PILOT MOUNTAIN — From the Mongolian bowl dance to the fan dance, students at Pilot Mountain Middle School spent an hour in awe Wednesday morning as Chinese children performed some of their traditional dances.

The 12 children, who are orphans, are from Living Hope International, a non-profit ministry that operates two orphanages in China. They will be in America for six weeks and will be visiting North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. These children range in age from 10- to 15-years-old and are performing traditional Chinese dances as well as giving testimonials about their lives and their experiences in the Living Hope orphanage and training center.

Pilot Mountain Middle School was just one stop during their two-week stay in this area. Students gathered in the school’s gymnasium to watch the performances.

“I do think you’re in for a treat this morning,” said Neil Atkins, principal.

For about an hour the children danced, showing off a number of colorful costumes, and spoke to the audience through a translator, sharing their culture with the middle school students. They used props from bowls to fans to swords during the dances.

During the Mongolian bowl dance, the nine girls in the group danced while balancing three bowls on top of their heads. For the fan dance, they used gold and red fans to showcase their movements. The dance of the bold girls had them wearing brightly colored floral costumes while the final dance showcased the three boys’ gymnastics abilities as well as martial arts through the use of swords and traditional movements.

At the end of the show, the students gave the children a standing ovation and Atkins presented each of them with a Pilot Mountain Middle School T-shirt.

“Whatever we do and whatever experiences we have in life can, if we let them, be learning experiences,” said Atkins. “You have heard the stories and testimonials of the great obstacles they’ve had to overcome. They chose to overcome them and they had someone to help them.”

During the testimonials, the children spoke of what Living Hope means to them and the opportunities the orphanage has presented them. According to one child, they live and learn in spacious apartments and are able to focus on their studies during the week, practicing performances on the weekends.

Lisa Fendley is hosting the children while they are here along with Angie Blevins, the project director for Living Hope International. Fendley has participated in Living Hope for two years and visited China twice last year to take care packages.

Donnie Brown, who goes to church with Fendley and is driving the bus with the children, spoke to the middle school students about the differences in culture he has noticed. He talked about how the Chinese remove their shoes when entering a house and put on slippers and how everyone eats out of the same bowl but they do not touch their food with their hands.

“I want you guys to appreciate what you have here in America,” he said. “You guys should be thankful for what you have.”

These children will have two other performances in the area before moving on to Virginia and Tennessee. They will be at The Rock Church in the YMCA building in King at 10 a.m. on Sunday. Shelton Church of the Brethren is also sponsoring a performance in Mount Airy. On Feb. 4 at 7:30 p.m., the group will perform in the old Mount Airy Junior High School gymnasium. The performance is open to the public.

Living Hope International also is an adoption agency and oversees Project Orphan Blessing and MCM International English Camp. It provides an opportunity for people to sponsor children in China as well. Project Orphan Blessing provides an opportunity to sponsor a care package for an orphan in China and the English Camp provides a chance for high school students to travel to China during the summer to teach English.

For more information about the program, visit the Living Hope International Web site at www.livinghopeintl.com.

Contact Morgan Wall at mwall@mtairynews.com or 719-1929.