But GOD...

I've just returned home from Maria's Big House of Hope and to say it has been an adventure would be an understatement!  

After a fourteen hour flight, a twelve hour flip flop time change, and a night stay over in Beijing we finally arrived at Maria's. The staff heroes who deal with the heartbreak of orphan care day in and day out greeted us with such warmth and enthusiasm. We took a quick tour during which I could not keep my leaky eyes off the sweet babies in all the colorful Disney-themed rooms. 

We familiarized ourselves with the facility and its workings, loved on big and little babies, and searched our hearts in an attempt to understand what God was beginning in us at Maria's. Brokenness is the recurring theme in us, in China, and yes, even at a place as wonderful as Maria's. The effects of the fall, sin, and death are simply overwhelming and oppressive. "BUT GOD", two of my favorite words (learned from painful trials in my own life)... 

But God is here.  And God SEES and knows each of these children and has a life, a purpose, and a hope for them. 

.

Opening my daughters bible, which was brought with me because its smaller than mine, I saw psalm ten highlighted with a pink marker. Psalm ten is somewhat obscure, and I don't ever recall reading it with her.  But because it caught my eye, I read it and the following verse just jumped off the page  at me. 

Psalm 10:14 says, "But you oh God do see trouble and grief, you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you, you are the helper of the fatherless." 

Did you see that?! "BUT GOD!"  He is the helper of the fatherless!

His word is true.  God is their help.  The cute ones, the strong ones, the frail and the weak, we all need a savior. And thankfully that savior is not me.  It's Him and Him alone.  God alone can do the massive work needed to bring relief and love to the orphans of China.  And I'm so glad He will. 

Go Big or GO HOME!

Four days...

I was talking with someone today expressing my feelings of excitement and outright panic about my upcoming China trip.  
The last time I left my kids I went to San Antonio with my husband for 2 nights.  It was at least three years ago.  

I just don't leave them... ever.  

I laughingly said, "It's not like a weekend get away across town But I am going to  China,  for NINE DAYS!!!

and she sweetly said to me, "Well...

GO BIG OR GO HOME!" 

I LOVE IT! 

When God does something where HE gets the glory it's bigger and more and harder and yes, even impossible.  He is sending me.  He has provided all the funds.  And imagine, He even has a plan for my family while I'm gone! 

I am going to TRUST HIM!  

Logistically, I am so thankful God has provided a friend who lives in Chicago who will take me to the airport so the kids will be able to say "see you soon" without rushing or being shooed away by security.  

Doug and the kids plan to move to a new campsite in Wisconsin, maybe up north while I'm out of the country.  

For those keeping score, Caleb is still nursing but I've cut back.  I've been able to pump a little for him to have while I'm gone, but mostly he will drink milk from a bottle and eat regular food.  He continues to grow so quickly.  His first birthday is July 19, the day I leave.  I have to believe God orchestrated it that way for his reasons.  

I'm really not terribly concerned for his eating, it's his sleeping (or lack thereof) that I worry about.  I have worked the night shift, and the day shift for a year.  I guess it ends now. Or at least I get an extended break!  If you'd make this a matter of prayer I'd be grateful. 


Everyone else will manage fine.  Doug took the week off work and Emily is already planning meals... mostly what junk food they'll eat while I'm gone. 

The sweet fruit of training children to work is paying off big time now.  I couldn't go on this trip if they're weren't as capable as they are.  With Doug at the helm, and Emily as his first mate, I know things will go swimmingly.  Ok, maybe not swimmingly, but the boat won't sink ;)

I am told there is wifi at Maria's Big House, so I plan on using it to keep you all updated.  Doug and Emily also can access my blog and facebook to update in my stead.  

I. AM. GOING. TO. CHINA! 

Prayers are always coveted.  

WHY am I Going to CHINA?

It's one of the most frequent questions that comes up.

In short the answer to this is:

James 1:27

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: 

to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, 

and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

The deeper answer to the WHY question is:

My heart has been stirred over and over through the years following the adoption journeys of my friends Jen Johnson and Susanna Musser , and the very courageous Katie in Uganda as they have followed the Lord by adopting children with special needs from (or in) foreign countries.  

