Don’t Underestimate Small Beginnings…

 

All week I have been writing down the little things that are happening with Footprints of the Son.  I want to remember it all.  I don’t ever want to forget this time.  I can see us looking back on this very blog in 2 years, 5 years, 10 years and remembering the blessings God gave us in the very beginning…

People may think it is simple or even easy to start a ministry in one of the poorest countries in the world, but that is not the case when you are trying to achieve Kingdom excellence.  I have had many mentors in my last 3 years here, and one piece of advice that stands out the most is this… “Don’t just do it…do it WELL!”  

Doing it well means taking our time to pray, plan, and prepare.  As you look at my Facebook posts and pictures, you may say, “Alright already, where are the kids?”  Trust me, they are coming and that is why we are taking this time to prepare ourselves, our family, our community, and our home!  God has already showed us some of the need, and we know there is much more to come.

What are we doing now exactly (well, here is the fun part of the blog…)

 

1.       We are pulling buckets of water up with rope from our well to bathe, wash clothes, flush toilets, clean dishes, water plants, etc. (As of last night, our water pump was lowered deep enough to bring water to our tank on our roof and run through our pipes…so no more buckets…ok, maybe a few still!) 

 

2.       We are eating a lot of peanut butter sandwiches, Tampico, and food made by neighbors!  (A stove top will be purchased soon so we can cook for our family…after that; we will get the outdoor kitchen set up for outreach and our future foster children.)

 

3.       We pray every night at 6pm that the government street power will come on so we can charge everything for the next day (we will need to purchase a generator before the hot summer months, but for now we are grateful the weather is beautiful!)

4.       At 5pm, we hang out on our roof looking down at the children playing soccer in the street and enjoy the nature around us.
 

5.       We are building relationships and trust with the community so they know we are not “scary!” (One day a little boy told Papito he was scared because we have a big house and he thinks Papito could shoot him with a gun…Now, that same boy hangs out right outside of our home and greets us with a smile on his face!)

 

6.       We are making a 2013 budget (which is a lengthy process of planning, price searching, getting quotes, etc…we can’t have foster children until we have beds for them to lay their sweet heads on.)

7.       We are finding some beautiful families that have been raising special needs children with no assistance.  We are seeing hope in their eyes as we tell them of our vision to assist them as they raise their special children.

 

8.       We are helping where we can (Anchilove got a pink portable crib yesterday that we just “happened to have” and not need!  We also took her to the doctor, got blood work, and medicine as well as cereal and formula for her…we have seen her parents go from seeing her as a burden to treating her like a “princess” in less than a week!)

 

9.       We are learning to be a “family” because this will be the foundation of the ministry, Footprints of the Son.

 

 

10.   We are seeking God’s guidance, listening to His whispers, and thanking Him for the blessings!

I head to the states for two weeks on Wednesday, and will be gathering supplies and getting some necessary paperwork so we can complete the Haitian foundation process when I get back.  Please be praying for Papito as he will have much on his plate here in Haiti while I’m away (Christ-tcherry, Peterson, the home, banking, outreach, etc.)  I am more than confident that he will handle it all with a smile on his face but a few prayers could never hurt!

Thank you to all of you that are already supporting us in such great ways…each prayer, each thought, each donation, each word of encouragement is greatly appreciated! 

“He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward him for what he has done.” 

Proverbs 19:17 NIV

 

Dreams Become Reality...

 

As I sit in this little room with four concrete walls and two of the sweetest hearts (Christ-tcherry and Peterson,) I remember playing “babies” when I was a little girl.  I always dreamed of the day that I would be a “Mommy,” and at the age of 29, that is exactly what I am!  Humbled, blessed, and loved…

As I graduated from playing “babies” around age 10, I started talking about adopting.  I remember my mom asking me, “Heather, why do you want to adopt children?”  The answer was simple, “Mom, I don’t need to have any children because there are so many in the world that need help already.”  By no means am I saying it is for everyone, but I am amazed how God planted that seed and desire in my heart so early.  The journey was already in the works…

 

At age 13, I started helping with a dance class for children with special needs.  That class quickly became the highlight of my week (along with ballet, of course!)  I later became the teacher of that class for over five years.  Oh, God is so good.  The parents of my students encouraged me so much.  They became my examples of patience, advocacy, determination, etc.  Once again, the Lord using everything He could to prepare me for the BIG plans He had in store…

