As most of you know, on July 14th (2.5 days from now!!!!!!!!) I'm taking the 14+ hour flight to China for the third time! The first question I have gotten from basically everyone is, "are you getting ANOTHER child?" So I'm going to answer that right now... sadly, no, although I know I'm going to want to sneak a sweetie home with me!
But this blog is all about THIS trip to China. This amazing, awesome chance that I have to live out James 1:27!
I'll be going with my two aunts (my dad's sisters). One of them lives in At*lanta, and it is her Church that works with the organization we are going with. Another girl who is a few years older than me (and a family friend of my aunt, who I've met before) is going, as well as the group leader, who is on staff of the organization we are going with. So it's a small group, but I know we are going to have the most amazing time and I cannot WAIT to see the ways in which our Father works during the week we are there!!
So, what exactly are we doing? We're doing some orphan-lovin'! We'll be in the Liaoning province, working with a small special needs orphanage, which I cannot go into much detail about. I know my heart is just going to break taking care of those precious kids and I know that I will never be the same as a result. I also know that I will never look at my precious sisters' adoptions the same way and I cannot wait to experience firsthand what they spent the first year+ of their lives as.
So right now, I ask you to PRAY. Pray for our trip. Pray for safe travels, for none of us to have to be quarintined in Beijing (due to the swine flu), pray for God to MOVE in amazing ways. Pray that every orphan would feel LOVED and CHERISHED and that we would be heartbroken for the need around the world!
The truth is that there are 187+ MILLION orphans around the world. They all need prayer, they all need families, they all need to feel LOVED. I cannot wait to show them that love, even if it is just for a week.
Love to you all and thanks for following along! Hopefully I'll be able to post and keep you all updated from China! I'll post our itinerary soon :)
Emily.. I sit here on Sunday morning while visiting at my step-daughters home and thinking about you and your family. You are such an amazing witness to God's glory. It is not very often we see teenagers who truly show/live the love of Christ like you do! I hope you have an amazing trip to China to work with the children there. I know you leave your love and the love of Jesus on their hearts AND.. you will come away having fealt even more of God's love for you! I'll be praying daily for you!
ReplyDeleteEmily,
ReplyDeleteGod's blessing to you as you go to minister to those precious children. Your heart for the orphan is very sweet and Godly. Our prayers go with you.
Janet, Kevin, Ted, Philip, and waiting for Eli
http://ThreeFingerprintsofGod.blogspot.com
Oh how I wish I could go with you! Just today our preacher talked about the difference between knowing something is true and it being "real" to you enough so that it changes your daily life. Of course my mind immediately thought of the orphans of the world. Thank you for being someone to do something in a very real and tangible way!
ReplyDeleteI hope you are able to update, I'll be checking in!
Hey Emily!!
ReplyDeleteSomeone sent me your blog a few days ago and I'm just now getting a chance to look at it. That is so exciting!! You are going to have an AMAZING time. I went to China last summer with Shaohannah's Hope to love special needs orphans. It was incredible, heartbreaking and life changing for sure. I can't wait to see how your trip goes! I'll be praying for you!
Emily,
ReplyDeleteHi. We swapped squares for our 100 Good Wishes quilt's some time back and I have continued to follow your blog and watch the girls grow. They truly are beautiful. I see God's hand at work in your life and it truly is a blessing. It will be amazing to watch as you mature and grow in Christ to see what He will do in your life. If we dare to believe Him for it He will do it. I will be praying for you while you are going to be His hands and His feet to do your orphan lovin!! Safe travels and God's speed.
Hi Emily,
ReplyDeleteYou and your mom were such an encouragement to me in our family's process of adopting our precious Lia through AWAA this past February.
I pray that those little ones that you are about to meet will know the reality of Jesus as you love on them in His name.
Blessings,
Angela