What's up?!

Well, thought I would give a small update on our work here. I will be sending out our e-newsletter soon, so if you are not on the list, let me know and I will sign you up.

We were blessed to have three families, yes THREE, come this past weekend and get their blessings. It is so great to see families and their new babies together. Then as we wait, to see them get on skype or facetime with their families showing off baby! I am so thankful that the Lord has allowed us to be part of this.

The families got to see how busy I am (though I don't see it being busy!). My phone was often ringing and I was going somewhere. But everyone survived!

NOW to other news: we are in need of financial help. The architect and building permit for our daycare, they decided to wait til the last minute to tell us how much. For the building and permit it is: $3500US. You can imagine my feelings when I heard that.We still have other stuff to pay as well. (list below).

building/architect:   $3500

plumbing/electric:   $1500

fireproof paint:       $1200

fire extinguishers:    $800

TOTAL:                 $ 7000 

I am so thankful that people have been praying already. Someone must have prayed that my brain starts working!!LOL! I remembered that through our last fundraiser, the money I just put aside for emergency! Well, I was able to take $1300 and send that to the bank. So then I got an email that someone tried out our donate button on the side, and sure enough IT WORKS!!!! they gave us $500US

so: $7000-$1800 = $5200

We will get it, I know we will. But I have to put out there, please consider, in addition to your regular gifts for the building fund, please consider just giving $5 or $10, it adds up!!

In addition to this, we have to have $10,000US in the bank here for 3months, that money cannot be touched. So, needless to say, we are all pulling our belts tighter til we can get licensed and going!!!That money we pulled together from past things and put it in the bank today. So please pray we get the other money needed quickly. 

Well, hopefully I have better news in the future to write about all this. We have seen God give us so much recnetly that we are really sure and know that HE will provide the rest. He wouldn't bring us this far just to drop it. We know HE will never leave us!!

Keep praying!!

Today was much better!!!

First, Wuli and I taught a sessio on "Fighting Sexual Harrassment" at a local Veteran's home. They had about 35 patients there. It was obvious some of it was hard for them to understand (and no, it was not me speaking!! I just hit the button on the power point!). Wuli did well as she has worked there before and knows the crowd. At first I was like, why on earth are we speaking on THIS topic to THESE people. Well, God kinda smacked me awake and said,"these PEOPLE face problems because THEY are weak and easily taken advantage of." As I looked across the crowd at the faces, men in wheel chairs, some dozing off, others drooling, I could tell they were really listening. At the end I was so thankful for the opportunity to be there. Maybe God will use what we taught today to help free someone from the horrors of sexual harrassement or being taken advantage of, they will now feel better about standing up for themselves.

Today we also brought a baby boy into our center. So excited as I was at the birth. The dr used this birth as a "training session" I guess for me .......weird. I normally stand near the mommas as they give birth, but Dr. Li wanted to teach me how to deliver in the event a momma should not make it on time to the hospital....sure hope he isn't prophesying or anything. But that was cool!! This baby we will see about working with a new organization and so hopefully once the new rules take in affect, we can have an agency for our baby referrals. Hate to do that, but that is the way. At least we can still take care of and love on baby boy!!

THEN Wuli and I went shopping! WOOHOO!!! Friends are moving, and they are in the "EVERYTHING MUST GO" since they already took 7 truck loads away. YUP!! not an ordinary place. This is a group of 7 families and all have 3-4 kids, living together in one big house!! So we were able to get most of the small book shelves we needed for Hagar's House and 4 chairs for Garden of Grace for less than $60US!!! Of course I bought some things for my family:-) and spent more than $60US, but well worth it.

So thankful for today. The past few days with Luke gone to China, I have seen some things I need to cut back on and somethings I need work on. I love how even though we get so busy and "forget" about going to the Throne of the Almighty, HE still waits for us and never changes, always there for advice and comfort. "It's so wonderful to be a Christian, it's so wonderful to be God's child, it's so wonderful to have your sins forgiven........" (and what is the rest of the song?)

Thanks for your prayers.....please continue to pray for Momma L as she is 28 weeks along and not feeling well. Many decisions for her to make.

I admit.....

today is one of those weak days when I am just BLAH!!! I just want to lay in bed with a bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and put in some chick flic and have the world leave me alone. That is just how I feel. There, I said it.

I have a gazillion things TO DO and a gazillion THINGS I WANT TO DO. So, I just don't do anything:-) smart right? HAHAHA nope.

Today's Highlights: got to take a 28 week pregnant momma to the dr (she lives 40min one way) and then take her to a few different places to get some errands done. She is actually 11 months OLDER THAN ME! She had her 1st grade daughter with her who was full of questions: "Ai-Yi (Chinese for "auntie" which is what all women are called by little kids here)..... you look American? Ai-Yi, do all Americans kill people cause that is what I saw on TV? Ai-Yi, why are your eyes blue and mine black? Ai-Yi do you have any candy? Yup, if she was not SOOOOOOOO cute, I would have left her somewhere! LOL! Her mom chatted with us on the way home. You could tell she was happy to have someone just to talk to, what woman/momma doesn't! Then when we got to her house, we suprised her by opening up our trunk and taking out food from our food bank for her. She was trying to hold back the tears and excitement. We were able to give her daughter writing utensils, markers, book bag and such, things that momma just can't afford. This was the awesome part of my day.

