In China

 

As we boarded the plane on a Chinese Airline flight, i chuckled to myself that over the intercom was soft piano music playing   "Morning Has Broken". That one must have 'slipped by them'.  Just one more sweet trigger to remind us that He is going before and behind and all around. We praise Him, in Beijing this morning.   

We arrived in the dark to mysterious fog hanging over this ancient city, as our travel guide Aurthur greeted us straight away. When we arrived at our hotel in the heart of the city, Dan and i just glanced at each other, no doubt both thinking this is a far cry from the places we stayed in when we ran around Europe on a shoestring budget!

 

We are so thankful to have made it safe here around 6PM local time and got a few hours sleep. The first thing that happened was that we received a call from our HOLT contact here, who said that Glory is doing great and will be released today from the hospital! Thank you to those of you lifting her up! He also said that a HOLT rep. was with Glory in the hospital, but we don't know if her foster mom was. We cannot see her though until Monday, our scheduled 'Gotcha' day. 

 

Today we are off to explore and learn about Beijing, the old city, and the Great Wall...after coffee!

 

Sent with love, we are. We are undeservedly blessed and taking in each moment of this adventure!
Monday evening our good friends Kim and Shawn and their sweet kids stopped by with a complete labor of love; this amazing quilt for Glory, that Kim no doubt spent countless hours of creativity and skill to make!  I just had to share this beautiful gift here with you.  Thank you Kim!

 

Ready, Set, GO!  The countdown is on until the 14th when we take off to meet our little Glory.  It has been a whirlwind of a month in which God has moved.  In just over a month we received, and celebrated our
Article 5 paperwork, at the Sure to Rise bakery in Cashmere....

thinking about our own little Xia Rose-  her middle names.....Xia meaning; 

"the glow of sunrise or sunset"

travel Approval a week later, and new little sister's 1st birthday- with Chinese food and glitter and pink....

everything!

We continue to be surprised by joy when we should be worried, blessed and provided for when it doesn't 'make sense', and supported beyond measure by the body of Christ along this journey of  adoption - celebrating, praying and loving with us, His little Glory home.  Thank you Jesus!

   

While the Lewis family is waiting on the edge of their seats to see God's timing in putting us on a plane for Bejing, let me share this short video that captures the heart behind our adventure of adoption.  A dear sister in Christ and friend shared with me long ago, before our journey began. I hope it encourages your faith with fresh eyes. Even if it is a familiar song, try to listen with new ears and bask in God's grace. 

Well, well, well. It is hard to believe I am actually sitting here working on this blog after almost a year! But alas and alack, for those of you just 'tuning in', I began this blog last year before i went on a short trip to Thailand  and Cambodia, in order to share what God was doing, and in hopes of using later in the year to share about our adoption journey.  Upon returning home to a very challenging season of life, and not being anything close to 'techy', I barely managed to add anything to this blog. For those of you who had hoped for more communication about my trip, here are FINALLY a FEW follow up images.

So sorry about the wait!

The boost to finally add these has come in wanting to start sharing our adoption journey with family and friends, here, but still felt i had to 'wrap up' what happened last year!

Thank you for your patience. Soon we will be posting about our little- God's little - Glory girl! 

In the city of Pnom Penh, Cambodia

Our first stop, Garden of Hope rescue house  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IJM (International Justice Mission) fighting trafficking in Pnom Penh

 

 

 

 

 

Heading to rural villages outside Pnom Penh; 

 

'Clean' water supply for the dry season

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the ICCM school's FM churches support

The House of Peace

 

 

A walk through one of few legitimately operated clothing

factories

 

 

Gathering rice bundles for planting

 

 

 

Thailand....

 

 

 

child being used to earn money from tourists  -'being cute'

at the famous temple, Doi Suthep, in Chiang Mai

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visiting our sponsored girl, Narin and Wanepah, at Breanna's House of Joy

- a home and learning center for children without a home in Thailand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our team at the Training and Forum on Human Trafficking in Chaing Mai.

Advent in action

          

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Christmas is Waiting to be Born

Where refugees seek deliverance that never comes, And the heart consumes itself, if it would live, Where little children age before their time, And life wears down the edges of the mind, Where fear companions each day's life, And Perfect Love seems long delayed, Christmas is waiting to be born: In you, in me, in all humankind. from The Moods of Christmas by Howard Thurman (Harper & Row, 1973)

  

 I wanted to take a moment at the beginning of advent, to share one simple action step you might be willing to make in response to what I have shared so far...

In all your Christmas shopping this year, consider looking first at some of the following websites to make your purchases.  When you buy from one of these fair trade businesses, you are creating a wave of God's love around the world....a gift of love and awareness to whom you are giving, as well as helping create a new future and hope in Jesus' name for someone else around the world.


www.stoptraffickfashion.com
www.tradeasone.com
www.project7.com
www.lightgivesheat.org
www.seedlivelihood.org
www.worldvision.org
www.notforsalestore.org

May God bless your journey to the manger...

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