are many debates about when Christmas was first celebrated in China. There are many stories of early Christians coming to China. As a researcher I have to look at facts and I would say Christmas was celebrated and recognized by the Tang Dynasty government with the making of the Nestorian Stone Tablet in AD 781. This tablet is currently in the forest of steles in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province and gives the history of the arrival of Christian monks in AD 635 and the growth and contributions of Christians during the Tang Dynasty.

      The Nestorian Stele is on exhibit at the Xi'an Beilin Museum (Forest of Steles Museum) in Xi'an, Shaanxi. The Nestorian Stele is located in Room Number 2 and is the first stele on the left after the entry. More info at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nestorian_Stele

      In recent history this religious holiday has become more and more a commercial marketing scheme to sell more products for gift giving, decorations and food much like the Spring festival in China where the vendors fill the streets of China to sell gifts, decorations, special foods and of course fireworks. This is why you see so many business people in China trying to make more money during Christmas by promoting the giving of gifts in China. Think of it, major sells during Christmas, and then major sells during the Spring Festival. Many people want to get rich this time of year ? but ? This is not the real way to celebrate Christmas. This is the way business men around the world want you to celebrate Christmas. I hope you can see that it is better for business to have people buy gifts and have big parties. The religious celebration puts more emphasis on the worship of Jesus and thanks to God for the gift of His only Son Jesus to the world.

      Enough history, this time of year is special because family and friends come together, or contact each other, to renew their relationships and friendships. Gift giving has a long history that goes back to the gift from God of His only Son in order to restore His relationship with mankind. Many people have different viewpoints about Christmas but those are the basic facts. Businesses want to make lots of money so they concentrate on getting people to buy and give lots of gifts - wrong, wrong, wrong! The main gift we should always give at Christmas is one of love, friendship, healed relationships and the gift of some time spent with each other. As Pam and I say too many of our Chinese friends, don't bring us a gift. Just come and spend some quality time with us, that's the best gift of all!

     We think of all our friends over this special time of year and know we cannot visit all of you but we did want to express our love and friendship to you and wish you a very Merry Christmas & a great New Year in 2009!

     All our love,

 Clay, Pam & 'Melissa' Lin Xiaoqing

What a great time we have when myspace friends travel all the way to China and we have an opportunity to meet and get to know one another. Kiemi did just that, while on an Asian Teaching/ Singing Tour this wonderful woman came all the way to Zhengzhou to visit our family, children and friends.

Kiemi brought many of her "You are Near" cd's which made a great hit everywhere she visited. I was able to introduce her not only to my family and the wonderful children of Swallow's Nest but also to many of my Chinese and foreign friends that live and work in the Zhengzhou area. I think everyone had a wonderful time.

Kiemi was a big hit at college with one of my writing classes and my culture class (four class hours). The only problem is we only had one day for the college classes and word got around so now my students in seven other classes are very jealous. But they are looking forward to Kiemi's next visit and hope she can visit next time.

Now we are good friends not just on myspace but also in person as well. Our older children really enjoyed playing with Kiemi and look forward to her return as well.

Visit Kiemi's site and listen to her beautiful music at http://www.myspace.com/izaya61one

Welcome back to Zhengzhou Kiemi, anytime!

China is a very large country and for me to actually feel the tremors from an earthquake located in Sichuan Province I knew it had to be very big and the loss of life and damages would be terrible. But, I never imagined so many people would die, many more with serious injuries and so much destruction. Please continue pray for the people so devestated by the earthquake.

When I view news about China I try to view sources from both inside the country as well as outside of the country to get a more realistic picture of what has happened. The attached story is from the June 4th electronic English edition of "the People's Daily" online news and gives their current statistics concerning the earthquake.

------

Earthquake Update: 7/12/08

Posted: 12 Jul 2008 06:00 AM CDT

(This is a Love Without Boundaries blog post. The are a wonderful and large organization helping special needs orphans in China. This is a great group of peoplr providing very real relief and help to a large orphaned population in China.)

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China quake death toll stands at 69,181 with over 1,000 more missing

22 June 2008 …. www. Chinaview .cn

BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of the May 12 earthquake which rocked southwestern China's Sichuan Province and neighboring regions stood still at 69,181 as of Sunday noon, the State Council Information Office said.

