Once Upon A Prayer: March 2013

Well hello fellow Team Lily prayer warriors and supporters!!!

This is Emily Wittig, a friend of our dear Emily and Jacques Rancourt. I am pleased to be writing on their "Once Upon A Prayer" blog...a blog that Emily started almost 2 years ago with this convicting verse..."Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act." (Proverbs 24:12)

As Emily and Jacques learned of the very bleak fate of special needs Chinese orphans, they knew what they had to do. With heart and soul, and as God as their pilot, they began their adoption journey.
We have been so blessed to have been allowed on this journey through posts and pictures...yes, we have laughed, cried, and our days have been filled with hope and many, many prayers.

In May 2012, we know that God placed Mackenzie Ty and Lily Grace in the arms of Jacques and Emily. These precious, yet very sick little girls, would finally have family and home...a home full of love, wackiness, and one of serving the Lord.

As we have witnessed God's love and blessings for this family, we have been quick to realize that the journey is not over...it is one filled with many joys and many challenges, especially medical ones.
Most of you know that Lily Grace has been in the hospital with extended stays involving many complicated heart procedures and related issues. Her last stay spanned over 2 months and our prayers sometimes turned into pleas. Our God answered with, "Yes, Lily has more living to do."

Out of our love and support of Lily and family, and her love of a yellow bow, the LilyStrong bow and motto was "birthed" from our own JT Smith (Manassas Baptist Church goer)! We all loved it and were so ready to display it...our Facebook profile pics became a sea of bows...bows that stood for great love, hope, and strength!!

In continuing with this theme of love and support for Lily Grace and the Rancourt family, we now have shirts. Yes folks, WE FINALLY HAVE SHIRTS!! These LilyStrong shirts will be worn by many folks near and far!! The profits from the sale of these shirts will be donated through the Morning Star Foundation for Lily's mounting medical costs.

I have teamed up with "xPress It!", a family owned company that is also a part of our church body that care deeply for the Rancourts. They have been so kind to give us the best prices so more monies can be donated.

You will need to contact me at EJWittig@aol.com to ask questions or place your order. In your e-mail, please supply me with your address and preferred method of payment when you are ready to order. I will need those zip codes to calculate shipping. Locals can pay cash or checks. Out-of-towners can pay with checks and will have a Paypal option with added fees (to cover the paypal charge).

This is a preorder and once you have ordered and paid, your shirt will be made. We already have spotted LilyStrong shirt wearers and it's exciting,y'all!! We are called to serve and I think this is a fabulous way of doing so.

Listed below are the sizes, colors, and costs for our Lily Strong shirts:

All styles come in the colors of Coral Silk, Charcoal, and White.

There is an added color for Youth..."Lily's Choice" Green!!

Adult S-XL ($18.00) 2X,3X ($20.00)

Lady S-XL ($18.00) 2X,3X ($20.00)
The lady style is more of a feminine one

in the neck and sleeve and is more tapered.

Youth XS(3/4), S(6,8) M(10/12) L(14/16)

All youth sixes are $12.00

I look forward to hearing from you and request that you Facebook me and Emily Rancourt a picture of you, your family, or group wearing your shirts. I will include it in our LilyStrong Album.

Again, my contact e-mail me is: EJWittig@aol.com

WE ARE LILY STRONG!!!

Four years ago today, a little girl was born in China.

This little girl had two things going against her from day one.

First, she was born a girl.

Second, she was sick.

Her birth mother bundled this precious little girl up in a yellow baby outfit, and wrapped her in a light colored blanket/quilt. She had no choice but to leave her newborn baby girl on a bench in the emergency treatment center of a hospital in Shanghai, China. On the bench next to her baby she left a bottle, formula, two sets of cotton padded clothes, and two sweatshirts. Perhaps the most precious gift she could have left for Jacques and I was this note:

English Translation:

This is a girl born on February 8, 2009 (Lunar calendar) at 7 am. Because our family is poor and cannot afford to seek medical treatment, I have no choice but to leave her here. Someone with a good heart please take care of her, my family and I will be extremely grateful. Because her illness may threaten her life, please do not delay. From, A Helpless Person

Today, as we celebrate Mackenzie's fourth year of life, Jacques and I are well aware that a woman in China will be wondering if her baby girl is still alive, and if someone with a good heart is taking care of her. My prayer today is that God will whisper into this woman's ear that not only is her little girl alive, but that she is absolutely thriving, treasured, and loved beyond what words can adequately express.

After languishing in the Shanghai orphanage for three years and two months, I remember that sinking feeling I felt the moment Mackenzie's 18 lbs of skin and bones were placed in my arms on May 7th, 2012. Her eyes were vacant of emotion, and her body was rigid from the unfamiliarity of a mother's touch. I kept wondering...could we ever break through to this little girl?