Something to Think About...

I've been following the Compassion Bloggers on their trip to Equador.

I love what Compassion International does for communities, for people.

So, Ann Voskamp at A Holy Experience has been making me cry.

As I was sniffing through her post, I read this:

Don’t we all need a reference letter from the poor when we meet Christ?

...and my world stopped in space and time for a moment. 

What if Jesus asks for a letter of reference from the poor when I meet Him face to face?

Could I present one to Him?

Could you get a letter - a personal reference?  Not from the "masses" that you've helped because of your good ideas, but from flesh and blood people who are grateful that you care.

Could you get one from...

• the poor
• the sick
• the weak
• the vulnerable
• the old
• the unborn
• the incarcerated
• the orphan
• the hopeless
• the lost
• the dying

??????????????????????

Sobering question, isn't it?

Blessings to you,
Mamita

Praise God

We had Cupcake's hearing tested this morning.

Everything looks great!

Her hearing has not changed at all!

That leaves us with two possibilities.  Either she is choosing not to listen or she is too distracted and preoccupied with everything in her life to actually hear us.  Or some combination of both.

Either way, we'll take it.  :-D

Thank you for the prayers.

Blessings to you,
Mamita

Praise

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

For the first time in over 4 months, I have not taken any pain relievers of any kind in more than 36 hours! 

Every day this past week, I have been able to skip a dose here and there, or take less than the maximum. 

Prior to that, I was on daily, round-the-clock prescription and over-the-counter meds, at the maximum allowed limits or I was curled up in a fetal position, whimpering to my hot water bottle (sometimes both).

I don't know what happened, but I'm hoping I've turned a corner.  :-) 

I know some of you have been praying for me and I thank you for that.  Don't stop yet, please.   :-) 

Blessings to you,
Mamita

Six Years

Six years is too stinkin' long for kids to wait for a family!

It's too long for aching arms and anxious hearts to wait to hold them!

Please join me in praying for Rod, Dawn and their kids, Ronaldo and Julia.

Tomorrow (May 18th) will be 6 years since they committed to adopting these two.   



I hurt for my friends.

I hurt for these kids.

It's not fair.  It's not right.

 ¹⁸ Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you;

   therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.

For the LORD is a God of justice.

   Blessed are all who wait for him! (Isaiah 30:18, New International Version)

Let's pray for justice, mercy and compassion for these two innocent ones and the family that waits for them.

Blessings to you,
Mamita

The Real Promise Day

Every year, we celebrate Promise Day on May 22.  That's the day we promised the folks at the US Embassy in Guatemala that we would raise Cupcake as our daughter.  With adoption, it's hard to pick which day to celebrate as the important anniversary.  There's the day we first saw her picture, the day we first met her, the day we flew home and she became a U. S. citizen.  They're all meaningful, but we chose embassy day, because of the promise we made to her.  We celebrate Promise Day with a small special treat like ice cream.

But the day that is actually dearest to my heart is what I think of as the "Real" Promise Day.

Five years ago today, Steve and I committed to the adoption of Cupcake.  We promised to make her our daughter.

We had no idea of the enormity of our decision.  We did not suspect the uncertainty and pain that her adoption process would inflict on us.  We were about to be swept under the deep waters of unforeseen circumstances.  We did not understand the sacrifice and work it would take to make her whole once she came home.  None of this was clear at the time.

But this one thing, we knew...She was ours.  Absolutely.  Without a doubt.  No question.

This knowledge - it carried us through.  When all seemed lost - multiple times, we knew that God's hand was on her.  His hand was all over this.  As more and more calamities befell us, we held on to this truth.    

She is ours.

We didn't know how things would turn out.  We didn't know if she would ever come home.  But we knew that we were forever linked to this special girl. 

I'm not sure I ever shared the story of how we knew.  It's a good one.  :-)     

Friday, April 14, 2006, we got a call from our agency.  She told me that they had gotten three "baby girls" in and we were next in line.  We could have our choice.  Only, the lawyer that was handling these three was going to cost an extra $2000 from their stated "average fee".  They assured me that he was their best lawyer and because he really worked hard, he would probably be worth the extra cost.  (Side note:  Our agency was awesome.  His price was in the range they quoted, but he was at the higher end.  He was indeed worth the extra money.)

