Into April now

Greetings,

I thought it was time to do a bit of catch up.  We’ve been busy, and yet it doesn’t seem like we’ve done a lot.  I think most of you can relate to that.  

The adoption is…. Well, still in the wait and hold pattern.  If we were in a plane and in the holding pattern, we’d be very dizzy from this circle of “non-events”.  Yes, IBESR (Haitian social services) has approved the adoption (which we THOUGHT was what we were waiting on).  Then they sent a paper to the adoptive parents to sign a paper saying that they (adoptive family) approve of the approval.  My first thought was WHAT??? They have waited 4½ YEARS to get Savanah, and IBESR wants to know if they approve the adoption process?  So, now that the approval from the adoptive parents has been sent, we are again in the holding pattern.  Yes, we need prayers…not for us, we have learned that we will simply be “holding on” at this point.  But for those in charge to finally sign what needs to be signed and get this over with.  For the Lord to move on hearts and minds in the offices where this whole thing is sitting.  All Savanah talks about is going “home” to mommy and daddy and her sisters.  She keeps asking if mommy will be on the next plane to come and get her.  So, prayers would be greatly appreciated.

Since going to the airport for MFI and going to church are the only times I leave the house, I really look forward to those “out” times.  The last two weeks MFI had flights for 3 days each week.  For some it was a bit of a trial, but not for me.  I totally enjoyed being out and about.  And at both, the airport and church I am with some really great people.  We have had some awesome preaching, too.  Easter Sunday was an exceptional message.  God has blessed us so much with guest speakers and local talent in that area.  Both American and Haitian pastors.  And this last Sunday was a blessing for us.  We have a team staying at the dorm right now.  Have a pastor, his worship leader and some of the congregation for their church.  The worship leader and his group have recently cut an album.  So the whole service was turned over to them and it was so very special!!  

I really praise the Lord for MFI and all the work they do not only for us, personally, but for the whole mission community.  Their motto is “Standing In The Gap” for missions.  And they do that, but SO MUCH more for everyone.  Please keep them in prayer as they keep growing and serving more and more missions and missionaries.  It’s not a group mentality, it’s a personal thing.  They work toward serving individual people.  That is the huge difference in our eyes.  Because they care, we are blessed. 

The team we have here now leaves today and the next one arrives.  But this team of young adults has been a blessing to us.  We so appreciate the blessing and fellowship they bring.  They have real hearts for the people and love to serve the Lord in whatever way He directs.  Hearing their experiences is always eye opening.  We get to see Haiti from their perspective.  What a blessing.

As we walk in the path the Lord has set us on, we praise Him for being here for us and with us in all circumstances.  Each day is a new experience in what He is teaching us and where He is leading.  It is awesome to see how He steps in and answers prayers for us.  I treasure the time spent in prayer with others and the time alone with the Lord.  It is such a rejuvenation of spirit to simply lean on and depend on Him.  We serve an AWESOME and GREAT God who loves, comforts, upholds, cares, heals and sustains us.  My prayer is that you are in that place that you can and will know the Lord in that same way.  That when things occur, your main source of help is the Lord Jesus Christ. That your praises are heading up to the One and Only One who is there for you ALL THE TIME!!

For now, I’ll close and ask that you keep us, Savanah, her adoptive family, Vero, Abby and all of Haiti in your prayers.  Those prayers are what is keeping us moving and serving for Him.

Slowing Down?

I have come to a conclusion... there is NO way to slow down or to cut back on things.  Well, that MAY change when Savanah finally gets to go home to Canada, but that isn't happening yet.  

We had been told her adoption would be completed in January... then in January were told it had to go to two more places, now we wait, yet again.  I just sent another letter to the lawyer here asking for a progress report...but I think that is another "wait" item for us. 

When I left to go to my brother's memorial, we had a team here.  They were great.  The gals did a lot of work with the orphans at IDADEE.  Sharing the Love of the Lord with kids is so important.  And they evidently did a great job.  And the fellows worked at our compound laying blocks for the addition to Vero and Abbie's house.  They also did a fantastic job.  I know Vero and Abbie were so pleased to see this becoming a reality.  Now we need to pray the completion into existence.  

 When I returned to Haiti, Dr. Bibiana (Savanah's new grandma) and another gal were staying with us.  She found out that the 7th baby we had, Lucas, was coming with his parents to visit us.  I took Lucas to Argentina when he was six months old.  Tomorrow (Feb. 28, Don's birthday) Lucas will be 18.  So, it has been 17½ years since we have seen him.  I was able to be at the airport when they got off the plane.  What a blessing for us to see the whole family again.  Here I am with Lucas.

 This is Lucas with his mom, Nanci, and his dad, Marcelo.

 The day the the Peréz family left was sort of sad for us.  We do pray we will be able to see them again.  We are so proud of Lucas.  He is in university to become a physical education teacher.  He is also the drummer in their praise team at church.  He was able to meet his birth father and his sister while here.  His mother's sister was at the meeting also.  It was a joy for all of them to see Lucas.

 When we finally had a free day, and the girls were both home from school by noon, we took a trip into town with Vero, the girls, Don and I.  It was a trip in for several reasons.

 We went to the restaurant for hamburgers (we were celebrating Don's birthday).  But in the restaurant, was this "motorcycle".  This was made by a Haiti man.  It is about 18" high.  Fantastic workmanship.  And yes, you do see at least 4 people on motorcycles, many times more!

 Then we made a stop at the new ice cream shop.  Both Don and I agreed that it tasted more like frozen milk then ice cream, but the girls loved it just because it was ice cream.

