Saturday, September 27, 2008

Finding Hope in Haiti



"From that moment a child began to grow in our hearts. Just as physical conception is necessary to bring a child into this world, so a conception has to take place in the heart if two people are going to bring a child into their lives through adoption. We didn't have a blood test to prove her existence. I couldn't hold a piece of paper in my hand to verify her reality by the latest ultrasound. But God's promise of a child was as real as any physical pregnancy. A daughter was conceived in our hearts just as surely as if she had been conceived in my own body." - The Strength of Mercy. We knew we had a daughter, we knew she was in Haiti and we knew this was a call that we could not ignore.
The miracles that brought Hope home are too numerous to count and we are constantly reminded of the sovereignty of our God and stand in awe of how He brings His plan to pass. When we began the adoption process Haiti was closed to adoptions as a result of a volatile political climate and questioning the call we almost chose another country. But we were not at peace and we knew that the God of the entire universe is also the God of Haiti and He would open any door if we would trust and obey. And sure enough by the time we were done with our home study we were able to begin the adoption process through Haiti.
We finished the remainder of all classes and paperwork in June and on November 17th, 2004 we received our referral and first picture of Hope at 6 weeks old. From that time on, we thought the finalization of the adoption would take approximately 6 months, but that was not to be. The weeks began to drag to months as we waited for our paperwork to receive approval from the Haitian government. Then in May 2005 we got an email telling us that three of our documents had been lost and we would need to redo them, have them notarized, and FedEx them to Haiti. That was not the news that we were waiting for, but after crying out to God that day I knew that this would eventually be part of the miracle that brought Hope home. Sure enough, a few months later we would learn that our dossier passed up others in line because when the missing documents arrived in Haiti our file was brought to the top of the pile. And we sometimes doubt that God is in the details.
We had so longed to spend her birthday with Hope (September 27th), but again it was not to be. We celebrated her birthday without her with a trip to the zoo and days later received a call that Hope would be ready to travel on October 17th! We were thrilled and so excited to take her with us to California to meet Auntie Jen, Uncle Jer, and the boys for Thanksgiving, but once again God's timing was different than ours. We did go to California, but without Hope. Our prayers became more focused now, Lord please let her be home by Christmas. During this entire time of waiting, God blessed us with notes of encouragement, a Haitian children's book with the word "Hope" written on the side of a tap-tap, songs, scriptures, friends, and most of all His peace. He constantly encouraged us that this was His plan and that He is faithful to complete it. There are seriously too many things to list but one thing was extra special. We had randomly bought 4 tickets to a SCC and Mercy Me Christmas concert with Chris and Toni at the kids school auction. On December 8th we went to the concert and not long into it they began sharing why they chose to do a Christmas concert...to promote Shoahannah's Hope, which is SCC's ministry which helps families with adoption expenses and basically just promoted adoption in general. Then Stephen plays "All I really want for Christmas is a family" while a slide show is playing of orphans in the background. Of course at this point Toni and I are sobbing and I am pretty sure Shane and Chris were fighting back the tears and then our almighty God surrounds us with His love as everyone in the Rose Garden joined in prayer for those families waiting to adopt and for their children waiting to come home. Chris leaned over and said, "Did you ever imagine that tonight this entire auditorium would be praying for you?"
This is the God we serve. He knows the cry of our hearts, how we prayed for Hope for Christmas, how with each day that passed the longing to hold our daughter grew. He blessed us with our complete family on December 20th in the Miami airport. From the moment she was in my arms she was home. Its as if she knew how much I loved her, that she had been held in my heart for 13 months, that I was her momma, and that she would forever be my girl. I have no doubt that Hope was meant to be a part of our family, that before the creation of the earth she was meant to be my daughter. Hope's middle name is an altar, just as with Damaris and Kruse that we may remember His goodness and faithfulness and bless Him there. Her first middle name is Emilia, her birth mother's name. We are so grateful for her sacrifice. She gave up her child out of extreme poverty to have a chance with another family and she is a hero for it. Hope's Hawaiian middle name is Kahea O Akua, called of God. Shane and I were called to adopt Hope, it was an act of obedience. Hope's call is two-fold. She was called out of Haiti, a land dedicated to satan with voodoo as its national religion, whose darkness is both physical and spiritual. And she shares the call that God offers each of us; a call out of the darkness of a life without His glorious light. 1 Peter 2:9 says, "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of the darkness and into His glorious light." Adoption is the example of what our Lord has done for us. He has called us to be His children. Ephesians 1:3-8 says, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will- to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding."
We are so blessed to have Hope as a part of our forever family and I pray that all of you are a part of our eternal forever family. Jesus gave His life to give you hope and I pray that you accept His extended hand.
Happy Birthday Miss Hopey, I love you and can't imagine life without your smile and your hugs. You make me laugh everyday and I am so glad that you grew in my heart.