“…No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him”  1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV

 

Now, I jump to this day…almost three years have gone by serving full time in Haiti.  Many dreams have already become reality, but the biggest is coming RIGHT now!  God has blessed me abundantly.  He has given me so many to love and care for including Jean, Denise, Fitson, Peterson, Derline, Christ-tcherry, Junika, Emmanuella, Rosalie, Emma, Chama, Henry Claude, Sandley, Carlos, etc (the list goes on and on.)  The Lord has even taken some of these home to heaven, and I have JOY knowing I will see them again!  They each have taught me lessons, given me experience, shown me that LOVE is the greatest of these!

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love.”  1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV

In case all of this wasn’t enough…

God even decided to show off how truly big His love is as He gave me something special that I never even dreamed of…a HUSBAND!  Wow, talk about a loving Father.  I literally just smile sometimes because He created Papito for me, and now His plans will fully be executed for the fullest of His glory!  CRAZY LOVE…

 

Seriously God, what else do you have in store?

Coming (VERY) Soon…

Footprints of the Son/Les Emprintes du Fils

Terrier Rouge, Haiti

 “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.” John 13: 14 NIV (English Version)

 “Si donc je vous ai lave les pieds, moi, le Seigneur et le Maitre, vous devez aussi vous laver les pieds les uns aux autres.” Jean 13:14 (French Version)

Big News From Haiti For The New Year...

 

Some of the big news (please be seated while reading)…

The matchmakers have completed their job!  Peterson and Christ-tcherry (with a lot of assistance from our Great God,) have succeeded in making a "family" for themselves!  It took over a year, a lot of good times, hardships, surgery, etc but Peterson's mommy and Christ-tcherry's daddy have fallen in love and tied the knot! 

On Christmas Day, we ran around Ouanaminthe on a motorcycle talking to our Christian mentors, our families, and a judge getting acceptance to be ONE.  God worked a miracle and on December 26th, we were married with Pastor Daniel and Mami Karris as our witnesses (of course, the two little matchmakers were present too!) 

We are thrilled to have made the commitment to be Mr. and Mrs. Dasmin Gabaud for the rest of our lives, and we look forward to having a celebration in Haiti on May 25th with some family and friends!

 

The new endeavor…

On February 1^st, we will be moving into our new home in Terrier Rouge, Haiti (northeast Haiti.)  We will be getting the home ready for the birth of the new ministry…Footprints of the Son.  It is simply the following…

1)    A temporary foster home for severe/fragile special needs orphans needing more TLC than their current orphanages are able to offer

2)    An outreach program to aid and train Haitian families in raising their special needs sons and daughters

Why the name Footprints of the Son? 

Being a temporary foster home, we would like to leave the footprints of God’s love on each of these little ones that He entrusts us with for their most fragile time on earth.

Mission Statement: 

To nurture, love, and protect the severe and fragile special needs children living in Haiti by assisting, teaching and guiding their forever families through the love of Jesus Christ, our Savior. 

Verse that represents the heart of the ministry: 

John 13:  1-17 (passage speaks of Jesus washing the disciples feet…a literal example of bringing understanding to the importance of serving others and also teaching what is right.

 

Our heart for the foster home…

(The following was written by Heather)

Being a mother in Haiti for the last three years has been such a blessing, and I can’t imagine doing anything but caring for some of the most severe/fragile special needs children of Haiti.  It is my heart, it is my passion, and it is simply what I love to do.  I know it does not come without heartache, but the blessed times always surpass the dark days (my little Jean was the first evidence of this…if it wasn’t for my sweet little man, I would never have known my true gifting and calling!) 

The home will serve as temporary care and aid to larger orphanages and families trying to care for these fragile ones.  The goal of the home will be to offer the proper medical needs, nutritional needs, and extra TLC that these children require in order to strengthen them to be integrated back into their forever families.  We will have about five foster children at a time to ensure that they receive the quality of care and attention they need.  We will celebrate with great joy when one child is well enough to go back to their home, and we have the ability to assist another precious one!

