She's Gone!

After a great week of simply relaxing and enjoying our family and friends, and one day of severe sunburn pain, we were able to get Dezi to the St Louis Airport on time. As I type this, her plane should be landing in Taipei. I had called the Skiles after she left and they said the final appointment with the American Institute in Taiwan (the equivalent to the U.S. Embassy in countries that are recognized as such, Taiwan is still recognized as a renegade province of China) is going to be at 8am on Monday morning which is 7pm Sunday evening our time. This is where they interview Dezi with Raena present. It will be the first time Dezi sees her! Misti Jennings, a student at Central on her internship with the Skiles will be bringing her up from Lo-Tung where the orphanage is located. Please pray for Dezi & Raena as they get acquainted for the first time. After this meeting, I am told, Raena will be officially adopted. We will still have to apply for her Social Security card and other stateside documents, but the waiting is over.

I do want to mention someone who has worked very hard on our behalf. Wendy Coryell of Gateway Travel in Dallas, Texas, has worked overtime on getting the best possible flight and ticket prices for Dezi's trip and Raena's return. We have had over 5 different itineraries trying to get Dezi there as soon as the process was complete. At the highest season to fly she found relatively cheap tickets and a very direct flight. In fact, it is the shortest amount of time we have ever been able to get to Taiwan and direct from St Louis, to L.A., to Taipei. If you ever need a trustworthy travel agent, contact her at 1-800-878-2828. We have used her for many years and Team Expansion & Formosa Christian Mission always check with her first on most flights. Thanks Wendy!

Family Vacation

We are now on our family vacation down in Horse Shoe Bend, Arkansas. It is at Crown Point which is a place out in the middle of no where where one can just relax. We can get wireless internet service in the Rec Center and have to walk up the hill to get cell phone service which is great for what we need as a family right now! No distractions and just quality time with our boys and our friends, David & Sandy Fincher who so graciously provided a week of their time share for us. You can read more on their blog at http://finchers.blogspot.com/. More later....

Pray for Tim & Kylene, Kyle & Tracy...

My brother Tim called today and said that his first grandson, born 4 months premature, passed away today. Kyle & Tracy Worstell, my nephew and his wife are mourning their first born son, Mason, and will be having a grave side service in Illinois on Monday. If you would take a moment to remember them before our Father's throne, we would really appreciate it.

Did we say 'roller coaster' yet?

Everything seems to be going in the right direction and Dezi is planning on flying out on July 8th now. We received an email from Ted Skiles saying, "...the court has received the signed paper back from the prison where the mother is (meaning she received the court adoption contract), but they have not received the signed paper back from the prison where the husband (step-father) is (meaning he hasn’t received the court adoption contract yet). We don’t expect a problem, but we aren’t sure of timing. The court won’t issue the final paper until they get that signed paper back from the step-father’s prison." So please keep praying that all these steps will be fulfilled one by one as our Heavenly Father wills. Ted encouraged us to pray without ceasing as laying all our cares and concerns before his throne is the surest thing. Will you continue to pray with us about our adoption of Raena? Thank you....

It's Official!!!

Woot! We were praying that we would receive word today from the Dept. of Homeland Security that our adoption request would finally be approved before the long holiday weekend postponing any decision until Wednesday of next week. After 5pm and no call, we were a little, okay, a lot disappointed. However, around 6:30pm, Kathy Randall from INS called and said that it has been officially approved we may go get her at any time! They had stayed late in the office to get this through before the weekend and we appreciate so much their extra work at the last minute and to Frank Block of the Love Basket in working so quickly at getting the home study requirements fulfilled. We appreciate Melinda Stanley who worked initially on the home study and has been praying for a quick resolution. Many of you have been praying too and we are so relieved now that the long, long process is over. Dezi was able to get the earliest ticket to Taiwan which is July 8th and will return on July 19th with Raena. We thank God for giving us the strength to endure even though many times it was very difficult. Words can't express our joy at this time. We begin our last family vacation with just the boys in the morning as we travel with David & Sandy Fincher and their family to Arkansas for a week of rest. We are emotionally and physically exhausted so God's timing at giving us great peace before we left is truly amazing. Thank you all for praying so hard on Raena's behalf. She has been getting healthier these last few weeks. Dezi will spend a few days in Taipei getting over jet lag, meeting with our coworkers and Chinese friends and then go to the Home of God's Love to spend a few days getting used to a new daughter as she gets used to a new mother before returning home. We will keep you posted!

