Good News - Bad News

Hello again friends! It hasnt been that long since I wrote, but some pretty important things have happened since my last post. I want to update you all on the last few days.


For starters, all the twins paperwork has come in! Legal name change certificates and birth certificates are here! Next stop was to get new passports for everyone. I had all the forms filled out, just needed a guarantor for the kids forms to be complete. After a stop at my best friends place, that was done. Off to Calgary I went. There are 2 passport offices in Calgary. I chose the one that is typically faster and more 'child friendly' (although Andrew was home and stayed there with the kids). Well, my 'fast' trip involved standing outside for 15 minutes (not too bad) before being let in to a very full waiting room. Finally, after an hour my number was called and I got to hand in my forms. All 6 of them. Thankfully everything went smoothly. It took 30 minutes, but there were no issues. So now we wait about 2 weeks for the passports to be mailed to us. 
  
Next to update you on is this: our house is officially for sale. We have, obviously, listed with a relator. The relator we chose is the dad of a long time friend of mine. We are thankful to have someone we know sell our house. We are confident he will work hard for us. Our possession date is listed for July 1, 2012. There is some room for negotiation, but we would really like to not have to do that. If you know of anyone looking for a great family home, send them over!
We already have 2 showings lined up for tomorrow (Sunday) and its only been listed since Thursday! Thankfully the showings are while we are at church, so there wont be any concern of where to go while the people are looking at the home.


Next: I had asked for prayer for the 7 year old foster son we have. We were having concerns with him being here (our home just isnt the place for him) and we were looking into having him moved to a new home. We received the call from his caseworker on Wednesday that there was a spot available in a residential (group) home for him, but they only accept new placements on Mondays. That's okay. He will be moved there this Monday. This new home has qualified staff that will work with him. Nurses. Play therapists. Therapists. Nutritionists. He will be able to continue to attend the school he has been at all year. This is what we were hoping for. Some sort of consistency for him.


Lastly, some bad news for ICC. Their office building in Vancouver has burned to the ground (well, almost to the ground). It caught on fire on the evening of Feb 22. Luckily, no one was in the building at the time.
Here is the story from ICC:

ICC Canada Office Fire Update

On the evening of February 22nd, the office space in Vancouver that ICC Canada has called home for the past several years caught fire. The fire could not be contained by the local fire service and the entire building was destroyed along with all contents, including all our phones, many of our computers and almost all of our records. The same destruction was experienced by the other charities and organizations that shared the office space with us.
Obviously this is a blow to the local operations, but we are endeavoring to return to “business as usual.” All of us on staff are working hard to put the pieces together as quickly and as well as we can.
We will be moving into some temporary office space to get day-to-day operations up and running again. And we will be looking to find a new permanent home that will allow us to continue growing the work of ICC in Canada and around the world.
We appreciate your patience with us as we get set back up. Our phones and computers will take some time to get set up, so you can expect that for next little while it may take longer to respond to your telephone messages and emails. Contact details for ICC Canada will remain the same for the time being.
We ask you to pray for us and that our Heavenly Father would provide for us the provision we need for new office space and anything else we need. As mentioned, records, computers, office equipment and furniture are all destroyed and will have to be replaced at significant cost.
We thank you for your prayers and your support and we thank you for standing with us as we continue to bring love, hope and opportunity to China’s abandoned and disabled.
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please keep them in your prayers.
*for those who are sending in / partnering online: all should proceed as normal (if something changes, I will be sure to let you all know!!)


If you have time, here is a 5 minute clip on what ICC is doing in Changsha. This is where we will be :) 


Prayer requests:

• Spiritual protection for us all 
• Sale of our home
• Financial partnership 
• Paperwork - medicals, visa's
• ICC Canada office

Thanks again!! We really appreciate all your support.

