I wonder what each woman thought as they were strategically packing chocolate chips, Dr. Pepper, coffee, and pumpkin scented candles in their suitcases. Precious luggage space and weight were taken up with these things.

But, when the teachers entered the room and saw their favorite items, the ones they cannot get in China, the things that will make their rooms feel more like a home, I think I knew what those women were thinking.

There was laughing and cheering. I dare to say there was joy over just-add-water-muffin-mix. While I know we give gifts simply to bless regardless of the response, responses like that give us a blessing boomerang effect.

We come to encourage; we are encouraged because we know we are being used. We are serving a purpose; we become a part of the work.

In this case, through a few dollars and some luggage space.

Tomorrow is fellowship and one-on-one time with teachers. Monday starts school visits and a bit more of a front row seat to the work. Adventure awaits…after sleep in a city that apparently never sleeps based on the construction right outside my hotel window.

Seemed so strange Sunday night as we made lunches, readied children for bed, and prepared backpacks and little ones for a new week. Daddy would still get up early and take Evan to school, but instead of driving into the office from there, he was coming back home to a new office.

He’s going to have to get used to the pitter patter of Lydia while he works (which is way understating the noise her little body is able to produce). And, he’s going to go through a 10 day boot camp so that he does…because I’m headed to China…in about 12 hours actually. With a team of about 10 women, we’re going to visit schools where we have teachers, meet students they have been connecting with, pour into the teachers, bring them some things from their U.S. wish lists (who would have thought Chex cereal, Craisins, chocolate chips, and Clif bars were so desirable), and show these women on the team who have never been to China some of the incredible work happening there.

Sorta cool how he’s the full-time staff now, and part of his job is sending me to China.

Off to finish packing my bags and making sure I can get that canned pumpkin and muffin mix in a 50 lb. bag. Hoping to post from there. Follow along as I travel back to China for the first time since we brought home our pitter-pattering daughter. I have great expectations for the next 10 days.