Made it to City X

Guest Blogger: Mom

Thank you so much for stopping by to check on Bethany!

Yes, she gave dear old mom access to her blog to post for her. She will not be pulling up her blog over there, as she/we would rather it not come across the server there. I will be posting what she emails me, sometimes adding (explanations in parentheses) where necessary. She called yesterday from Hong Kong, and this morning we received an email that she was in her city. She is 13 hours ahead of us, so her posts/email will reflect a time and day that are a day ahead of us. I know she would love your comments here if you have or create a google account. If you don't have one, you can email me a comment and I'll post it.

This is an excerpt from an email we received this morning about their arrival to their city. She is referring to the period of national mourning in China that began at 2:28 PM Monday and will last three days, honoring the lives of those killed in the earthquake last Monday at 2:28 PM when the earthquake struck .

Thank you SO much for your prayers for her and for their awesome team! The team is there during a critical time... a time of hurting, mourning, and searching. I know they will plant many seeds this week.

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"We made it to city X. We have been here for a few hours. We had half of orientation, then went downstairs to eat chow fan (fried rice). YUM!! There is a new place now.

At 2:28pm everywhere in China sirens went off and shops closed for a few minutes, cars slowed and honked, and people payed respect to the earthquake victims. It was really cool to be here for that. We were eating at the time, and when the sirens blared, there was also a live tv broadcast of the sirens, and soldiers saluting in Tienanmen Square, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and all over. It was really cool, but it was also really weird and eerie. Those are the same sirens used for air raids, and it was kind of freaky to hear them going off in a country like this, and it was also a sad time....

Wo ai ni!!!!! (I love you!!)"

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**Edited to add these videos. The top one is probably what she saw on the TV broadcast she mentioned. The bottom one is likely what it was like in her city during the observance.

Today's the day!!

Hi everyone! Well, today is the day I leave! I'm so excited. It's a weird feeling that you get before you leave for a trip like this. I'm really excited, and partially nervous. Not a bad nervous though. I'm anticipating my stay, but at the same time it is always sad to tell your family goodbye at the airport. (Don't tell anyone, but I think it is harder for them than it is for me. =) )

Today I have been doing some last minute packing, and we are going to take some pictures to send with our dossier to Africa. Today is also my brother's 12th birthday!!!!!! So....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KYLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We will open presents and have cake later before I leave. We meet at the airport at 3:45pm, and my flight is at 6:50pm. From then on, I usually have no idea what time or day it is until I get to China. Crossing the international date line and having different time changes always confuses me. All I know is that it is a 15 hour flight across the ocean, no matter what day or time it is. =P

Well, I need to finish packing a few things and getting things together. Thank you so much to each of you, for your support and prayer. I will be updating on here during my trip, so hopefully I can do that every other day or so.

Love you guys!!!

Prayer Request

Hey guys! I just wanted to ask that you would please say a prayer for my sweet newest cousin, Baby Maylee, born Wednesday. She is in the NICU and will probably have to stay there for a week, and worst case 2 weeks. She is a healthy weight, and a beautiful, amazing, little baby girl, but her lungs are not fully developed yet. Please also pray for my Aunt and Uncle, who will have to check out of the hospital on Sunday. This is their first child!

Thanks!!

Just another post...

Hello All!! Thank you so much to each of your kind words in response to the e-mail I sent out to many of you. They are all so encouraging, and I definitely appreciate your prayers!

My trip is nearing sooner.. It is hard to believe that I leave on Saturday. To me, I feel like I really don't have the rest of the week to pack and get ready because I will be gone the entire last half of the day tomorrow, and almost all day on Friday. That leaves Thursday and Saturday (the day I leave) to pack. So hopefully tomorrow I will wash the clothes I'm taking and perhaps buy some of the last minute things I need. Tomorrow around noon my new cousin will be born, baby Maylee! I am so excited and can't wait. Part of the reason I am so happy about this is because I am not only really close to my Aunt who will be her mom, but her original due date was on the 27th, while I would be gone. So, thank you Maylee, for growing fast! =)

Yesterday and today we were staying in our state capital, doing some things that needed to be done for our adoption. It was a fun time to just hang out, listen to my iPod and be with my family. We got home this afternoon and then I went to gymnastics. The past few weeks I would have been having two phones glued to my ears voting for Jason on American I*dol all night, but now it is back to normal Tuesday nights for me. I didn't watch the show tonight, because I really don't care about the outcome now. But we recorded it, so I will probably watch the performances throughout the weak, or maybe while I pack some tomorrow! (No, I have not even started packing yet!)

