Monday, September 21, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Labor Day Weekend
We went camping with my family over Labor Day Weekend. My dad has a permanent site at a campground near where I grew up and near where my one of my sisters lives. He had reserved the site next to his (which is not a permanent site) for my other sister (the one that doesn't live quite so nearby) and us to set up our tents, which also allowed for more parking if our nearby sister came by and for the kids to play. Saturday we were gone the afternoon and evening, for the aforementioned 60th birthday party. We had gone up Friday late afternoon, and then had Sunday to lounge around and visit. Some fun pix from the weekend...
Sorting rocks:
Cousins playing games with Jock:
Caden wasn't feeling well Sunday :(
We were joking about our high-tech camping - notice the two laptops:
And the two little guys watching a DVD on the portable one we keep in our van... Soon after this, Kenny fell asleep, then Caden puked on him - poor guy hadn't felt good all afternoon! Then he was upset after dinner when we roasted marshmallows because he couldn't have one. :(
My dad had cut a big log to make a Swedish candle. I'd never seen one but it was really neat - I was mesmerized and intrigued by it. What is it about watching a campfire that is so mesmerizing - and this was about 10 times that! He started it by pouring kerosene down the middle to fuel it, and then lit a couple newspapers he stuck in a couple of the cuts to get it started.
First smoke starts puffing up through the center...
Then intermittent flames start shooting up out of the top center:
Then constant flames shooting high up out the top of the log (and we started roasting marshmallows - it was hard to not burn them, but that's how most of us like them).
Then the spaces start burning and creating larger spaces as the coals fall inward. So neat to watch!
Loved the star shape from the top - so neat!
And a picture with my flash, to show those HOT! coals in the center!
After this we were all tired and ready to turn in, so Dad and Jock started scraping the coals off the insides of each piece sticking up and helping them fall down so we wouldn't have to worry about it overnight. This is how we left it at night - that one stubborn piece wouldn't burn as fast as the others.
I didn't get to see it in the morning - Jock got up before me and had already put new logs on the fire to stoke it up again, but Dad said there was still part of the bottom of the stump that hadn't burned totally - but it was mostly coals and ash.
We kept Karen busy over the weekend. She did 7 haircuts, one perm, and one deep-condition. Gracie's deep-conditioning:
So serious - Caden (before he started feeling sick - notice the dorito-mouth)
Kenny also had dorito-mouth, but I love this one! I think Karen should use it for advertising and call it "have clippers, will travel" - notice the canoes on the river in the background. :) :)
Monday we packed up, visited a little more, and went mini-golfing, as we'd promised Kaylen, before heading back home. Kaylen enjoying (or at least it looks like it - she was really very frustrated at her lack of putting skills) mini-golf:
It was a beautiful weekend - not too hot, but not cold either - well, maybe a little chilly at night, but mostly beautiful weather. Hopefully we can do it again next year!
Sorting rocks:
Cousins playing games with Jock:
Caden wasn't feeling well Sunday :(
We were joking about our high-tech camping - notice the two laptops:
And the two little guys watching a DVD on the portable one we keep in our van... Soon after this, Kenny fell asleep, then Caden puked on him - poor guy hadn't felt good all afternoon! Then he was upset after dinner when we roasted marshmallows because he couldn't have one. :(
My dad had cut a big log to make a Swedish candle. I'd never seen one but it was really neat - I was mesmerized and intrigued by it. What is it about watching a campfire that is so mesmerizing - and this was about 10 times that! He started it by pouring kerosene down the middle to fuel it, and then lit a couple newspapers he stuck in a couple of the cuts to get it started.
First smoke starts puffing up through the center...
Then intermittent flames start shooting up out of the top center:
Then constant flames shooting high up out the top of the log (and we started roasting marshmallows - it was hard to not burn them, but that's how most of us like them).
Then the spaces start burning and creating larger spaces as the coals fall inward. So neat to watch!
Loved the star shape from the top - so neat!
