How did this happen?

I just got back from a 10 day trip to China for Free Wheelchair Mission.  This trip wasn't nearly as eventful as my first trip to China back in 2010, but still a learning and growing experience for me.  It was pretty much purely a business trip.  At Free Wheelchair Mission, we manufacture all of our wheelchairs and their parts in China.  I manage the manufacturing of our chairs, so trips to China will likely be fairly regular. 

I knew what to expect during this trip, as I'd been to our factories before, but still, as I sat around the table, waiting for the Chinese words to be translated into English I would catch myself in a sort of confused state.  I couldn't help by think to myself, "What am I doing here? How did this happen?"  Seriously, I am so not qualified to have this job.  I am just a 29 year old Mormon girl from Southern California with a degree in American Studies.  How is it the I am sitting around a table in China talking about product development and quality control?  I don't really have the answers, but what I can say that it does come down to hard work, and the fact that I know this was God's plan for me.  The fact that I am in this position today wasn't an accident, and although I am not exactly qualified, I've worked hard to learn what I can to do my job to the best of my ability, and I literally have to leave the rest to the Lord.  I have felt time and time again throughout my six and half years at Free Wheelchair Mission that the only reason I am here is because it is Heavenly Father's plan for me.  I just feel so blessed to have these opportunities, and sometimes I do start to take them for granted, because after all, it is a job and I do have bad days, even though my work is rewarding, feeling unqualified to do the work you're doing can start to become very discouraging, and that's when I am so thankful for my faith in God's plan for me.  He is always there to pick me up and allow me to grow.   

The trip was busy 10 days, 5 flights, 4 hotels.

We started with our factories near Shanghai -

This is Ivy, she works at one of our factories and I just love her!

Then we moved onto Beijing - there we met with the China Foundation for Disabled Persons to help set up our network to reach all 31 provinces in China bring wheelchairs to the poorest of the poor.  We didn't actually distribute wheelchairs, just had a planning meeting.  We did end up with an extra day in Beijing, which of course allowed for some site seeing.

During our meeting with the Disabled Persons Foundation we were presented with gifts, very typical in Chinese culture

Visit to the Forbidden City

Free Wheelchair Mission's President and Founder Don and me on the Great Wall

At the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, I think standing on this stone means I'm going to Heaven ;)

At the Great Wall - seriously, I never thought I'd see this place.

Temple of Heaven

Summer Palace in Beijing

Mmmm street Food



I don't even know what's going on here, this statue had me laughing for a good 5 minutes.



Summer Palace

Beijing was a neat experience.  But we had to move on.  We flew to a city called Xiamen, to meet with a supplier for the tires for our wheelchairs.  Good meetings and more Chinese food.   We had half a day to see some of the areas around Xiamen including a trip to Piano Island.

In the end I was so happy to come home.  I really do love the United States, there's no better place to come home to.  Plus I was so tired of the Chinese Food.  Most of my meals looked like this...

Tasty food, but seriously after 10 days it all started to taste the same and I just wanted some pizza. 

I'm not sure what adventures await me next, but this journey of life sure has turned out different than I think I would have ever imagined, and I am thankful for every minute.