I had to add a short post here and say we are still praying. But have received an encouraging email from Grandma Bibiana. No, no real solutions, but just support and encouragement. And I do know a lot of you are praying, too. Thank you so much.
I did want to share a photo of Savanah and what she is like when we pray for meals. She is so sweet and so cute!! And when prayers are over, she throws her hands up in the air and gives her version of AMEN! At times she does jabber along when we pray, too. Priceless!
Our roads are improving tremendously. Not real pleased about carnival (Mardi Gras) being up here, but since the president said he would be driving up... they are making sure the roads are to his liking. Out of the bad, some good is coming.
I hope you are all centering your new year on something the Lord has shown you recently. With chaos all over the world, our inner beings need to be centered on the Lord and His words and His ways. I realize in many places chaos is a very mild word for what is happening. But God is still in control and has His hands on things. We are fast approaching the return of the Lord Jesus and that in itself should make us excited and happy. Trials and tribulations are in each of our lives, but the author and finisher of our faith is there to help us through them all. Here in Haiti we are leaning more and more on Him, His word, His strength and His love. I pray you are doing the same wherever you are!
Until next time, keep looking UP, He is coming soon. Nope, we don't know the date, time or season, but if we live like it's today or tomorrow, we'll be ready!!
Blessings!!
Today has been a day... and then some. First we got some good words about the adoptions here.... then we were given the bombshell. Now, I want to make it clear that I have NO physical proof of what I've been told. Not sure how to find out about this either. But I do know we need some prayers, big time.
One of the orphanages here, out in the country who have done adoptions for years, just got an email from the Haitian government. They said new rules are being applied. IF this is true, it is so far out of reality, I don't know what to think.
This is what we've been told:
There will be ONLY 250 adoptions to the United States a YEAR. The adoptive parents have no choice of gender or age. They cannot chose the child. The government will do that. And the child cannot be being cared for in a private home. They have to be in an "approved" orphanage. (No idea which ones are approved.) I have no idea if this applies to other countries and if it does if the restrictions are the same or not.
And like I said, I have no physical proof this is a reality.
IF it is, my heart is breaking. Not only for Savanah, which would be really bad. But for all these children who HAD a chance at a home, a family and family love. If this were true, do you know how many children will suffer? Orphanages have already stopped taking children in because there are so many, and they don't have room to care for the ones they have.
I don't know if this would apply to adoptions already in progress or not. It would not include us, since all we have is Savanah's abandonment papers. We haven't started into the system yet.
My heart is breaking totally. These poor children. Where is their hope now? PLEASE pray with us on this. Pray that it is not a real decision by this government. And if it is, then pray that someone with a heart and some compassion will look at what is happening and will take steps to rescind this whole thing.
Haiti has enough problems without taking a step like this. What will be their next step then? I hate to think of that.
I'm going to close and I am leaving this whole thing in the Lord's Hands. Please pray with us, pray for us, and especially PRAY FOR THE CHILDREN OF HAITI!!! I am also praying that I can very quickly write a note on here and say, "Praise the Lord, it is not true!" That is my desire.
I really have been trying to get some posting done... situations with "problems", and a lot of other things, including keeping up with a 15 month old, keeps my running. When she sleeps, I can get some things done, but naps are not that long now. I WILL find a solution to this, somehow.
We had a great service yesterday. A visiting pastor came and his message was so good. I praise God that He is sending some very good preachers our way with some very timely messages.
I've been down with a really bad cold. Savanah now has it, and Don is just starting to sound like he has it too. I am so thankful the Lord has been with us through all of these horrid trials and situations.
We now have a SECOND new generator. We are using the first one here at our place, and filling it with oil constantly. Don was VERY concerned that this second one may not handle the pump, for water. We have a small team staying at the dorm, and knew they had to have water. The first night they were here, Don went over to help get the generator hooked up. All his concerns about it went right down the drain with the ample supple of water. It works great and has some great features, too. Like push button start, so people like me can start it. No rope to pull, YEAH!! And it handles the pump and the whole dorm with no problem!! PRAISE THE LORD!!