But the number of the injured rose by 161 to 374,171 and people reported missing increased to 18,522 from Saturday's 17,397, said the office in a statement.

As of Sunday noon, 96,096 injured people were hospitalized and 82,154 have recovered and been charged. There are still 11,306 people remaining in hospitals.

By Sunday, about 1.47 million quake survivors had been rescued and evacuated. Among them, 83,988 were saved from the debris of collapsed buildings in Sichuan Province, the statement said.

Relief supplies continued to pour into the quake zone. As of Sunday noon, about 1.58 million tents, 4.87 million quilts, 14.1 million garments, 1.31 million tons of fuel oil and 2.8 million tons of coal had been sent.

The statement said as of Saturday, relief workers had built 280,700 temporary houses and another 37,600 were being installed, while the materials for 71,100 of such houses had arrived in the affected areas.

As of Sunday noon, the government disaster relief fund had reached 54.31 billion yuan (7.87 billion U.S. dollars), including 49.6 billion yuan from the central budget and 4.7 billion yuan from the local budget.

In addition, domestic and foreign donations had reached 46.74 billion yuan in cash and goods by Sunday noon, among which 15.65 billion yuan had been forwarded to the quake-hit areas.

In the 24 hours that ended by Sunday noon, 114 aftershocks were monitored in the quake zone and all of them were below 3.9 magnitude, according to the China Earthquake Administration.

A total of 13,538 aftershocks had been detected since May 12.

Of the 8,426 water plants damaged during the earthquake, 6,482 have been repaired by Sunday noon, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.

As of Sunday noon, among the 54 counties which had been cut off power supplies in the earthquake, service had basically resumed in 52 counties, according to the State Electricity Regulatory Commission. Power supplies were still unavailable in 3 towns in Qingchuan and Songpan counties.

Hi Folks,

    Have been away for quite some time and now after two months back in China I am finally getting back to MySpace responses so please be patient with me. I wanted to share the "Forrest Girl" story just written by my good friend Peter Bowling. (http://www.myspace.com/china_pete) We were just at the Home of Love School in rural Henan Province. This is a private school/ orphanage that reaches out to aids orphans that are so rejected when they try to live a normal life in the villages where they were born. There are many stories but most of their parents have died from HIV contracted because of greed related cost cutting and unsaintaary practices during a private run blood buying scheme. We hope that better education will help ease the pain that many of the children we visited suffer from rejection. Along with several other foreign & Chinese friends we spent the day playing with and loving on these wonderful children.

       Will try to add some pictures of Zhong HuaLin later,

Clay

Ok, here is the story of beautiful little "Forrest Girl".

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          A lonely mother slowly trudged down the muddy road in the southern Chinese countryside. The cold wind bit the back of her neck. Although winter was almost over, the wind seemed to chill her to the bones… or maybe it was her guilt that was biting her. She didn't want to think about that. She had already settled in her mind that there was no other way.

The narrow road was rarely used, and this would be a good place to leave it. No one would notice. She stopped at the edge of a small forest. It was time for a short rest. Gazing back the way she had come, she set down the heavy bundle. She guessed they were at least two miles from the nearest residence, though it seemed like much further with such a heavy load on her back.

No one lived around here. Rarely would anyone pass by this forest. Never would anyone venture into this forest. Maybe she was safe. No one would discover what she was about to do. She glanced around and decided her route. She didn't want to pass by that tired old village again. She couldn't afford the chance of having someone recognize her.

With a deep sigh, the mother stood up. She looked up at the grey sky, and was determined to overcome the guilt. As the child played amongst the weeds and ferns, the mother quickly disappeared down the road, never to be seen again…

          This is not the first page of a novel. It's not even fiction. This is real. it's the first page of a young girl's life. I know her. But her story isn't over. The girl was discovered in the forest by a local villager. The old man and his wife passed by the forest regularly, collecting twigs and sticks to burn. They had seen the toddler playing in the forest many times, but they had never seen anyone watching the child. Finally the old man's concern for the child grew. 'I think she's been abandoned.' He said to his wife. Although they were having a hard time getting by, they decided to take the child home.

The old couple didn't know what to call her, and naming her was quite a dilemma. If they named her as a member of their family, they might be held responsible for this child. If they named her with any other family name, the real parents might have trouble finding her if they were ever looking. Finally they decided to call her Zhong HuaLin. (ZhongHua means 'China', and Lin means 'Forest'.  In other words, they simply called her 'Forest Girl').

