heading to China...the final stop of the ATW Semester!

We are heading into China tonight where facebook and blogs are blocked by the government. We will be able to receive normal emails so please stay in touch. We will be home December 17th. We would appreciate your prayers for our team in our final weeks of this incredible journey. We are excited to see all that God has in store for us during our time in China. We also will be preparing as a team to re enter into our lives at home after this experience. Thank you for every bit of encouragement and prayer support you have given us. We are in awe of all the Lord did in each one of us during this 4 month process. Now on to the last country...number 10... CHINA!

Bali

Johns Journal has a few new posts...click on the right side of the page

We are currently in Bali and enjoying this beautiful place. It's lush, tropical, warm, and gorgeous. The culture is fascinating and we have found a Starbucks. :) We have been warmly greeted by Adam's friend, Nicki, who planned an amazing two weeks for us. We are comfortable and enjoying the rest after a rigorous few weeks. We arrived here from India as a tired and sick team. ( we had at least 10+ get sick) We are now well and thriving as a team. God has united this group in so many ways and it's astounding to see the growth and community coming out of this experience. We feel as if we are in the home stretch now, which is exciting at the thought of being home, but this thought puts a pit in most of our stomachs as we aren't ready for this special time to end. We will spend Thanksgiving together as a family of 30 in Bali...a Thanksgiving none of us will ever forget!

India

Our time in India has been rough in some ways and amazing in many other ways. The hot and humid conditions have taken a toll on us physically and the chaotic mix of sounds and smells through town can be nerve racking at times...but we have been inspired and loved on by an amazing staff at the Lutheran Center in Mumbai. They love the Lord and they love His lost children. I have learned so much simply by their example. I have learned about humility and service in India. I have learned from them a great example of hospitality. Each community center or home in the slums or church we have entered has welcomed us and shown us the beauty of the people here. The colors and patterns of the clothing here is incredible and so unique. Our family has battled a little bit of sickness during our time here, and receieved more bug bites than we can count but this experience is priceless and I thank the Lord we have been given the chance to get a glimpse into the Indian culture. God is moving powerfully here and many are coming to the Lord. We met countless Hindus who now follow Jesus and heard the stories of healing and salvation. Hallelujah! (on a side note, something I have loved during our travel is that Hallelujah is spoken in every language the same. So no matter what church we are in we all sing and say Hallelujah together even if we don't understand another word that is spoken.)
We have two more days in India and I have been sick with a bad cough, sore throat, achiness and fatigue. Please pray that I am well to enjoy our final moments and to travel on Monday night. John and Macho leave a day earlier to fly through Singapore to get Macho's visa. The kids and I will fly with the team and meet them in Bali.
Can't believe we are almost on to our 9th country already! Please click on JOhns Journal...he wrote two more entries about his time preaching in India and a cute story about Jack. Jack and Naomi are doing well and I am continually amazed at God's grace on them. They have had to get used to cold bucket showers, spicy food or pretty much living on rice and bananas, going to bed on the floor super hot and being taken to different places in the slums. It's definately not Ladera Ranch anymore!!! :) It's hard and it's eye opening and I know God is using this in Jack and Naomi just as much as in JOhn and I. Our hearts will never be the same after this experience. I pray God uses each and every moment of this trip to shape and form us more and more into what He has for us!

Kenya stole our hearts

Kenya was an amazing experience. Like I had said in the previous post, I had looked forward to going back to Africa for the last five years. Landing in Kenya, we were greeted by the most amazing group of men from the Lutheran Church. We spent the next two weeks falling in love with Kenya, the church, the men and staff of the church and the culture. The weather was gorgeous, the land is beautiful and the people are even more amazing. We spent the two weeks working at the church in the slums playing with children, making home visits, and learning how the church is reaching the street boys and orphans in their area. It's heartbreaking and hope filling at the same time which is an odd thing to experience. We were blown away at the work this church is doing. Their gates are open and the courtyard is filled with orphans that wander in off the street, glue sniffing young men, women making crafts to support their womens ministry, pastors counseling, and a feeding program every day at 1 to feed kids that can't afford a meal for the day. It felt like a place that was welcoming, non judgemental and that just showered people with God's love daily. We came to serve and we ended up learning more than I could ever have given back. I don't think I have sang or clapped that much in two weeks time ever! I can't get enough of the unabandoned worship and passion and joy that they experience. In the midst of a lot of need and heartache, a group of people exists that know Christ's love and grace and SHARE it with their community. I feel blessed to have spent two weeks with them.