Our heart for the outreach program…

(The following was written by Papito and translated into English.)

Because I am a parent of a special needs child, I have lived the life that many other parents are living in Haiti with their different children.  On behalf of our great God Jehovah, my heart begins to rejoice about our outreach ministry to assist these parents and children.  I will never forget my past with my first son, Christ-tcherry.  I can now be an example to teach other parents how they can be important in the lives of their special children.  I have an open heart for them.  These children are very important and they have the same power as us.  They do not have the opportunity to speak and act as others, but they are valuable nonetheless.  Within the ministry of Footprints of the Son, the outreach program will be my priority.  I want to give them all I am to make them feel well, taken care of, and loved.  I pray that the Lord will use me for this outreach program and that it will give much glory to Him.

That is probably enough shock for one night…

Please stay connected and let us know if you want to be on the Footprints of the Son mailing list.  We are in the beginning stages and would like to ask you for your thoughts, prayers, and encouragement.  We feel so blessed for everything that the Lord is doing in our lives and are so excited to give the glory to Him!  Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for standing behind us as we continue on this blessed path.

Ti Jimson and Medical Reality Here in Haiti...

This morning I sit in a hospital in La Pointe, Haiti with a precious 12 year old boy, Ti Jimson, who is battling infection throughout his body.  He now sleeps on a hospital cot with a blanket rolled up under his head, IV in his little foot, a diaper wrapped around his little bottom, and a pillow case draped over his body to give him comfort since he can’t have clothes on because his fever comes and goes.  For the last seven days, this has been us.  We wait for answers, we wait for the doctor to come every morning, we wait for the nurses to check in every few hours, he takes medicine, he tries his best to keep food down, he shivers, he cries, he looks into my eyes and expresses his feelings without any words.

Last Saturday afternoon, I was reminded of the medical process here in Haiti.  I scooped Ti Jimson into my arms as he needed to go to the maternity section of the mission to get his hemoglobin checked.  They had to turn the generator on for power in order to do this.  In just a few seconds, we received the news that his hemoglobin had gone from 5g to 3g in one day.  Dr. Simone immediately had us go to the hospital which is about 40 minutes away from the mission because he required a blood transfusion.  Once there, one of the Miriam Center nurses and I walked him to the emergency room.  She paid for a dossier for him, and I sat in a chair with him as everyone just stared at this sick boy in my arms. 

I must say, I was impressed with the quickness of the emergency department of the hospital.  Within 30 minutes, they had an IV in him and were transferring us to the pediatric “in patient” room.  After a few hours, I quickly realized that Ti Jimson would need a private room because he could not battle infection with 17 other pediatric patients and their families in the same room.  On Saturday evening, I made the best decision I could have ever made on a whim…we walked down the hallway and this precious boy now had his own room.  For so many Haitians this is not an option because it costs about $30USD a night and a 5 night deposit is demanded before transferring.  The room is simple, but clean (minus a few mosquitos and a dusty fan) and quiet…priceless in my eyes!

 

Ti Jimson received the emergency blood transfusion on Saturday night.  I looked on the bag of blood, and it was donated by a visiting doctor on November 6, 2012.  In the states we always hear about the “gift of life” but here I was seeing it with my very own eyes.  On Monday morning, we received the news that Ti Jimson’s hemoglobin was 7.3!!!  Although we praised this report, we still needed answers.  Ti Jimson has been coughing, having fevers up to 105.1, liver is enlarged, refusing to eat, crying in pain, etc.  The pediatrician has been wonderful, but only has time to see him once a day because she is the only pediatrician right now.  Her time is stretched thin between the ER patients, the clinic patients, the orphanage patients, and the hospital patients. 

 

Every day has presented with more tests and more medications.  It has gone through my head, “are we simply putting a Band-Aid on the situation or are we indeed treating something?”  Pneumonia meds, fever meds, malaria preventative meds, etc.  Blood work is looking better and the chest x-ray doesn’t look too bad anymore either.  Wednesday and Thursday nights were quite the scare with a 105.1 fever, no eating, diarrhea, respiratory distress etc.  An emergency IV was given as well as 2 shots (one for fever and one for respiratory trouble.)  Again, the Lord became our Great Physician…the medicine worked both nights.  I finally feel like the little guy might make it.  I sit here just praying over his little body that the fever does not come back, that he keeps his food down, and that he rests to gain all the strength he has lost this past week.  I truly believe that God wants this child to have one more miracle to add to his collection!  See, he is already a miracle in so many ways…he is a special needs child living in Haiti, he is a true orphan, and he has battled many illnesses in his short life. 

