He is enough!

I have had some heavy posts over the past couple of weeks but recently I have sprinkled in some light fun stuff. Sorry, I am going back to some deep stuff here now. If you come to read the light, fun stuff than feel free to skip this post. And some of you may read this and think "religious kook" but that is ok, I rather like that term and it is my blog so here goes......

Last August when we got the news my husband was not going to be employed as of Sept. 15th, my world was rocked! I cried, I screamed, I threw some pretty good tantrums, I got mad, I was disillusioned, I withdrew, I was hurt.... ok, ok you get the picture. I met with God and I knew He had something planned but I didn't like it and I told Him so. From the very beginning I felt as if He wanted me to learn that He and He alone was enough. He is supposed to be our sufficiency. My head knew that and I prayed my heart would learn that too because I truly wanted to learn that. But oh that is hard! "God", I said, "We live in a world where you have to have a job and money and a house and food and health insurance and a car and blah blah blah blah blah!" Yes, this is true, very true. But the message still was "I know your needs but I want you to only want me, to be filled up entirely by me." I prayed about this, I continued to struggle with this, knowing all along in my head it was true but I wanted my heart to feel it too!

I began to slowly let go of "things", I could feel myself reluctantly letting go. The one thing I felt I was clinging tightly to was my house. I love my house! Let me rephrase that, my HOME. We live in a  nice home that comfortably fits all 7 of us in a very safe and protected neighborhood. A true blessing! We have a very low mortgage on this home because my accountant husband is just good at that kind of thing and because we do try to live as debt free as possible. We do NOT live beyond our means. Another true blessing. We designed and built the house, from every little knob, door, beam, window. It is an expression of us. In a way it feeds my soul, not like God does but in a different way. I guess because I designed it to fit us and the things we like and do. And we have memories here. Lots and lots of great memories. We have handprints in concrete, marks on doorways showing children's growth, things my dad has built for the kids, and to borrow from Miranda Lambert's song "my favorite dog is buried in the yard." I can't tell you how many people have asked us during this time of unemployment if we were going to lose our house or have to sell it. Shocks me-on so many levels! And I have to say this irritated me as well-on so many levels. I felt myself clinging even tighter to my house when people asked this...out of pride I am sure. Another quality God does not want us to have. So you see I still had far to go on this "God is truly enough" scenario.

Months before my husband's job loss I was reading a book "Kisses from Katie". This is an amazing book if you haven't read it. Quick synopsis...Katie was 18 when she went on a short term trip to Africa and she ended up staying, skipping college, adopting 14 little girls and starting a school and feeding center for hundreds... as a 19 year old. She saw such pure joy in the hearts of these people that have nothing. And such generosity. She said she felt it came from the fact that they have nothing and so they have to rely on God to fill them up. I told Will I was jealous of those people as they get to experience God in a way we in upper-middle class America never will. Oh gosh! Maybe I shouldn't have said that.... as God then "blessed" us with an "interesting" scenario - no job! Now, please don't think I am equating our circumstance to those who live in utter poverty. We are STILL blessed beyond measure. But for the first time in my life I had no paycheck to rely on. And just what if all my "stuff", including my home were gone? Would I praise God, be joyful, generous and filled up by Him alone? I would like to say the answer to this would be yes, but sadly I knew it would be no.

He and I went to some deep, hard places over this past year. It wasn't pretty or fun. But it was good. I found Him on a much deeper level and I would not trade that experience. In fact, still jobless, I can honestly say I have thanked Him for this past year. I have honestly come to a place of peace, even though we are nearing 12 months and still have no job. Weird, huh? Its that "peace that passes understanding" thing and it is a much better place to be than that raving, frantic lunatic of 12 months ago.

While in China, I experienced the final transformation I feel He was leading me to all along. China is a hard place to travel to. I have always longed for home each time I have been. This time however, it was different. While I did miss some creature comforts and at times wanted to be seaside reading a good book , if I thought long and hard about it,  I did not TRULY want to come home. I missed my family terribly though.  I wish they could have just been shipped over-he he. The inconveniences bothered me to some degree but not like the other times. Why? Because I experienced Jesus like never before. I wish my words here could fully express this. It was beautiful. I found Him in the poverty, nothingness, pain, loneliness. He filled me up. HE FILLED ME UP! He was enough. He had showed me slowly and patiently over the past year that He could fill my deepest passion and desire...to long for Him and Him alone. I didn't want to go back to my land of plenty because we don't see Him as He is covered up by all our "things" and because we don't think we need Him. We don't need Him in our plentiful state. These little orphaned kids need Him and I felt Him, "saw" Him and "heard" Him....like never before. I told Will, if this earthly glimpse of Him filled me up, what must heaven be like? When we get to experience His full glory and commune with, and worship Him every moment? I wanted to stay there among them and serve them and be His hands and feet and experience more of Him. It was filling.