They raised the child for the next 4 years, until it was time for her to start school. With their own failing health, and having a lack of income and a lack of education themselves, they decided they simply could not take care of her anymore. Although the past few years had been rough, (and village life can be very hard at times), at least they had helped her survive. At the age of seven, she already knew how to start the fire, cook simple meals, clean the floor, and wash the dishes.

Just before the beginning of the school year, they took her to a children's home near town. They knew that she would be given food and shelter, as well as a standard education.

The house was dark and quiet. The girl knocked lightly on the outer door. She knew already that no one was home, but she knocked just to be sure. She gave the heavy door a push, and it opened with a long groan. She went inside and dutifully started the fire. Grandma would surely be home pretty soon, it will be nice to have a fire going. The girl was thinking about how surprised grandma would be to see her. She was sure that grandma didn't know she was returning home. There was no phone in the house, so there was no way they could have contacted grandma to tell her.

The girl waited that night until she could no longer keep her eyes open. She fell asleep on a chair in the front room. Surely grandma would be home soon, and she would hear the door open. But grandma never came.

The girl was never told that grandpa had passed away three months ago, and grandma had moved to another village where she had relatives. No one was aware that the girl had been sent back… Now she was alone, again.

She lived in the small village house by herself for the next two months. The seven year old, did a good job at cooking, cleaning, and caring for her self… every day, just waiting for grandma to come home. One day someone from the nearby village noticed that she was back. Being old friends with the grandpa, they immediately realized what had happened. They took the girl to see grandma.

It was hard for the little girl to understand why grandma had gone to live somewhere else. 'Is she hiding from me?' the girl thought, 'Surely when she sees me she will want me back…' Unfortunately the grandma was unable to take care of the girl, and was very direct in saying so. I'm sure she didn't realize how the young girl was feeling, but her directness hurt deeply. Nevertheless, it was true. They needed to find a place for her. None of the neighbors were willing to get involved. Finally, ZhengSheng School (a private school for orphans in FuJian Province) heard about her situation and offered her a home. She was taken there the same day. That school is owned by the same organization as the Home of Love in Henan Province.

        I have spent most of the last two months working with the kids in this school, and hearing their stories. This story is one that melts my heart and grabs my attention. These are the kind of children that Big Stone China helps every day. This is what I do full time. Your prayers and support are what make this possible.

          Blessings,

Peter Bowling

CEO/ founnder of Big Stone Culture & Education Consulting Co., Ltd.   (http://www.myspace.com/bigstonechina)

          To make a tax deductible donation, please write a check to:

Church on the Hill

…and mail it to the address below:

Darlene Bowling

20675 Black Rock Road

Falls City, Oregon 97344

U.S.A. 

* For tax deductions, please write the check to 'Church on the Hill', and attach a separate note saying it's for 'China- (and the subject line of this e-mail)'. A tax-deductible receipt will be issued from Church on the Hill. Doing it this way allows us to ensure the funds are received, and used for the right project.

Pam and I had needs with children in both China and America so we had to make some hard choices and I came to America to help our youngest son Nathan and Pam stayed in China with Xiaoqing and our foster children. It has been difficult being away from my wonderful wife for so many months. Now it is finally time to return home to China. I have maintained my son's home while he completed a discipleship training program with Harvest Vineyard Ministries.

http://s133.photobucket.com/albums/q46/ChinaClay_2006/Myspace%20photos/?action=view&current=PMikePresentsDiploma.jpg

This time in America has given me the opportunity to visit and talk with family and friends that I have not seen for a long time. For a grandpa to hold his grandson is something I have longed for while in China. My daughter Krista and her husband John have let all know that grandchild number two is on the way.  I will see Krista for her birthday just a few days before I fly to Beijing. Have to have one more grandpa fix with 'JC'.

http://s133.photobucket.com/albums/q46/ChinaClay_2006/Myspace%20photos/?action=view&current=DadBlessingSon.jpg

After my son graduated I had the opportunity to speak a father's blessing over Nathan. What a wonderful time it is when Pam and I see our children making positive steps in their life. We are very proud of our children and the direction they are going in their adult life.

http://s133.photobucket.com/albums/q46/ChinaClay_2006/Myspace%20photos/?action=view&current=PrayerForNewGraduate.jpg

I love America and am very proud to be an American! But for now Pam and I have our home in China among the wonderful people of Henan Province. Pam, I am so happy to finally say, "I'm coming home!"

