God has truly blessed us!

I know I haven't blogged in a while, but this news is worthy of posting! Tom (and I) applied for a grant through a foundation (more details when I can give them) in 2008 and again in 2009. We did not get the grant in 2008, but received word yesterday that we got it this time around! I can't share the amount right now, but the grant proposal is very specific and it will cover our entire family going to China in the Spring for a combination of heritage tour, vacation, time of renewal, etc. Isn't that wild! Our family would never have been able to do such a thing without this grant.

Where are we going? Beijing to Xi'an. Xi'an to Guilin. Guilin to Yangshou. Yangshou to Nanning with a side trip to Qinzhou City. Nanning to Ghangzhou with a side trip to Yangjiang. The kids and I will return after 21 days and Tom will continue on to Vietnam for another week.

Whooohoooooo!

Ice Age and Dai Loc Kids

We took about 40 kids from Dai Loc to see the movie "Ice Age." Most of them wore their new shoes! Probably half of these kids have never been to a movie theatre!

Each of the kids and the staff got a small coke and a bag of popcoren.

Yeah, well, I had coffee.....finally a theatre that serves coffee! Could of had a beer if I wanted, too!

This is the little guy that took care of me at the orphanage...the one that served me dinner. I really loved this guy.

Tomorrow is a relatively free day. We will do some sigthseeing with the staff. Church on Sunday morning. We fly to Ho Chi Min City on Sunday afternoon and spend the night in a hotel before the long flights home. I can't wait to see my crew! They better be at the airport.

Thursday in Danang

Some of the moms at the Father's House.

The children loaded up in the van for the ride to the eye appointments.

Waiting.

Looking good in new glasses.

Day at Dai Loc

Entrance into the place we had lunch prior to going to the orphanage.

Lunch with the Brewers and the OV crew!

Entrance into the orphanage.

Toby sorting through some things brought for the kids.

Tob and I handing over some school supple one of the caretakers.

Sean Platt (FCC Member)

one of the walls in one of the rooms!

Room at Dai

Loc

dinner prep

shoe prep

They got to watch the movie "Joseph" as dinner was being finished.

What was left after the dinner! Bi did a wonderful job cooking....as you can tell!

Thank you to Fairfield Christian Church for the school donations. A special thank you to Walker Shoes in Lancaster, Ohio for donating 58 pairs of shoes for the children and staff at Dai Loc and to the staff of OV!

The Jesus School

Opening day at the Jesus School! Over 100 children, grades 1-6, met together for an orientation and celebration.

Kathy shared an encouraging word. Meng Aun, director of the school, translated.

Playing!

Lined up for a nutritious meal--chicken curry and bread.

The students live within walking distance of the school. We had the opportunity to visit some of their houses.

Large ceramic pots are used to catch and store rainwater for drinking, cooking, and bathing.

Many of the students scavenge through the dump to find items of value. This boy is proudly displaying the items he has collected. When he empties his cart at the recycling center, the boy will be paid less than $2 for a day's work.

The dump.

First Pictures of the Cambodia/Vietnam Trip

The view from the front of the Jesus School.

The classroom at the Jesus School. The Jesus School has 177 children in grades one through six.....in this room.

The neighborhood where the children live that attend the Jesus School.

The children that attend the Jesus School live here near the dump.

Soy milk parlor.


Monkeys were running around at a local park. We named this one Buddha.

Bats in a tree in Phnom Penh.

Marissa and I giving Sister Toby some flowers.


Outside the Gloriana hotel.

International Christian Assembly in Cambodia.

Purchasing the second grade curriculum for the Jesus School students. Thank you Fairfield Christian Church.

Toby and I on a tuk tuk on our way somewhere in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Tony Brewer looking at a Cambodian Bible provided by Samaritan's Purse...being stored at the soy milk factory.


Soy milk parlor

A view from the ferry crossing the Mekong River in Cambodia.

Lunch in Cambodia on our bus trip from Vietnam.

Toby and I at the Columbus airport at the time of our departure.

Lost Favorites

If anyone is still popping on my blog, I have lost all of my favorites. I've recovered only two....No Greater Joy Mom and Wendy's. If you can send me your link, I'd like to save them.
Kathy
PS: Things are going well here. We are busy getting ready for the new school year. I have one going to be a senior, one a junior, one going in eighth grade and two going into kindergarten. Plus, I am planning to be out of the country on a mission trip soon. Some have asked to pray for the trip, which I gladly accept. I do think that my husband could use the prayers even more since he will be home with the kids!