And a picture with my flash, to show those HOT! coals in the center!
After this we were all tired and ready to turn in, so Dad and Jock started scraping the coals off the insides of each piece sticking up and helping them fall down so we wouldn't have to worry about it overnight. This is how we left it at night - that one stubborn piece wouldn't burn as fast as the others.
I didn't get to see it in the morning - Jock got up before me and had already put new logs on the fire to stoke it up again, but Dad said there was still part of the bottom of the stump that hadn't burned totally - but it was mostly coals and ash.We kept Karen busy over the weekend. She did 7 haircuts, one perm, and one deep-condition. Gracie's deep-conditioning:
So serious - Caden (before he started feeling sick - notice the dorito-mouth)
Kenny also had dorito-mouth, but I love this one! I think Karen should use it for advertising and call it "have clippers, will travel" - notice the canoes on the river in the background. :) :)
Monday we packed up, visited a little more, and went mini-golfing, as we'd promised Kaylen, before heading back home. Kaylen enjoying (or at least it looks like it - she was really very frustrated at her lack of putting skills) mini-golf:
It was a beautiful weekend - not too hot, but not cold either - well, maybe a little chilly at night, but mostly beautiful weather. Hopefully we can do it again next year!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Dad's 60th Birthday!
My sisters and I and our step-mom threw Dad a surprise birthday party. It was quite the feat - Dad is too smart, so we had to be REALLY sneaky!
Jock, Kaylen and I, and my younger sister and her husband were camping the weekend with Dad and Terry, like we did last year. Dad and Terry have a permanent site near where my other sister lives, so it made sense. Dad and Terry have a large building on their property where they host receptions, so we planned to have the party there - and prayed for nice weather so we could still camp and have Dad off the property. :)
Dad's birthday was actually on Saturday, so when my other sister came by the camp site to visit us, we had her ask Dad if he wanted to go out for supper. He hemmed and hawed and said that we could just have grill something at the campsite, but she came back with, well, she already made reservations and invited grandma, so he had to agree. Then after lunch, Amy proceeded to ask us (Jock and I and Karen) if we wanted to come help her can salsa or make peach jam - so that gave us the out to go get things set up. :)
Terry's job was to conveniently forget some things at the house that she needed for the weekend at the campground. So she was to talk Dad into running by the house to get things before dinner at the restaurant. We figured how long it would take Dad and Terry to get from the campground to the house, then to "get her forgotten things" then get to the restaurant, and calculated back from there for when they would arrive and when to have the guests arrive.
When Dad and Terry were on their way to the house, she texted us to let us know how far out they were. She told Dad that we were asking where things were in the camper for us to get ready for dinner - thinking we were back there after canning salsa or something. :) We were secretly gathering the guests in the parking lot to sing to Dad as soon as he got out of the truck.
Dad looked really surprised. I thought for a minute he was gonna lose it - his face got red, etc. and he turned back to the truck for his hat and was OK then. We took a few picture, then the dinner and mingling began. It was a great evening and it worked out really well.
I think we actually did surprise him - or at least he let us believe we'd fooled him. He said he had no idea, and was a maybe a little irritated that Terry had "forgotten" several things at the house. :) Then he said he was confused why were "texting Terry about the blow dryer and curling iron" in the camper. Then when they got close to the pole barn he saw a couple cars and got mad that people had thought their garage sale was the wrong weekend and stopped by anyway, then he saw more cars and thought the barn might have been on fire, then he recognized whose vehicles and knew something was up. hee-hee.
We're thankful the event went off (almost) without a hitch (we ran out of plastic forks). It was a lot of fun to see so many family and friends there, and a beautiful day for a nice party! Instead of gifts, we asked the guests to bring a salad to share and a funny card for Dad. We had yummy cake - the kids had fun (after everyone had had some), peeling off the black frosting and making their mouths black. We had lots of left-over beans and hot dogs, just enough potatoes and hamburgers, and just enough cake to have a little left-over for the rest of the weekend.