So I am home now. I am in my home that I love. Hmmmmm, what now? As I was running, the song by Mercy Me came on " I Can Only Imagine"  and it spoke to me...God often speaks to me when I run, guess He knows I need the motivation-Ha! here are the words:

"I Can Only Imagine"

I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By your side

I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face
Is before me
I can only imagine

[Chorus:]
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When that day comes
And I find myself
Standing in the Son

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever
Forever worship You
I can only imagine

[Chorus]

I can only imagine [x2]

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever, forever worship you

Wow! That is what my "glimpse" of Him felt like. I was instantly filled up with Him again. I am home, but my much loved home has lost its luster. I still think it is nice, but I would give it up for Him now. If He wants it, if we have to move, if we have to sell it, or heaven forbid if we lose it.....it is ok, because He is enough. He is far better than these walls, and door knobs and beams. Memories can be made anywhere we all are. He has shown me how it feels to be filled up with Him and I want to live my life like that. I don't want to forget this experience in my land of plenty. How do I hold onto that? Do I have to move to a land of nothing? Do I have to be among those who have nothing? I don't know the answer. What I do know is that being filled with Him is so much richer than being filled with the things of this world. He is enough. He is enough.......I wonder what the next lesson He has for me will be? I still have so much to learn! I share all of this with you because I want as many people as possible to experience Him in this way. If you could have been a fly on the wall over this past year and seen the very low state I was in, the lowest point I have been in my life I think, you would not have thought it possible for this revelation. To know my soul now and how truly I sing His greatness, it is transformation only HE could have done...and I want you to know it too. Hopefully, it will not require you to get to the valley I occupied, but if it does, do not despair, cling to Him, He will restore you to a new and greater depth and you too will sing His praises!

Babies are Beijing Bound!!!!!

We found out last night that the heart babies, Charlotte and Sarah, are headed to Beijing next week! 

They will be receiving care and surgery at New Hope, affiliated with Show Hope.

 A big huge shout out to Megan Konyn, who is only 18, for following her heart and not giving up on getting these babies the help they so needed.

 What an amazing girl she is! So blessed God placed her in my life!

Please continue to pray for these babies...for God to sustain them, for details to fall into place, for safe travel and uneventful travel...it is a long 8 hr train ride, for healing, for angels of God to be placed in their lives to love, nurture and care for them before, during and after surgery, for doctors' wisdom and steady hands, for complete healing and for adoption into a family where they can grow up into the people God created them to be.

I was giddy with joy last night! Tears, rejoicing and praising!

How great our God who holds these precious little ones in His mighty and loving hands!

We will most likely be trying to help with funds for their care. Any and all amounts will be welcomed!

God you are so great! You moved the mountains and we give thanks and praise!

Megan, Julia and I just "may" have to take a trip to Beijing to give some love to these girls! Oh gosh, someone please adopt them or I will....oh my!

Do you see something missing??????

Yes, my baby lost her front tooth! 

I think this is almost a right of passage from "babyhood" or "little kid" status to "middle kid".

Little teeth=little kid

Big teeth=bigger kid

It actually makes me teary. 

She is growing up too fast!

But the gap in front sure is cute while it lasts!

And the slushy sounding speech is priceless!

"I GOT IT!"

This was the text I received from my big girl yesterday!

Accompanied by this picture.....

Yes, that is her Learner's Permit!

I had tears when I saw this.....not sure if they were tears of joy because she was so anticipating this day or because now she will be behind the wheel of a car and I am just not ready for that!

Maybe the diaper stage isn't so bad after all!

Heaven help me!

A new era of prayers begin!!!!

Celebrating 6 Years with our Jaida Ruth

Six years ago today Ning Fei Fei became Jaida Ruth Hatcher. And our world was forever changed. What a joy this child is! She was the catalyst to adopting 2 more China babies and developing a heart for the orphan in all of us. I can't imagine our family without her. I love this beautiful little girl with all my heart. I am so blessed to be her mother!

We celebrated today with donuts, family time in the pool and delicious cupcakes! What a great day we had just being together. Happy Forever Family Day #6 Jaida! We love you so very much!

