Day 15 - Do not lose heart

My mother’s MRI results confirmed her GBS diagnosis. Currently my mother is stable, and is slowly gaining some strength in her limbs. Slowly. I want to document how awesome my father is throughout this journey: he has been taking care of my mother every day without any complaints. He remains calm and hopeful. There is always a smile on his face or occasional jokes from him. The condition in the hospital is not very patient-friendly because we have too many people: my mother shares the room with 5 different people, and my dad has to sleep in the hallway at night with the family members of other patients. My dad has to wake up every two hours to rotate my mother, and he needs to go to work during the week so he can keep his job. The situation is tough, but we are thankful that my mother’s case is not the worst! She is recovering.

My mother has also shown me what an amazing women she is. Most of the time, she is happy and making jokes. She does the exercises diligently. Mother told me that she is surprised that there are so many people (even strangers) who care about her. She is very open to being prayed for. Both of my parents are touched by the kindness and support people have shown to them. . Meanwhile, God is mending all kinds of relationships: my mother’s siblings continue to take turns taking care of my mother; a few distant relatives come take care of my mother at weekends so my dad can go to visit my grandma or take a nap.

Special thanks to those who financially supported us. I have seen multiple people stepped out of their faith with their generous donation. Every dollar counts. Thank you for your kindness.

Praise:
1. She is in recovery! She has begun physical therapy.
2. They were able to use the money we raised for the medical needs and hospital stay.

Prayer requests:
1. Complete full recovery
2. Continue support for my parents
3. Continue financial provision for her treatment as well as rehabilitation and mobilization.
4. Pray for Me and my husband during the mist of “trials of varies kind”.

I believe God is going to use this event to complete his rescue plan. The Bible has pointed out multiple times that Jesus heals the sick and paralyzed. This case is no exception.

Day 5- Help my mother fight Guillain-Barré syndrome

Today when I contacted my mom, she was in good spirit. Mother showed me that she could lift her forearm a little bit, but her entire body still look like noodles - without any strength. Mother was telling me how much she appreciates all the help that was given to her. However, she mentioned a friend of hers came and jokingly said that: “did you do something really bad that you are getting your punishment?”  As my mom mentioned this, tears swelled in her eyes. My dad was weeping too. WE DON’T understand why this one in a million disease occurred to my mom. I have had a very hard day this Saturday because of all the things my family and I have to endure. WHY? This is the question that keeps echoing in my heart.

“Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:2-5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Today our pastor prayed for us, and his prayer reminded me of the MANY stories of Jesus and his disciples healing the sick and paralyzed. What a “coincidence”!? I believe this is going to be a saving story for my parents too.
Praises:
1. She has be gaining strength. We have had some good conversations about life.
2. Mother’s siblings and my dad have been working together to swerve my mom.
3. We have received some generous donations.

Prayer requests:
1. My mother will get better each day. She will have a good physical therapist for her. She will be able to walk
2. My dad will stay healthy. He is very tired. And my mom may need help for months or a year until she fully recovers.
3. Financial support. They are still carrying a heavy financial burden. Please consider supporting us if you felt led to, and to share this with your friends: https://www.gofundme.com/help-my-mom-fight-guillainbarre.

This blog is just to document this special journey that my family is on. I believe it is a journey that God brings my parents to the true healing - spitually and physically!

Thank God for his affirmation.

Thank God for HIS affirmation. I received an honor awarded by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Thank God for giving me His dreams for the nation. He will fulfill the dreams--as he has been doing so. 感谢上帝的提供，美国言语听力治疗协会肯定了我的领导（潜）力, 并将提供相关培训。感谢神给我大梦想,一个可以帮助人重新实现沟通能力的梦想，他正在帮助我实现。

Psalm 18:2
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strong rock, in him will I trust; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower.


We would like to share our joy with you! Joanna will be representing her school and her country at the annual American Speech Pathology Convention. Thank God for His faithfulness and affirmation! Please continue praying for and supporting our sister as she is trusting our Lord's promises.

Do not be dismayed.