As I was sitting here yesterday morning praying and trying to get the service set up for English church, (I lead for the month of January), I was also asking God to please take care of our problems, fix them, make them go away.... etc. I felt God speak to my heart. He said "I AM working on it. But you've been sharing on praying and how to turn loose of problems to me. A year and half ago you gave a visual demonstration on what to do." (Okay, I have shared that on here before, so just a quick update... I had our friend Ray help me in church. He had chains wrapped around him, with a lock on it. I said that when Jesus took the keys away from the devil, that unlocked the lock, for those who have accepted Christ. I used the new verse in the song, "Amazing Grace". The part of, "My chains are gone, I've been set free...." . Anyway, I said once that lock is gone, YOU have to release things, like hate, bitterness, un-forgiveness, hurt and any other things that hold you down. RELEASE them, and let the Lord take them and take care of them. And then your chains will be gone and you will be set totally free.) Now, back to what the Lord showed me yesterday. I had not been thinking on this at all, so I know it was from Him. The Lord said (to my heart), "you've prayed about all of this and keep coming to me with it. But you take it back with you again. You are NOT releasing it to me, you're just reminding me you have a problem with it. NOW, release it and let me work through it." I sat here looking around, sure that someone was speaking to me. THEN I broke down and did what He asked, I RELEASED ALL THESE SITUATIONS TO HIM TO TAKE CARE OF!! I felt so light, so good, so energized then. I worked through that service agenda so quickly. And God led me to have our prayer and praise time a bit different. Yes we did ask for praises and prayers, but I didn't simply turn it over to have someone pray right then. I challenged the whole congregation. I said I know there are other prayer needs that weren't shared. I know you have more praises to offer, but for some reason you hold both of these back. Okay, that is NOT a problem. I'm going to have Belle pray now, BUT.... I want each of you to offer up to the Lord what you did not share here. You can do it in your heart. THEN when Belle is finished, I challenge each and every one of you to go home and this week pray... ask God to answer all those prayers that EVERYONE prayed. Those heard and those NOT heard by us. We don't need to hear them, God knows what they are, but we, as a congregation, CAN left them up before Him, and ask His mercy and care on each and every prayer/praise offered up. I got a few... "looks", but mostly I saw people nodding and saying yes, they can do that. We are to pray for each other earnestly, and constantly. God hears and answers. In His time and in His way, but HE DOES ANSWER! And following that we had a great sermon on being a TRUE DISCIPLE. He took it from Luke 14, verses 25 and following. It was such a good message. Some day I want to write out the notes I took on it.
Well, on to other things. Sorry I got carried away there. This morning I went in and had the visiting dentist work on my teeth. One he filled, another I have to wait till I get stateside to have done. But it's so good to have even the minor work done!! Really thankful for teams that come to work and help out!
Now that Don has pretty much caught up on "issues" we've been having, he has to spend a couple of days doing much needed maintenance on vehicles. He is having a good friend in town sell a generator he got a few years ago. This will cover the cost of new tires for the truck. (I'm not sure which truck, though.) Both need them. Don is becoming very proficient in the bartering market now.
We have a lot of activity in town and all the way out here now. Mardi Gras is coming up in two weeks and Haiti's president has declared it will be held here in Cap Haitian this year. (The MAIN celebration anyway... it will be wild all over the country). But he is driving from Port au Prince up here, so our roads are being fixed. That is something of a shock, but great, too. We aren't pleased to have the big event here though. We'll be staying in the house for the three days leading up to it. No one wants to get into that mess. It turns in to chaos most of the time.
We went to town again, when a good friend came in on a team. Took her and another missionary gal out to lunch and to do some grocery shopping for them and for us. Had a great time. You can see how restaurants decorate for Mardi Gras in this photo.
Had Abbie for a week while Vero went to the states. Her and Savanah get along so well. Savanah simply adores Abbie. And Abbie loves to play with her. They think the bath tub is a swimming pool and I get the floor washed every time they are in the tub.
My brother and sister-in-law sent us a couple of boxes. These were dresses that were given to them by a lady near them, who had received them from some women in the north. (We're talking snow birds here). They made these great dresses on the idea of the pillow case dresses. But they went WAY beyond those simple designs. Abbie fell in love with a couple of them. So she has one she can wear now. These women did a FANTASTIC job on these and we know a lot of orphans who will benefit from them. Again, we praise God for people who have hearts for those in need.
I'd better close and get this posted or I'll be cut off. Thanks for your patience and for checking up on us. I will really try to do better posting. Our love and prayers go out for all of you, in whatever situation you find yourself. We're praying and God knows your needs. Blessings to all.... till next time!
I just realized it's well into the New Year and I haven't posted for almost a month. Wow, time sure flies. (Note I did not add when you're having fun.) But more on that later.
We did enjoy our Christmas with our friends and with Abbie and Vero, too. It's been a whirlwind of activities here for so long it's hard to work it down to one letter or post. New Year's for us was rather dull. Don and Savanah went to bed early, and I sat up and read. Heard all the commotion outside at midnight though. They sure do love to celebrate something fun here. I even heard the New York countdown to the ball dropping via someone's TV or Radio here, not sure which.
