almost time to go...so here's my first blog from China.

when i first came to China...I was so excited and thought, "I'm gonna blog everyday! I can't wait to tell everyone everything!" 

and now, almost 6 months later, my time in China is almost over, and this is my first blog.

i would like to sincerely apologize to everyone that contributed funds to my trip to get here. i feel SO bad that i haven't updated you, or anyone.

this last week here in China has been the absolute toughest thing i believe i have EVER gone through! Two of the precious kids at the baby house here at Eagles Wings where I work, were called back to their original orphanage, so we had to take them back.  

One girl in particular, we like to call her Ping Ping, she is my favorite little here at the house. I love all the kids, but she is my baby!

I have become SO attached to this girl. "Losing" her has been incredibly difficult for me to handle.  It's just SO hard to comprehend why her orphanage decide to take her and the other little boy back.

Knowing the situation in which she now lives is very hard to handle as well.

If you'd like to know more about it, let me know and I can privately message you about it, as I don't want to get into too many details here.

I had two days off after she had to go back, which was nice because it was two days to process what had just happened.  Going back to work was harder than I thought.

I've woken up in the morning with no motivation whatsoever. I just don't feel like getting up. Once I do, it's fine and business as usual, hanging out and playing with the rest of the kids at the house.

Hopefully I get out of whatever funk I'm in. Because I just don't like it.

If you could pr-y for me, I'd really appreciate it.

I'll blog again in another day or two.  I will be needing some more financial support as I leave China and head back to the states.

More details to come, but if anyone feels led to donate anything, you can send any amount to my PayPal account. the email is erinmoose(at)gmail(dot)com

thanks so much everyone!

g-d bless!

-erin

Application Acceptance!!

I received word from COAT (chinese orphans assistance team) this morning around 2am, that my application has formally been accepted!!

This is HUGE!  Other than raising the rest of the money needed, this was the only other thing I was waiting on to find out if I am able to go!

I'm super stoked about this!!

I've been feeling a bit stressed out the past few days as well. When I first started fundraising for this trip, I made the first half of the money I needed in only two days! That was an insane blessing!! Since then, I've only received about $150.  Which is still VERY far from what I need to buy my plane tickets!!

If I receive enough money for my tickets, great! But then that still leaves the money for my visa. I will have the money, but the time it would take for me to mail my application to the courier in Chicago, and for her to take my application and everything to the chinese consulate, wait a day or two days to get it back. I had NO idea how to make that happen.  Then someone it got in my head that I could either just drive out there and get it, or take the megabus. Something I never would have thought of before.

That's not exactly something that's in my budget, but I know God will provide the money to make it happen!

This past Friday I had the great opportunity to travel down to Kansas City, MO with the band Hyland!! They graciously allowed me to make the trip with them from Minneapolis!  Saturday they were scheduled to play at the Acquire The Fire conference in downtown KC!  Some incredibly amazing friends of mine, We Are Leo, were also playing!  I'm so glad I was able to go because this was the last chance I'd have to see Hyland OR We Are Leo before I leave for China for the entire summer!!

It was a great day at ATF!! I had an awesome time hangin with Hyland and We Are Leo!  Some of my favorite people!!  Towards the end of the night I had been talking with the lady that had been running Hylands merch table about my trip. I was telling her how I was stressing about the money.  I told her I knew God would provide but it was just making me nervous because I still need to raise so much!  She said you can't worry and just trust that He will do it.

After that my great friend Novus, came up and gave me a big hug!  I was telling him what me and the merch lady had just been talking about. He said that we could pray for it, and then we all stood there, and he prayed for me!  Having someone pray over you is one of the greatest things!!  I thank God SO MUCH for bringing David(Novus) and the rest of the We Are Leo guys into my life! I am beyond thankful for them and their friendship! It means the world to me!

I still can't believe I won't get to see those guys all summer! SO crazy!  but I'm still super stoked for China!!

I may still be just the tiniest amount nervous about the money thing, but I absolutely know with all of my heart that God will provide! and SOON!

I'm beyond stoked for this opportunity, and super thankful that my application was accepted by COAT!!

Some things to be thankful for:

1. For everyone that has donated to my trip, and the amazing amount that has been raised so far!
2. That I've been able to get a couple things done in order for me to go! (background check, new license, photos for my visa)
3. Official application acceptance by COAT.

