Update

Apologies for not updating sooner, on Wednesday, I moved in with some friends who helped me look after the children. I was very grateful for the help. I haven't been on the internet since, but now you know where I have been.

Patrick has arrived safely back in China and we are very thankful. He is currently resting from the long journey.

On Tuesday Amariah had his last IV. Getting the IV put into his foot was a challenge as three nurse had to hold him down. My heart went out to him as he screamed and cried. I had to keep reminding myself that this was helping him. Once it was in Amariah was fine. I had earned from the previous day that sitting around for hours waiting for the IV to finish is boring, so I came prepared for this one. Once Amariah was set up in his chair I set up the movie Cars on our portable DVD player, and set out snacks and drinks for him to graze from. The time went by fast and Amariah was a happy boy. PTL Amariah has not thrown-up since Monday. He is now eating normally and is back to his normal self, just in time for Dad's return. Eternity's eyes are also back to normal. I am continuing to give her eye drop, though, just to be sure that we kill the infection.

Last night Amariah attended a birthday party for one of his church friends. It is hard to believe that in a couple of days we will be celebrating Amariah's 3^rd birthday as well. It is amazing how fast the time has gone. This friend of Amariah's, Joanna, has a mother from Peru and a Father from Scotland. The party food was a treat because it was 'so not Chinese.' The kids sang songs, played with play dough, and punching balloons, which were a huge hit. Amariah had eaten something with egg in it while we were there, and I was worried he would break out in a rash as he normally does, but PTL nothing happened, that I have noticed so far, anyways.

Since Patrick hasn't worked this month, we have pulled Amariah out of school. Today we got a call from Patrick's boss, the one who said she would talk to the police for us. She informed us that everything is fine and that it was a routine check-up that they had to do. We are feeling much better about things now. Patrick is planning on returning to the school tomorrow. During this week I have made a couple more connections in the kingdom here that we believe were divine and will aid us in the work we are called to do here before we leave. We have returned to our original plan to return to the States September-ish. We are always seeking the Lord for direction and conformation, so unless we are led otherwise, this is our plan, Lord providing.

Thank-you for your prayers,

We love you all,

Kari

In Need of a Healing Touch

Today is Monday, Patrick left Thursday and both of the kids have been sick since he left. Amariah threw-up at the dinner table the day Patrick left and it was that same night I noticed discharge in Eternity's left eye. Amariah threw-up three times the next day, unable to even keep down sprite and soda crackers. Eternity still had discharge. A good friend of mine came over and we prayed for the kids together. The next day seem better. Amariah ate a little, but not much. The good news was, he didn't throw-up. I thought that he was getting better, but starting at 2 am, he continued to throw-up. The good thing was he never acted sick, his spirits were up and he played just fine. After throwing up Sundays lunch I wanted to take him to the hospital. I called my friend who came over and convinced me to wait one more day. We prayed together again. But then this morning Amariah started the day leaning over the toilet, and Eternity's eye was looking really bad. I packed a bag and heading to the hospital where we stayed for 5 1/2 hours. Amariah was given an iv and Eternity's was given eye drops. Thankfully one of the Chinese workers from the school came to help, which was much appreciated. Amariah was screaming and crying and didn't want any of the nurses touching him. I started crying too. The doctor believes that Amariah's digestive system was inflamed and was caused by food poisoning. We are to go back to the hospital for another iv. Please pray for him and me. Pray for peace and healing. I believe that the medication is working, he has eaten since the iv, and so far we have not revisited the food. PTL. Patrick is due to return to us on Friday. Please pray that the rest of time with only with the kids will go more smoothly and that the kids will heal 100% before Dad gets back (by morning would be even better). 

Thanks for your prayers, 

Love you all, 

Kari

My follow through...

here's a quick update:

Patrick is currently on his way back to the states to be with family and attend his grandfather's funeral in Oklahoma. I am here with the kids, we are fine and we have plenty of friends we can call if we need a hand. 

The visitors the other night were 6 police men and a video camera. Asked to see passports and asked a series of questions. Patrick handled it and I stayed in the room. We were asked to get a set of documents together and register our family at the local police station. Patrick had registered but we were misinformed about registering the rest of the family before. We resistered without a problem. However, Patrick is no longer working until he can get the right visa. 

On Wednesday we applied for Eternity's American citizenship and passport. That also went very smoothly. 

We weren't sure what the whole police visit thing was about before, so that is why we were vague last time. We still aren't exactly sure, but we believe that it is taken care of. The principle at the school is talking to the police for us to find out what is was exactly about, if is was just about registration or if it was something else. 

And for a Riah moment: yesterday when getting off of the community bus Amariah paused at the bus door, turned to the driver, waved and said in a loud voice, "Bye Bye Screwdriver!"