Adoption Update

We received a call today from Frank Block, the director of the Love Basket, an adoption agency. He said the home study will be sent to the Department of Homeland Security tomorrow, on Wednesday. So, hopefully by Friday we could hear some good news. We are very thankful for how fast Frank was willing to process the new home study. We have another ticket reserved for Dezi to fly out on July 9th. The Chinese are very eager to see her as it has been 3 years now since Dezi has returned so she will spend a few days in Taipei getting over jet lag. Then she plans to go spend 5 or 6 days at the Home so Raena can adjust in familiar surroundings to having a new mom and then return by the 22nd which is later than we hoped but the only seat available.

We covet your prayers now more than ever that the home study will be approved and Raena will be granted her immigration status. This is the LAST step and the most important. It can also be held up by many arbitrary things as we have seen already. We are hopeful as we believe that God is working through all these things for his glory.

Mike's Father, Sister, Nephew & Dog

Today we took my Dad down to Boone County Hospital to have two more stents inserted in ateries by his heart. They were 90% blocked. The procedure went very well and he is doing great. This should give him more strength and be less strenous for him to walk. He should be home on Wednesday. Thank you for praying for him since his heart attack in May.

Please be in prayer for my nephew and his wife, Kyle & Tracy Worstell. They had a premature son two weeks ago and the doctors are unable to stablize his condition. They are waiting for Kyle to return from serving in the Navy to take the child off of life support which will be some time today. It is taking the family pretty hard so please keep Tim & Kylene in your prayers as well.

My sister, Lillie Schoville, is flying in this weekend to spend a week with my folks. She will be staying at our home yet we will be gone on a family vacation with the Fincher family. We are looking forward to some quality time with our boys before their little sister arrives. Lillie will also be able to watch our dog Hunny, aka. Tripod. She was hit by a truck a couple of weeks ago and has lost the use of a hind leg. She's doing great though! She's taught us a valuable lesson that no matter how difficult things can get, you can just be thankful that you still have 3 legs to stand on.

New Cell Life

One of the things we have missed the most while being back in the U.S. is the cell church life we had in Taiwan. While desiring to have cells started here, we haven't felt like we had enough time to do something new. We thought we could handle the extra load of helping other core group leaders start the new Discover Christian Church that meets on the campus of Central Christian College on Sunday mornings with the hopes of starting various cell groups, but after training many potential cell leaders, we never had the time or energy to start our own cell group. We have recently relinquished our role with Discover and are attending Timber Lake Christian Church (formerly Union Avenue). Now we felt it was time to begin a cell in our home and we contacted 3 other couples who have also wanted to help. After meeting for the first time last Monday and praying for those we would like to reach out to, our second meeting brought 5 new contacts. In fact, we had 13 adults and 8 children attending in our living room! We have been very encouraged by this group of people already as they have been on the front line of encouragement through our adoption struggles of the last two weeks. That's what cell life/church life is supposed to be... carrying each others burdens and fulfilling the law of Christ.

Possible Resolution... or from Despair to Hope!

The last two days have been the most trying yet in the adoption process. We were informed by the Dept. of Homeland Security that our home study was being rejected because of the preparer not being licensed in the State of Missouri for Child Placement. The home study is the most crucial part of the process as it is used in every step. It is also one of the biggest expenses other than traveling to pick up the child. This was a devastating realization and we were on the phone for hours trying to find a way. We had to come to the point where God alone would work it out and for us to have the patient and peace that would calm our spirit. During the myriad of phone calls, we actually called the Director of Child Placement for the State and he was visiting an adoption agency called the Love Basket. It was an agency initially recommended to us and their director talked to me on the phone and said they would try and help us out. True to his word, he called a few hours later and said that he personally would conduct the requirements and come to our home in the morning to do the in home survey. He came this morning as promised and after 3 hours of interviewing and another walk through in our home, he said he will rush the process and we should have a new approved home study by Wednesday of next week!!! What could have been a disaster has turned out only costing us about 2 weeks. Once the Dept. of Homeland Security receives the new home study, they also have promised to rush it and if all is in order, will approve our request for Raena's visa immediately.

Now, we are going to patiently wait until we get the news that the home study is approved and then arrange for Dezi's flight and we are anticipating it could be as early as next Friday now. We have had a family vacation planned for the first week in July for almost a year and were hoping to bring Raena along. We will have to wait and see what transpires for now.

Thank you so much for your prayers. We have coveted them and are thankful for the many emails we have gotten encouraging us. It was especially comforting to know that there are other adoptive parents out there who have gone through similar circumstances. There has also been an outpouring of very generous friends and family who realized the extra costs of another home study as well as the travel we are expecting and return ticket of Raena too. We thank God daily for your thoughtfulness.

So close but yet...

