Wow, it's been a long time since I blogged...

...because we have been so busy! We're moving again. Our new house hasn't been moved yet, so we are living in RV's on the airfield until it's finished.
My brother and I got to go to a youth conference (Generation Unleashed) this past weekend. It was amazing! Around four thousand teenagers were all worshiping God, surrendering themselves to him.
I got to take some pictures of my friend Amy with my new camera!

This is definitely one of my favorites.

She's beautiful inside and out!

More Pictures and Blessings

Happy New Year! I finally found the time to post some pictures taken with my new camera!

Aren't they great little models?

My family is being donated a house. Yes, you read that right-an entire house. It's a double wide, and the plan is to move it from its current site to the airfield. Not only is it a house, it's bigger and nicer than what we have now. So, no more tripping over furniture or running into each other ;) God provides! We've been donated pants, kitchen appliances, furniture, a car, and now a home. I wonder what's next?

I finally got a good camera! My parents gave me my Christmas present early so I can take Christmas pictures, and I didn't have to pay for any of it. Unfortunately, my parents didn't know that the camera needed a new card, so I haven't gotten to play around with it yet. I should be able to take pictures with it very soon, though, so expect to see more pictures like this in the near future:

Isn't the mountain I live by beautiful? When it comes out from behind the clouds, that is.

Missionary Kid

I was having a conversation with my mom and brother earlier about what it means to be a missionary family. We may be missionaries in our own culture, but that doesn't mean we should blend in. Our mission, just like any other missionary family sent overseas, is to reach out to people. We need to stand out.

When people ask where I'm from (I still have that slight Ohio accent), or ask what my dad does, I tell them that my family is here as missionaries. I get one of three reactions when I mention this; sometimes people just nod or shrug, then don't say anything. Other times they are excited that we're here starting a flight school, and want to know more about it. However, the reaction I get most often is confusion. They'll ask questions, like "What does that mean?"

The basic facts are that missionary families live on the support of others, we go wherever God tells us, and we're here to help people; but there's so much more to it than that. Every day is lived by faith, and there are many trials to work through. We make sacrifices, but for every sacrifice we are blessed. Missionary families do not have a steady income, but every day we are provided for. Through everything we go through, the good and the bad, we become stronger.

We're known around town as "the missionary family". I don't know exactly what people think of us, but that doesn't matter. For my brother, sisters and I to be known as the "missionary kids" is an honor. It means we stand out. It means we're being who we are. It means we're making an impact.

It's a beautiful thing.

An Airplane

The flight school just got donated an airplane! My family was at a YWAM picnic back in August, and my dad started talking to one of the other YWAMers about Trinity Aviation. The guy then said that his brother was looking for a place to donate his 1948 Stinson. He called his brother up on the phone right then and there, and now we have a new airplane for the school. Is God amazing or what? The plane, despite it's age, is in great condition and flies beautifully. Here are some pictures of it coming in.

New Day Foster Home

Recently someone gave me the link to New Day Foster Home, which is a facility in China that takes care of children until they can be placed in good homes. Looking at the pictures of the children and reading their stories makes my heart break for them. Most of those babies were abandoned, just left alone in the street, until someone found them. They were abandoned just because there was something wrong with them, or because they were of the wrong gender; but there was nothing wrong with them-God made them that way for a reason. They may have a deformity, but that doesn't mean they don't need love. Each and every one of them is a tiny, adorable, sweet and beautiful gift.
This foster home takes in the babies nobody else wants, and gives them the loving care they need so desperately. Each one of those babies has a story; they also have a lifetime ahead of them. God has a plan for all of them, and thanks to people who care, each one of those little lives can be fulfilled. That's what I want to do someday-change Chinese children's lives. That is the reason I'm learning to read, write, and speak their language. That's what I'm called to do.

One Day, One Hour, One Minute

We found our new students a place to live! Thank you for your prayers. God has also blessed the school with a new airplane-one that's in actual working condition. (The other planes the school has are, well, in pieces in the hangar).
Something I've observed lately is how fast things can change, especially when you're not paying close attention. One day the sun could be gracing the earth, warming it in it's golden blanket; the next, the clouds could come rolling in, and the wind and rain could sweep across the ground. One minute you could have your plans in order-what you're going to do, when you're going to, and how you will do it; the next everything gets shattered and comes tumbling down on top of you. Or, one day you could be completely desperate and hopeless, and the next someone could offer you their hand, and, more importantly, hope. It's like when a rose blooms-it stays closed up for a while, then suddenly, one day, it opens, showing the world it's beauty. In just a day, a whole nation can change. In an hour, a whole point of view can change. In a minute, a life can be changed.