I'm a born and bred bargain hunter, and adoption expenses are already crazy high.  And she had said "baby girls".  We were hoping for a 4-6 year old.  After talking for a while, I decided that we would wait and see if they would get a girl in with one of the less expensive lawyers.  She told me they would put the babies on the photolisting that afternoon and call us when another girl came in.

Later that afternoon, I jumped on the agency website to see what the babies looked like.  This is what I saw. 

 

My heart skipped a beat.  I called Steve and told him to jump on the computer now.  He did.  We both agreed that we thought she was the one.  I hung up and called the agency back.  I asked for all the information they had on her.  It wasn't much.  We had a birth certificate, some blood tests results and minimal family information.  The only thing that gave us pause was the fact that she was only 2.5.  We were pretty sure God  called us to adopt a 4-6 year old.  (This scared the bejeepers out of me when things went south and it looked like it might take years to get her home.  In the end, it was a HUGE confirmation that Cupcake was meant to be ours.  She came home at 4.5.)

Since it was the day before Easter weekend, we could have the weekend to pray about it.  We sent an email to each of our parents on Friday evening.

Steve's parents had occasionally discussed some of the kids we were considering, but they had always stepped back and allowed us the freedom to figure this out for ourselves.  This time, however, Steve's parents called on Saturday.  They excitedly told Steve, "She's the one!  We'll pay the extra $2000!" 

Cool!  That was a nice confirmation of our thoughts.  :-)

I had been sending pictures of potential kids to my mom for months.  I had never received a reply.  Nada.  No questions.  No concerns.  No excitement.  (She was very excited about the adoption, just not the kids we had shown her.)  So she called on Sunday.  She said, "Hey.  I'm on my way out to Aunt Harriet's for Easter.  I had your brother blow up an 8x10 picture of my little granddaughter.  I'm going to show everyone."  When I explained that we hadn't actually committed to her, my mom replied, "She's the one!  I'll pay the extra $2000!  Just make sure you call them today!"

"Mom, it's Easter.  They're not  open." :-)

Okay, that was wild!  Confirmation from both parents in a serious way!

We prayed all weekend, but we knew.  Monday, we spent the day trying to find out if  we could get any medical information or a developmental report.  They really had nothing since she had just come in to foster care.  It's scary not knowing anything about the person who would become our child.

But...

On Tuesday, April 18, 2006, we committed to Cupcake.  We promised God (and our agency) that we would stick by this child.  We would love and defend her.  We would be her advocates.  We would be her Mom and Dad.  Forever.  We would never leave her.

As I said, we had NO IDEA how that commitment would be tested.  We had NO IDEA how important this confirmation was to our emotional and spiritual lives.  God did something spectacular so that we could hold on to this hope in the worst storms we have ever faced.

That day - the day we promised to be there for Cupcake - that day- our world changed.  That day, we changed, and we have never been the same.  This is the day that I celebrate in my heart with such great joy and gladness.  This is what God looks like when He moves among men.  When I reflect on all He's done, I can't help but worship Him.  So thankful for His blessing.  :-)

Happy Real Promise Day, Sweetheart!

Blessings to you,

Mamita

Grandma Pat 1936-2011

Middle-of-the-night phone call.
Rushed packing.
Slow miles.
Painful doctor talk.
Sudden loss.
Unexpected grief.
Hurting hearts.
Hot tears.

Gathering of family.
Fond memories.
Outpouring of love.
Reunion with old friends.
Genuine laughter.
Grateful heart.
Prevailing peace.

Maybe someday, I'll tell the story, when my thoughts aren't so jumbled. Mom died of multiple complications from an angiogram. It's a very low-risk procedure. This never happens.

Except it did.

This is my favorite (relatively) recent picture of Mom. She was in Guatemala with our family visiting Cupcake. Something about Guatemala makes you look and feel ten years younger. She felt great and was so happy there. I'm so glad she came with us. I have a lifetime of happy memories just from that week. This is the Mom I want to remember.

