Exciting Chapter

We are, Brian, Gretchen, Jonah, Carter and Grace! We began this site to share in the newest exciting chapter, as well as share the ups and downs of our daily lives.
A week ago, we sent an e-mail to a contact that we had heard speak at a local church. His name is Tim Baker, and he is the Founder and Director of The Philip Hayden Foundation.(http://www.chinaorphans.org/) This organization, in short, works with the Chinese Goverment Orphanages that receive children who have anywhere from critical to minor needs for medical attention and surgery's. This is a private, non-profit group, run under God's provisions. They have several "houses" throughout China where these children are cared for, there needs provided for, and then adopted into loving families. Back to our story...later that day, we received a phone call from Tim Baker, calling from China! Having remembered meeting in Spokane, and hearing about our proposal to come and share our love of photography and China, he was thrilled and wanted to counter our offer. Instead of waiting until Summer 2009, with our own financial means, he offered to assist with a portion of the travel cost, and complete coverage for housing and two meals a day! (we will be staying at the orphanage) With tears of joy, completely in shock and awe, we couldn't help but know that indeed God had heard the desires of our hearts and my many cries to return to the birth land of our daughter. China offered us so much and with the many children still without forever families, there is always more work to be done!
Today, we confirmed with Tim, our excitement and desire to accept his offer. He suggested we travel with the Valley Fourth Memorial church and we liked the idea of being a part of a group, even though we'd have our own mission. We surprisingly found out that they were travelling at the end of June, into July, earlier than we had anticipated! Matthew Barnett states, "You have to believe in your dream because God in Heaven supports you and His influence is far greater than the influence of men." (The Church that Never Sleeps) Again, not our time, but God's! It is completely beyond our ability to make this possible, so God can and will receive the Glory for the miracle of this becoming a reality. There are an extrodinary amount of details, from who will care for our children, what equipment will we need to take, how will we pay our portion of the airlines tickets and can we undertake such a huge project? We have begun researching and know that the details are not ours to control, but to hand over to God. He has us just where He wants, eager to serve, no experience and no means to do it on our own! Hebrews 11:1 "For faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (Seeing in advance, is how our Pastor described this verse)