family affair

Haiti is funny in that time passes fast and slow at the same time. I've never experienced that before I got here. Today I found myself looking at the calendar [yes, I made a community calendar as planned] and thinking, "It's already October??!!" And then, no kidding, 10 minutes later I looked at the same calendar and thought, "It's just October??!!" It's strange, really. But what about this place isn't just a tad bit off...haha.

This week I have been so blessed to meet and become friends with 2 and a half couples who are looking into adoptions [Shannon, next time bring your husband too!]. One couple, Jon & Glori, have already begun their adoption process. They are currently a family of 5 [with 3 girls] and will soon become a family of 7 [with 3 girls and 2 boys!] They are adopting twins, James & John, who are the two most hilarious and personable boys I've ever met.

Jon, Glori, James, & John

Well, it just so happens that James & John's mom [who is 16 and living in a tent camp with her mom] has another son, Jonathan. He is around a year old, and just as cute and fat as he wants to be! He quickly stole the hearts of the second couple, Chad & Shannon [who are currently a family of 5 with 3 girls also]. Jonathan's mother was overjoyed to find a family for Jonathan who will be living in the same home town and is friends with the family adopting James & John. But Jonathan's dad has not completely agreed yet, although it is looking like he may. Please pray for his dad to make the right decision for his baby, whatever that decision may be. Also pray for patience and strength for Chad & Shannon as they await the decision of his father.

Chad, Shannon, and Jonathan

When we went to the tent camp for Chad & Shannon to meet Jonathan, we also saw James & John's aunt, Denisea, who is 6 years old [yes, I said aunt]. We had seen her there before and every time we go she begs Wilna to let her leave with us. Her mother has agreed that it would be best for her to live at the Children's Home and be put up for adoption. After a few tears and a tight grip on Wilna, she agreed to let her come home with us for the weekend [to see how she would do away from her family]. She literally sprinted through the tent camp [no shoes and pants halfway down her butt] to change clothes and get her shoes so she could leave. I'm telling you, this little girl lights up a room like I have never seen before. She is street smart though, and has learned the ways of survival in a tent camp. It will take some time before she is adjusted to the structure of the Children's Home.

Denisea before we brought her home

She LOVED the bathtub [they bathe in the ditch with rainwater in the tent camps] and after some serious grease, shea butter, combing, and braiding, this is how her hair looked:

I don't wanna brag, but I did this, and it was my 1st attempt at braiding Haitian hair. :)

 And this is what she looked like today:

looks like a different kid!

Anyway... these 4 kids have been staying with us all weekend, so it has been a family affair! So much fun! After this week, I can honestly say that happiest thing I have been a part of is seeing a family reunited or united for the first time. Words can't describe how I have been blessed by watching these 2 families love on and enjoy the presence of their children. Prayers as they leave tomorrow are so needed.

For those of you wondering about baby KenKen, he is back at the tent camp with his parents. They were a little nervous about taking him back, but we explained that it is best for him to be with them [without having to explain that he is dying, yet]. We will take them all 3 on Monday to get the results from the HIV test, and then we will go from there. He is still eating and the mom says he's doing fine! Thank you for your prayers.

Last thing, I wanted to share with you some powerful verses that I read tonight. I challenge you to read these verses to yourself, and then wherever you are, go back and declare them out loud in a clear, strong, and sure voice. They are life changing!
Jeremiah 10:10-13
¹⁰ But the LORD is the true God;
   he is the living God, the eternal King.
When he is angry, the earth trembles;
   the nations cannot endure his wrath.
¹¹ “Tell them this: ‘These gods, who did not 
    make the heavens and the earth, 
    will perish from the earth and from under the heavens.’”
 ¹² But God made the earth by his power;
   he founded the world by his wisdom
   and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.
¹³ When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar;
   he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth.
He sends lightning with the rain
   and brings out the wind from his storehouses. 

These are promises people! Embrace them and know how mighty our God is! Until next time.... Love you!

His arms are big enough.

