Packing to leave on May 5

The last two weeks have been very busy getting everything in shape to leave home for two weeks. It's the end of the month for orphan reports to be caught up from Chinese workers so the workload for Paige and me have been very heavy. Ron's work never ends and he never seems to catch up. I do feel at times that my desk is in pretty good shape but every good secretary knows there are plenty of things to do during a slow time.

Our bags are 3/4 packed to leave early Tuesday morning for the airport. We will take Delta non-stop to Shanghai (about 15 hours in flight). We will have one night at a hotel in Shanghai before flying to Changde. This is the city where the August cleft palate medical mission will take place. Judy Yang, our employee from the U.S., is in China and will meet us in Changde to finalize the plans with the hospital for the medical mission. From there, our trip has been scheduled by Judy, but I'm not sure which stop is next. It will be a full two weeks of traveling and meetings with various hospital and governmental officials. We have at least five or six major stops before we arrive back in Shanghai to return to Atlanta.

We plan to go to Zigong where the first of three Jackson Family Foundation orphanages is under construction. It is very difficult to get there no matter how you travel, whether by plane or train. Ron will review the construction plans and go over every detail with the construction superintendent to be sure they know what we want.

Our cameras seem to disappear or someone is always using them. I bought one for myself this time because workers do not always take the pictures I would like to have. I'm reluctant to ask them to keep taking pictures when they are busy talking with Ron. This time, I will be taking pictures and I hope to post some each night to this blog.

Ron plans well and is a very time-oriented person. I'm sure we will be able to accomplish all of the things he has planned. Ordinarily, this many things would take about a month but we will cram them into two weeks so we can get back home. We will not have any spare time. We hope to be ready to leave China on May 19, the Lord willing.

Please remember us in your prayers.