While living & working in China during the winter of 2003 my wife and many neighborhood Chinese women were involved in the finding of a warmly bundled newborn infant in a cardboard box near where we lived in GongYi City, Henan Province, P.R. China...:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O />

Pam talked the ladies into bringing the baby to a friend's home where they could examine the infant. It was later found out that that the mother gave birth to this baby in a local women's clinic around 2pm of the same day of her finding at 7:30 pm on November 6^th, 2003. The first snow storm of the winter was approaching with a very cold light rain already coming down.

The room in the small home was crowded as Pam unwrapped the baby. Everyone wanted to know if the baby was a boy or a girl but what they saw shocked them and most of the neighborhood women ran out of the room in horror as my wife discovered much of the small intestine was outside of the precious baby's body. Even one of Pam's close Chinese friends suggested that maybe she ought to 'throw it!' Pam tried to calm the ladies down and let them know that this condition was a birth defect that could be corrected with surgery. Pam will never forget the senior grandmother that stayed and told her with tears in her eyes that if she kept the baby she would do everything she could to help her with the child.

Sometime during the process of obtaining emergency medical intervention for this beautiful child my wife named her Xiao Qin (little piano) so that the medical staff would stop referring to this child as it or that. The atmosphere seemed to change once the name was given. The local hospital refused the surgery because they were afraid of the baby dying with foreigners involved. They referred us to the provincial children's hospital in the capital city of Zhengzhou.

My friend Dr. Wu Yingchen, a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, traveled with us to interpret. I had taught Dr. Wu English in 2002 and he also worked for the government at the local GongYi hospital for over 13 years. We found a taxi that was willing to travel over the Song Mountains to the provincial capital during the beginnings of a snow storm. Pam bundled up in a heavy parka with Xiao Qin underneath to protect her from the cold. She used a small lashlight to keep check on the baby and kept stroking her face to let her know someone was there for her that loved her. Taxis' in China don't use the heaters, only a small amount to defrost the window and to keep it clear of ice. You have to dress very warm when you take a long ride. The driver was very careful as we crossed the mountains and his small car only slid a few times but he was a good driver and got us to the children's hospital safely.

Early on during the process of providing emergency medical treatment I felt such a tremendous love for this beautiful child and felt as if God was telling me to just take one step at a time and He would take care of the rest. Pam and I were determined to adopt this child if the birth parents could not be found.

Gastroschisis (infant abdominal hernia) is a birth defect where the abdominal wall does not close near the umbilical cord. The process of birth can push the intestines and other organs out side of the baby's body. Medical attention needs to be sought right away before infection sets in and tissue dries out from exposure. The doctors at this hospital were very good and got Xiao Qin stabilized before we ever sat down to discuss options and money. During registration they translated the babies name wrong so on official hospital records she was called Xiao Qing which means 'little pure water'. The name change was fine with us since these were Xiao Qing's first official records using her name in China.

(Follow this link to a set of pictures related to Xiaoqing's finding: http://s133.photobucket.com/albums/q46/ChinaClay_2006/?action=view&current=PamXiaoQing8daysold.jpg )

Pam stayed with Xiao Qing in ICU while Dr Wu and I worked to buy blood and lab work needed for surgery. By this time heavy snow had started falling that would last for two days but we were right where we needed to be so Xiao Qing would have a chance for life. I signed for Xiao Qing's surgery when she was only 19 hours old. Now Dr. Wu, Pam & I could rest and pray while we waited for a report from the surgical staff. I contacted my good friend 'Nelson' He Ke Ke for assistance translating since Dr. Wu had to leave to return to his practice in GongYi. Nelson is a newspaper journalist and he brought his friend Tony with him to photograph Xiaoqing which he did after surviving her fist successful surgery. Both Nelson, Tony and even the hospital staff fell in love with this precious Chinese baby. While Xiao Qing was recovering when she was four days old she developed an intestinal blockage and had to undergo an emergency surgery. She almost died  during surgery and wasn't responding well after the surgery. The leaders started to prepare Nelson for her death so he could prepare us. We were all in prayer and God gave me such a peace about Xiao Qing's life that I told Nelson that she would not die to tell the doctors to do what they would normally do that she would live. Not only did she live but all her systems started working correctly and she was able to be fed normally. Thank you Jesus!

