Well friends, I have been quiet on this blog for a while so I think its time to give a little update. I really have no excuse why other than there has been so much to process I didn't know where to begin.
We have been living in the Grace House for a little more than 3 weeks. I can finally say that I feel like my head is above water. There has definitely been some hard moments. Moments when I asked God "why" he choose us for this task and ministry. Moments when I wanted to go back "home" to Michigan and enjoy the many summer activities we miss deeply and see all the friends and family we love and miss. I spent many moments crying as I grieved my normal and comfortable routine. The quiet of my home and only having 5 kids that need me, not 10. Crying because we got robbed and lost so many things that were important to us. It has been far from easy but I am learning that God doesn't want us in the easy. He wants us to be desperate for Him. To look only to him for strength. To find peace and joy only in Him, not in the comfortable and easy. He is daily refining me to be who He desires me to be. He daily is teaching me to love these kids the way He does. Daily He is revealing his purpose for me and my family. The other night as I was tucking Megan in she talked to me about why we are in Haiti. She told me that she finally realizes that we are here to be Jesus to all these little kids. Friends, that is truth from a 10 year old. My kids have given up a lot but my prayers is that they gain so much more by being here and being Jesus to all the children here that need the love of a family.
The container arrived last week and I think we finally have most of the totes unpacked and the house organized. Kevin got his moto yesterday. He is very happy to have that. It will give him the freedom he desires and really misses. If you can imagine being a man who has owned his own company for many years and never answering to anyone, putting 30,000 miles on his truck and having complete dependance on his cell phone and to loose all that. Its hard, his cell phone was stolen, he has to find someone to drive him if he wants to leave and he is home full time with 10 children. I am so very proud of him, he has handled it with a lot of grace, but he is thrilled to have a small piece of freedom. Hopefully we are able to replace his cell phone soon.
I do have to give a shout out to my nannies. They are incredible women and I could not do what I do without them. They have welcomed us with open arms. They have been so patient with our little creole and the many tears from our kids. They mop my floors daily, do my laundry, and wash countless dishes. They are a blessing and something I feared a lot before coming but have become a joy to me and my family.
Many of you ask how are our kids are doing. For the most part they are doing well. We have had struggles, some have struggled more than others but each day we are seeing small victories. Our kids will be going to Cowman Christian School in the fall. Cowman School is run by One Mission Society and is about 25mins from COTP. It is for American children and Haitians who speak english. We are really excited about this opportunity for our kids. The 4 older ones will be going along with 5 other staff members kids. They are starting September 2 and it goes until May. It will be great for our kids to meet other children and also us as we will meet other families outside of COTP. They will have to have uniforms too....so cute and my boys are thrilled about it!
Yesterday we added a new little person into the family. Little C joined us in the Grace House. He is a sweet little 8 month old. Its fun to have a baby in the house again. Hannah is convinced that he is her little baby because she says he looks just like her.
Let me introduce the Grace House kids! When I look at these sweet faces I am struck by the immense loss that each one of these kids have faced in their very short lives. They frustrate me and make me cry but at the end of the day each one is created in the image of God and put in our care for a specific reason. Pray with me for their hearts and for their futures. Pray for speedy adoptions for all kids in the process at COTP, pray for families for the special needs kids. They are all pretty awesome and all deserve a forever family. Pray for Kevin and I. At some point we need to talk with these kids about their futures. Pray that we will have wisdom and the right words and that they will feel safe and that they never will forget that they are held in the arms of their heavenly father.
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| C - 8 months |
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| E - 5 |
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| F - 4 1/2 |
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| J - 3 |
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| L - almost 5(her birthday is next week) |
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| P - 3 |
Would you consider sponsoring C, P, or E.? It's expensive to house a special needs child. Trips to the hospital, medication, and equipment are some of the major expenses. With about half of the children in our care having special needs, this is a substantial amount of money each month. Sponsorship is the biggest way to continue to cover this cost. In fact, it takes about 12 individuals giving $35/month to fully cover the cost for just ONE child. As always, it's not all about money here. A sponsorship partnership at COTP is about prayer, advocacy, and relationship. When choosing to sponsor a child with special needs, you begin a relationship with them. You are saying to them, "I love you. I will support you. I may not be able to adopt you into my family, but I will fight for you. I will tell people here about you and pray for you daily." Won't you consider doing this for one of these precious children who have stretched me and my family in many ways, even after only knowing them for a short time? For more info, email me at the 7mokmasinhaiti@gmail.com
Children of the Promise has given explicit permission for the posting of photos on this site. Photos taken of children in the care of Children of the Promise are not to be posted publicly without explicit permission given by Children of the Promise