Our Partnership Letter

Some of you have received this in the mail, or personally from us. If you have, there is no need to read this (unless you want to)...if you havent, please read :)

WINTER 2012

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His will.”    Romans 8:28   

We would like to take this opportunity to invite you into the lives of the INKPEN’S. Most of you are aware of how our journey to China began. Some, however, are not aware of how our acceptance with International China Concern (ICC) came to be. For those of you who know nothing, or very little, of our journey, we would like to let you in on this part of our lives. If you know all this already, feel free to skip to the next section. If you need a reminder, continue reading.

Andrew has felt the call into mission work since 2006/2007. It was never on Darcie’s heart. Andrew had been praying for Darcie’s heart to change. In June 2009, we were invited on a missions trip to China.  Almost immediately (and unexpectedly) Darcie felt God saying “YES! Go!” So we went. We fell in love with China. Darcie returned to China in 2011. At that time Darcie worked in an orphanage. Now Darcie’s 2 loves – children and China – were combined. This was heaven here on earth for her. When Darcie returned to Canada she began investigating options for missions work in China involving the unwanted children of the country. (We had been investigating opportunities to serve in China since we returned in 2009 but nothing worked out) Through a chain of people Darcie found International China Concern. This was in March 2011. In December 2011 we were accepted to go serve the children in China with this organization. The process was long and in-depth, but we knew God was leading the way. For more specific information on our journey please go to our blog at www.inkpensjourneytochina.blogspot.com 

(Next section)

We are sure you are wondering where, and when, exactly, we will be going in China. We will be going to a city called Changsha. It’s the capital of the Hunan province of south-east China.  It is a small Chinese city of about 7 million (yes, million) people. The average temperature varies between 0C (32F) as a low in the winter to a high of +40C (104F) - plus the humidity that will send the temperature up, way up, in the summer. You may be thinking “That’s not too bad.” BUT: there is no central heat or air conditioning. Changsha is about a 1 hr flight north of Hong Kong, and about a 2 hour flight south of Beijing.  That is a little bit about the city. We will be moving in August 2012. Only a few short months away. We have committed to a 2 year term with ICC (although we’re sure this is just the start of many ‘2 year missionary contracts’).

Now about the project. There are approximately 8 different sites in Changsha that ICC is involved with. There is the large orphanage that is home for up to 150 children, then there are smaller “home type” settings for the children with severe physical and/or developmental delays and there is a foster care program that is run under ICC as well. We are not 100% sure yet which site we will serve in. We may be at a few different sites until we work out with ICC the one that fits best with our gifts and talents. We do know that Andrew will be working with the teens and Darcie will be working with the preschool children.  All our children will be able to come to the site with us, after the ‘big kids’ are done their school work (Darcie will be home schooling).

Now that you know a bit about what, where and why we are headed to China, we need to ask you for your support. There are many ways you can support us while we prepare to leave and while we are in China.

Most importantly, we covet your prayers for our entire family. We have already felt the effects of spiritual attacks on each of us and we expect them to continue. Prayer is powerful. We know that God listens to those who come to Him. We need prayer for all things that come with moving – preparing our children for the move, saying goodbye to our foster children, saying goodbye to family and friends,  visa’s to get into China, the selling of our possessions, home schooling options, etc.    “Devote yourself to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ”   Colossians 4: 2-3  

We also ask you to prayerfully consider financially partnering with ICC’s ministry. We are going where God has called us. We are moving on faith.    “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said 'Here am I. Send me!' "   Isaiah 6:8

You can partner with us 3 ways: monthly, one-time, as well as yearly. No amount is too small (or too big). As ICC is a charitable organization, any donation ear-marked to the ‘volunteer service fund’ is eligible for a tax receipt.  

Please carefully read the following 2 paragraphs from ICC on how to financially partner with their ministry.  

“If you would like to make a donation, please make cheques payable to “International China Concern” or if you want to donate online go to www.chinaconcern.org/donate and make a note in the comment section that it’s for the “Volunteer Service Program”.  Due to Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) guidelines, our name should not be written on the cheque or anywhere online.  If sending a cheque please also send a separate note stating that you wish to support our specific trip to help ICC in China.  If donating online, please send an email to Canada@chinaconcern.org to alert that office of your donation and your wishes to support our trip. Donated funds will be used to cover expenses related to this mission trip.

