Get Ready, Get Set......

As I prepared for the trip this week I was faced with alot of challenges - fear, doubt, discouragement, frustration, feelings of being overwhelmed and complete inadequacy. Once again I found myself saying to God "I can't do this" and his answer was the same as always, " I know you can't do this, that's why I am here, remember you can do all things THROUGH CHRIST". So I battled through all those negative thoughts and emotions by "taking captive every thought" (2 Cor. 10:5b). It wasn't easy and it certainly wasn't very pretty but God is faithful and once again "his power (and strength) were shown through my weakness (See 2 Cor. 12:9). By the end of the week I began to feel a new sense of peace, not because I suddenly felt confident in my own abilities, but confident in the fact that I have a relationship with a God who is bigger than any of the challenges I will be faced with on this trip.

I am so grateful, and humbled, by all of you who are praying for us. Your prayers do make a difference, please don't stop. This week pray for strength - physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally.

Carol

Off To Thailand!!

It is with a mixture of emotions,everything from fear and panic to excitement and anticipation that I am planning my next trip to Asia. On July 2, I will be traveling to Thailand along with Emily and fiance' Zeb Beam and Aaron and his friend Joel Zook to visit all 10 of the Asia's Hope homes in Thailand. We will be returning on July 17.

I believe this can be a real time of continued healing for our family, as well as an encouragement and blessing to the staff and children who have all prayed regularly for our family over the past year. The healing that I have seen in these children in previous trips has been a real source of hope for me during the last year. I am looking forward to meeting all of them and thanking them for their prayers.

Below are ways in which you can pray for us:

• Pray for us emotionally, this will be the first time we travel overseas without Tim. Pray that I will be able to fulfill my role as "team leader", also a first for me.
• That we will be an encouragement to the staff and kids and find creative way to communicate to them that they are loved.
• That we would be sensitive to cultural differences. 
• Health and safety

If you would like to help us financially you can do so by mailing a donation to Asia's Hope, PMB 185, 343 W. Milltown Rd., Wooster, OH 44691.

Looking forward to meeting all the kids in Thailand!!!

Thanks for following along on this latest "trek" with us.

Sightseeing in Agra

This morning we left the hotel at 5am to get to the train station. Train left promptly at 6 and after 2 hours we arrived in Agra. After securing a car and driver for the day we were off to do some sight seeing. First stop was the Red Fort, then on to the "Baby Taj" and finally to the Taj Mahal. It was quite impressive, much larger than I imagined. Another train ride, 3 hours this time, a 30 min. taxi ride with all 5 of us stuffed into another "Scooby Doo" van and we were back at the hotel around 10pm. The train station was quite the experience, not sure I need/want to repeat it.

Red Fort

Baby Taj

Taj Mahal

 

First leg of the trip home

On Sunday afternoon we traveled safely down the mountian from Kalimpong to Siliguri, we made it in under two hours. Pretty sure I will not miss those mountian roads! We spent Sunday night in Siliguri and on Monday afternoon we flew into Delhi. Tomorrow we will take a train ride to see the Taj Mahal, the train leaves at 6 am! We will return to Delhi late in the evening. Our flight to the US doesn't leave until late on Wed. night so we may do some sight seeing in Delhi during the day on Wed. to help pass the time, think we are all ready to come home. Pray for health for our team, we seem to be passing a "bug" around. Greg took his turn last night and today.

Just a boy and his Dad

Just a few short years ago Vivek (singing) had no home and no parents.
Sunday I listened to Vivek and his dad, Jordan sing a song during the church service
God Bless these house parents - Home 1 Jordan and Ruth
Home 2 Sunile and Punam

Goodbye To Kalimpong

It's Sunday morning and we will soon be heading to church and one last visit with the children before we start the first leg of our journey home. After church we will say goodbye to all these special children and the amazing staff that we have gotten to know in the time we were here. We will then head back down the mountian to Siliguri where we will spend the night before catching a flight to Delhi on Monday.

Beautiful Girls

Rebecca (I think), Mompta and Mena

When you look at these beautiful smiles it's hard to believe what their lives were like before they came to the Asia's Hope home in India. Looking forward to telling you their stories when we get home.