One evening we watched the movie "War Room".  If you haven't seen it, find it and watch it. It moved me so much, and I now have a type of "war room" in my computer room.  The Lord had been moving me more and more toward the importance of prayer.  That was why we originally started our intercessory prayer group.  Then this movie showed me that it's essential to have that intense time of prayer with the Lord by myself, also.  And we've been seeing answers to prayers from the start.  God is SO VERY AWESOME, isn't He?  He's just waiting for us to come to Him, sincerely pouring out our praises and desires and letting Him take over for us.

English church has been such a blessing for us.  The messages have been so uplifting.  But one Sunday we found out our speaker, Pastor Jerome, had been called to the hospital because of his mother-in-law.  I was leading, and had been talking about prayer.  That day I shared a bit about the movie "War Room", and was encouraging others to step into that place of prayer. The Lord used that for the service without a pastor.  We had songs, group prayer, and then broke up into smaller groups for prayer.  That was really awesome.  So many really enjoyed it, since they were not hesitant about sharing with a smaller group.  And so many prayers were lifted up that day.  And we know the Lord heard and is answering.

Well, that is my catch-up for today.  Please keep praying for Savanah to be able to go home to her family in Canada.  And pray that the Lord will continue to use us in any way He chooses here in Haiti.  It's a little scary to know that He may lead us in yet another direction, but who knows, maybe not.  We may just keep on keeping on where He has us right now, with those He has sent to us.  Yet, we are open if He decides to use us in a different way, also.  I guess we'll just wait on Him and follow where He leads.  

We pray you are at that place also where you are open to where and how the Lord wants to use you for His kingdom.  You know YOUR mission field could be right outside your door, or at work, or even at church, or wherever you are.  Missionaries are not those who head to different countries....they are people who answer God's call wherever they are!!!  

Thank you for being there for us and with us on the mission the Lord sent us to.  Have a super great and awesome day with the Lord!!!

Remembering

Greetings from chilly, no, cold Florida.  I arrived in Florida a week ago to help to my sister-in-law (Bev) in any way possible get ready for my brother Bob’s memorial.  I had left Don behind with Savanah and a team.  Thank goodness Vero was there to help him with the team and also with Savanah.  He also had 2 former missionaries and their daughter come in the day the team left.  And that was a real blessing for us.  But I sure did miss getting to spend time with them.  Bud offered to help Don with our Toyota.  Don was having problems with the starter and with the frame rusting through.  From this point I don’t know what was all accomplished, but I do know that they were a huge blessing for Don.  The team had been another blessing, too.  They did a lot of work getting the walls up for the addition to Vero’s house and the women helped out at the IDADEE orphanage.  And they were great…and willing to do whatever was needed.

I am now spending the last two days with Bev before heading back to Haiti.  The memorial was awesome in so many ways.  Oh we worried about things before hand, but the Lord had it all in HIS hands and it went great.  Bev had gotten quite a few calls where people were not going to be able to attend.  We thought we’d have maybe 50 or so there.  We had made a lot of food, and some others offered things, also.  Sunday, after church, I had headed back to the house to get some things to the club house here at the SKP park where the lunch was being held.  I walked back into the church when the memorial service was to soon begin and was totally shocked.  The church was packed.  The service was really great and wonderfully done with the help of Bob’s children and grandchildren doing a major part in it.  Then we rushed to finish setting up at the club house.  I was really totally shocked when well over 100 people showed up to honor Bob.  His family had done an awesome job with the fellowship time and meal.  One granddaughter did a video presentation with songs Bob loved in the background.  Others sorted and helped display photos of Bob’s life.  And many memorial items were also on display.  

I think the part that really touched me deeply was when Bob’s grandson, Lance, asked if he could do the prayer before the meal….  He turned on his computer, and it was Bob saying the grace.  Lance had recorded him praying at a family gathering quite a while before.  I immediately started crying when I heard Bob’s voice.  But it was such a touching start to a really great time of remembrances of Bob and what he had done and what he was like.  After the meal they had a time of sharing.  Anyone who wanted to share their memories of Bob were welcome to come forward, use the mike and share.

Bob had worked as an air traffic controller and progressed higher in that job. He also taught and participated in many scuba diving events.  He and Bev (after retirement) became full time RV travelers, and then became permanent residents of the SKP park.  And he was a elder in his church.  He was involved in many organizations all over the country.  The people present were a sample of each of those things he was involved in. 

Here are a few photos of that afternoon.... the first two are of the display boards and just a bit of the memorabilia shared.  

These next two are some of the many people who were present....the second one shows many watching the continuous video being played.  And the one after it, was the screen it was being played on.

 This is Lance who was responsible for a lot of the "technical things".

 

 Here are two of his children, Jeff and Dawn...  I'm the last one on the right.

We were also blessed to see many we hadn’t seen in YEARS, and to meet and greet new friends that had loved and shared times with Bob.  It was so wonderful to hear people share things we hadn’t know about, things for all of the family to treasure.  Although Bob has been in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ for 3 months now, his life and those who’s lives he touched was a wonderful way for those present to rejoice with us in his life.  Bob is missed by so many, but his memory will hold a place in many, many hearts for a LONG time to come.  

We do rejoice that he is with the Lord and not in pain anymore.  He is not only walking on the streets of gold in heaven, he is dancing and praising the Lord he loved to share with others.

Thank you all so much for the last months of prayers and praises for the hard situation Bob and Bev went through.  We know the Lord heard and He answered those prayers the way He felt was best. 

May your life be filled with the Love and Joy the Lord has to offer, even in the hardest of times and the roughest of situations.  He IS there for you, as He was with us through this time.  God’s love and comfort never leave us, even if we don’t see or feel it for a time.