Bob & Windy

If you read our April newsletter, you had the treat of seeing Bob’s miraculous testimony. (if you haven’t read it yet, you really should!) The very same day that we emailed the testimony out to hundreds of family & friends back in the US, Bob and Windy’s home was broken into here in China. We could only conclude that this was an attack from the enemy trying to steal the joy of sharing Bob’s story and the effect we knew it would have. But God takes bad, and makes it so good!

We were on the phone with Windy for a long time the night of the break-in, as she waited for the police to check the house, get things back in order, etc. She was obviously shaken. In the end, however, not one thing was taken from their home! She had computers and cameras in a locked bedroom and the thieves didn’t even get into that room. In addition, Bob and Windy prayed together for the first time that night in their living room, and decided to set up a routine of praying together from that day forward. They not only prayed for their house to be protected, but they also prayed for the thieves to come to know Jesus and to be forgiven! She texted me to say ‘Bob and i have started to pray together. We love God so much now’. We were so moved to see God bring such beauty into their lives from such a scary situation. In addition, the following Friday during our bible study, Bob declared “satan can get into our house, but he cannot get into my heart and steal my joy".

scooters and starbucks

Food options at Starbucks are generally pretty lame, but starbucks in China takes this to a whole new level...

I missed lunch today while driving around trying to figure out where in the world to register my scooter. There is a new rule as of January 15th that every scooter in Kunming MUST have a blue registration plate. Tired of living on the lam, Elissa and I decided it was time to get registered today. There is, however a problem with this mandatory new law. No one, and i do mean no one, can tell me where to get it done. I went to 4 different police stations including the traffic department headquarters with similar results. On Jinshe Street they told me to go to Beijing Street where they told me to go to Xuefu street where they told me to go to Longquan street where i knew it wasn't so i went to Dianchi street where they pointed to a sign and told me to call a phone number to find out where to go...

...which brings me back Starbucks. Frustrated and hungry, I decided that dodging jonny law isn't so bad after all. What is bad is the sandwich i just ate here...ham, blueberry jelly, cheese and some yet to be identified white strips on spongy bread. All i can say is that it was a better option than the red bean filled croissant.

Fireworks

We had the amazing opportunity once again to experience Chinese New Year here in Kunming. We love the transformation that happens in the city on the eve of the weeklong celebration.  Packed markets turn into ghost towns and crowded streets finally have a chance to breathe. The day is eerily quiet, devoid of the usual hustle and bustle as families gather to share a special meal. There is a peace that falls over the city...until dusk, that is. That's when the fireworks begin. Nothing compares to what transpires in the sky over a Chinese city on New Year's Eve.  I think I’ve finally figured out what sets this experience apart. In America, a few people "behind the scenes" are responsible to make sure the whole thing goes off well.  Everyone else finds the best spot to sit back and watch the show. In China, nobody sits in a crowd to watch and there are no bad spots.  Everybody is out on every corner adding to the spectacle with their own explosive offering. The outbursts thunder from every corner and back alley and flare up in every direction. The effect is a stunning display that lasts for hours. 

There's another scene that comes to mind with striking parallels. It happens every Sunday when a few people work desperately to create a spark, but the vast majority are sitting back watching the show. If your experience of church has become dull and dry it could be due to the fact that you have become a spectator when Christian community was meant to be so much more of a collective effort. Something amazing happens when everyone contributes and everyone is involved.  The excitement is palpable, the joy is sustainable, and the impact is impossible to ignore. 

2012 is here!

It is a new year! For Jon and I, it should be a year of huge changes, as we hope to see our adoption finalized and become parents in 2012. We have waited over five years for this blessing of seeing our family grow.

This morning when we woke up, we looked out the window of our bedroom at Jon's parents house, and saw two deer in the woods. Looking closer, it appeared to be a mother and baby deer. I think it was a little promise from God to me, and I'm holding on to it for this year ahead.

getting closer...

It seems like every day there’s a new baby belly photo posted from someone on facebook. It’s the only time that women love to document their expanding stomachs and share about their food cravings. Those nine months of intense joy, fear and excitement are a journey we have yet to experience, but our “pregnancy” road has also been crazy and wonderful in a way all its own.

My belly hasn’t bulged, but we feel like we’ve grown in so many ways through this adoption process. Our patience has been tested, our determination challenged and our faith strengthened as we’ve walked through each step. The first application we filled out was on May 10, 2010, so our “pregnancy” has already lasted over 18 months - I’m way overdue. The incredible joy we've experienced hasn't come after seeing an ultrasound but rather after successfully getting a document notarized or completing another form. We’ve felt fear as we were interviewed, and had our house tested to assess our qualifications as parents. Nursery preparation is underway, but the closet is still bare, as we don’t know her age, size or special needs yet. We’ve humbled ourselves as we invited our family and friends to help us raise the nearly $26,000 in funds needed to pay adoption fees. Morning sickness? Not so much. But, sleepless nights wondering if we forgot a signature and might have to re-submit an entire government application, has happened more than once. Our daily prayers are for her health and safety but also that she is feeling loved by the orphanage workers. We pray for her long-lost mother, who must have found herself in extreme circumstances to let go of this beautiful little girl. And we give thanks to God that we will be so blessed to love her, and become her forever family.

Our “pregnancy” has been longer, and filled with more uncertainty and unpredictability than we could have imagined. Our nine months is actually going to be over two years by the time we hold our baby in our arms. But we’ve been told that this joy we are anticipating will be more than worth the wait, and we believe that with all our hearts. We long for that day when we don’t guess at her size, dream about her face and wonder what her name should be. God has our perfect little girl already picked out for us, and we can hardly wait to give birth to our new family.

Please continue praying for the remaining months of our journey, and for our daughter as well. At this stage, we are just waiting to be matched with her, and go through the final stages of our adoption. Please prayerfully consider helping us with the last push for finances - we just need $4,255 to finish paying our fees. Finally, THANK YOU for all of your kindness, prayers and support through this adoption process. We are so incredibly blessed by all of you.

Rollin', Day 4

Looks a little unstable, but at least it would be a soft landing!

Rollin', Day 3

What's not to love about a bike full of flowers?!