Have a great day. =)

Earthquake in China

Many of you have probably already heard about the huge earthquake in central China on Monday. First, I will let you know that it was not near where I am going. But, you could feel shocks all across China, and even in Taiwan, Burma, Thailand and Pakistan. I am sure that you could feel them in my city. This earthquake has killed an estimate of over 8,000 people, and buried around 900 students under their school. It is a tragedy, by far. I think that God is really doing something in Asia right now, and that this is going to be a very interesting summer for China, especially with the Olympics. There are some weird things going on in that country right now, and that makes me want to go all the more.

Speaking of the Olympics, at the same time the earth quake hit, the Olympic torch was passing right by where I have stayed!! It was literally being run down the same street I have caught taxis on and walked many many times. How awesome is that??

Please be in prayer for all of the people affected by the quake, and for the work lying ahead of our team. Some things to pray for this week leading up to our departure would be:

-For the health of our team as we prepare to leave, travel and are there
-For us to have wisdom
-That God would be working in the minds of the people we are to talk to
-That our flights would connect smoothly, and that there would be no problems as we travel
-For our safety

Thank you so much. Your prayers really do mean everything, and they truly have an impact on our trip!!

Also, I wanted to post this video. My Mom found this, and it is a very eye-opening video to how big the number 143 million really is in term to orphans.

Happy Mothers Day!

***Happy Mothers Day to all of you Moms, and especially to my Mom. You guys are amazing and do so much for us!! Thank you Mom, for all that you do for me, even when sometimes it's not easy. Thank you to my Gram, Grandma, and Great-Grandmother for being such great examples and for being the amazing mothers you were and are to both of my parents, and to my Aunts for being such great Moms to my cousins and awesome Aunts to me. I love you guys!!***


Today we went to an African church that is a partner to our church. It is always fun to see our friends there and take a little step into Africa, but only minutes from our house.

I officially leave for China in less then a week!! WOW. throughout today, and last night I've been thinking, "OK, a week from now I'll be on this flight... **a few hours later** and still on this flight...**a few more hours later** and yet again still on this flight!!" But, it is not about how we are getting there, no matter how crazy long the flight over the Pacific may be. It is about the work there, and getting back into the work left off from my last trip. I still have to get packed this week, and It is looking like this week may be a little bit busy. We may be taking a day trip for some of our adoption paper work, Wednesday baby Maylee Reese, a new cousin will be born, and Friday we will be out and about doing things for my brothers 12th birthday, which is on Saturday, the day that I leave!! Tomorrow I'll lay out my suitcase and begin fitting everything in where it can.

Beautiful Feet

Romans 10:15 says, "And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.'"

So... my Mom and I choose to take that verse into its full context when preparing for a mission trip. (She is not going with me on this trip to China though.) It makes perfectly good sense to go and have your toes done before you leave to "bring good news", right? And so, you can clearly see the reason for the cute polish I had done today. =D

On another note, I am still getting ready for my trip, leaving a week from Saturday. I'm so excited to be returning, and continuing some of the relationships I have made on previous trips. I have kept in contact all year with one girl in her twenties, and we are planning to meet up sometime during my stay. She is so sweet! She says that everyday she counts down until the day I arrive. Isn't that precious? I will start packing pretty soon. I pretty much have everything that I need, and we are getting my luggage down tonight.

Today we received an important document from the government, which we needed in order to send our paperwork over to Africa for our adoption. YAY! We have a few more things to do before our family can actually send it over, but we are so happy. Praise God!!!!

Tomorrow we are going to a home school book fair, which has tons and tons of home school curriculum to look over and buy. We will probably get my math tomorrow, but since I am taking several classes next year we don't have much else that we need to get tomorrow that we can't find at a cheaper price somewhere else. I have gymnastics later that night.

Then there is the weekend. I have a Saturday morning workout for gymnastics, and then church later that night. Mothers Day is Sunday, so we do not have any plans yet. =)

Well, I hope that all of you have a fantastic weekend and a great Mothers Day. Love ya!