Random Thoughts as I re-enter Life at Home

As I step back into life in suburban America as a housewife and mother of 5, I am struggling to wrap my brain around all I saw, heard, felt and learned over the past 15 days in China. So below are just random thoughts in no particular order of importance but yet thoughts I want to share or record for my own recollection:

Jet-lag is killer every time..WOW....kicks my rear end each and every time-even my face was tired last nite! Don't ask.....

I look at my Chinese children and thank God they are here

I am not sure I ever want these 3 to know what their lives would have been like...it is so deeply troubling, maybe one day when they are much older  and more deeply rooted in their security

It is hard for me to look at them as the orphans they once were...I can't picture them there at all..isn't that how God pictures us.... Rescued and treasured children?

I miss those dirty little faces in Chenzhou so very much and I wonder what they are doing. Are they looking out the window for us or waiting in the hall like they did each morning?

I have never felt Jesus closer than when I was among these little forgotten people. My heart ached a deep and painful ache but my husband reminded me that Jesus walked this earth and saw the forgotten and felt that ache too. He is so very present in those places of destitute.

What do I do now? How do I help...the needs are so big?

How do I tell people? Words don't do it justice.

I check my email every few minutes to see if there is word of Charlotte and Sarah, the heart babies, being transferred to Beijing for surgery. I wish I could go to Beijing and be their Mommy and sit by their beds and hold them when they are afraid or in pain during their hospital stay. Who will do that for them? A stranger I am sure.

Why am I so blessed? Why do I have so much? Others have so little. I don't like that. It doesn't seem right.

One of the biggest struggles for me while there was getting over the odor of the kids. I am a little embarrassed to say that. It seems so trivial and shallow but it was hard for me. By the end of the day we smelled like they did because we held them and hugged them, got drooled on, peed on, and pooped on. My luke-warm shower each night was a welcomed treat.

Their shoes were pitiful. They were "jelly" sandals in rainbow pastel colors for both sexes. They were all broken and hard to walk in. Our family must have 100-150 pair of shoes between us. That sickens me.

The staff at the orphanage truly loves and cares for those kids. They do the best they can with what little they have. They work very hard at a very hard job.

I had to go to the grocery store and Target when I got home. I love Target. But when I stepped in after arriving home, I almost turned and ran out. All the stuff we think we "need" to buy was staring me in the face. We don't "need" any of it. Yet I will fall back into that trap. God please spare me from this trap!

I missed my creature comforts while in China but now that I am home I can't seem to enjoy them.

A good friend of mine said "You need more prayer AFTER a mission trip than before or during." She is so right.

Did how we loved reflect Him? Did we plant seeds of wonder? Will those seeds take root in hearts and grow into a relationship with the Savior?

We sang the song "You are Holy" during the goodbye party on Friday. Our leader printed the words in Mandarin for them. As I sang and fought back the tears, I looked out among the faces and saw them smiling and trying to follow along. I felt Him there.

As a mom to 5 busy kids, I have so many little details to take care of for school, activities, healthcare, etc. the things of our family life that we put such importance on. I find these things so trivial now. I know they are not, because these things are what make up "us" and they are all important but how do I come back to this life and make soccer carpools important when I know little Angelina, my cleft baby, needs to gain weight but struggles because she doesn't have a cleft bottle and someone to burp her while she eats?

I told Will we need to move there. Then I changed that and said we need to move to Hong Kong, a little more westernized :), and travel to Chenzhou by train weekly to care for and serve them.

I do love China......with all its flaws. When we touched down that rainy night in Beijing and I saw the Chinese characters everywhere and the dirt that is China, and the smells, my heart skipped a beat. I grabbed Julia and said, "We are in China again!" A part of my heart will always remain in that vast land, birth home to 3 of my babies.

I wish I could win the lottery or I had that illusive money tree in the backyard my parents always claimed was NOT there. I have a list, miles long, that I would do with the money.

Travel there is just so long! There is no easy or quick way to get there. It is hard. It is tiring. It is EXPENSIVE!!!

As guilty as I feel about this next statement, it is true....I long to fly there and back Business or First Class. As I pull my carry on through those long narrow aisles of the plane and pass by First  or Business Class  with their wide, comfy, fully reclining seats and puffy blankets and large pillows, drinks awaiting your arrival I want to stop and plop myself down. Instead, I continue my journey to the way back of the plane with its SMALL, hard, cramped seats meant for people under 4 feet tall, thin blanket, tiny pillow, and 4 inch recline. UGH! I am miserable 5 minutes into it.

