Blankies have arrived in China!!!

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 As many of you have read, our latest batch of blankies flew to an orphanage in China, New Day, with our dear friends Jarrod and Sara. They flew to China to meet and bring home their beautiful adopted daughter, Samantha!  God laid it on their heart to bring a blanket to every orphan at New Day and their lives and the lives of the children were blessed by the experience.

 Jarrod wrote about his experience at New Day...

"The last thing we did at New Day was also unforgettable.  Sara had posted earlier about us delivering some of "Leigh's Blankies" to the kids.  It is hard to describe what it was like to hand out these blankets to a group of orphans other than overwhelming.  Probably the best way to describe it is this...one little boy took his new blanket and within about 8.6 seconds he had it in his room and neatly spread out on his crib....he was so proud!  Within a few minutes, about 5 others had done the same thing.  It was a special moment for Sara and I as we remembered our friend Leigh Ann and her heart for children.  We were thankful to have have something tangible in her memory stay in China with these very special kids."

The crib of the proud little boy! I love these blankies and the children who receive them!

 Thank you for your support for Leigh's Blankies! God is moving this ministry in ways I could have never imagined. Organizations are contacting us weekly to be on the receiving end of these beautiful blankets.  Please continue to pray for us as God grows this ministry!!! We are considering packaging kits for others to make our blankies. How awesome for others to share in the joy of making Leigh's Blankies!!! Pray for us as we finalize the details on the kits.

Psalm 67:1-2

 May God be gracious to us and bless us

   and make his face shine on us, so that your ways may be known on earth,

   your salvation among all nations.

Leaving On A Jet Plane for China! -Guest Author: Sara Heinz

Andra asked me to do a guest post about  the Leigh's Blankies that are going with us to China!  Andra is a dear friend, and when she told me about the blankets she was sewing for children in memory of Leigh Ann, I wanted to help in any way I could.   It warms my heart to remember Leigh Ann in this way.  She was such a great friend and never failed to make me laugh and give me perspective on things in life that really matter.  Leigh Ann loved Jesus, her family, children, and had a such a servant heart.   Leigh's Blankies is such an awesome representation of something she would have been excited about. 

"Say China!!!!"  Here is a picture of our two boys opening up the much anticipated box of Leigh's Blankies to go with us to China.  Jarrod and I will be on an airplane in less than 48 hours on our way to our daughter, Samantha!  We will have the privilege to go to New Day Foster Home in Beijing and hand deliver blankies to the children who are still waiting for their forever families. 

Here is a picture of our daughter - I can't wait to snuggle her in her very own Leigh's Blankie!

We are so grateful for this opportunity to show the love of Christ in a practical way to little ones on the other side of the world! 

Love, Sarah and Jarrod Heinz

Leigh's Blankies leaving for China...the sooner the better!!!

Why the sooner the better!!?? Because our dear friends, Jarrod and Sara, are delivering 20 blankies to New Day Foster Home in China at the same time they are meeting their adopted daughter, Samantha, for the first time!! So let's get these blankies out the door and on their way to our new little friends in China! I am covered in goose bumps just thinking about it!

Samantha at New Day!

I am blessed to be an adoptive mother.  There is emotional pain in waiting for your chosen child.  Not being able to care for your child from the moment they are conceived is difficult.  Both of our babies were placed with us right after their time of birth, so attachment and bonding started right after delivery. For most families that adopt internationally, they receive a Child Referral which includes a picture and a file of notes on the child's history.  If the Referral is accepted by the adoptive family, they meet their child for the first time from that file of notes. Don't think for a minute that an adoptive family doesn't bond with that child in the picture! They do! So waiting until time of travel is so very difficult to endure. We have prayed that our friends would be traveling sooner than later, and God decided sooner IS better than later! Thank you Lord!!!

Our hands are busy sewing 20 blankets in a very short amount of time, but I work fast when I'm excited. ;) Jarrod and Sara will update us on their journey.  I'm ecstatic at the thought of seeing pictures of those precious children with their blankies!

Stay tuned!!