Jeremiah 1:4-10

The Call of Jeremiah

4 The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
    before you were born I set you apart;
    I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”

7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”

Another Mission Possible

So I am on my way to a Mission Possible now. Thank God for his provision in making this trip possible. This time, besides training caregivers at the orphanage, I felt specially led to share the good news with my grandma. She is almost deaf, cannot read nor write, doesn't speak mandarin. Sounds impossible for her to “hear” the good news, huh? I’ve actually tried to share the gospel with her before. But God doesn't give up every individual. He doesn’t give up my family and he is sending me message to go and do my part.

Am I nervous? After spending a night camping out at the airport and am getting ready for another 15 hours travel, I’m having a mixed feeling. I felt led, but I don’t know how God is going to use me. Similar to Moses, I don’t feel confident/qualified, which shows this is the mean time for me to fully trust Him (Again).

1 Corinthians 2:4-5 (NIV)
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power.

I pray that God will give me courage and wisdom when I am spending time with my family, and reading bible story picture book together. God will touch my family’s heart, not just ears.
Please pray for me.

I am going to do several tasks during this trip. Day1, renew my VISA; Day 2-7 spend time with my mentors, visit the public orphanage (if possible); Day 7-12, be with my grandma; Day 13-18, help train caregivers in the children’s home, and be a nice daughter in the afternoon & evenings. Esply pray that I will be loving and patient with my family because I want to be God's light in their lives.

There are many things I have to do otherwise I will feel regret. I am given the opportunity to do some of them now.

Songs of Joy- Season One.

Thank you for your prayers and financial supports to make this trip come true. 

“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.”—Psalms 126:2 (NIV)

We serve an awesome God. I had a fun, amazing, memorable winter vacation. With many prayers, the “Songs of Joy” mission team-although it was only my friend K and I- paid a visit to the foster home I used to work at in Asia. Before the trip, the main goal was to seek ways to help children with special needs, and spread His name when possible. But God wants more than we’ve planned. He wants to bless this nation-He used us to spread his good name even before we arrive the orphanage, He expanded my vision of the ways to help children medically in this developing country; and my understanding of Him grew: no matter what the good deeds we are doing for him, the root purpose is to make disciples, and bring salvation. 

“Let them hear my name.”

What The Lord wants to accomplish is more than we could imagine. God already started using us even before we arrive the orphanage. We got to share His good news with K’s former roommate, a driver, my father, and some college students. I was being asked several questions, such as “why are you studying speech pathology?” “what are you going to do in this trip?” “How did you become a believer?”…I thank God for giving me salvation and all the plans, I am even more grateful because I can share my testimonies with people who haven’t known Him yet. We were also being asked about “where do people go after they die”, “ What’s the difference between Christianity and other religions”, “Will God be angry if I am a believer but my family has another belief” … I am thankful for the boldness and wisdom He provided when answering all the tough questions. God’s love fills our cup and it overflows out of the cup to people around us. That’s why we can go and love the unwanted. We are saved BY GRACE for His good work. That’s the difference between Christianity and other religions.

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”—John 14:18

I spent two weeks living with and serving the precious orphans. All the happy memory still lingers in my mind: we had circle time and table time together, we held hand in hand and went for a walk in the village, we celebrated Christmas together unwrapping presents… I KNOW these children are making progress. I am very thankful for this trip: I am one step closer to the foundation I have dreamed for special needs children in China; I got a better idea of what the children need, how we can plan the trip, what donations we can raise for the kids. Please keep praying for us, I believe God loves His children and he is going to make this come true. 

Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:61, 62 NIV)

In the third week of my trip, my Dad and I was in a car wreck. The car was destroyed, but PTL we were safe. The Lord turned bad things for good—I got to pray WITH my parents and share Bible verses (James) with them after the accident. Even though they aren’t believers yet, they literally said “yes” to the verses, and they said: “God saved us.”—all of these brought tears to my eyes. God never gives up on my family: Because my teammate and I spent longer time in the orphanage, I thought I may not have a chance to share his good news with my family. However, God is awesome. He is going to do great things for my parents. Pls pray for my family-the car wreck still haunts on me from time to time. And Pls keep their salvation in your prayer. They are closer!

Life in the U.S. started again. This semester’s schedule is crazy and much harder —Today I spent a whole morning reading only a few pages of Neuroscience.  And I’ll start having clients this week!! I miss my family back home. It seems like my life is on a nonstop flight flying to a destination I don't know. BUT, the thing I do know is-God is with me. He knows where I am going and what I will do to glorify Him. He is faithful and he will take care of all my concerns: my dreams, my family, and a nation with shouts of joy.