Hope you had a wonderful 60th birthday Dad! (ps. don't think we'll ever be able to pull off another surprise party on him - he'll be too suspicious now - at least until he starts losing his memory :) Love you, Dad!
Jock, Kaylen and I, and my younger sister and her husband were camping the weekend with Dad and Terry, like we did last year. Dad and Terry have a permanent site near where my other sister lives, so it made sense. Dad and Terry have a large building on their property where they host receptions, so we planned to have the party there - and prayed for nice weather so we could still camp and have Dad off the property. :)
Dad's birthday was actually on Saturday, so when my other sister came by the camp site to visit us, we had her ask Dad if he wanted to go out for supper. He hemmed and hawed and said that we could just have grill something at the campsite, but she came back with, well, she already made reservations and invited grandma, so he had to agree. Then after lunch, Amy proceeded to ask us (Jock and I and Karen) if we wanted to come help her can salsa or make peach jam - so that gave us the out to go get things set up. :)
Terry's job was to conveniently forget some things at the house that she needed for the weekend at the campground. So she was to talk Dad into running by the house to get things before dinner at the restaurant. We figured how long it would take Dad and Terry to get from the campground to the house, then to "get her forgotten things" then get to the restaurant, and calculated back from there for when they would arrive and when to have the guests arrive.When Dad and Terry were on their way to the house, she texted us to let us know how far out they were. She told Dad that we were asking where things were in the camper for us to get ready for dinner - thinking we were back there after canning salsa or something. :) We were secretly gathering the guests in the parking lot to sing to Dad as soon as he got out of the truck.
Dad looked really surprised. I thought for a minute he was gonna lose it - his face got red, etc. and he turned back to the truck for his hat and was OK then. We took a few picture, then the dinner and mingling began. It was a great evening and it worked out really well.
(Mom and Dad got us these t-shirts for Christmas one year)
I think we actually did surprise him - or at least he let us believe we'd fooled him. He said he had no idea, and was a maybe a little irritated that Terry had "forgotten" several things at the house. :) Then he said he was confused why were "texting Terry about the blow dryer and curling iron" in the camper. Then when they got close to the pole barn he saw a couple cars and got mad that people had thought their garage sale was the wrong weekend and stopped by anyway, then he saw more cars and thought the barn might have been on fire, then he recognized whose vehicles and knew something was up. hee-hee.
We're thankful the event went off (almost) without a hitch (we ran out of plastic forks). It was a lot of fun to see so many family and friends there, and a beautiful day for a nice party! Instead of gifts, we asked the guests to bring a salad to share and a funny card for Dad. We had yummy cake - the kids had fun (after everyone had had some), peeling off the black frosting and making their mouths black. We had lots of left-over beans and hot dogs, just enough potatoes and hamburgers, and just enough cake to have a little left-over for the rest of the weekend.
(Yes, we lit all 60 candles - assistance was needed from 4 grandchildren and one great niece to blow them all out!)
Hope you had a wonderful 60th birthday Dad! (ps. don't think we'll ever be able to pull off another surprise party on him - he'll be too suspicious now - at least until he starts losing his memory :) Love you, Dad!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Haiti Adoption Prayer Requests
There have been several encouraging happenings lately, but along with those comes some negatives that tend to get people down. I’ve had a lot going on in life this past week or two, but along with that, several issues have been laid heavy on my heart. I cannot and do not bear the burden, but instead have been lifting them up, along with many others, to my heavenly father. Little-known to us, but He has it all under control. I continue to lift these things up, and ask that you do as well. I ask this on behalf of myself and many friends struggling through their adoption processes…
I pray for families who have waited so long and those who have much longer to go, and are weary of the process. I pray for encouragement for them, for comfort and peace during the wait. I pray for the Lord’s hand on the process itself. May the mountains that stand in the way of what is good, be thrown into the sea.