I would appreciate prayers for our family (especially my brothers) as we process this loss.

Blessings to you,
Mamita

Compassion in Guatemala

We interrupt this vacation coverage to bring you a breaking news story.

Compassion International has invited four bloggers to visit Guatemala and tell of the work being done there. I am very excited to follow these ladies as they see how Compassion is changing the lives of people in the country I love. I'll be praying for them. They leave tomorrow. You can follow too. Just click on this link.

http://compassionbloggers.com/trips/2010-guatemala

Blessings to you,
Mamita

Miracle Kids

As we were visiting with Tammy's family, I was struck by how awesome our God is. Here in this tiny restaurant sat 2 miracles. Well, more, actually. But that's a story for another day.

As I mentioned in my last post, we were both members of a group of ladies who were caught in very long, difficult adoptions from Guatemala. It was know as the Long-Road-Home.

This Long-Road-Home group consisted of the moms of children with a variety of complicated circumstances. Some of these ladies had no reason whatsoever for a long adoption, but some had lazy lawyers or inept agencies. Some had birthmother complications or special situations which caused investigations and higher scrutiny. Many of the gals had downright corrupt adoption agencies.

Tammy had a corrupt agency. (For you cynics out there, who think you are too smart to get suckered by crooks: You would not believe the incredible lengths some of these "agencies" went to to cover their tracks and appear legitimate.) I don't recall the details, but federal charges were pressed. You can imagine the chances of getting your child home when felons are involved in the case. But God does not operate by chance and there is nothing too hard for Him. After 2 years, countless prayers, skin-of-their-teeth encounters, and extraordinary measures, they brought their beautiful son home! What a testimony to God's faithfulness! We were eyewitnesses to a miracle.

Cupcake's story is complicated. She was relinquished for adoption, which means that her birthmom knowingly placed her for adoption and agreed to follow the procedures. Early in the process, she abandoned Cupcake. In Guatemala, that is a red flag for fraud and the child is usually removed from all ties and placed in state care. Cupcake was allowed to continue with our lawyer. She had to go to court to be declared abandoned. Abandonment is risky. The judges often declare the whole thing a mess, cut ties, and send the kids to state care. (By the way, state care is a life sentence. Children in state care are never, ever adopted.) She sailed through abandonment in 7 months. After she was declared an orphan, she had to go through the regular adoption process, which was extra-scrutinized due to the unusual circumstances. All this to say that Cupcake's adoption was very high risk. Most kids who face this situation do not come home (like 95%). If they do, it takes years and years. Cupcake came home in just over 2 years. It was a miracle.


By all earthly measures, these two should not be here. Logic, probability, and common sense all tell us that. Only God could have pulled this off. I believe that He specifically brought them out for a reason. He has big plans for them. I am excited to see how He works in their lives. It will turn out to be quite an adventure, I'm sure.

Blessings to you,
Mamita

PS. The gratitude and awe I feel as I consider these miracles does not diminish the pain and heartache I feel for all my friends and their children who were left behind or are still stuck waiting to come home. If you would, please pray for those kids. It's been three years since adoptions closed in Guatemala and so many are still waiting.

Urgent: Home Needed

This is one of those hard posts to write. There is no easy way to begin...



Some close personal friends of ours are seeking a new home for their daughter. I'll call her J. J is 9 years old. She has been home from Haiti for approximately 4 years. J has a history of multiple early traumas that she clearly remembers. These past four years, she has lived in a wonderful, Christian, therapeutic home, with regular therapy sessions for trauma and attachment.

This family has done everything they can to help J heal from her deep wounds. They have come to the point where they know she needs more help than they can give. Their family situation makes it impossible for her to stay in the home. They need to do what is best for the whole family. They are trying one more, intensive intervention, praying for a miracle. If that is unsuccessful, they will need to find a new family by early September.

This is what her mom says about J: J is a hard-worker and extremely bright. Once she is able to begin working from her heart there is nothing she won't be able to do. She has the potential to be an amazing professional, mother, friend, lover of Christ. She is stuck in her pain and is not able to work with her heart right now.