Thank-you for your prayers, 

We love you all, 

Patrick, Kari, Amariah, and Eternity 

Continued Prayer Request

Hello, 

Last night our family had some unexpected visitors come to our home and we have asked for your prayers as we go today and get things dealt with. Then this morning we got word that Patrick's Grandfather has passed. This has been emotional for him and he desires to go back home as soon as possible. Our whole family cannot go because the soonest we can have Eternity's passport is 10 days. Fortunately, Patrick was able to talk to his grandfather last night. It was like the Lord waited to take him until Patrick talk to him. So, that was special. We ask that you pray for us in this as well. Maybe our time here in China has come to an end sooner than we originally intended. God is good and we are trusting in Him to provide wherever he may lead. He is either Lord of all or not Lord at all, and we are declaring the He is LORD!!! even with these curve balls that the devil is throwing at us. Please forgive us for our vagueness at this time, 

We will keep you posted...

Thanks for your prayers, 

Patrick, Kari, Amariah, and Eternity

A Cross Cultural Experience and Ministry

Recently, I went grocery shopping with the kids in the morning and on my way home a Chinese friend called and said that she was having a birthday party for her daughter and was wondering if I could come over right then. I was frazzled by the lack of noticed. Raced to a kids store, bought a gift and showed up at her apartment building, where she was waiting outside for us, with all my groceries. Besides a cousin, Amariah was the only other kid. So, it was significant that he was there. My friend had called me the week before and said, "Next weekend I will have a cake for my daughter, will you come?" I said, "Just let me know when and we will plan to be there." This is another story to show the cultural difference. Where we are from, "Just tell me when" implies that you give the person notice, and for a party, it is usually at least a day's notice, otherwise, we don't expect people to come. So, it was silly of me to think that the same expression would have the same implications here. My friend understood it as, "tell me the moment it is happening and I will come."

 

A prayer request, this same Chinese friend informed me, at the party, that she is thinking of divorcing her husband. Not having been there myself, and not being Chinese, I am not sure how to be there for her. But I know the G knows and will direct. 

Also, another Chinese person that Patrick has been talking with just lost their job and has no place to live. So, prayer about what we should do here as well. 

Loving the Light

I can't remember the last time that I posted on my blog. Sorry about that. 

I currently have 2 electricians in my home. One working on the intercom thing for letting people into the apartment building and the other working on the kitchen light. I believe that I have ranted about the unfortunate things wrong with this place before and I feel I should give a little update. We did finally get a new screen door for the patio. The screen door for our front door got fixed, and our washing machine no longer floods the deck. We had to withhold our rent to get the landlord to do these things. There are still so many things wrong but the landlord once says he shouldn't have to do anything else. Well, we have an electrical problem in the kitchen and as a result we have had no light in there for a week. But PTL that is getting fixed. You don't realize how much you appreciate the little things until they are gone. It has felt a bit like camping trying to do the dishes in the dark. I would bring them into the dining room to make sure they were clean. The light above the stove helped with the cooking, but all the prep work was done in the diningroom. As fun as that was, I am thinkful to now have light in the kitchen again, it was difficult to function without the light. Appreciate the light. This story could have some spiritual principles, hmmmmm....... 

Let the Rain Fall

Today is a dark and stormy day and I am enjoying being inside. 

Patrick and I both believe that our son has the gift of prophecy, especially when it comes to weather. It is amazing the insight he has. Last and today he demonstrated this again. 

We first questioned this about a year ago when I was taking him to the park. Amariah was very insistant that I bring an umbrella. I kept telling him, "It's not raining." He was mad at me, so he grabbed the umbrella himself and tried to force it into my hands. I tok it away and put it back, again saying, "It's not raining." And I didn't think that it looked like it was going to either. I was puzzeled as to why he was so persistant and upset over this issue. I scooped him into my arms and forced him out the door without an umbrella. As we arrived at the park I noticed that the clouds forming overhead were looking a little dark. "Interesting" I thought to myself. Amariah played and I kept watching the sky wondering what was going to happen. Sure enough, we had to cut our play time short because of the rain, which I didn't come prepared for. This was the start of several occasions where Amariah has told us the weather before it happened.

We have learned over the year that when Amariah says to take an umbrella, we just do, whether it looks like rain or not. Today was one of those days. Amariah never looked outside this morning and we had all of the drapes drawn, so there was no way of him to know what the clouds looked like. But once again as Patrick and Amariah were leaving for school, Amariah was insistant that daddy take an umbrella. Sure enough, by lunch time it was pouring rain. 

Patrick unexpectantly came home at lunch. I asked what he was doing home and he replied that one of the other teachers had to go home for lunch, however, they didn't come to school prepared for a down pour of rain. So, Patrick offered to walk him home and then come visit me. Patrick said, "I would have been caught unprepared too, if it weren't for Amariah." PTL. We are thankful for his gift and pray that we will be an encouragement to him in whatever the Lord has planned for him. 

Eternity Update:

Third Week: Today she lost the last bit of her umbilical cord. YAY!!! I saw her roll on to her side for the second time. She wet her bed for the first time (leaky diaper). She started sleeping 4-5 hours at night, PTL. And still a few more days to go in this third week of life outside of mommy.

Her second week: she rolled on to her side for the first time, and we had our first poop up the back experience. We also left the house for the first time, a trip to pick up big brother from school, who was very proud to show her off.