Spending of funds is confined to approved programs and projects.  Each restricted contribution designated toward an approved program or project will be used as designated with the understanding that when the need for such a program or project has been met, or cannot be completed for any reason determined by the ICC Canada Board, the remaining restricted contributions designated for such program or project will be used where needed most.”

Address to send cheques: International China Concern (Canada)

                                        698 E. 64th Avenue

                                        Vancouver, BC     V5X 2N2

We appreciate any, and all, support you can offer for our family. Thanks, in advance, for your prayer and/or financial partnership with ICC and our family.

We invite you to keep in touch with us via:

our blog: www.inkpensjourneytochina.blogspot.com

email: Andrew: ajinkpen@gmail.com                 Darcie: momsmail13@gmail.com

Love, The Inkpen’s - Andrew, Darcie, Brendin, Jacquelyn, Andrea, Alysa      

Paperwork SUCKS!

So, I thought it was time for a short (?) update. Things have been progressing pretty smoothly, all things considered. There is a TON of paperwork that we are trying to get done. Most importantly, we are still working on getting our passports completed. We have the paperwork done and the pictures done. Now to get them all submitted. We finally got Andrea & Alysa's legal name certificates in the mail (they came on Valentines Day) so today I was able to go to the registries office to get their new birth certificates sent to us. That was a whole other bundle of paperwork. I really hate paperwork. I mean, REALLY hate paperwork! The new birth certificates should be here by Thursday (had to put a rush delivery on those), so hopefully on Friday we can take paperwork in for everyone's passports :) This has been a source of stress for me, so I cant wait for it to be done!!


We had a visit with our team leaders, Ruth & Mike, early this morning. Next time, I think we will get them to get up early and we will stay up later. They have been looking at places for us, but nothing spectacular has come up. They will have to put money down on the place to hold it, so likely they will not be securing a place for us before June. We would like to have a place secured so we can move straight in without needing to stay in a transition home. There have been many 3 bedroom places available, but no 4 bedroom places. Ideally, we will have a 4 bedroom place (one for me & Andrew, one for Brendin, one for Jacq and one for the twins), however, it is more realistic that we will get a 3 bedroom + a den home. Most likely Brendin would get the den as his room (my rationalization: he's a boy and doesn't need as much room). In any event, as long as we have a place to live, we're happy.


Another issue we have encountered is finding a Cross-Cultural Class to take. ICC has some guidelines as to how this looks, and there is nothing in Calgary that fits. There are courses in Toronto and Vancouver, but not here. Ruth & Mike said they are going to look into what can be done to accommodate us in this area. They are really willing to work with us.
 
I know some of you reading this home school, or are home schooled. If you have any advice or suggestions in this area, please let me know! This is going to be my next area of stress, I'm sure. We have been given a couple of suggestions, but would like personal input from my friends.


Our partnership letters are written and have been sent out! We are so thankful for the response we have already received (I will do another blog entry with the letter for those of you who did not get one in the mail). Our church has been standing behind us 100% and have given us lots of times to share our journey with the congregation. Again, we are so thankful for the opportunities they have given us to share. Our goal is to have 100 families partner with us for $1.00/day or $30/month or $365/year. This is all it takes to support us. See the next blog entry on how to partner with us - prayerfully and/or financially.


Prayer requests:

• that all paperwork for passports will get processed and returned by the end of March
• that we will get all VISA requirements completed - medicals, blood work, police checks etc - and sent off to Vancouver by the first week in April
• that the listing of our house will go smoothly - we are looking at listing it this week
• we have a 7yr old foster placement that isn't working out...we would like prayer that his foster care worker finds a new place for him sooner then later...having him here is not working for him or us or our children...we have given his caseworker a time limit of Feb 29 for him to be moved...but we would like to see him moved sooner then that...I am personally very stressed, please pray for me in regards to this
• we have a special FUNdraiser in the works for the end of April - please pray that it will be organized well and that we will be able to advertise for it very soon!