Wednesday, September 24, 2008

TODAY

Today, September 24th, 6 months after our first official fundraising event we have raised $5,390!! Today we have done a small part in fighting a statistic that we could not live with. Today we did something bigger than ourselves. Today God showed us that "if we make the effort He will make the difference"-Pastor Bob. Today we did not hear and look away. Today we helped someone that we will never know this side of Heaven. Today I told my children that because of them other children will live. Today I am overwhelmed and humbled by the greatness of my God. Today we proved that with God all things are possible. Today we listened to our children. Today we, we being every single person involved in this journey, became a part of the remedy.

You donated time, battled "can do" machines, you got creative, you went door to door, you prayed, you praised, you told your friends, you had the faith of children, you made me proud to know you, you blessed me with your generosity, you played your fiddles, you sold lemonade, you gave us your cans, you gave us money, you gave us your furniture to sell, you paid more than you needed for my baby clothes, you gave up birthday presents, you gave out of your abundance and you gave in the midst of need. You gave even though you had never met me before, you matched your can donation, you turned in your change, you watched a movie in our back yard and paid to do it, you left me speechless and on more than one occasion you left me in tears, and most of all, you have served the least of these. You fulfilled the words to one of my favorite DCB songs,

"...Where there is pain
Let us bring grace
Where there is suffering
Bring serenity
For those afraid
Let us be brave
Where there is misery
Let us bring them relief
And surely we can change
Surely we can change
Oh surely we can change
Something"

All glory to You my Lord and my Savior.

Thanks Grandpa Bob and Grandma Maureen!!


I called my mom to tell her about the rotary lunch today and that we only needed $78.23 more and her reply was, I guess we better finish the rest off! Thanks Mom and Dad, not just for the money but for your part in showing me the meaning of service, faith, and loving Jesus by loving others, I love you both so much!!

Thank You Rotarians!

Cynthia took me to the Rotary lunch today and had a "bell ringing" for the well box. Let me tell you the Rotary is amazing and they do incredible things throughout the world, I am so impressed by this organization. "As signified by the motto Service Above Self, Rotary’s main objective is service — in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world."
Cynthia wrote a brief description of the history of the well box which they read aloud and then they rang the bell for our family. As the lunch closed, one of the visiting Australian Rotarians tapped me on the shoulder and handed me $100 cash for the well box! Then another Rotarian, Lavinnia gave me $10 and yet another, Susan gave me $5, so all in all we made $115 today bringing our total to $5311.77!! We are soooo very close...

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Still More Cans and a Tearful Goodbye

We said goodbye to Emmy last night, she is on her way back to college and we will miss her sooo much. Before we left she handed me an envelope of more can money...$35.25. Thanks so much Em for calling your neighbors and bringing all those cans back with Shane, for all your help with the garage sales, and for all the movie nights just for fun! We love you and are so thankful for all that you have done to make this dream a reality and I can't wait to call you when we finally reach our goal, only $193.23 to go!

Love ya,

Shane, Mali, Maris, Kruse, & Hope

Monday, September 22, 2008

Happy Birthday Grandma Cynthia!!


When Cynthia was asked what she wanted for her birthday this year she generously suggested donations to the well box in instead of presents!! What a generous and wonderful idea. So instead of buying the pedicure I was planning on we added $25, as did Jen and Jer. That added with some money from her mom, plus $20 donation from someone at her work, the grand total of Cynthia's Birthday donation is $90.00 bringing us only $228.48 away from our goal!!! Thank you Cynthia for giving on the day you are supposed to be receiving...Happy Birthday!! New total $5161.52.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

The Heartache of Haiti

I am overwhelmed watching the news and seeing the pictures coming out of Haiti. Hanna and Ike have wreaked havoc and devastated the country. It is hard to imagine that the third hungriest country in the world and the poorest in the western hemisphere could get any worse... but it has. What little the Haitians had has been taken away by flooding. They are now surrounded by water contaminated with animal and human waste as well as those killed by the storms. Water has always been hard to come by, well I should say clean, safe water has been hard to come by but now they are literally being flooded with disease and clean water must come in bottles from the UN leaving people with very little options. In Hinche, where Pastor Lavaud is, they lost 100 water purifiers in the floods! I can only think of Katrina and how we are the richest country in the world and we have taken years to recover. Please pray for God to dry up the land and to use the developed countries to bring aid to a country overwhelmed by heartache.



Thursday, September 4, 2008

We Got Mail!!

You will not believe what was waiting for us at the mail box today! Our dear friends, Darrin, Angela, Dylan, &Trey sent us a card excited about the well box adventure and wanting to be a part of it. With their gift of $250 they have pushed us over the $5,000 mark and I am jumping for joy. I know I say this on every post lately but I am going to say it again...I am overwhelmed by the response of our friends and family. You have blessed us with your prayers, support and donations and we love you all. Thanks D family, you rock!! New Total...$5071.52

Another $20

Grandma Joyce shared The Well Box vision with her friend Richard and he sent us $20 in the mail today! It has been so fun to see our family and friends share with their own sphere of life. Thank you Richard for your gift, we are so grateful. $4821.52

Miss Heyna & Grandma Marge

Miss Heyna brought me her "can do" slip today that she and her mom, Emily, received from Fred Meyers where they took back Grandma Marge's cans. We are adding $2.35 to our total, thanks Miss Heyna and we love you...$4801.52!!