I pray for families who are struggling financially with their adoptions. One family is VERY close to having their adoption process completed, but without the funding to pay their adoption expenses, their process has come to a halt. Until paid, their beautiful girls remain in an orphanage in Haiti, unable to come home. Countless others are nearing this same realization. I pray for encouragement for these families. I pray for God to place these needs on the hearts of those able to give and help families unite.
I pray for families who have had paperwork go missing in a various office or between offices. I pray that the paperwork is located or replaced very quickly.
I pray for the Lord to sustain the health of the children and staff at the orphanage, as Haiti enters its cooler, rainy season, and as hurricane season is heating up. I pray for those who are ill, for their needs to be met and for healing.
I pray for the financial situation of the orphanage. They are facing an enormous deficit, and struggling to maintain the excellent level of care they provide for so many children.
I pray for families who are struggling with the uncertainty that comes with the unknown location or health status of their children’s birth parents. The US government requires birth parents to attend an interview and sign paperwork to ensure that the child meets the US’ orphan criteria – thus allowing the child to enter the US as an immigrant. When a birth parent cannot be found, is ill, or otherwise has difficulties traveling to the city for the interview, this creates much uncertainty on the part of the adoptive parents. I pray for the safety and health and location of the birth parents, for the interviews to be completed quickly and successfully, and for encouragement and peace for the adoptive families.
I pray for the families who have brought their children home or who are awaiting final word to bring their children home. May the Lord bless their adjustment to their “forever” families, and provide strength and encouragement for the difficult days ahead.
Please join me in prayer for these requests above.
I pray for families who have waited so long and those who have much longer to go, and are weary of the process. I pray for encouragement for them, for comfort and peace during the wait. I pray for the Lord’s hand on the process itself. May the mountains that stand in the way of what is good, be thrown into the sea.
I pray for families who are struggling financially with their adoptions. One family is VERY close to having their adoption process completed, but without the funding to pay their adoption expenses, their process has come to a halt. Until paid, their beautiful girls remain in an orphanage in Haiti, unable to come home. Countless others are nearing this same realization. I pray for encouragement for these families. I pray for God to place these needs on the hearts of those able to give and help families unite.
I pray for families who have had paperwork go missing in a various office or between offices. I pray that the paperwork is located or replaced very quickly.
I pray for the Lord to sustain the health of the children and staff at the orphanage, as Haiti enters its cooler, rainy season, and as hurricane season is heating up. I pray for those who are ill, for their needs to be met and for healing.
I pray for the financial situation of the orphanage. They are facing an enormous deficit, and struggling to maintain the excellent level of care they provide for so many children.
I pray for families who are struggling with the uncertainty that comes with the unknown location or health status of their children’s birth parents. The US government requires birth parents to attend an interview and sign paperwork to ensure that the child meets the US’ orphan criteria – thus allowing the child to enter the US as an immigrant. When a birth parent cannot be found, is ill, or otherwise has difficulties traveling to the city for the interview, this creates much uncertainty on the part of the adoptive parents. I pray for the safety and health and location of the birth parents, for the interviews to be completed quickly and successfully, and for encouragement and peace for the adoptive families.
I pray for the families who have brought their children home or who are awaiting final word to bring their children home. May the Lord bless their adjustment to their “forever” families, and provide strength and encouragement for the difficult days ahead.
Please join me in prayer for these requests above.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Lamentations 3:21-26
I heard part of this read on the radio station on my way home from work tonight, and it had a good meaning for me. But by the time I got home, I couldn't even remember the passage or what it was about - only that it was from Lamentations. I'm thankful that Lamentations is a short book. Wow! What a tough book to read (the LORD's wrath!), except for these verses... :)
Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.
Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Psalm 84
How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young -
a place near your altar,
O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty;
listen to me, O God of Jacob.
Look upon our shield, O God;
look with favor on your anointed one.
Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.
O LORD Almighty,
blessed is the man who trusts in you.
O LORD Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young -
a place near your altar,
O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you.
Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs;
the autumn rains also cover it with pools.
