Coveting Your Prayers

Last week after hearing the disturbing news about our adoptions and the current process in Haiti, several moms who are adopting from Haiti spent Friday fasting and praying. I chose not to join them on that day. My heart was not right and I could not honestly say that I would have been fasting as an act of worship. I would have wanted to earn God’s favor.

When I shared with my readers my despair over the news that I would have to wait longer than expected before bringing home David and Beverly, several of you wrote to encourage me. I appreciate your prayers! God has answered in an amazing way. I learned of a group of women from all over the United States who will be traveling to Haiti on a short term mission trip; I am thrilled to announce that I will be a part of this team. I will be in Haiti from June 30 to July 5 to volunteer at the orphanage. This is the very orphanage that is currently home to my sweet David and Beverly. The orphanage is located in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital city.

Hope for the Children of Haiti, Inc. (HFC), a non-profit organization, organized the trip. HFC owns and operates both the orphanage and a Christian school. Almost all the children in the orphanage have been abandoned by their family due to extreme poverty or have had parents who have died prematurely. HFC is home, provider and educator for these precious children. This wonderful Christian organization is shaping the worldview of Haiti’s next generation! The group has two specific goals. First, to give the older kids who are learning English the opportunity to practice their skills. Second, to flood the nursery with love and toys to stimulate the little ones. With the slow crawl of paperwork that is happening in Haiti right now, the infants are spending much longer in an institutionalized setting than was common in the past. So, you see, we are just going to love on the kids. I am equipped for that mission!

God has supplied all of my financial needs for this trip. Ron graciously donated his frequent flier miles to get me to Ft. Lauderdale. The flight from Ft. Lauderdale to Haiti was not extremely expensive. If you remember, we got a rather generous gift from my mom for Christmas. She gifted us with money from my Dad’s estate. I used part of that money to pay for my expenses while in Haiti.

It is very expensive to ship anything to Haiti. HFC relies on short-term mission trip team members to bring in donations and supplies. I thought I would have to start asking for donations, but another mom who is affiliated with the orphanage just emailed me and will be sending a box of hand-me-down clothes and shoes to donate to the orphanage.

All of this fell into place in a matter of two days. I cannot believe I will be able to learn so much about David and Beverly’s first home. When we go down there to adopt, we will be scheduled with the Haitian courts and the US Consulate. We may also have the opportunity to meet members of the kids biological family. This trip will give me a much clearer understanding of where they lived and the people and environment that shaped their early life. It will also give me a chance to experience being an ethnic minority. David and Beverly will always know what that feels like.

So, my only need as that you continue to pray for me and for the team as we go to Haiti. May we represent our Savior well as we actively engage ourselves in accomplishing the work of the body of Christ. I ask that we be protected during our entire trip.