"Kelliessential"

                We've got a pretty busy schedule tonight with a dance party, ice cream and barbecued egg social and presenting sponsor gifts to the children so I’ll just be covering the events of this morning. Wow, where to start?

                We met with the Kanes this morning for breakfast at a noodle shop. Just in case Mike was not humiliated enough with the “Mary Magdalene” picture, I thought I’d share a funny incident from our meal. The napkins here are very small and thin, more like a sheet of toilet paper. Mike was eating his soup (yes, soup for breakfast , when his napkin dropped into his bowl. He didn’t notice this until he mistook it for a noodle and tried to eat it (with a chopstick). He might have invented a new recipe, but I don’t think we’ll see him on Iron Chef any time soon, but we will forever tease him about eating “napkin soup.”

                On a more serious note, we had a church service with all the Asia’s Hope children today. There are six other homes here besides Grace Place so there were many children. There was lots of enthusiastic singing and dancing. Jim and Diane gave testimonies and Pastor Ivanildo gave a message. The service was held in the pavilion that was built with money raised by Team Hope. Just being in that pavilion gave me an overwhelming feeling of gratitude that God would allow me to be here. So many times, we never see the fruits of our labor. We plant or water, but we don’t see the harvest. Today I had the joy of being in this place, worshiping our Savior with these sweet children who used to be faces in photographs, but who were now little bodies snuggling against my shoulders and continually smiling at me.

                One goal of mine for this trip was to bring all of you along with me in spirit. This morning I wanted to grab your hand, point at that pavilion and shout, “Look at what God as done through you!” Sometimes we feel so small. We think that we don’t have much to offer to God that can amount to anything big. Today I saw with my own eyes how He can take little offerings and multiply them into something great. To everyone who has run or walked in the Team Hope events, all those who gave money to support them, and the ones who cheered the runners on and offered up prayers for endurance and protection against injury, look at what those offering s have accomplished! We are small on our own, but Christ has knit us together into one body that can do incredible things through His power!

Guest author's bio: "My name is Kelly Stewart. I was born and raised in Wayne County. I graduated from Wooster High School, Wheaton College, and Walden University.

I have been married to Jeff for 12 years and have two children, Riley, age 6, and Colin, age 4. I taught 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th grade at Apple Creek Elementary for seven years before becoming a stay-at-home mom. I am the nursery coordinator at Grace. I enjoy antiques, crafting, and playing with my kids.

I decided to go on this trip because God's call to care for orphans is something that weighs heavily on my heart. I want to find out what more God would have me do to carry out this command. I am so excited to be going on this trip. I can't wait to spend time with the children, to fellowship with these sweet little souls, and to learn what God would teach me."