They go from strength to strength,
till each appears before God in Zion.
Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty;
listen to me, O God of Jacob.
Look upon our shield, O God;
look with favor on your anointed one.
Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.
O LORD Almighty,
blessed is the man who trusts in you.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Summer Break, 2009 is Over!
Kaylen started 1st Grade this past week. Monday night we went to meet her teacher and drop her school supplies, find her desk and locker, etc.
Wednesday was the big day. We got up at the same time we had been for about a week, had breakfast, got her new outfit on, and then I fixed her hair pretty before taking a few pictures and then rushing out the door to daycare. Daycare takes her to school in the morning and picks her up in the afternoon.
Kaylen's teacher seems very nice, and Kaylen said the same after the first couple days of school, so I'm glad. I was worried because she seemed very soft-spoken, but she's been a teacher for 9 or 10 years, so I hope that means she's experienced enough to not let Kaylen take over - as she has a tendency to try to do. Also though, the teacher will be having a baby in December, but they already have the sub lined up, and she's a retired teacher that regularly subs, so I think that'll work just fine too. I think Kaylen will have a good year.
Asking Kaylen what she's been doing in first grade, you'd think she's been bored. Sounds like they haven't done much learning of math or reading yet. She said they went over the rules a lot. I kept asking if they did any worksheets - math or reading or spelling or anything like that, and on Friday she told me they did one worksheet for math, and she said they were easy and she knew them all. I'm guessing/hoping it was a little testing to see what level they're at. I'm also hoping they'll get busy with things this week and start challenging her.
Kaylen's favorite thing was recess - go figure! She did say she got frustrated by people budging line to hang on one part of the new equipment. She apparently told the supervising teacher, but by then it was too late for her to have time before recess was over - such a rough life! Kaylen liked the lunches the first few days also. We've already gone through the lunch menu thru September and marked the days we'll have to pack her a cold lunch. She's had art, music, and library already for specials and they'll also have P.E. and library. They're on 5-day schedules this year instead of 6, so that'll be much easier for me to keep track of! She's got an extra pair of P.E. shoes in her locker so we don't have to worry about those days, but we do have to remember which day to take library books back.
She's also already determined she does not like one of her desk-neighbors at school. The teacher has them sitting in groups of 6, 2x3, boy-girl-boy, girl-boy-girl. Kaylen's on the end, and the boy that sits next to her apparently is a trouble-maker. According to Kaylen, amongst other things, he's been pestering her a lot - even hitting her with his pencil a lot - she got annoyed and told the teacher. Hopefully that's kept on top of, but we'll see.
Wednesday was the big day. We got up at the same time we had been for about a week, had breakfast, got her new outfit on, and then I fixed her hair pretty before taking a few pictures and then rushing out the door to daycare. Daycare takes her to school in the morning and picks her up in the afternoon.
Kaylen's teacher seems very nice, and Kaylen said the same after the first couple days of school, so I'm glad. I was worried because she seemed very soft-spoken, but she's been a teacher for 9 or 10 years, so I hope that means she's experienced enough to not let Kaylen take over - as she has a tendency to try to do. Also though, the teacher will be having a baby in December, but they already have the sub lined up, and she's a retired teacher that regularly subs, so I think that'll work just fine too. I think Kaylen will have a good year.
Asking Kaylen what she's been doing in first grade, you'd think she's been bored. Sounds like they haven't done much learning of math or reading yet. She said they went over the rules a lot. I kept asking if they did any worksheets - math or reading or spelling or anything like that, and on Friday she told me they did one worksheet for math, and she said they were easy and she knew them all. I'm guessing/hoping it was a little testing to see what level they're at. I'm also hoping they'll get busy with things this week and start challenging her.