Faith, Hope, Love---keep trusting God and fully relying on HIM.

Enjoy reading and talking with Miss Kara

Praying for the precious children

life is a nonstop flight guided by God.

Please join and pray for my “Songs of Joy” Medical team for Chinese orphans in this coming December

“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.”—Psalms 126:2 (NIV)

My dear family in Christ,

Thank you for your prayers and supports. God is very faithful to me as he has always been. He is supplying all my daily needs through people around me. I am writing this letter to invite you to my prayers petition—to pray for my organization of a medical trip to China this winter, my plane tickets, and the serving plan. For the past two weeks I feel our Father is confirming His vision to me over and over again: bring a medical team to China and serve at an orphanage I worked at. Yes, in this coming December. Prayers are much needed. Thank you.

God’s plan is always incredible. As you all know, the reason why I am in America studying speech pathology is because I saw the medical needs for the special needs children (esp orphans) in China. God did bring me here, with all the prayers and financial help(FB page). In my tuition-fundraising video(video here) , I said that I want to set up a foundation and bring a medical team after I worked in the U.S.—my limited human mind was thinking only by working for several years will I know enough therapists and then be able to organize a team. But our God is the all-power and awesome God, He wants this team come much earlier than I have expected---“why not this winter?”

As soon as I arrived Memphis, a girl who is one year ahead in my program (now my closest Christian sister here), Kara, took me to her church. I would never expect God has already got parts ready before I start my life on this new land! Besides a vision for International outreach, this church consists of doctors, students in med-school, OT, PT, Dentistry, and Speech Pathology. Moreover, at first I was not bold enough to share my story to people around, but God used my fundraising video and mutual friends to let His story heard. Thus, God has been opening doors for me to share his goodness and let people know what is happening in China. People came to me and said they are interested in going to China with me. But, my human brain was procrastinating, thinking: “maybe not this soon. Going to China is expensive, and I’ve just stayed here for 3 months, I don’t think I am equipped with enough speech pathology knowledge.”

However, God kept revealing and reminding me of my dream. I start to ask myself recently: why am I postponing? Why I say no when there can be a possibility? Because of the costs? Or do I doubt God won’t be this fast? Meanwhile, my professors told me if I ever plan to go to China, this winter will be the best time--my schedule next summer will be filled with schools and clinics. There are too many uncertainties next year. So why not act right now and see if it will work out this December? I don’t need to be fully equipped--the kids can’t wait and there is never a “fully prepared time” for God. And there are other equipped folks who are willing to go with me. So why am I so self-centered?

Therefore, a long winter break, at least one experienced clinician has joined, the orphanage I am going to is in need of staff…these things are telling me “yes, that’s God, trust Him and move on!” . I want to conduct therapy-based classes, and this will be my first organized trip before the numerous medical teams in the future. Also, my friends and I will be a better team of advocates for the needs. The dream God has given to me is so big: to set up a foundation and bring people with medical skills to help the special needs kids in various places in China. The organization will also invite college students as volunteers and share the good news to them--because the youth are the change of China. This first trip is small, maybe it only ends up with 2 members, but it is the fundamental step of a second step.

While I started organizing and sharing about the trip, I checked the plane tickets and got a bit frustrated: the 10,000RMB (around $1800) plane tickets are too expensive for me, when my family only makes a minimum wage (4500RMB=$750/mo) and we are paying the mortgage loan for my school. Before I left, my parents have already prepared not to see me for at least two years because of the costs.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall lack nothing.” (Psalm 23:1 NIV). So, my family in Christ, please lift this trip plan and my financial difficulty up for me. Prayers and Financially help will be greatly appreciated, if God led you to. In our last fundraising campaign for my tuition fee, we received $12,700. Yes, from $0 to $12700. It was a milestone for me and my parents who aren’t believers yet. I have the wealthiest Daddy in the world (and heaven!). I believe, if it is His will, I will be in China holding the special treasures in my arms, with my team, in this December.

“I will trust your unfailing love.” Thank YOU for holding my hand every step of the way.