Tuttle & Bernie Go to Newark (And Why We Tell Stories)

I'm coming home! For like, two seconds. Here's the really cool story.

At the World Race, we're all about great stories –

both living them and sharing them to inspire others.

 

 

When we recently told the story of Zi Ping and how a World Racer helped him find his forever family, thousands of you responded. You shared it, liked it, and sent encouraging words for the Edwards family to read. We were blown away by your response, and we want to include you as his story unfolds. God has truly done something special here, and it deserves to be celebrated.

 

In case you missed it, Jenn Watson, of the September 2011 Z Squad, left on the Race praying that God would use her to change someone's life. She had no idea that life would become part of her own family. 

 

While working in China at an orphanage for children with special needs, Jenn fell in love with a little boy named Zi Ping. She felt like he would fit perfectly in her family, and she decided to take a risk and try to make it happen. Jenn asked her sister Katie and her brother-in-law Josh if they would be willing to adopt Zi. They immediately agreed, and they've dedicated the last year to bringing him home.

 

God opened every door throughout the complicated international adoption process, including providing more than $30,000 in one day to fund Zi's whole adoption. Finally, on January 16th, Josh and Katie boarded a plane to China to go get their son.

 

(Here's the full story, which you should read if you haven't. We promise it's worth it.)

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And here's our favorite part of the story – Zi Ping officially has a mom and dad!



 

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God is writing amazing stories all around us, and we're all invited to share in them.

We have a team of storytellers here at Adventures in Missions who believe in the power of stories to move people to action — to move them to hope. They read our missionaries' blogs, they talk to Racers on the field, and they find great stories of how God is moving at home and around the world. They've dedicated this season of their lives to honoring Jesus by living and telling great stories like Zi Ping's.

Zi Ping and his new parents are landing in Newark on Thursday, and we're sending two of our storytellers – Emily Tuttle and Stephanie Bernotas (that's me!) – to be there when they step off the plane. They'll be filming the family's arrival and telling the next chapter in this amazing story. 





Tuttle and Bernie (as we're affectionately known around the office) will be live Tweeting, Facebooking, and Instagramming their road trip from Georgia to New Jersey. They'll be posting pictures from the road, videos, updates on Zi and his family, and ways you can get involved to help make more stories like this happen.

 

Starting this Tuesday morning, join Zi's journey home by checking our Facebook page and following along on Twitter and Instagram (#11n11 and #bringzihome). Make sure you're subscribed to this blog to get updates about Zi and his family.



#bringzihome