Some things to pray for:

1.The rest of the money I need to pay for my flight and VISA, and now, travel to chicago to get my visa.
2. I will have to go get some shots and things, (and probably an inhaler, because the pollution over there is pretty bad i'm told) since I'm going to be working with babies and small children the ladies at COAT said it would be a good idea.
3. Tomorrow I have an appointment to get my eyes checked and to get new glasses.  Thankfully this is covered by my insurance so I won't have to spend any money, but pray that I am able to get the glasses back BEFORE I leave for China.
4. That I can get everything in my room that I'm not taking to China packed up and in my car without too much trouble.

Thanks SO much to everyone that has been and will be praying with me!

I appreciate it SO much!!

blessings!

-erin

just finished the skype interview!

So I just finished the skype interview with Margaret and Linda from COAT.

those two ladies are amazing!!

they are super funny!!

I think the interview went very well!

I guess I will wait to hear back about formal acceptance!!

will you pray with me about it??

and still pray about the rest of my funding for the trip!

thanks so much everyone!!

blessings!

-erin

COAT interview! and planes and visas! oh my!

I have my official interview with COAT(chinese orphans assistance team) tonight!

I am both nervous, AND excited!

I will be interviewing over Skype with Margaret and Linda from COAT. They are located in Gympie, Queensland, Australia.

I DO love the Australian accent, so I am super stoked for this interview because of that! LOL.

I'm also excited because, other than raising the rest of the money I need to purchase my airplane tickets and visa, this is the last BIG step before I can legitimately say that I am actually going. 

to China.

you guys. CHINA!

so stoked!!

I do have a couple prayer requests:

1.that the COAT interview goes well and they officially accept my application to volunteer for them.

2.that the rest of the money I need to buy my plane tickets/visa(about $1,000) comes through! I need it SO soon!

3.I am going to have to get some vaccinations before I go to China, I'm not sure how much money that will cost, pray that I receive additional funding to cover that.

4. I am packing up everything I own before I leave. My lease at my current apartment is up in July, and since I won't be here, I need to pack up all my belongings before I leave. Pray I can get it all done quickly.

Here's a praise!

1. I found someone, my coworker Sue, who has agreed to store my car for me the ENTIRE time I am gone...and for FREE! that is a HUGE blessings! She will make sure it stays safe, and start it up regularly to keep it running!

Alright, well I'm gonna get going!  I'm sitting at my Starbucks, on my computer, just got done with my taxes, and filling out my visa application as much as I could. There's some sections left I don't know how to fill out so I'm waiting on some answers from someone about that.

My interview is at 7pm!

pray for me!

thanks everyone!!

blessings!

-Erin

p.s. - I finally figured out the PayPal thing....I was able to create a sweet donation widget that you will see on the left side of the blog!! and it WORKS! if anyone is led to donate, check out the widget!! -->

halfway funded!!! sayyyyy whattt?!

alright kids.

so....

my current donation total is $1,303.42!!!!

that means i am OVER halfway funded!!! SO crazy!!

my initial fundraising goal will go towards all things associated with getting to China! For example, my roundtrip plane tickets(this is the biggest need!! need these tickets before i can apply to get my visa!), chinese visa, getting pictures made/printed for my visa application, and once I get to China, anything i will immediately need for daily living and any food during my travel time.

I can't thank everyone enough!!

So thankful to everyone that has donated already!!

BLESSINGS!!!

-Erin

blown away!

it's only been two days and I've already raised $1,200!!

this is just crazy to me!! i'm so excited about how God is already blessing this trip!! I only need about $500 more and I can purchase my plane tickets!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone that has contributed so far! It means more than you may ever know!!

I can NOT wait to get my hands on those precious little babies at Eagles Wings!!

a small prayer request:

due to my job responsibilities I will not be able to leave until the 11th of February! please pray that the staff at Eagles Wings will be able to take care of the two new little ones and not be too busy with everything until I can get there!!

Also please pray for the staff of COAT out in Australia! there's been some flooding where they are located. pray that everyone stays safe. The floods are also messing with their Internet availability which is delaying my interview with them which is CRUCIAL for me to even make it to china by the 11th!

thanks everyone!

Blessings!
-erin

Donations

If anyone is so lead as to donate funding for my trip to China, you can either send it to my email address (erinmoose@gmail.com) via paypal. Or I have created a fancy little donation widget that you can click on to donate by credit card/bank account! This donation will also go into my personal PayPal account, but you don't need an account if you use the button.

You can choose any amount in the drop down menu!

Thanks for anything you are able to give!!

God Bless!
-Erin