 Thanks again for your support!!
Until next time...

Time flies when you're...a mom to 6 kids

Hello my friends! Its been a while. Too long, really. I had all these plans to update y'all a couple weeks ago, and, well, life happened. With 6 kids (we have a new foster son, age 7) life gets a little hectic. Anyways, I'm here now and hopefully will give you a decent update on our journey.


We have made a decision about the house - it is getting listed! We have a trusted relator who feels we should put the house on the market mid-February. Yikes! That is only 2 weeks away! There is no way my house will be ready to be listed in 2 short weeks. We are looking for a possession date of July 1, 2012. I would really love to remain in this house until the end of the school year. I'm not sure I will budge on the possession date. I have started a mini online/Facebook garage sale of our 'not needed now' items. We have to sell everything. Nothing can really be moved with us. I have some things put in my parents basement, but not much. I cant believe we are going from a 2400 square foot home (including basement) full of 'stuff' to only keeping what will fit in a 10' x 4' corner of my parents basement. I must admit, it feels REALLY freeing to sell/give my things to others. I am feeling less stressed, the kids are actually playing with what toys I have not taken away and I feel happy! Me. The 'pack rat'. Happy to purge. Yay me!


This past month we have finalized our partnership list and our partnership letter. They should be in the mail by the end of the weekend (some have been hand delivered). We thought we had the letter finalized the other week. So, I had Andrew go and make 250-odd copies. We gave some out. Then we talked to the ICC office in Vancouver and they said we needed to make some wording changes - the content was fine, just a few words needed to be changed. Easy enough, true. But, the other letters were printed and stuffed in envelopes. Now I had to un-stuff all the envelopes, print more copies of the final final letter and re-stuff all the envelopes. I un-stuffed, Andrew re-stuffed. Now there are 200-odd envelopes ready with the proper letter just waiting for address labels and stamps. I guess I know what I'm doing this weekend.


This month also had me looking into renewing our passports. I am going away next week, so my passport has to wait until I return on Feb 13. The twins passports have to wait until I get the paper stating their new legal name so I can then get them new birth certificates with their names on it. So, 50% of us can get new passports. I wanted to be able to do them all at once, but I dont know how long it will take for the twins names to be legally changed. Oh well. Another lesson in patience.


We need the passports for  me & Andrew done quite quickly, but I know thats not going to happen now. We need to have everything together for our visa applications in place by April 1, 2012. We need to get all our paperwork to Vancouver by the first week or so in April. There are a few people from ICC in Vancouver going to Changsha mid-April. They will carry our documents into the country and hand deliver them to Ruth. Much safer then mailing them! We hope to enter the country on a work visa rather then a traveler's visa. 


We have continued with our Mandarin lessons. We have a basis of what is going on, but thats about all. I am sure when we are immersed in the language we will pick it up quickly. At least I'm hoping.


I think that is where we are right now. House for sale. New passports in the works. Letters ready to mailed (almost). Visa requirements getting checked off the list. Slowly, but surely, things are getting done. Yet, there is still a million things left to do.


Prayer requests as of today:

• Peace for us all in this stressful, exciting phase of preparation
• That those receiving letters will have an open heart and mind when reading them
• For Brendin & Jacquelyn - they are not too eager to move (I dont blame them). Peace for them. 
• Health for all our kids - Satan is attacking them with sickness to get me  & Andrew off track for preparing for this move - having to take care of sick/cranky kids keeps us away from getting China stuff done
• That we will remain united as a family and continue to what God is asking us

We will be having a phone call with our team leader (Ruth) in the next couple of days. If I receive any more information about our move I will be sure to update you all. I'm hoping she has had a chance to look at some apartments for us (and have pictures to show us).


Thanks, again, for support and for reading. Love you all!!