Official "Log In" Date

We received our confirmation email from AWAA yesterday stating that our official "log in date" (LID) was July 31st. So we were in fact logged in while we were in China!
Shortly after 7/31/07, China began translating our paperwork. The translation process takes an average of 5-8 weeks (so, we're currently in the middle of translation).
Along with our LID, we were notified of the current wait time: 22 months. AWAA seems optimistic that we should expect the wait to decrease sometime around May 2008. This will be exactly one year after China received the huge influx of applicants trying to beat the new adoption regulations.

I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you- Jesus

Support Needed

the following is an excerpt from the American Center for Law & Justice:

Support Human Rights and Religious Freedom
There are troubling reports out of the Gaza Strip, Egypt, and other Middle Eastern nations. Islamic terrorists are targeting Christian residents and forcing them to convert to Islam under threat of death. This coerced conversion to Islam violates international law and is simply unacceptable. We must stand up and speak out on behalf of freedom for these Christians. Please read the form carefully and declare your membership with the ACLJ by signing our online Petition to Protect Religious and Human Rights.

Petition to Protect Religious and Human Rights
Ms. Louise Arbour, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
We proclaim to Christians of the Middle East that we support their religious freedom and the protection of their human rights. We cannot sit idly by while terror reigns in the Middle East and the persecution of Christians and forced conversion to Islam continues in Gaza, Egypt, and other Islamic nations.
We, the undersigned, in solidarity with the persecuted Christians in the Middle East, pledge our unwavering support and strongly urge you to provide a full investigation to protect these citizens and work to safeguard their religious and human rights.

You can sign this petition electronically by clicking the link below:

http://www.aclj.org/

enter you zip, then select 'sign a petition'

Ni Hao

We're home from China...what an amazing trip! Thank you for your prayers!! Flights were on time (with luggage), no one got sick (even though we ate some crazy food), and most importantly many opened their hearts!

Our team spent the afternoon with a student SBC sponsored. Her family cooked lunch for us...actually, a feast. It was the equivalent of a Thanksgiving meal in the US. We were honored and humbled by their generosity!

Vince is helping some middle school students practice English. Most all students in China are exposed to English; it is considered a lucrative language.

This is a student who had received a scholarship. Her eyes filled with tears as she thanked us for paying her tuition. Chinese culture is typically unemotional, so it was a special moment to see her soul so deeply moved.

Two of our days in the villages were spent with students (and their families) that receive scholarships from our church. There is no public education in China, therefore these students would otherwise not be able to continue their schooling. They are truly grateful and work very hard. Meeting a crucial physical need opens the door for us to share with them.

It was surreal to be in China at this point in our adoption...now, fully comprehending China is the birth country of our daughter. Many times I wondered if we had crossed paths with Mayah's birth mother (yes, I realize China is a big country, BUT, God is bigger). It was a blessing for our team to be able to pray for our adoption while physically in China! Are hearts are more ready than ever to bring her home!