So many blessings!!!

Wow! The countdown has begun to our take off day! The end of this journey is drawing to a close and the beginning of the next waits on the horizon!

Our adoption process started when our daughter, Ellie, began praying for a sister. Shari and I laughed it off, but God had other plans. He began making His plan known to Shari and put it on her heart that she had a daughter in China. I had never been to China, so I was quite surprised by the news.  After praying for 3 months, God moved in my heart and I Shari a map of China for Christmas in 2006 and our journey began.

Now, 3 years later, we are on the verge of traveling to the other side of the world to welcome 7 year old Sophia Rose Xueqin into the Bentzel family. God has been so faithful to us through this process. It has been a challenging road, but it has produced endurance, character and then hope. Through it all God continues to pour out His grace and love on us giving us ever increasing hope through Jesus Christ.

The end of this journey is fast approaching and the beginning of the next one is on the horizon. So we ask for your continuing prayers.

Here are some of the specific ways you can pray for us:
1. God would be glorified above all else.
2. Safety in our travel to, within, and home from China
3. The heart of our daughter, Xueqin (Sophie), would be turned to us and we would have a very quick bonding
4. Good health during the trip
5. Our witness to those around us
6. Our finances

Here are just a few of the ways God has shown His faithfulness during the adoption process:
1. He changed our hearts from desiring an infant to desiring an older child
2. He allowed us to ‘hand pick’ our daughter in China
3. By God’s grace, we made close to $3000 in our adoption yard sale, but what was even more amazing was the love expressed to us through donations and efforts to serve us during that weekend
4. A donation of $1500+ towards our airfare
5. The hearts of Bethany Christian Services, our agency, were softened to allow us to stay at the Marriott in Beijing saving us well over $1000
6. A dear friend purchased a battery extender ( 2 hours to 11 hours) for our computer and bought Sophie Chinese Strawberry Shortcake DVD's so she could watch them on our 16 hour plane ride home!
7. Another friend sold candy for us at her workplace and sent us a check for $600!

The expenses just in the trip to China will exceed $18,000. To help offset some of this expense we are having a fund raising event at the Frederick Chick-Fil-A on Thursday, August 19th from 4-8pm. Just mention “Spirit Night” and a percentage of the proceeds will be donated for our adoption needs.
http://www.chick-fil-a.com/riverviewplaza

If you would like to assist financially and cannot attend the fundraiser, please feel free to send your donation to our home address:
7010 Springdale Lane
Middletown, MD 21769

All donations will be applied directly to the in-country expenses.

Your prayers and your support have indeed made a difference. We have truly been blessed through this entire process. It is not an exaggeration to state that it has changed our lives and you all are big part of it!

God Bless … Todd & Shari Bentzel