Xiao Qing was in the hospital for 21 days and during that time Pam, me and our many Chinese friends were in and out of meetings so we could foster Xiao Qing in our home because we knew the importance of post surgical care for a gastroschisis patient. We had to give her a family name for these records so we chose Lin Xiaoqing which mean 'stream flowing through the forest'. Much to our friends surprise the government allowed us to become Xiao Qing's foster parents, the first foreign foster parents in the city of Zhengzhou.

Over the next months and years we worked through so many issues to be able to adopt our foster daughter. We were new to adoption so we had to teach ourselves and learn from many wonderful people how to complete an international adoption for a specific special needs child who was preidentified and also registered to an orphanage that was not registered with the CCAA for international adoptions. We saw how God opened the doors in all these areas and today we are waiting for the CCAA to give their final official approval as I write this testimony. Our first thanks will always be given to God for all He has done for little Xiao Qing.

We could never have accomplished all that needed to be done to help our little daughter without the help of so many Chinese friends. The doctors, hospital workers who saved her life, the orphanage officials and many officials who made it possible to foster Xiao Qing and most of all to all our friends who gave so much of their time to help us, love us, encourage us and always be their for us … we love you and appreciate you so much.

Special thanks go to our family and friends from around the world who held Xiaoqing and us up in prayer. Without your prayers & support I doubt we would be where we are today ... we love you and appreciate you so much.

The list of people to thank is so big but I do want to mention our wonderful social worker and friend Brian Combs of Faith International Adoptions; 'Fay' Liu Fang our mediator and translator between us and the CCAA in Beijing; and I would really like to thank Shaohannah's Hope and Steven Curtis Chapman for their encouragement and help with the ending cost of the soon coming successful adoption of our beautiful daughter 'Melissa' Lin Xiao Qing.

The Declaration of Independence: A Transcription

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them. He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world: For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The 56 signatures on the Declaration appear in the positions indicated:

Column 1
Georgia:
Button Gwinnett
Lyman Hall
George Walton

Column 2
North Carolina:
William Hooper
Joseph Hewes
John Penn

South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge
Thomas Heyward, Jr.
Thomas Lynch, Jr.
Arthur Middleton

Column 3
Massachusetts:
John Hancock

Maryland:
Samuel Chase
William Paca
Thomas Stone
Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia:
George Wythe
Richard Henry Lee
Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Harrison
Thomas Nelson, Jr.
Francis Lightfoot Lee
Carter Braxton

Column 4
Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris
Benjamin Rush
Benjamin Franklin
John Morton
George Clymer
James Smith
George Taylor
James Wilson
George Ross

Delaware:
Caesar Rodney
George Read
Thomas McKean

Column 5
New York:
William Floyd
Philip Livingston
Francis Lewis
Lewis Morris

New Jersey:
Richard Stockton
John Witherspoon
Francis Hopkinson
John Hart
Abraham Clark

Column 6
New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett
William Whipple

Massachusetts:
Samuel Adams
John Adams
Robert Treat Paine
Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins
William Ellery

Connecticut:
Roger Sherman
Samuel Huntington
William Williams
Oliver Wolcott

New Hampshire:
Matthew Thornton

In America many men carry a "wallet photo" of their children so they can show and bragg on their children with whoever they can get to listen to them. The idiom "wallet photo" means just what it says, "A photograph carried in a man's wallet." This is my wallet photo!

In reality Pam and I have nine children in all. Four of our children are between the ages of 22 and 32 and they live in America. Our other children are between the ages of 2 and 7 and they live with us in China.

Our newest foster daughter, Ai Guo, is not in the above photograph. Since our foster children will at some time in the future go to be with their forever adoptive families we have an agreement with the orphanage that we will not post their pictures until prior approval (PA) has been given to a specific family for adoption by the Chinese government (CCAA). A wonderful family is waiting for their PA from the CCAA at this time. Hopefully I will have a picture of beautiful 7 year old Ai Guo added to my wallet photo soon.

My wife and I taught children for many, many years in America so now we enjoy not only teaching university students but also teaching our children as well. It really is a wonderful time as you help your children to grow up and take their place in society. Someday we may have a home without children ... but I don't foresee it any time soon!