I am terrible with chopsticks. How do they do it???

Some of the kids are dropped off at the orphanage or abandoned elsewhere nearby not at birth. How? Don't the neighbors and family members notice that a kid is missing and question? I feel certain my friends and neighbors would ask where my children disappeared to? I realize some are abandoned because they are in need of medical care and the family can't afford it. This is their best chance to get their child the care that is needed. This is so sad to me. Little Charlotte's mom breast fed her and cared for her for months. Her heart condition probably didn't come into play until she started turning blue. Then she left her there. My heart breaks to think she had no choice. What about the 8 year old healthy boy who is so "normal"? He is smart and funny and educated. What happened? Why did they abandon him? Did they die? His grandfather came to get him but returned him to the orphanage because he couldn't care for him. ????? So hard to understand. Please know I ask all this without judgement. I ask with lack of knowledge or understanding. And in deep sadness.

I was so impressed with the young girls that went on this trip. What amazing hearts these girls have at such a young age. I wish I had had a heart like that back then.

I am just so darn tired!

We had really, really good food.

I didn't realize how mountainous China is. In flying over and riding through it by train, we got to see a large portion of the country.

I will always be an adoption advocate, but being there I learned that many of the orphans are not eligible for adoption and many are so severely special needs they will not be adopted. So I will now be an advocate for those children too. How can I  help to make their lives better and encourage others to do the same?

I loved sharing this experience with my daughter. I loved seeing her heart and passion for the kids. I loved how she realized what is truly important.

I understand my adopted son and his behaviors better. In him, I see the kids at Chenzhou and their behaviors. I have "known" of course that he lived in an orphanage for 4 years and I have used that as an explanation for his behavior and personality but I guess I didn't truly get it. There is almost an uncivilized quality to them and to him. The "rules of life", you know those unspoken ingrained from birth rules, just are not present in an orphanage. He is still in the process of learning to live by these "rules of life" and now I know why because I have seen it first hand. I pray this gives me more patience with him.

There is a survival of the fittest mentality in an orphanage. There are those who are weak and those who are aggressive. It is so hard to watch. It is so hard to see an aggressive kid take a toy or a food item from a weaker child. When we were there we could help those that were weaker...but what now? Who will defend them?

My son would have been one of the weaker ones. That is heartbreaking. What did he endure? Again, I hope and pray this gives me new perspective to parent him.

I am so thankful for a husband that played Mr. Mom for 15 days while I was gone. He was such an encourager of this trip. It made leaving a little easier. Thank you Will....I love you!

I am grateful to grandparents and friends who helped out as well. You are appreciated and loved!

I am thankful for my 11 going on 35 year old son Sam who was the right-hand man during our absence. You did a great job buddy and I love you so much!

I am so glad I have seen this first hand. I wish everyone could see. I know it is not comfortable. I had such angst about this trip as I knew it was not going to be easy. In fact, He whispered to me it was going to be down right hard! Who wants to pay thousands of dollars and spend 2 weeks of vacation time to go someplace where there are uncomfortable conditions, you smell, get hit or bitten, possibly get sick or have stomach issues and most of all have your heart hurt with a deep and troubling pain? I bet that description on a brochure would sell alot of tickets! But what a better world we would all live in if everybody went and everybody saw. It changes you for the better.

How do I hold onto these lessons I have learned? How do I make the changes in my life now that I am back? It would be so easy to just slip back into this world of upper-middle class America...but I don't want to. I can't. I feel as if I would be betraying my friends at Chenzhou. I can't forget them. I can't fulfill my selfish wants and leave them with real needs. So I pray He doesn't let me forget and I pray He gives me the strength to fight for them and all the other 147million like them in the world. I pray I can have the faith to trust in Him to lead and to guide me on this journey.

 

Happy 15th Birthday Julia!

Julia celebrated her 15th birthday with 26 hours of travel. She had a 36 hour birthday because of the time difference. She also was in 3 different countries on her birthday, China, Japan and the USA. She noted that she also flew over Canada. We were so wiped out by the time we landed in Columbia at 5:15pm but the family was there to greet us with signs and all!What a fabulous welcome! Oh how I missed them!!!! We then headed to dinner to celebrate at a Mexican restaurant in Columbia. When we got home they had decorations, a cake-homemade, cards and gifts. Way to go Daddy and Sam!!!!

After this Julia and I crawled upstairs, showered and collapsed into bed! We had been up for 30 hours straight at this point. Happy to be home!

