Please take a moment to watch this beautiful representation of our work in Chenzhou, and the beautiful faces we have come to love.
God Will Provide....
I felt God speaking to me over the past few months, telling me that I needed to go back to China this summer.
But I honestly doubted at first. I knew I didn't have the money, and I knew how busy I was with school and dance team and did not know if I could raise the money. So I disregarded what He was telling me. But ever persistent He is and how thankful I am for a God that loves us enough to give us chance after chance to hear Him and be obedient in what His plans are for our lives.
I knew from a young age that China would be a part of God's plan for me and my life. I still do not know exactly what it is, but I believe that this mission trip to the Chenzhou orphanage is a part of that plan.
Being a college student and trying to raise funds for this trip on such short notice is extremely difficult. Throughout the year I am busy with dance and school and I have not had a job during the year. I am trying to come up with ways to fundraise the money in a very short time. Airline tickets are what is next on the agenda to pay for and that is a large sum of money at one time. Please pray with me as I continue to lean on God because I know if this is His plan, He will provide.
I am so happy to be going on this trip again. I have been struggling with knowing my purpose lately and I've been feeling very unmotivated. But ever since I responded to God's call to go on the trip I have been much more motivated in every aspect of my life. I cannot wait to be back in China and with these precious people that have captured my heart.
Boys
The trip this year is exciting because we have a team of 16!! And in that 16 there are 5 males... We have never had men go on the trip before, other than Steve our guide in China. This is such a blessing because the kids and the nannies will be shown that they are loved by all, it is natural for girls to love kids, but these kids will really benefit from getting to run and play and interact with these men.
Translator
We have been blessed with another translator as well! No one at the orphanage speaks English and God must have heard our prayers because she is also a believer. This means we will have a greater chance of sharing the gospel with them. Along with our actions of love and trying to be Jesus to them.
The teams that have gone for many years now have planted the seed, and we have built a beautiful relationship with them, we hope to see this grow as well. Many great things are coming together for this year and I am so excited to see what God will do.
Li Ming Orphanage
We will be going to two orphanages on this trip. The first for a longer period of time is Chenzhou. But the second is one this team has not been to before. This is exciting because we are planting seeds somewhere else in China! Pray that the Love of the Lord is shown through us and our work there and that they will be open and accepting to us.
This is a portion of a letter my team leader sent before my first trip in 2013. This is a glimpse of why we go, and what we do.
Some will ask you, what is your trip about, why are you going? Because they ask me the same question. And it is hard to put into one simple answer. Is it about visiting orphans? Well of course it is. I believe with all my heart in James 1:27. But it goes SO far beyond visiting the orphans. It is kind of like this large puzzle and we have ALL these pieces that need to fit together to make it complete. You & I are some of the pieces. The nannies, the school, the director, the building itself, and of course, the orphans are ALL pieces of this puzzle. We know that God himself has designed THIS puzzle and He is placing each piece the way it needs to fit together. We want to be Jesus to everyone we meet. Some days that means we rock babies who are really sick. A piece of the puzzle into place. Some days that means we run around after big kids and give tons of hugs. A piece of the puzzle into place. Some days it means we sit and hold the hand of a nanny and smile and hug her. A piece of the puzzle into place. Some days it means we show up at a school where the orphans attend and we love on them in front of the other kids who have parents, and pray that they feel special. Some days it means we use our voice to gather the funds to send those kids to school, or fight for those who need families or we figure out WHAT can we do to change things, even if just a little. Some days it means we go to the local church and show our support. Some days we sit with our guide and show him verses in our bible that are special to us and explain why. Some days we just cry, and even that is ok. THAT might be the glue that sticks those puzzle pieces together.
Here is a little update on Emerson...
Little Emerson got the cleft palate and cleft lip surgery that I and others advocated for. She has also been ADOPTED!! How exciting is that. My baby girl is in the United States somewhere, but we unfortunately have no information of who her family is, and no way to find that out. I have tons of pictures and stories that I know her family would love to have, I hope that one day I will find contact to give them these things I know they long for.
Before surgery
After surgery