J will need a therapeutic home where she will be the only child, or the youngest by several years. Her healing will be a long road, and will require a long-term, intense commitment. If you or anyone you know is interested in finding out more information, please email me at mamitaj (at) gmail (dot) com.

Let's get the word out. Feel free to re-post this or link to my blog.

Please join me in praying for J.

Blessings to you,
Mamita

As You Wait

This is for my friend, Dawn. This song got me through some pretty tough times...and still does.





God is faithful. He hangs on when we are in despair. At the lowest point, He is there. He cares.

For those of you who don't know Dawn, she has been waiting for nearly 5 years for these two:


And these two have been waiting almost 5 years for a mom and dad.



It's time for them to come home.

Please join me in praying for the completion of their adoption. There are still mountains to be moved, papers to be signed, approvals to be had, bureaucracies to navigated, hearts to be softened, and hoops to be jumped through.

God is faithful and these two have not escaped His notice. Pray that He opens the way for these precious kids to come home.

Blessings to you,
Mamita

Decisions, Decisions...

I have a decision to make...so I am going to think out loud here.

I am currently working with the Middle School Youth Group. I have a small group of 8th grade girls that I love. A while ago, our Youth Pastor asked me if I was planning to move up with my girls to the High School Youth Group or was I planning to stay with Middle School and take a new group of 6th grade girls.

Hmmm...

Decisions...I'm not good at them.

Now, I know at this point that most of you are thinking this is a no-brainer. Most people run screaming from anything having to do with Middle School students, but I honestly like working with Middle School kids.

Here's why:

1. Middle School students are teachable. Even though they act like they know everything (especially to their parents), they really are open to learning new things. They are just coming to the point in their lives where they really think about serious stuff on their own and not just mimicking their parents. They are eager to know the truth about the Truth. If God can get a hold of their hearts now, they will become a force to be reckoned with.

2. Middle School students are squirrelly. They laugh at my terrible puns and feeble jokes. They make me laugh and remember what it was like to be a kid. They accept me just the way I am. They remind me not to take myself so seriously. 6th graders are way squirrellier (I just know that's a word) than 8th graders, so the giggles would be multiplied.

3. Middle School is tough. It was tough a hundred years ago when I was in Middle School. It is infinitely tougher now. Middle School is downright brutal. These kids deal with unbelievable pressure on a daily basis. If I can help them see clearly through the chaos, keep a big picture perspective, and make wise decisions, I will be truly serving them.

4. Because my hardest stage growing up was in Middle School, I have tremendous compassion on these students and I'm also a great resource for what not to do. Boy, do I have stories. ;-) I experienced all the normal pitfalls of early adolescence (zits, glasses, greasy hair, awkward, clumsy, etc.) I also experienced some much more serious issues that many of our kids are going through. I can relate to these kids.

5. Sugar will be a 6th grader next year. I would love to be her small group leader.

6. It will be easier for our Youth Pastor to find a volunteer to take the High School position.


Ah, but what about High School: Well, I like High School, too, for many of the same reasons.

1. High School students are also teachable. They ask tough questions, but if given a reasonable answer, they will truly think about the truth presented. I love the intellectual challenge that High School students bring to the table. My 8th grade girls are already asking the tough questions and thinking about deeper things. And I love, love, love them so much. I strongly desire to keep mentoring them. Their spiritual growth is something I want to stay involved with.

2. High School students are more mature. There is more time for serious discussion, which is really where my strength lies.

3. High School is tough. The pressures are more intense. The stakes are higher. The potential consequences harsher. Decisions that will affect the rest of their lives come at them without warning. I love to prepare students for the pitfalls that are out there. I love to share a more excellent way. God's plan is both reasonable and good. And when they've messed up, I am glad to show God's grace and His redemptive power, offering healing and forgiveness..

So, there you have it. It's ALL GOOD. It's a win/win for me. No matter which way I go, I'll be making a difference in the lives of young people.

Even as I'm writing my thoughts out, I think I know which way I'll go.

What do you think?

Blessings to you,
Mamita

Yeah Me!