 

I could go on and on, but it is not needed.  I simply want you to ask for a hedge of protection over this sweet boy.  His body is weak, and it needs strength.  May he feel loved each day that he fights, may he be comforted when he hurts, and may he be a LIVING testimony of God’s love for all of those like him! 

Little story for this season of giving…

A nurse came in last night, and saw that we had two thermometers on our shelf (one being an old fashioned mercury one.)  She said, “You have much thermometers, could you give me one?”  She is a nurse at a hospital in Haiti and she needs a thermometer!  She said we had “MUCH” and we had two…reality, for sure!

 

 

Christ-tcherry (Miracle Baby!)

Although, I wish I had more time to write and update everyone, I am crunched for time today.  So, the goal is to get this blog out today to get people praying for this little miracle boy!  Many of you already know Papito and Christ-tcherry's story and how they have impacted my life forever.  We were scheduled to come to the Dominican Republic for medical care in November, but because of events with my health, we had to come a month earlier.  It has been evident that everything has been in God's timing as it has all worked out relatively smoothly.  (it could have been a very rough road)

We have been here for 9 days doing a lot of outpatient medical stuff (doctor consults, testing, lab work, etc.)  All the doctors have been wonderful as they are working with Peterson, Christ-tcherry, and myself.  Christ-tcherry was seen by a neurologist last week, and we were referred to an Ear, Nose, and Throat surgeon for his Tonsilectomy surgery where he will also have his tongue "clipped."  The surgeon looked at his X-ray and was appalled by what he saw.  Parts of Christ-tcherry's airway are only the size of a needle where it should be the size of a pen cap all the way through.  This is causing major respiratory problems for Christ-tcherry and he is being deprived of more and more oxygen every day.  The surgeon said at best we have up to a year to get this surgery done before his airway closes completely.

I do not tell you all of this as a "sob" story, but mainly for facts and proof of God's perfect timing!  All the doctors believe that this will be a life saving surgery for Christ-tcherry and that he will begin to really thrive after it.  Because we came a month early, I had not had time to fundraise for this surgery, and am asking if you will consider contributing directly to his surgery.  I have been able to cover most of our other expenses by a generous initial donation of $1,100.  This is what really prompted me to "go out on a limb" and seek all the medical attention needed at this time (in the long run, saving money.)

Tomorrow, I have to pay $1,800 for Christ-tcherry's surgery, one night hospital stay, and tissue biopsy. I am believing in faith that the funds will come in...I have to!  The Lord has guided me thus far, and I know it is in His will for this precious boy to get this care.  The hospital has been so generous in making us a "package" deal where a huge deposit is not needed.  Christ-tcherry's surgery will be done at 7am on Tuesday morning.  His dad (Papito) and I will be with him.  Peterson will come visit once he is out of recovery and in a regular room.  The two boys have become very close over the past 9 days...their bond is sweet!

If you would consider donating to Christ-tcherry's surgery, please let me know and I will let you know how best to do so considering your needs as well.  Everyone can pray, so please keep Christ-tcherry and his daddy in your prayers this next week.  Their bond is precious and something unheard of (even in the states!)  We really have felt much love, and are blessed beyond measure to have you along with us for this exciting journey.

I will keep everyone updated as well as I can via Facebook, and hoping for a "PRAISE REPORT" blog afterward!