Kaylen's favorite thing was recess - go figure! She did say she got frustrated by people budging line to hang on one part of the new equipment. She apparently told the supervising teacher, but by then it was too late for her to have time before recess was over - such a rough life! Kaylen liked the lunches the first few days also. We've already gone through the lunch menu thru September and marked the days we'll have to pack her a cold lunch. She's had art, music, and library already for specials and they'll also have P.E. and library. They're on 5-day schedules this year instead of 6, so that'll be much easier for me to keep track of! She's got an extra pair of P.E. shoes in her locker so we don't have to worry about those days, but we do have to remember which day to take library books back.
She's also already determined she does not like one of her desk-neighbors at school. The teacher has them sitting in groups of 6, 2x3, boy-girl-boy, girl-boy-girl. Kaylen's on the end, and the boy that sits next to her apparently is a trouble-maker. According to Kaylen, amongst other things, he's been pestering her a lot - even hitting her with his pencil a lot - she got annoyed and told the teacher. Hopefully that's kept on top of, but we'll see.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
Congratulations
Over the past year or two, we've gotten together with 4 other families in the process of adopting from Haiti, that live in our area. We get together to let our kids play together (the ones we have home - adopted or bio), commiserate about the adoption process - kind of a support system, dream about when our kids come home, etc. We got to know them through online message boards. One is adopting from the same orphanage as we are, and the other three families from three different orphanages - all in various stages of the adoption process.
I am happy to share that two of these families are in Haiti right now, to bring their 5 (3 and 2) children home! One family is flying in tomorrow, and the other early next week. We're going to the airport to greet one family as they arrive. The other family will be flying into a different airport a couple hours away, so they're not having a celebration at the airport but will wait a few weeks to have a picnic with friends and family to meet their children.
I cannot tell you how excited I am for these two families. As you well know, this process is VERY long and a huge test of faith and patience. As I see these families coming together, I can only imagine how awesome it will be when our children arrive, and I hope that when they arrive, many of you who are helping us get through this wait will be there celebrating with us. I pray that it's not much longer until that day comes when the Lord brings our two children home to us!
Please pray with us for these two families:
- for safe travels - yesterday & today, through tomorrow next week for one family.
- for no snags in the printing of these 5 precious children's visas.
- for no delays getting through immigration in Florida on their way home to Iowa.
- for smooth transitions for the parents and all 8 children in these two families - 5 adopted and 3 bio.
Praise to our Lord for the blessing of families being united! He has moved mountains too numerous to count, and provided the strength for them to get through, until this time of celebration! May He continue to do marvelous works in these two families and many more!
I am happy to share that two of these families are in Haiti right now, to bring their 5 (3 and 2) children home! One family is flying in tomorrow, and the other early next week. We're going to the airport to greet one family as they arrive. The other family will be flying into a different airport a couple hours away, so they're not having a celebration at the airport but will wait a few weeks to have a picnic with friends and family to meet their children.
I cannot tell you how excited I am for these two families. As you well know, this process is VERY long and a huge test of faith and patience. As I see these families coming together, I can only imagine how awesome it will be when our children arrive, and I hope that when they arrive, many of you who are helping us get through this wait will be there celebrating with us. I pray that it's not much longer until that day comes when the Lord brings our two children home to us!
Please pray with us for these two families:
- for safe travels - yesterday & today, through tomorrow next week for one family.
- for no snags in the printing of these 5 precious children's visas.
- for no delays getting through immigration in Florida on their way home to Iowa.
- for smooth transitions for the parents and all 8 children in these two families - 5 adopted and 3 bio.
Praise to our Lord for the blessing of families being united! He has moved mountains too numerous to count, and provided the strength for them to get through, until this time of celebration! May He continue to do marvelous works in these two families and many more!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Our Orphanage
Two of our three children currently reside in an orphanage. It was our wish that they would have been long home by now, but because of many factors in the adoption process, they are not yet home. We hope and pray that the Lord will bring them home to us very soon. In the meantime, they live in an orphanage.The orphanage’s name is Maison des Enfants de Dieu, and is located in Port Au Prince, Haiti. The orphanage is overseen by For His Glory Outreach, a non-profit, 501c3 organization here in the United States.