I love this first born of mine! What a blessing to be her mother. 15 years ago when I gave birth to this treasure, I would never have guessed I would celebrate her 15th birthday with her in China. What a splendid path He has led us down! Thank you Lord for Julia and all that she means to us. I can't wait to see what He has planned for her life. I know this trip was hard for her and alot to take in at just 14 but what an amazing experience He will use to shape her life. I am so proud of my daughter. She loved big and hard and rolled with the punches dealt us over the last 15 days. God bless my sweet girl! I love so very much!

******Please read below posts for more of Chenzhou!******

Our day in Beijing

I didn't really want to go back to Beijing. I was ready to just go home. I didn't care to walk on the Great Wall for the 3rd time. But that was the plan. So we spent Saturday hiking the Great Wall, a different section than I had been to the previous 2 times. And it was good. It was fun. We got a break from the heavy and just enjoyed each other's company. Some of us went to the highest tower. So cool!!!! Then we all, sledded down the Great Wall. Ok, I was so nervous and did NOT want to do it. Being the "old lady" I would have had a good excuse not to do it. But peer pressure pushed me to do it. It was awesome! Just a tad scary in a few parts. So glad they talked me in to it.

The sled track

The trail up to the Wall...that was steep too!

My partner!!!! Love this girl!!!!

Some parts were really steep!

They were laughing at me, I was sooooo sweaty!

In front of the sledding "directions"

Then we went to a silk market...a big huge shopping area where you must bargain. Oh dear, not my thing! However, my daughter was quite good at it!!! She gets this from her Dad!!! She got quite a few good deals!

Lastly, we had dinner together and celebrated Julia's 15th birthday! Sam and Julia have both now celebrated a birthday in China. How cool is that??? We figured out that actually all the kids except Jaida had a birthday in China..she was only 9 months when we got her.

******More posts below on our last day at Chenzhou******

Saying Goodbye to Chenzhou

I couldn't write this post until now for 2 reasons. One, we had an 8 hr train ride to Beijing on Friday afternoon and didn't get to our hotel until about 11:30 pm and I was wiped out! Two, I just couldn't relive that emotion. It is hard even now. We had a celebration with the orphanage staff and some of the older kids that morning. It was a wonderful celebration of love, friendship and appreciation. We sang a song for them, the kids performed and the staff sang. We had fruit and cake and gift exchanging. We then had a few minutes to say goodbye to the kids and the babies. My heart hurts just thinking about it. As I approached Angelina and Minnie's crib, Angelina saw me and smiled her big whole entire face smile and I scooped her up. I held that tiny body and kissed her all over. I told her I loved her and Jesus did too. I told her to fight and hope and I prayed one day she would have a family. I wonder if she will look for my face over her crib and wonder where I have gone. She came so alive the 10 days we were there. She loved to be out of her crib. But now she will just lay in her crib all day. Oh my heart. I then held Minnie and kissed her and prayed over her. She is so tiny. I told her to hang on and never give up! I sobbed as I walked away from these two precious gems. I went around the room and kissed each precious baby, aware of their personalities now. I told them each how Jesus loved them. I then had to say goodbye to Charlotte. She was hooked up to an IV so we couldn't hold her. Poor Julia was sitting on the floor next her bouncy seat sobbing. I kissed her little head and face. I prayed, I cried, I told her help was coming and to not give up. She was so miserable and I could barely make it away. Then I had to watch my 14 year old daughter say goodbye to her. The sweet Nanny came over and just held Julia and cried along with her. The nanny and I hugged and cried and I tried to thank her for all she does for the babies. We had to leave and it was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. We said goodbye to the big kids. I held Ray and sobbed and he looked into my eyes searching....oh baby, how do I leave you here. I kissed Sydney, the 14 yr old and she cried and started pinching her wrists...oh God please be with these kids! We said goodbye to the nannies too. We cried then as well. Some of them and the director took us to the train station and there were more tears by all. We all had our Heart for Chenzhou shirts on and it was quite a picture of unity. We then boarded the high speed train for the 8 hour trip to Beijing. That was a time for reflection for me, it was long but I needed it. How do I go back to my life in America? I want to pretend this doesn't exist because it is just too hard. But it does. So what do I do about it? How can I help???? I will pray and search and I will listen for His voice and direction because I KNOW there is work for me to do with this all. I have never felt closer to God then when I was amidst the least of the least of these. I told Will the day we Americans paraded through the streets of Chenzhou with the orphans holding our hands leading them to church, I "saw" Jesus ahead of us, leading us in his robe and sandals, I felt Him there and it was overwhelming, in an undescirable good way!