"From the Inside Out" Blog Series

Part Three:  “Act of Obedience (Sandley’s Story)”

On September 24, 2010, a baby boy was born in Cap Haitian, Haiti and was held tightly by his loving mother.  He would become baby brother to 3 older siblings.  He also had a dad that lived in the small home with them.  This baby and family would face many  challenges (as if they didn’t already have enough.)  This baby, Sandley, was different from his siblings.  He was small in size, but had bulging muscles.  He had a high pitched cry that never seemed to stop.  His eyes were big and he was always looking sideways. People looked at him funny.  People knew he was sick, but didn’t know why (Could it be true?  Was he seen as a curse on his family?  Was he going to die with nobody knowing him?  Would he be hidden from the outside world because his family was ashamed of him?)  With many “different” looking children in Haiti, this is true, but Sandley’s mother knew she had to do something for her son.  She would spend the next year seeking for answers for her son.  She would go from hospital to hospital looking for a “cure.”  She would spend much of the family’s money to do this and buy all the medications the doctors suggested (vitamins, IV fluid, antibiotics, etc.)  See, they either didn’t understand the diagnosis of “spastic quadriplegia” or they were too afraid to tell the boy’s mother that her son would not be “cured” by medicine.  If she knew of this diagnosis, would she still care for him or would she give up and let him die in a corner of their home?  After all, she had 3 more “healthy” mouths to feed and tend to, and that was a struggle in itself.

Sandley’s mother would be obedient to the feeling in her heart again.  In December of 2011, she brought Sandley to another hospital in Milot, Haiti.  The baby would be admitted for overnight care, and given a prescription for seizure medication.  Sandley and his mother would remain there for the next 3 days.  She was unable to buy the medicine prescribed because it was too expensive (in Haiti, you buy all the medications, fluids, IV, etc whether inpatient or not.) 

Pastor Daniel (a Haitian pastor who along with his wife has an orphanage) and Bill Waterman (a fellow missionary at Danita’s Children) were on their way to Milot to check on one of the “baby rescue” babies from Danita’s Children.  They checked on the baby girl who was sharing a room with about 4 other sick children and their families.  Pastor Daniel saw a mom and baby in the corner of the room.  Pastor Daniel and Bill walked back to the truck after saying goodbye.  They got ready to leave, but Pastor Daniel told Bill to wait in the truck and that he would be right back.  Pastor Daniel went back into the room to talk to the mother of the baby boy in the corner of the hospital room.  He spoke with her, and noticed the unfilled script for the seizure medication.  He also noticed that this baby boy was not well, and needed immediate attention.  Pastor Daniel went back to the truck, and asked Bill to come in and see this baby.  Bill did, and they took pictures of the baby and also paid for the seizure medication for the mother.  They then left the hospital…

Bill came to the main property of Danita’s Children, and said “I have a baby for you, Mami Heather.”  I was like, “excuse me.”  He said, “this one is for you.”  I asked to see the pictures, and I didn’t need to ask anymore.  I knew exactly what he had, and I thought, there is nothing I can do for this child.  Getting involved would not help this child or his mother.  I thought that I might be able to ignore it if I didn’t go see him or if I just convinced myself that I had enough on my plate.  This one lived too far away anyway.  Surely, there was someone else out there that would help them.  Well, that was not what God wanted, and He would keep me up that whole night thinking of this little baby.  In the morning, I called Pastor Daniel, and said, “When are you going back to the hospital?  I would like to go and meet that baby boy.”  The next day, I was in Pastor Daniel’s truck heading to the hospital. 

I walked into the room.  I went to the corner crib.  There he was, laying in his crib sleeping.  His mother was not there.  Had she abandoned him?  Could she not take anymore?  Did she have no choice?  I stroked his little arm.  I kissed my hand and then laid it on the top of his head.  Sandley’s mom walked into the room.  She had left to buy 1 jar of baby food for her son.  I was so happy to see her!  She truly loved him.  She was dedicated and devoted to her little one.  We talked and she asked if I would take her son to the orphanage.  She said that she wouldn’t be able to care for him much longer.  He was too sick.  I knew that I couldn’t do this.  I knew it was not God’s timing, and Danita helped me confirm this too.  At night I would rack my brain for what I could do for Sandley and his sweet mother.  I truly thought of so many living options, but none seemed right.  I felt like the mother loved her son, and I felt like I could offer some hope and help at the very least.  I had her come every Monday to our clinic.  Emily (our nurse) would check and weigh him every week.  I would supply his mother with his seizure medication, 1 can of formula, and less than $4 for transportation back and forth (they lived about 45 minutes away.)  That mother came every week right at 10am.  If I wasn’t there, she still came as she knew we had prepared everything for her and Sandley. 

