On my last Friday night in China, we interns joined Sara in putting on a homemade hot pot dinner for three of the older orphans (Wendy, Stacey, and Philip). Sara knew all the steps to a perfect hot pot dinner, so we tagged along and watched as she bought the rolls of thinly sliced meats and other nibbles to be cooked from the Langfang Wal-mart, brought them back to the Inn, heated the water (seasoned with dates, tomatoes, and green onion), mixed up the sesame dipping sauce, and arranged all the goodies on the table. It was just as fun and every bit as tasty as restaurant-style hot pot (which I also got to enjoy a few times on my trip) and we all loved it! When the water was boiling, we picked out our ingredients from the plates of chicken, lamb, beef, fish balls, greens, mushrooms, and noodles and lowered them into the pot to cook with our chopsticks. The hardest part was fishing them out again when done, but once on our plates and slathered with sesame sauce, they were delightfully tasty! After eating our first few rounds and surveying the leftovers still out on the table, we worried that we had bought too much food, only to sit back and watch in wonder as Wendy, Stacey, and Philip went on to polish off nearly every single plate, as well as several cups each of Coke or (my favorite!) green apple-flavored pop. With full bellies and happy hearts from a night of eating, spending time together, and making memories, Melissa and I wheeled Philip and Wendy back to their houses that night with the plates of what few leftovers remained! (Shepherd's Field kids can EAT!) What a sweet night to hold always in my memory... 
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