I've had absolutely NO SIGN of shingles this week! Yeah me!! :-D

I have decided that my day in the ER was really just a unique spa day. I had a private, quiet room. As long as I wasn't moving, I wasn't in pain. Nobody called. Nobody needed my attention. They were so busy, they left me alone for hours at a time. So, I laid around for eight hours reading my book, praying, and watching Jeopardy. Sure, I was starving (I hadn't eaten for 2 days.) and a stretcher is not the most comfortable bed. But, really, all in all, it was somewhat restful.

When I told this to Cupcake's therapist, she looked at me and said, "Julie, do you know how crazy, busy, stressful your life must be if a day in the ER is refreshing?"

Hmmm...

I wouldn't trade my crazy, busy, stressful life for anything, but I wouldn't mind a week in Tahiti with my Honey.

Blessings to you,
Mamita

We Have a New Record, Folks

Last year, about this time, I reported our unusual February/March consisted of two Emergency Room visits, one broken ankle, and two emergency surgeries...all in 6 weeks time.

Well, we new have a new record!!!

This year, in two weeks time, we have had three Emergency Room visits, and two emergency surgeries.

The good news...everyone is going to live. :-)

Two weeks ago today, I took Daddy to the ER for a kidney stone. After an all-nighter, he had surgery (a procedure, really, but under general anesthesia) to blast the stone and put in a stent. The surgeon reported that it was a lot more difficult than he had expected, and that he had to be rougher with Daddy than is usual. He had lots of complications, so they kept him an extra night. Two days later, he was again in dire pain. Back to the ER we went. After another all-nighter, he had another surgery to check out the healing from the first procedure and to replace the stent. It worked. Hallelujah! He is left with some mild discomfort which will go away once they remove the stent.

Yesterday, I began having abdominal pain. It grew more intense as the day wore on, so I called my doctor. He did not think it was appendicitis, and the pain was not intense enough to warrant a bunch of tests, so he asked me to wait and see until today - unless the pain increased. So, today, the pain was still there, and had increased a little. So, off we went the the same ER. It was crazy busy, and it took hours just to get a room. After 8 hours of running tests and waiting around, they have determined that I have Undiagnosed Abdominal Pain. Hmmm... The Dr. actually thinks it may be shingles, but it hasn't come on in force yet. Shingles! I have not heard anything good about shingles. :-(

All this to say, I have found myself very thankful lately that we are having all these problems in America, and not in Haiti. Our hospitals are actually in buildings. Everything is sterile. They have full staffing. Our waits are nothing. Our insurance covers most everything. We have our arms and legs and family. We have a house to come home to after a long and difficult day. We have it good, even when things are not easy or fun. Thank You, Jesus, for all these things.

Blessings to you,
Mamita

UNICEF

PLEASE DO NOT GIVE MONEY TO UNICEF!!!

Everywhere I turn, people are pleading for donations to UNICEF on behalf of the children of Haiti. The pictures tug on your heartstrings.

BUT, PLEASE DO NOT GIVE MONEY TO UNICEF!!!

Now, please hear me out. I have reasons. Lots of them.

Don't misunderstand me. By all means, give money to Haiti relief. I believe in supporting large organizations that can come in and do disaster relief in a big way. I believe in supporting small
NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) that lived through the earthquake and have an established relationship with the people of Haiti. But I do not believe in supporting UNICEF at any level.

"Why?" you ask.

For starters, UNICEF begins with UN.

The United Nations is a bloated organization of self-important elitists who think they know best how to run the lives of the “little people”.

Don’t even get me started about the widespread corruption.

This is the organization that pouts and shakes its finger at cruel, murderous dictators. And if the dictator doesn’t comply with their demands…they….they…they ………pass a resolution. They are largely irrelevant when dealing with the truly awful atrocities of this world.

This is the organization that purports to stand for the rights of women all over the world. That is, as long as the “right” is to have an abortion. As long as a woman wants to kill her offspring, they will stand up and fight for her right to do that. If the woman lives in China, though, and she wants to have the right to bring her child to term, that’s a different story. They wouldn’t dare step on China’s one child, forced abortion, forced sterilization policy. It would be so wrong of them to interfere with a nation’s sovereignty.

