19 Days!!!!!

A little less than 3 weeks and Sarah and I are heading to China! Crazy excited here! And feeling a little stretched and stressed.

First off--Could you be praying for us?

We need prayers.

Pray in these next couple of weeks that we will pack and collect the right and needed items for the orphanage (four suitcases and counting!). I have been told New Day needs some cleft palate bottles and other supplies. I am waiting to hear from a few distributors and companies to see about possible donations or purchasing these items at cost. We are collecting children's clothes and shoes too.

Pray for the family. In addition to gathering and packing, I am trying to get play dates for the kids and make sure things are organized on the home front while I am away. Rachel heads to Young Life camp the day after we leave, and Michael has a day camp at the community college to attend the second week.

Pray for our health and safety now and while on our trip. Sarah hurt her arm a few weeks ago at Youth Group and her heels are quite sore from soccer. I have had a real problem this Spring with allergies and some asthma. Pray our injuries will heal and the new medicine I am taking will help. We desire to be physically strong for the tasks God has for us in China.

Most importantly, pray that Sarah and I will have a loving attitude towards all we are called to do in these days leading up to and during this trip. We want to be a blessing to New Day and the team. We want to be full of thankfulness as we encounter different schedules and cultural boundaries. Pray that we will be full of grace and a desire to serve.

Secondly, we continue to raise support....

Sarah and I have had some generous gifts toward our expenses, but have roughly $700 still to raise. I am selling things on eBay again! Essen is joking around with the kids to hold on to their things tightly! Seriously, I am getting things sold that we have had around here way too long, and Sarah is selling snacks to friends at youth group events. If you would like to make a tax deductible gift toward the remainder of our expenses, you can do so with a check to our church, Tabernacle Presbyterian Church and write in the memo "China." These donations can be sent to the church at 1301 Red Top Orchard Road, Waynesboro, VA 22980.

We also have a desire to bring some much needed supplies--like the cleft palate bottles and some speech and oral motor/sensory tools for the nannies and preschool teachers to use with these special babies and preschoolers . If you would like to help purchase bottles or other therapy tools, email me at daleycrew@yahoo.com.

We are feeling a bit nervous, a bit busy, but so full of joy being able to give back to Lydia's birth country. What a dream this is to serve on this team and at New Day! Thank you for your prayers and all the love and encouragement you are showing us and our family.

19 Days!!!! WOW!