I write these posts, I talk about this, I show pictures, but nothing can convey the reality of it all. You have to go. Everyone should be required to go. It will change your life! You might not want to go, it feels too hard, too uncomfortable, you might not REALLY want to know, but you must. Life is not just our American upper-middle class bubble we live in. It sure is nice to reside in our abundance but in reality we are not given abundance to shower upon ourselves. We need to share. Not just our financial abundance, but our love, our minds, our time...whatever we have to give, we should give. Because, some have nothing. Nothing at all and your gifts, no matter how small you may think they are, are HUGE to those who have nothing.

To my precious friends at Chenzhou, may God be among you, may you feel His love long after we are gone, may we NEVER forget you all, may we be your voices where they need to be heard and most of all thank you for the gift you gave me......your love and friendship. Godspeed.

Some of the big kids at the celebration.

Sweet, always smiling Joy.

The kids getting ready to sing.

The "school" kids doing a song and dance

The kids and staff getting ready to sing.

My girls.....one last time!

The cake they got for us.

Last full day at the orphanage

I don't know how I feel about today. Like most days here, there are so many emotions running through me I don't know what to feel or think. One thing I do know…..I am worn! Physically tired, mentally tired and emotionally drained would all describe me well right now. As we went upstairs to the kids today the big kids were all cleaned up, new clothes, and pretty close to odor-free! They were jumping for joy to see us and it makes your heart leap. Some of these kids have come so far in the past 8 days. Annie, one of the team members said it well, "It is so neat to see some of them come out of their shell and their personalities displayed after just a few days of love." So what would more do for them? But yet, I want to come home. My heart can't take the heaviness anymore. And what about the kids that need some advocating for? What will happen when we leave? I pray Charlotte and Sarah get the surgery they need. Who will kiss the sweet little cleft face of Angelina's and get teary when her entire face smiles, or hold ittly bitty Minnie and sing to her? And Lulu's nanny, who we FINALLY named Leigh, is gone on family matters. I didn't get to say goodbye to her or hug her one last time. And I can't think of kissing those babies and kids goodbye one last time. Talk about heavy heart!!!!!! And then there are the nannies and staff who work tirelessly day after day, how do you thank them for what they do?

We had dinner at the orphanage tonight and then took photos with everyone and laughed and cried. Already the crying started. Oh how I dread tomorrow! They have said some of the kids cry when we leave. Ray, little dear sweet Ray, he is one that cries. That will break my heart. Will they think we have deserted them too? I have always heard the question asked about short term mission trips…does it hurt more than it helps because you come and then you go away? But really and truly, like I said in an earlier post, love can NEVER be wasted. It will always leave behind something good. God , our creator is love and He commands us to love one another.

Most of the team is young. I am the old lady…oh well someone has to be right? But these girls jumped right in, held babies and played with kids and babies with severe disabilities and needs. They loved hard. One has been advocating for a blind boy for awhile, trying to get him to a special school. Wow! How proud her parents must be! And Megan, who has held onto the hope of getting these heart girls to the care they need, she is 18. Another has loved on some very special babies and given them a little spark. They all have done a marvelous job! It is a beautiful thing to watch!!! We will all go home with different lessons learned, special memories and things God has engraved upon our hearts. We each had a different purpose here. No two the same. And hopefully, we will each take these things we have gathered from this place and go home, go back to our lives and not forget. And make a difference. Even if it is in the life of just 1!

The faces that will haunt me and cry out to me NOT to forget:

Progress and Praising God!

When we got to the orphanage after lunch the asst. brought a contract to us to read. It was from New Hope Foundation. Megan had emailed them the 2 heart babies info and the director's contact info. New Hope sent a contract to Chenzhou. They brought it to us to read. We said yes. Then within minutes they were whisking the 2 babies away to the hospital for tests. Praise Him Praise Him!!!!!!! Megan Julia and I hugged and sobbed in the hallway! Now just to let you know Megan is 18! She has been fighting for these heart babies here for quite some time. After learning about the death of one, she got the ball rolling at home and had her mom making all kinds of phone calls. God came through and these sweet girls are at the hospital getting "testing". So please continue to pray for them. The director seems very open to all of this. The orphanage pays nothing!!!! So the this a big plus! Lord continue to move mountains and do immeasurably more!!!!!!!! Praise HIm! Praise Him! Praise Him!!!!!!