And speaking of China, this is the same organization that thinks it’s a good idea to put China on the Human Rights Committee. Really? You know, I think the presidents of Iran and North Korea would have a wealth of information on human rights…like how to trample on them. Maybe the three of them could get together and sing Kum-ba-ya.

Sorry for dripping with sarcasm. I can’t help it. You see, it’s not just political. It’s personal.

UNICEF is the arm of the UN that speaks “on behalf” of children. I believe that many of them are kind-hearted people who really do care about the best interests of the children. They just have bad ideas. And ideas have consequences. In this case, deadly consequences.

UNICEF was responsible for shutting down adoptions in Guatemala. There are many, many of my friends' kids still waiting to come home two years after new adoptions were stopped. And many, many left behind.

In fact, UNICEF is responsible for shutting down adoptions wherever they go. And everywhere they go, orphans are dying because they have no family to take them in and care for them. Everywhere. Orphanages are filled to capacity and they have lost their funding (because adoption funds orphanages.) They are turning away children because they just don’t have the resources. Everywhere. Children are dying because UNICEF stepped in to “protect” them.

Oh, they promise that they just want adoptions to be legal, ethical, and transparent. I want adoptions to be legal, ethical and transparent. Who doesn’t? They promise that once safeguards are in place, they will give their blessing. Therein lies the rub. There will never be enough safeguards. No developing nation has the resources to implement the lofty ideas of UNICEF. A national computerized database sounds like a terrific idea, until you realize that something like 8% of Guatemalans have refrigerators and even fewer have laptops. Internet access is sketchy at best. Entire villages lose power for months at a time. Villagers whose kids go missing are not likely to know about a computerized database and they are very unlikely to have a recent digital photograph of their missing child, even if the government could implement such a system.

And then there is the bigger problem of corruption. UNICEF steps in because of corruption. So they work with the government to put an end to the corruption. The problem: The government is corrupt. In our two year adoption journey, in four visits to the country, the ONLY corruption we ran into was with a government official. So, corrupt UNICEF wants to work with corrupt governments to stop corruption in the private sector. Hmmmm? Does anyone see a problem with that?

And then there is the biggest problem with UNICEF. In the deepest core, there is an underlying worldview that truly believes that inter-country adoption is equivalent to child-trafficking. They especially feel it is wrong for Americans to take children out of their native culture. I have so much more to say on this, but I will save it for another post. Let me just say, “There is a BIG DIFFERENCE!”

So why the outrage at UNICEF now?

Because they are at it again.

Remember the 25 kids from For His Glory Orphanage in Haiti? The ones that had a little more paperwork to be completed before they could come home to their waiting parents? Those kids who had hoped to be cleared the next day were never approved.

UNICEF stepped in. They are throwing their money and power around to make Haiti comply with their unreasonable demands. There are kids in Haiti who were in process to be adopted by loving parents. I know I’m long-winded, but…

Go read this heartbreaking story.

And then resolve to NEVER give to UNICEF again.

Bless you for reading this far.

Mamita

For His Glory Praise!

Most of the For His Glory Orphanage kids are coming home!!!!

This just in from my friend, Dawn:

THEY'RE COMING HOME!!!!!

Press Release - January 22, 2010
Orphans Bound for U.S. in Two Groups

Eighty-two orphans will depart Haiti on Saturday

(Port-au-Prince, Haiti) All paperwork has been completed for 82 children from the Maison des Enfants de Dieu (Children of the House of God) orphanage and they have clearance to travel to the United States. These 82 children are scheduled to depart Port-au-Prince airport on Saturday, January 23, 2010, at around 11:00 a.m. on an aircraft bound for Florida. Those children with Colorado adoptive parents in this first group, will continue on to Colorado, accompanied by a medical team from the Colorado Children's Hospital. Orphanage staff and representatives of the U.S. ministry, For His Glory Adoption Outreach (FHG) will continue to work with U.S. Embassy officials for humanitarian parole and travel clearance for the remaining eligible children. FHG hopes that these children will receive their clearance sometime on Saturday, January 23, 2010, with a departure date and time still to be determined.