The orphanage provides phenomenal care for my children and many others (approximately 130). I’m thankful for these wonderful women, who work tirelessly day in and day out to make sure my children and many others are well cared for.
The orphanage clothes my children and many others. Several women work all day most days of the week hand-washing clothing and bedding for the many children that live at the orphanage. I’ve “helped” them - it’s a tough job! They do it with a smile and a song.
The orphanage feeds my children and many others, three meals per day, plus snacks. This is a privilege that most children in Haiti can only dream of - if they even can dream of such a thing. Several women work all day in the blistering Caribbean heat over open fires to prepare meals for the always-hungry children.
The orphanage provides my children with clean drinking water, a rarity in a country such as Haiti. This helps prevent many illnesses (parasitic and otherwise) that are rampant in Haiti.
The orphanage provides medical care to my children and many others, in a place where medical care is severely lacking and impossibly expensive compared to the average wages of less than $2 per day. A doctor makes rounds at the orphanage a few times each week, and there is a nurse on hand 24/7.
The orphanage provides for my children and many others, a place safe from the sometimes deadly voodoo practices of local society; a place where they can come to know the Lord, and be treated as the precious children of God that they are. The orphanage director and at least one of the school teachers (for the older children) are Christian pastors. The babies’ and toddlers’ nannies stop at set times during the day to sing and chant in prayer over the children. Women from local churches visit the orphanage regularly to pray over the staff and children
The orphanage provides safety for my children and many others, in a country and city where danger looms. The orphanage walls and 24/7 security guards secure the buildings and grounds from a world of uncertainty.
The orphanage has countless other staff that work behind-the-scenes to make life better for my children and many others - cleaning crews, maintenance staff, drivers, parent liaisons, adoption processors, management staff, and probably many others that I am forgetting.
The orphanage management work tirelessly to make life for my children and many others, a little better each day. They have a heart for these children, and for their families. But they cannot do it without support.
The orphanage is struggling financially right now, along with many other orphanages and missions in Haiti and around the world. Prices of food, water (both clean drinking/cooking water and wash water), diesel (for transportation and generator power) have skyrocketed in Haiti in the last couple of years. The adoption processes have slowed down tremendously, making adoption funds having to spread thinner to cover both processing and childcare costs. The slowdown of worldwide economies has caused donations to drop off.
The orphanage where my children and many others reside is facing a six-figure deficit this year. They are in need of donations and sponsorships to continue, and possibly expand, their ministry to the children of Haiti.
If you are in a position to help defray some of these costs, please consider a one-time donation or on-going support. There are countless ways to donate, many of which are listed on FHG's website. There is some information on the homepage, or click on the “catalogue” link for more information about the costs of maintaining the orphanage.
If you are a coffee drinker, CoffeeXperts has an offer to donate 50% of the proceeds to FHG to support the orphanage. If you make a purchase, be sure to specify this on your order.
If you live near Colorado Springs, where FHG is based, they are collecting monetary donations and donations of clothing, food, baby formula, etc, the next two weekends at Mountain Springs Church, where both the FHG director and many adoptive families attend services.
Another mom recently shared this Bible verse, with regards to the financial needs of the orphanage:
“And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at theI’m not asking you to sell your land and homes, but consider giving of your excess. Maybe sell that old furniture in your basement on Craigslist, ask your friends to donate items for a garage sale, go out to eat one less time this month, or fire up your at-home coffee maker in lieu of the $4 Starbucks cup. If you are not able, please share this with your friends and family.
apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone has need.” Acts 4:33-35.
If you have any questions at all, please ask me. Leave a comment here or send me an email. My anonymous email address is at the bottom of my sidebar… Although I don’t check that address very often, so if you email me there, please leave a comment here to let me know to read it - or if you know my personal email, email me there - or leave me a message on Facebook.
I pray today this message to be spread, to touch the hearts of many, and for cheerful givers to come forward to support this great ministry to a country and a people in need.
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