We really, really need everyone to pray right now. We actually have a reserved ticket this Friday for Dezi to fly out to go pick up Raena, yet we haven't been successful in resolving the issue with the Dept. of Homeland Security. It appears our Home Study preparer is not on the licensed Child Placement Agency list for the State of Missouri and that is the hold up. It wasn't an issue with our previous agent but now is the one thing holding it up. Without this approval, Raena will not be allowed in the US. We have been calling various agenices but have yet to find one who will sign off on the home study in a timely manner. Some want 6 months of process and insane amount of fees. This is a huge roadblock for us and only God can give us a way through. His grace is sufficient and we need you to pray for us right now.

The Model of Compassion International?

Everyone in the U.S. that is a part of Christianity has probably heard of Compassion International or a similar organization that sponsors children in poverty stricken areas of the world. If you were to become a member you would send in a rather small monthly amount and in return you would receive a picture of 'your' child and a small biography with quarterly updates on the child's educational, physical and sometimes their spiritual condition.

I've been thinking about that model and I need your input. Perhaps it is just a passing thought, but maybe we should consider this model a bit more in other applications.

For example, we had a couple come over to our home last week that have just graduated from Central. They have been wanting to go to the mission field, and of course, they are interested in China or Taiwan. :-) The problem is they are new to the faith. They really do not have a relationship with any churches that would want to support them and most of their Christian friends are their age and either in school or similarly just graduated and looking for positions too.

They are definitely worthy of support. They are mature, have a heart for the lost, have a plan, and could leave tomorrow. The problem? They have no support nor do they have a support base to draw from.

While we encourage churches to raise up Timothies from their own congregations and fully support them, what about potential candidates like this couple? What about unchurched people that become Christians and feel called to go yet have no one to turn to for support?

Perhaps, we should start a program like Compassion International. We could send you a picture of new recruits, send you a regular update from time to time on their physical, emotional and spiritual condition, how they are progressing through language school and their various accomplishments. In turn, you could support them with a certain amount each month. Why, we could even have an automatic withdrawal system to make it so convenient for you!

Well, what do you think?? Post a comment and give us your thoughts... ;-)

Yet Another Road Block ... (insert the sound of tires screeching to a halt here)

In less than 10 days the orphanage should receive confirmation from the local judge that Raena is good to go from their perspective. However, we have run into a significant roadblock with the Department of Homeland Security who now handles all immigration details. The new agent that is handling the case wants every 't' crossed and every 'i' dotted and she has found semantic issues in the home study that she wants corrected. For example, the home study reads, "the Worstells are recommended for adoption" and apparently it should read "the Worstells are approved for adoption". There are 6 similar problems that our social worker needs to correct and one larger issue concerning licensing that is paramount. Our social worker isn't approved for child placement and needs to have one that is to sign off on her prepared home study. With the new Homeland Security rules, this has become very specific and even though we have gone through the same people and process as our coworker, Sherry Wallis, as she adopted her two children from the same orphanage, the rules are now different and more difficult for us. This is a very, very important issue and only God can make this work out without our needing to redo the entire home study with a new social worker, a SIX WEEK PROCESS! Our current social worker is negotiating today with the DOHS and she called and asked for our prayers that she can be convincing and they realize what is in the best interest of the child and not the bureaucratic system. PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO PRAY with us. We are so close to the end and do not want to go back to the beginning!

Great News on the Adoption!

The past two days have been going so quickly it has been hard to get time to put this update in. We were going to ask you to pray over the court date that was moved up from June 20th to today, June 8th and yet, with the time difference, Ted Skiles has already written and said that it went well.

In his own words, "“Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.” Proverbs 25:25

We’ve been back from court for about an hour. Things went very well, except for the slight dressing down I got for being so “Ji” (in a hurry if you don’t recognize this romanization ). Anyway, the judge was pretty nice about it, but he said he hoped this wouldn’t happen again as they have so many cases to deal with. I assured him that we don’t try to push like this normally, but that Raena’s case was special!

Anyway, after all was said and done, he said he would speed it up. I actually expect to receive her first paper sometime next week and her final paper the next, so Raena could be ready to go by the end of June, Lord willing."

This is really good news and the only thing we need to receive now is approval from INS here in the U.S. We called the agent this morning to find that she had retired and all her cases were being handled elsewhere and that it may take time. After explaining Raena's medical condition, they said they would try and expedite it. Once her visa is approved, and Ted receives both papers from the Judge, we can send Dezi over to Taiwan to pick her up! Praise the Lord and keep praying!!

Past Newsletters & Updates Reminder

We want to remind everyone to please send us your email address if you have not received an update from us in awhile. We are trying to stay away from printed mailings because of the costs. Our mailing lists had become corrupted and we are still in the process of rebuilding it and need your help in this way.

Our website is also being updated, www.candleonchina.org, and you may go to our Newsletter Archive area to see the latest updates as well as our newsletters from the past.

Summer challenge - patience!

Today, we were able to receive Dad out of the hospital and he is now back at home here in Moberly and doing much better. With the new stents, his heart is having more oxygen and he has more energy. He will need to have two more stents inserted in a few weeks so we are very grateful that his heart was strong enough to endure.