Kim Harmon, President of FHG, wanted to express her gratitude to the staff of the U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince for their tireless efforts in processing the paperwork for all the children. Kim reminded adoptive parents and supporters to "continue in steadfast prayer for the children who are traveling tomorrow and for those who remain in Haiti."

YEAH!!! Way to go, God!!! What an answer to prayer!

Keep praying. There are still about 25 kids that are eligible to come home, but have not been processed yet. And there are some that must remain as orphans in Haiti. :-(

Blessings to you,
Mamita

For His Glory Update

As soon as I published the last post, I found this:

Orphans Intend to Depart Haiti... Again

Confusing and complicated orphan process delays orphan's departure

(Port-au-Prince, Haiti) On January 20, 2010, staff from the Maison des Enfants de Dieu (Children of the House of God) orphanage accompanied by representatives from the U.S. ministry, For His Glory Adoption Outreach (FHG), attempted to obtain humanitarian parole from the U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince for 133 orphans. The orphanage staff and FHG representatives were turned away because of confusion about photo requirements for each child. Additionally, they were informed that humanitarian parole would only apply to approximately 111 of the 132 children from the Maison des Enfants de Dieu orphanage. These are the orphans who have a "United States qualified referral" dated prior to the earthquake on January 12, 2010.

In accordance with specific instructions received today, orphanage staff and FHG representatives will depart for U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince in the early morning of January 21, 2010, with the 109 children eligible for humanitarian parole. We anticipate they will receive authority to depart Haiti via air by the early afternoon and will provide further information on the actual schedule as soon as we have it. Three of the remaining 24 children are being adopted by parents in Argentina and Canada and are waiting for those countries to announce their evacuation procedures. The remaining 18 children at Maison des Enfants de Dieu orphanage will remain in Haiti since they have not yet been referred for international adoption. The orphanage receives request each day to accept new orphans, however their ability to accept children orphaned since the earthquake is very limited. Orphanage staff today reported they were out of diapers, low on food and they remained concerned about security at the orphanage.

Kim Harmon, President of FHG, underscored her call "to all who care about these precious children to pray earnestly for their safety and that the complicated humanitarian parole process can be successfully completed tomorrow. We are thankful to the Lord for where He has brought us and for everyone's tireless prayer and work to accomplish His will in bringing these children home soon. We pray that the wait will not be much longer and continue to work to that end."


Keep on praying for these kids.

Blessings to you,
Mamita

For His Glory

The latest from For His Glory orphanage...

We went to the embassy and got right in. we did not take the kids. they stayed at the O. we needed pics of all the kids so we are doing this now and returning to the embassy in the morning. pray for safety at night and no more aftershocks. pray for a swift process tomorrow so we can return with the kids ASAP.

Blessings to you,
Mamita

Haiti Orphan Crisis

I was so encouraged by the news that almost 60 orphans from Haiti arrived safely in the US. Praise God for that.

I thought that the US State Department had opened the doors to the orphans of Haiti. I thought they had compassion on the most vulnerable children of Haiti. Apparently, I was wrong.

In my last post, I asked for help for the For His Glory orphanage. This home was running out of food, clean water, and supplies for the babies. The situation was desperate. Well, read this.

From JCICS (Joint Council on International Childrens Services):

UPDATE: Haiti
It is once again my job to be the barrier of bad news. Another day come and gone and no change. Despite extensive Congressional support and all of your calls to your Members of Congress we have hit roadblock after roadblock. At this point we respectfully ask that you stop contacting your Members of Congress requesting their assistance with obtaining security, transportation, and water for the location. The Department of State has not and apparently will not provide the small assistance that we have requested.

Given the current circumstances, at this point we are recommending that someone from each orphanage escort the children who qualify for humanitarian parole or adoption visas to the U.S. Embassy in Port-A-Prince. We recommend that the orphanage staff arrive with the children and any adoption paperwork that has not been destroyed as early as possible in the morning in order to attempt to obtain visas or parole for the children. Please understand that this option may not be considered safe and that the U.S. Embassy did not allow some orphanages onto the premises today. Additionally, please note that it has been reported that there is no food, water or facilities for the children to use while at the Embassy. As noted during our conference call earlier today, these are our recommendations only and should not be used to replace your or your orphanage director's good judgment.