Their faith, persistence, hope, and compassion are truly inspiring.  If you want to know Jesus, get to know these women. 

The need is great, but our SAVIOR is even greater! He moves in all kinds of ways to accomplish His work in this fallen world, a world where parents die or can't or won't care for their children.  

Not everyone is called to adopt.  But everyone is called to DO SOMETHING.  One of the very clear commands in scripture is to "visit orphans and widows in their distress." and that is what this trip is all about for me. 

What are you doing to fulfill that command? What is God calling you to do? 

Pray? 

Give?

Go? 

Adopt?

There are literally thousands of organizations you can work with to "visit orphans and widows in their distress."  Ask the Lord what HE wants you to do and JUST DO IT! 

If God can send me, a mom of nine children, living in a RV, traveling the U.S. He can send ANYONE! 

It's His work, be a part of it. 

Reflections on Tennessee

Tennessee definitely had a rough start for us. 

Arriving at 8:30pm after a 650 mile drive with sickness on the horizon, we should have known it was going to be rough.  I won't rehearse it but you can read about it here.  

We started out on the road Monday morning in Hot Springs, Arkansas and we drove… and drove… and drove… 650 miles from Hot Springs, Arkansas to Lebanon, Tennessee.  It was too far.  

(But at least we got some good car pics!)

We made a stop in Memphis to see some Elvis history and unfortunately it’s all tourist trappy (there’s a reason that rhymes with crappy…) 

But we did see Sun Records. 

The most memorable thing about that was being honked at by a punk-looking girl as we were crossing the street to the studio only to realize the girl was an employee returning from a break.  Welcome to Memphis.  Memphis was dirty and unfriendly.  We only drove through it but didn’t see anything that made us want to go back. 

We arrived at our campsite an hour east of Nashville at about 8:30pm and were in bed by 10:30pm.  Getting all settled in, we found good laundry facilities, rustic bathrooms, a spacious playground, and NO INTERNET OR CELL SERVICE.  It cramped our style, but we survived!

I have to say our experience at Show Hope was the turning point completely redeeming our time in Tennessee.  

Several of us rode horses.  (You'll have to ASK DOUG to post his video...maybe if he gets enough requests...)

I took the kids to the State Capitol and Tennessee State History Museum while Doug was in Houston puking his guts out.  We saw some amazing architecture and enjoyed reading all the Memorials in the courtyard.

All in all I'd say our time in Tennessee has been a "win".  It's time to move from Nashville to Knoxville today.  We are looking forward to seeing more history in Davy Crockett Park and touring God's handiwork in the Great Smoky Mountains.  

Hope you're enjoying touring with us.  We are missing our friends so leave a note if you can, we'd LOVE to hear from you!

INSPIRED!

Show Hope Weekend Highlights:

Beautiful, incredible, amazing, and inspiring, the Show Hope weekend was a lovely end to a month of challenges and trials becoming accustomed to living on the road.  The day we were supposed to go to the festivities, I was in bed with body and head aching, so tired to the bone after dealing with sickness and injuries and RV fiascoes.  Doug had been out of town when the kitchen flooded and Ben hit his head and everyone was barely over the stomach virus.  I cried. Doug prayed. I got up and we trekked into Franklin, TN to the Show Hope offices.

Cool Swing IN the office!

Over the next two days I would come to acknowledge that my “light and momentary” troubles are nothing compared with the troubles of abandoned children, brokenhearted mothers, and seemingly insurmountable needs of orphans worldwide.

For the past ten years, Show Hope has been meeting these needs by providing much-needed medical care and helping orphans find forever families.  In July I will have the privilege of traveling to China to love on these babies in Maria’s Big House of Hope. 

Celebrating with them, we toured the Show Hope offices meeting staff and the Chapman family.  Then we spent the following day at an outdoor fair picnicking with Princesses who painted the girlies nails, watching an animator who penned a particularly life-like portrait of Travis, and blowing bubbles near bounce houses and bungee runs.  

At the concert that evening we saw God’s grace poured out as family after family shared their testimonies of how Show Hope helped bring their babies home.

We left challenged and inspired and filled with the Holy Spirit motivated to make a change in the life of an orphan. 

Travis, Ben, and Caleb... no not THAT Caleb :)