We called the Home of God's Love this evening and Bev Skiles said that Raena is doing much better yet still had a rather high white blood cell count showing infection but that it was getting lower. She should be able to leave the hospital tomorrow and they are taking many tests to discover what is causing her seizures. Right now, it appears they are triggered by fevers. She was diagnosed this time with acute pneumonia. Bev also said that sometimes the adoption process takes longer than we anticipate and that it could be August before we receive the final word.

So, we are trusting in the Lord's direction and trying desperately to control our own expectations. (Proverbs 16:9) Regardless, it is going to be a long summer!

What's Next? Wait... I don't want to know!

Can we ask you to pray for us right now?

This was the last week of public school and our boys are glad to be free for another summer. On their last day, Dezi took them to Long Branch lake to the beach for a surprise along with Sandy Fincher and her children. It was a beautiful sunny day and one of our sons neglected to get sunscreen on. So, Thursday evening, Talon started itching really bad and had what is called sun poisoning. He was literally screaming at the pain and since I have had it a few times, we were trying everything we could think of to help. We called the emergency room and got advice and finally at about 2am he calmed down enough to fall asleep.

Can we ask you to pray for us right now?

One hour later, we received a phone call from the assisted living home where my folks are living in an independent cottage. My father was having a heart attack. I rushed over in time to meet the ambulance and he was taken to Moberly Regional. There they decided quickly to transfer him to Boone County Hospital in Columbia. He had a 100% blocked artery and after angioplasty and a stent, has stabilized and resting comfortably in ICU. He will be there through Monday probably. It was apparent another artery is almost blocked so he will be having another stent put in at a later date. All three brothers made it to the hospital to be with him in the morning and pray for him.

Can we ask you to pray for us right now?

After one hour's sleep that evening, I finally made it home in time to greet Dezi's sister and her husband who are visiting for the weekend. We were talking about Raena so I checked email to see if they had gotten the final paperwork yet and there was an email saying that Raena had two more seizures and had stopped breathing and was again in the hospital. We called to get the latest and she has stablized and more tests are being done. We are torn with our desire to have her here and to go be with her.

Can we ask you to praise God right now?

Talon is feeling much better.
Dad is stabilized and in no pain.
Raena is being treated and is doing fine now.
God is giving us the strength and patience we need as we go through trials like these.

New & Improved Family Picture

No, she's not with us yet, just a special effect done by Nick Farr at the Team Expansion home office. Can you tell which child is being adopted?

Candidate Lab

Whew! What a month! So much has been happening it is hard to cover all the events. Right now I'm writing this from Louisville, Kentucky at the Team Expansion main office observing Candidate Lab. It is a week for new recruits to become assimilated into Team Expansion's passion and protocols and receive training in raising support, creating a mission budget and other practical skills. Three of these recruits are headed for China & Taiwan! Dezi has her hands full taking care of the boys by herself so please pray for her stamina during this time.

This is finals week at CCCB and I was able to give all of mine last Thursday, grades were done by Friday (thanks Sherry!) leaving me free to attend Candidate Lab. I will return to Moberly for Commencement on Friday, May 19 which is our largest graduation to date. It's always hard to go through this time of year. Making so many relationships with the students and then having them graduate and leave is exciting but also very emotional. They have a way of getting into your heart! It is fulfilling however, to see more and more go out into the Lord's harvest each year.

We have run in to another hold up on Raena's adoption and hopefully we can resolve it on Monday so please pray. The judge in Taiwan has given a court date of June 20th to decide the case and we are hoping to have it moved up for Raena's medical situation. Thank you for faithfully praying for Raena and our patience!

So, How Was The Picnic?

We are glad you asked!

Scott & Angie Pagel are back on furlough from Taiwan and they were able to spend a couple of days in our area. They did a wonderful job on campus talking to students, challenging them to consider missions, and reuniting with students who have taken short term mission trips to Taiwan already. On their last evening, we had a picnic in a local park and invited a few students who seem the most interested in working in Taiwan to come along.

The next morning, two of the couples and one young lady all downloaded the application from the Team Expansion website and are applying to go to Taiwan as soon as they can! That's five more workers for the Chinese Harvest! We should have picnics more often!

Introducing Raena Marie Worstell

This is Raena Marie at our very first meeting in Taiwan at the end of March when taking a group of 17 Central students there for Outreach Week. As of this posting, we are still waiting and it could be 8 weeks or late July before Dezi can go and get her. Please pray for Raena as she has had some serious allergic reactions and is susceptible to bronchial irritations. She has also had a couple of high fevers lately that has led to seizures. She is a very sweet little girl and our whole family is very excited about her arrival.