When I got back from my 3 week visit to the Miriam Center, I understood exactly why I was asked to wait on a living situation for baby Sandley.  I made the decision to move to the special needs home in Northwest Haiti, and I had permission to bring Sandley with me.  I was so excited to tell the mother because I knew this is what she wanted for her baby.  The following Monday, I told his mom that I would be moving around April 1^st, and that Sandley could come.  She said that she had been praying for this, and not only had she been praying, she was acting!  She had Sandley’s birth certificate made and was ready to sign the necessary papers.  She was not giving him up, but rather giving him a chance…

In February, Sandley’s mom brought him on a Monday as usual and delivered the news that his father had just passed away.  She was so sad, but was keeping it together for her children.  She was certainly a strong woman!  On March 27^th, the day came for the big move.  We left Pastor Daniel’s orphanage at 4am, and we picked Sandley up on the side of the road around 4:45am in Cap Haitian.  His mother placed him in my lap, handed me the birth certificates, and then shut the door.  No tears were shed.  We simply locked eyes, and shared no words.  We didn’t need to.  This was all just an act of obedience on both our parts.  She simply placed her baby boy in my arms for safe keeping and a chance at life…

Sandley cried almost the whole way to the Miriam Center at NWHCM.  He ate a little bit, but I couldn’t get him comfortable.  He certainly did not enjoy all the bumps along the way.  We arrived and the staff immediately took him out of my arms.  The new baby had arrived, and they were thrilled to have a little baby to take care of.  He even got renamed “ti bebe” (which means little baby in Creole.)  He was stealing hearts right and left, but the real “steal” would have to wait a couple more weeks.

Justin Clark (the missionary who was coming down to focus on maintenance work for the mission) would be moving down.  I first talked to Justin at church in Haiti.  We were outside and I asked him what he would be doing at the mission.  He explained that he was there strictly to do maintenance and whatever else came his way (referring to “fixing things.”)  He made it pretty clear that he liked the idea of kids, but had “no clue” or “experience” with them.  Well, let’s just say, the rest is history…

Somehow, he found himself gravitating towards teeny tiny Sandley who seemed to be battling one illness after the other. I noticed Justin in the Miriam Center a lot.  I knew we had a lot of maintenance work to do, but I mean, Justin REALLY liked working in the Miriam Center.  It turns out that he might have had some other motives to being there…YEP, little Sandley!  That boy had stolen Justin’s heart forever.  It was one of the sweetest things I have ever witnessed to this date.  Justin even changed a diaper for the first time (and many many more after that!)  He learned to feed him with a syringe, give him medicine, hold him, play with him, and change some of the worst diapers EVER!  Who knew that God could work through something so smelly?  Haha.  Day after day, the relationship just continued.  It gets stronger each day, and Justin now calls Sandley “son” (or little feller,) and we refer to Justin as “Papi.”  Sandley is quite blessed to have Papi Justin, and I know without a doubt that Justin has been forever changed by his little feller, Sandley. 

LOVE…genuine, innocent, and pure.

On September 24^th, 2012 we will be celebrating Sandley’s 2^nd birthday.  This will be quite the day for 8lb Sandley.  I think there might even be some pudding or dum dums involved!  I am simply amazed and inspired by Sandley’s story.  It has truly taught me obedience to God’s tugging.  A lot of people had to play a part in getting to this point.  Without everyone being obedient to the Lord’s direction, this little boy would not be where he is today.  He is fulfilling his purpose of sharing love with all he meets.  It is not about quantity of days anymore, it is simply about quality and Sandley has this!

I would like to say thank you to everyone that has played a part in this “act of obedience.”  It has been a blessing that can never be explained…

1)      Sandley’s Mother:  Thank you for never giving up!  Thank you for sacrificing so much to give your boy a chance to fulfill his purpose.  Thank you for taking in all the stares and comments that first year.  Thank you for listening to your heart and always going the extra mile to seek help.

2)      Pastor Daniel:  Thank you for going back into that hospital room to see this baby boy and his mother.  Thank you for your willingness to remain such a special part of Sandley’s life as his Godfather.

3)      Bill:  Thank you for sharing your heart and having faith in me to take on this little boy.  Thank you for that little nudge to listen to the whispers of my heart.