The past few days have been full. Full of what, you ask? Full of trials and joys and fearful hearts and rejoicing and peace and racket and calm and laughter and tears and most of all full of crying out in desperation to our Heavenly Father. The details are too many and too obscure and too insignificant to recount... so I will spare you. Basically, the point is that there is a battle going on around the Chadasha ministry.. a battle that is not of this world. Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:12 "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." I know this scripture, but I have never known what it looked like until this week. In Haiti there are many battles that are of the flesh... hunger, health care, government, weather, and the list goes on and on. But in Haiti, there are battles of a spiritual nature in which we must call on the Lord to intervene... and He does just that!
I am certain that we are not the only ones battling this week. As you read this, you may be fighting a fight that you have never fought before. You may be scared or worried, or angry. Maybe no one else even knows that something is going on, or maybe everyone does and it makes it harder. Or maybe, you don't even know that you are battling something. Or perhaps you really aren't fighting now, but eventually you will be. It is inevitable. As a team this week, we have been on our knees before God and clinging to His Word with all we have. Below are some verses that we have found strength in, and that I hope you can to:

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you are faced with various trials" -James 1:2
"No harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways" -Psalm 91:10-11
"You, oh Lord, are a shield around me... I do not fear then, thousands of people arrayed against me on every side... Safety comes from the Lord!" -Psalm 3
“Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name." -Psalm 91:14
"But whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm." Proverbs 1:33

How sweet of our God to give these words to us, that we may rest in knowing that we are not alone. Find comfort today friend, knowing that our God will not be moved. Below are some pictures of some sweet babies who need prayers tonight. They have left the orphanage to go home to a tent city with their parents for a night or so, and will more than likely be back. As hard as it is to watch them leave not knowing what the end result will be for them, we are certain that God loves these children more than we ever could, and therefore we trust that He is holding them in His arms tonight, and we KNOW that His arms are big enough and strong enough to protect them all.

Wanelson

Junior

Ava Grace

Kynzi

#38

#38 of my "101 in 1001" List reads: Donate to a foreign adoption. This is one of my goals that would be no where near my mind if the Lord hadn't blessed me with my trip to Haiti. Many of you read about or heard about the sweet baby, Karis, that I absolutely fell in love with while I was there. When I met her, she was only 23 days old. That was in March.. so now she is about 5 or 6 months old! Also while I was there I got to meet her adoptive family! They are absolutely precious. They have 2 biological boys and 1 little girl they adopted from Ethiopia. Karis's dad is a pastor in Kingsport, TN and he writes a sweet blog that you can read here.

Karis's family!

Take a minute to think about this family's situation. They are here in Tennessee, and they have met their daughter twice by flying all the way to Haiti. Each time they go, they have to leave her there. The process and paperwork for a Haitian adoption is teadious and ridiculously time consuming, and unpredictable. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be. This sweet family needs prayers people! For those of you with children.. imagine what it would be like to know where your child is and not be able to bring them home or be able to go to them whenever you want. They know that it is in the Lord's time, and we are all praying for a homecoming for Karis very soon!!

Aside from the adoption process, the financial burden of a Haitian adoption is huge and heavy. The Robison's have been raising money for several months and the Lord has provided! But they still lack about $7000 toward the adoption and need to get this paid asap in order to finalize the adoption and bring Karis home! This, of course, was the perfect opportunity for me to complete #38 on my 101 List!

To the right is a t-shirt designed by Karis's new mom, Allison. They are selling these shirts for $20 a piece to raise money for Karis. The shirts are super soft and good quality, not to mention the amazing difference you are making in a precious baby's life by purchasing one of these shirts! You can click here to learn more about the shirts and buy one [or two, or three] today!

I actually had intended to buy one shirt, but got confused and accidentally bought 2! Good things it's for a great cause, and good thing my Mom LOVED the shirts too haha.

And, as an update for those of you who love Karis just from hearing about her, here are some pictures of how big she has gotten since March:

"Learn to do right; seek justice. 

  Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
   plead the case of the widow."

          Isaiah 1:17