It is our understanding that any children processed by USCIS in Port-A-Prince are leaving on U.S. cargo jets to locations that are not often know until a hour or so before the flight leaves. At times children have left Haiti without the knowledge of their adoptive parents.

This is currently the worst case scenario for the children's well-being and safety but at the moment there are no other options.

As we receive more information we will continue to share it with you. While the situation at the moment is terrible I can only hope that our collective efforts produce some positive news. Despite the roadblocks Joint Council has not given up on the save haven and we continue to advocate for its creation and a more transparent and safe process in uniting these children with their adoptive families.
Rebecca

And this from For His Glory Orphanage:

On January 20, 2010, 133 orphans from the Maison des Enfants de Dieu (Children of the House of God) orphanage will begin the difficult process outlined by the U.S. Department of State for humanitarian parole and onward transportation to the United States. In accordance with instructions received from the State Department, as relayed by the Joint Council on International Children's Services (JCICS) at 8 p.m. today, orphans along with orphanage staff members have been instructed to arrive at the U.S. Embassy as early as possible on Wednesday morning. JCICS warned that no food, water or facilities would be available for the children while processing at the U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince.

JCICS further relayed that orphanage requests to the U.S. Embassy for security and transportation for the children have been denied by the State Department. The U.S. ministry associated with this orphanage, For His Glory Adoption Outreach (FHG), was also asked to stop requesting security, transportation or even water at the orphanage location. Following discussions with staff and board members in Port-au-Prince, the difficult decision was made that all 133 children, including approximately 60 children under the age of 3, will begin early in the morning of January 20th to walk the over 2 kilometers to the U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince. This decision was made due to the limited staff available and the increasingly dangerous security situation at the orphanage in Port-au-Prince. The staff will carry as much water, food and baby formula as possible with them for the orphans while processing at the U.S. Embassy. JCICS relayed that once processing is completed, the orphans will travel to the United States on "cargo jets to locations that are not often known until an hour or so before the flight leaves."

Kim Harmon, President of FHG, acknowledged that "this arrangement is far from ideal for the safety and well-being of the children. We are calling to all who care about these precious children to pray earnestly for their safety tomorrow."

Please be on your knees for these children and their nannies. Pray for the people of Haiti, who were rocked again this morning. Pray for the relief workers and rescue crews. Pray for both governments to put the interests of the children first.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27

Broken before Him,
Mamita

Haiti

My heart is so broken for the people of Haiti. I haven't really had much opportunity to see the broadcast news in the past week or so, so I don't know how they have reported the tragedy there. But I have been following the blogs of a few people that are on the ground there. The reports from these people are devastating. The situation is critical. Time is critical.

If you can find a way, please give something to the relief effort.

Please.

Here are some links of reputable organizations that can help or who are desperate for help RIGHT NOW. The smaller, lesser known organizations are people that I have been following for a few years. They are not fly-by-night scammers. They have already walked alongside the people of Haiti for years. They are trusted in the community.

Troy and Tara Livesay - missionaries in Haiti

Heartline Ministries - pregnancy/women's center

Real Hope for Haiti Rescue Center severe medical crisis center

World Wide Village - provide nutrition/education

For His Glory Outreach - orphanage in desperate need of supplies/money

International Mission Board - Southern Baptist Convention Haiti Relief Fund

Samaritan's Purse

American Red Cross

If you have a favorite organization that you prefer to give to, do it. Just give.

I am also asking you to pray for the people of Haiti. This is totally devastating to an already fragile country.

A situation that has my heart particularly sad is the orphan's plight. It is unimaginable how many children are new orphans. My heart is restless for those children who are desperately looking for their families. And then there are those that were in process to be adopted. In some cases, the paperwork is sitting in a pile of rubble. Please pray that the Haitian government would expedite these cases as humanitarian rescue.

Praying,
Mamita

Rough Day

This is the kind of day we had at our house...


Cupcake is going through something that is NO FUN.

Not fun for any of us. I'm weary.

Please pray for a breakthrough for us.

Blessings to you,
Mamita