4)      Danita:  Thank you for confirming God’s perfect timing for both me and Sandley.

5)      Emily:  Thank you for taking care of all the “Monday” tasks of this little one.  Your faithfulness made a huge difference in that transition time.

6)      Miriam Center Staff:  Thank you for taking on one more baby without complaining!

7)      Stephanie, Courtney, and Autumn:  Thank you for allowing one more to join our family!

8)      NWHCM:  Thank you for having open doors to myself and my little ones.

9)      Justin:  There are no words…thank you for being the best “Papi” ever! 

10)   Sandley:  Thank you for just being YOU!  You are awesome!

*To everyone else:  Thank you for your continued prayers for Sandley.  Every day is a struggle for life, but we are making slow progress.  We appreciate all the support, prayers, and love from you.*

"From the Inside Out" Blog Series

Part Two:  "Change, Challenge, and Courage..."

Change never comes without challenges, and I knew this when I decided to listen to the Lord’s calling to move to the Miriam Center at NWHCM.  It was a challenge just preparing to move, but it happened and there I was.  Would it be easy?  No.  Would it be worth it?  Yes.  After all, if it is His plan, it is always worth it!

As soon as I arrived at the mission, I knew things were different from my visit in January.  Missionaries were coming and going, leadership was being revamped, and there was a noticeable “change” in the air.  There was even a sense of tension among many, and I would be lying if I didn’t say I thought about packing us back up and returning to Ouanaminthe within my first week of being there.  But, certainly that was not God’s plan for us, the mission, or the children of the Miriam Center.  I prayed so much that first week, and God gave me glimpses of the future and that gave me hope and encouragement.  This would simply be a season, and I had to know that He had already prepared me for this season of life.

Two weeks before I made the move, I found out that Courtney Pierce (the director of the Miriam Center for the last 4 years) would be moving stateside to advocate for these beautiful children on that end.  This would change my role drastically, and I would no longer be solely focusing on severe/profound and infant care.  The Miriam Center would now be home to 48 special needs children, and our family would also consists of many outreach/school children as well as 39 faithful staff!   WOW!  Was I really ready for this?  YES, but not without my awesome God!

This was just not going to be possible without supernatural strength, grace, and blessing.  I became completely submissive to my Savior, and placed everything in His hands.  This was not something I could nor did I want to do without Him!  The best part, Stephanie Mosier, was feeling the same way.  Stephanie had lived at the Miriam Center for almost a year before I moved there.  Her heart and passion is for the education development of special needs care, but she was also feeling God’s tugging to do more.  Together, we decided we could co-direct the Miriam Center and this would allow us to remain focused on our individual gifts.  This was a God ordained connection, for sure.  We had a lot to go through and talk about.  We had to come up with a proposal for the Miriam Center which consisted of explaining where we were at in the present time, what needed to be addressed immediately, where we needed to be in 1 year, and what “in a perfect world…” would look like.  It was all exciting, but also overwhelming at times.  A lot of BIG and HARD decisions had to be made.

A month before I moved to the Miriam Center, I really focused my prayers.  I asked daily for more discernment.  God granted this, for sure!  I still have a long way to go, but one of the most challenging parts of co-directing the Miriam Center is using discernment on priorities.  See, it is easy to think everything is “crucial” or “urgent,” but the truth is…it ALL can’t be!  I have had to really rely on God to work through me, and let Him prioritize.  Of course, there is a ton of administrative duties, but the children will always come first!  The paperwork will not magically get done in the middle of the night, so if it doesn’t get done before bed, it will still be there the next morning.  If a child is very sick, this is not always the case, so that naturally takes priority.  Forming relationships with our staff and tending to their needs is also priority.  We have to keep them healthy.  The place simply could not BE without them!  We all come together to put the Lord at the top…nothing is possible without Him and we all recognize and receive this.

There will always be changes and challenges, but after 4 months of serving the Miriam Center, I know I am able to commit to these changes and challenges.  It was all mapped out, and I was prepared.  I didn’t know it, but my 2 years at Danita’s Children really served as a platform for this next chapter of life.  I could not do what I am doing without that experience.  I am grateful for what was and what is to come…

“For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”  Matthew 18:20