Today's Sad moment: an 18yr  old who called our hotline a few days ago, she never showed up and I texted her thinking she was at school. She called me to say she was at the dr's with her mom, she was prepping for her abortion in 30min. That kinda stopped me in my tracks. I asked if I could come to the clinic and talk with her and her mom. No, that wouldn't be a good idea. She was saying she was young and all the things I have heard before and I am sure she heard her mom say.  But, they had their minds made up. My heart ached. Did she call me back as a last hope? someone to come help her? should I have been more forceful? So many things have gone thru my mind today about this. Just dampens the day.

Today's What I Can't Control : we have a family desperately waiting to pick up their child. Unfortunately AIT has suddenly said they want to have proof the birth father doesn't want baby. WELL, they make it sound so stinkin' easy! The plan I had for getting the proof today didn't work out and someone else said they were going to help and do it. So all afternoon I have been on edge waiting to hear SOMETHING but have heard NOTHING. I know God is teaching me something, just wish I knew. I wish I had a perfect answer for the family who is agnozing over this, the last bit of information so they can come and pick up their son. I really don't like being in control.

So, this is what my day has been like. The past few days I have had a migraine, totally knocking me off my regular schedule. I gotta bounce back. Satan is not gonna get me down, though he is tryin' his best. I know that I have a promise that MY GOD NEVER CHANGES and that HE is with me through everything, HE will never leave me nor forsake me. MY GOD REIGNS!!

long overdue post....

I am very busy, but shouldn't be an excuse for not posting. I really need to make a habit to blog about family, ministry and Taiwan. Hopefully I can get some readers then!! Let's see:

FAMILY: An adopting family who was here picking their bundle of blessing took these pictures for me, I am so happy!!! When Luke comes back from China, we are getting family pictures done as we do need a prayer card badly!!

                                             Joshua (13y)                        Josiah (9yr)

                                                Noah (7yr)                        Anna Joy (3yr)

While I don't get to spend a gazillion hours with my kiddies, I try to make the most of when I do. They really put up with alot!!LOL!  They have been doing well with their homeschooling and have their good days and bad days, but still proud of them. I have seen a growth in them this past year and while we still have had our trials (puberty mainly), we are still surviving. Being a parent of a teen isn't a bad thing all the time! It really brings your parenting skills and training ideas to the forefront, often wondering.....what on earth am I doing to my kids? But, we have a God-given task to raise them the best we can and that is all we can do. We are thankful that Noah has not had any episodes since end of December 2011. He was diagnosed with "Cyclic Vomitting Syndrome." Meaning, he gets a migraine and he vomits on and off for days, normally gets dehydrated and ends up in the ER for fluids.....happened alot last year. He may grow out of it, but it is a matter of making sure he catches the feeling of a headache and fixing it fast. The older two are having fun on their guitars and do special music with their daddy at church once a month. So thankful for my family, but I need to learn to not take it for granted!! While it does get frustrating being a nag (yes, I am....) I am thankful that Luke and I will be celebrating 15 years of marrige this July. Funny how young people look at me and say "is that like a Guiness book record cause that is a long time!". Then I tell them my parents are almost at 50 years of marriage and they pass out:-) 

These two lovely ladies have been life savers these past few months.

                                                Jessica                                Bethany

These two have been teaching my 3 boys and watching out for Anna as well, not an easy task. I have been informed that my 3 boys are as exhausting as 6 children......um......yup, I knew that:-)  But they have worked with the boys on lots of areas, getting schedules set and homework done. Both these ladies and my boys have learned alot. Bethany leaves us in May (boohoo) and Jessica maybe this summer. So then I will have to figure something out til furlough, which is in December. We will be praying that when we come back in May 2013, we can have a teacher with us as well or on the way. We have been so thankful for their learning spirits and servants hearts. It has been hard at times for them I know, and I know first hand how exhausting it can be. So thankful that the Lord placed them in our home for this short time.

 MINISTRY:

This picture was taken last week. We met with a momma who is really in need. We see her again on Tuesday, but thankful that she was brave enough to call us and reach out to us.

God continues to bring mommas and give us phone calls. While at times it is exhausting and at times things just don't seem to go as we plan, we know that God's timing is perfect. We are still working on and praying to have our paperwork for our baby home in this month. Somethings backed it up and made it later than usual ,but God knows why.
Keep everyone here in prayer. We have a few Worth Waiting For essions this month and next, so that is keeping us busy along with other things. Thanks for everything!