Then on New Year's day, a friend brought us a pot of pumpkin soup...oh that was SOOOO good. I've been asked several times for the recipe for it, but have not been able to pin anyone down to a "real" recipe for it. Everyone makes it different, and we have had a LOT of pumpkin soups. We have been blessed to have had it every New Year's Day since we came, so that's 29 times. But then on special occasions we have also had it. And I don't think we've had it the same way more than once or twice. I'm not a fan of pumpkin (pie or otherwise), but I'm so glad no one told me what it was until I had it. I really do like it. So, this year we did have our pot of pumpkin soup on the stove all day, for anyone who came to visit. It's a neat tradition.
We have had some frustrating times....well, continue to have them from way back in November. But through the scripture, I've been able to get a handle on things and am finally able to simply "praise God in ALL situations". "This too shall pass" has become my mainstay. Plumbing, electrical, kiddos, and DOGS... I don't think I have shared that last one with you. When either city or radio station power goes off, Don has to go out to the pole (where our electric is hooked up) and change it from one to the other. Then he has to go to the dorm and do that same thing. Now, this has happened two times (and prayerfully not again). Don entered the dorm, left the door open a crack, went into the mens dorm and turned the switch. Came out, locked the dorm and came back here. The first time, it was well into the second day when one of our "beggars" came and told him there was a dog barking in the dorm. You got it, he locked him in, without knowing he was there. The dog did wet all over the floor, but thankfully only the floor, and only wet, nothing else. BUT in trying to get out, he tore down curtains and rods in both the bedroom, living room and dining room. And I mean TORE them down. Can't use the rods anymore, totally ruined, curtains ripped up pretty bad, too. Okay, so replaced them all. The second time it was only about 8 hours...but the dog did the same amount of damage, and left one "pile" on the floor. Again, nothing on furniture or bed, thankfully, but still a mess. And again, ruined the curtains in several windows. We keep the door to the women's side closed, so wind/dirt doesn't blow through the whole dorm, so that room was not touched at all. And surprisingly the kitchen and storage room was not touched. (maybe because there aren't any windows the dog could reach). But I think Don has figured out to CLOSE the main door when he goes in now. And since we've run out of curtains and rods, I do believe he will remember. I used curtains from the house to put up over there, so he sees the evidence each day. Just more of the fun times we have had here lately.
Savanah was sick and the poor kiddo didn't know what was wrong. She had a high fever, which we got down quickly to a low fever. Coughing, runny nose, and not eating. The last part is where we knew how sick she was. She LOVES to eat. All she wanted was for me to hold her and rock her. Day and night. She made it over that hurdle, the sick part anyway. Now she wants me to hold her or be with her all the time. We did take her to the airport one day with us, because a good friend was coming in that wanted to see her. She doesn't like crowds...and the Cap airport is always crowded. Got home from there and she slept a LONG time. But now more than ever wants me to be right with her. We are working on overcoming that too, now.
Been trying to get a lot of work done, but it's hard when I have to be in with the babe so much. I cram things into the times she naps. And those are growing shorter as she gets a little older.
Don's been trying to get a lot accomplished here too, but things just keep slowing us down. Each drawback we've had (water, septic, electric) not only means he has to repair them, but as is usual here, when one thing goes, something you need to fix it goes, too. And people are waiting for water, which has been one of our major problems here. But Praise God, Don is finally getting a handle on things and we are starting to level out some.
We have had some rains, but not heavy, thankfully. But our temps have dropped here a lot. I know 65 degrees isn't cold for most of you, but here it's like below zero is in Wisconsin. The damp and cold have been hard on everyone. Keep that in prayer. I don't even have anything warm to put on Savanah, and Abbie is with us for a week now, and she hasn't got anything warm either. So, we wrap up in blankets.
We did take a few hours one day and took Savanah and Abbie out to La Kay to eat. Abbie loves going there for cheeseburgers and fries. but MORE for ice cream. I took a picture there and then Abbie wanted to take one too, so we let her. All was fun until the waitress came and said, "Sorry, no ice cream." You would have thought Abbie's best friend had died, the way she looked. But we stopped at the food store on the way home and they had some ice cream, so she got a big cup full and shared it with Savanah.
Well, since baby's nap time is over, I'd best close and go and get her. She is a good baby. She lets us know she's awake, then sits down and plays in her bed till we come and get her.
We had a great service on Sunday. Pastor Saint Ange spoke and it was a very timely message for all of us. We praise God that we have some great preachers here who are willing to come and share with us. Our service has about 65% to 70% Haitians now, and it's great. They come to learn English, and talk with Americans, but they are hearing God's word every time. A few are Christians, but we have many who aren't. They just want to hear and practice English. God is using that a lot now. Keep that in prayer, too.
Okay, now on to work and the kiddo. I pray you all are having a blessed New Year and that the Lord is working in and through you to reach others for Him this year!! Blessings to all!!
