How God Works...

Yesterday, I was checking all the blogs that I normally check a few times a week and I found out that one of the ladies that went on the mission trip to Fushun, China with us last summer was able to adopt Cindy, an older girl from the orphanage that we worked in. Cindy is an incredible girl. She is 13 and once she turns 14 (in March) she will be considered by the Chinese government as unadoptable. Criss (the lady that went on the mission trip with us) and Cindy really formed a bond when we were in Fushun and when Criss got home, she started the adoption paperwork to adopt Cindy. This is her third adoption from China and I think that her and her husband have seven or eight kids between them now, including Cindy! Incredible! Well, things on Cindy's end were not as easy and in China, they do not allow you to choose the child that you will adopt, they pair you with one. The orphanage workers knew how much Criss and Cindy loved each other and a lot of them got involved to help get Cindy's paperwork in order. That was a big holdup. Cindy's paperwork was not in the system so she could even be adopted! I think that they were all told several times that this was probably not going to work out by March, especially since they started the process in August. Not much time to work with by China's standards. But we all know that our God is bigger than that and He proved Himself once again. Criss and her family received information this week that the Chinese Center of Adoption Affairs (CCAA) was not going to give Cindy's file directly to AWAA (the adoption agency that Criss is using). They were going to post her file on the "waiting children's" website to let all adoption agencies have a chance at her. That means that whatever agency locks in on Cindy, a family that is already in the process at that agency could adopt her first! Our God took care of that and AWAA was able to view and lock Cindy's file in first and then called Criss to rejoice with her and her family about their new addition. Criss will be traveling soon to bring Cindy home! Please keep them all in your prayers! This is such an incredible blessing for Cindy, Criss and her family, the orphanage, and all of us that went on the mission trip! God continues to work and make Himself known in China!

We are praying if God would have us travel back to China this year. We would love to be able to do it, but we have to rely on God to provide the funds for us to go. It was such an amazing journey and we hope to go back. We want to be good steward's with the money that God gives us and since we will be starting the adoption process soon, we want to make sure that we are using our money wisely to plan for that expense as well! I know that if God calls us to do both this year, He will provide!