They Made IT!

Today was a busy day and rather long considering I have a head cold and feel like someone is sitting on my face...you like that visual ;) The morning I decided to keep low key to save my energy for For Jonathan's Sake. I wrote up evaluations, took pictures to make a logo for In Their Grasp, continuing to organize the depot and make gift bags for all my For Jonathan Sake parents. Another BIG GOD moment from yesterday. We found out our crates will not arrive while I am here so the supplies I was hoping to use to make gift bags for all my For Jonathan Sake mothers and children would not come BUT THEN on the shipment that did come a school in kentucky made 28 bags (exactly how many I needed) filled with a variety of supplies donated to the Miriam Center. So I added to them and I am specializing to the groups of kids.

Today was hard because today started me telling the parents this is the last time I would be seeing them and workign with the kids. I can't beleive it :( BUT I also had the opportunity to thank them for letting me be apart of their life and their child's lives. I made sure they new how wonderful their kids were. That just because I am physically leaving that I am still praying for them and that I will see them next summer. So today I had the wonderful opportunity at end of my time to give them each a gift bag. I love my families and it is going to be so hard to leave them but they are not mine thaey are God's and I am His assistant, being His hands, and His feet. He will be holding them when I am not here... Loving on them...protecting them.

Emily and her mom safely made it to the mission :) It is so great to have familiar faces from home here. I am so excited to introduce them to my world and show them what a BIG GOD I serve. They made record time on the bus arrives in under 6.5 hours. They informed me of their adventurous ride :) The Bus is a treat...off roading for 8 hours. I love the bus ride though for the fact that you practically drive across the country of Haiti and it really helps to orient you to the country, the people, the poverty.

Well, I am off to bed for some much needed rest. Please pray for my health that I would start feeling better. Also pray for Emily and her mom as they continue on this adventure in Haiti. God is up to some amazing things and I am excited to see what they are.

Good Day!

I had a very production, fulfilling, good day! I decided last night that today I was finally going to take time to spend 1 on 1 time with my Miriam Home children and at the same time do their evaluations. I spent an hour with 7 of the higher functioning children today (Ju-Ju, Den-Den, Steven, John, Owens, Markinely, Joshua). I am mentally exhausted now but this might have been my favorite day.

Some highlights from my day included watching Owens getting so excited over having a book read to him in Creole and realizing that he understands every word. Showing Steven my first completed signing video with animals and having him perform each sign prior to it showing up on the screen…Den-Den coloring using his hand and small crayons…Ju-Ju walking just holding onto my side… Markinely sitting and interacting with me for an hour and holding his crayon with a tripod grasp needed for writing… Joshua getting so excited to play with toys and making me a picture…John showing off his mad fine motor skills with cutting and lacing. My heart was over joyed by the time I was done working with them. I was so proud of them, I was reminded of why I love being in Haiti so much…It is these children. I was reminded that the reason I work so hard to advocate for this program is because of these children. Each of them have so much potential, each of them are precious children loved by the God of the universe, each one of them were placed here at NWHCM to be loved on, to be nurtured and for the love of Christ to be shared with. I don’t know why God has chosen me to fight for them, chosen me to love them, or chosen me to poor into them BUT I am so thankful that He has and I am so thankful that HE continues to poor into me strength, love, wisdom, and energy to continue being a vessel for Him to use.

Today did not come without some hard moments though. One of my biggest was realizing that what these children need is to have someone here full-time who does exactly what I did with them today….spend an hour with them 2-3 times a week doing therapy and educational play activities with them. It is so hard knowing how much potential these children have… how much they desire to learn and grow in their abilities…knowing that all the supplies are here BUT realizing right now there is no one to fill that position. It is hard knowing I have the skills and abilities to fill this need but knowing that God has not called me full-time to Haiti yet that I am called to be a good steuart of my resources which means paying off my loans. It is still hard at times knowing that I have been called this time to minister to For Jonathan’s Sake and pour my time into that program.

Courtney and I are realizing how much bigger the program of the Miriam Center is and as it has expanded into 5 programs in which 3 of the programs need a full-time person to be over them in order to run at full capacity. These programs include the Deaf School, the Luke 2:52 School (could use a therapist and special education teacher), and For Jonathan Sake requires a full-time person now. We are planning to start a sewing program for For Jonathan’s Sake which will require someone to help run as well. And as we start building our new facility in Bono we are still planning on keeping the Miriam Center here in St. Louis running and will need people to come along side and help us in Bono. Please Pray for People to answer the call, for God to provide for these needs. We know God always provides! Please pray for patience and peace as we wait.
Please continue to pray for me as I discern where God is calling me. If He is calling me to Nevada of to Oklahoma.

In Nevada I would continue being the Miriam Center Occupational Coordinator and advocating for the children at the Miriam Center from the states 10 months out of the year and then get to spend 2 months in Haiti doing hands-on ministry with them. During the year I would be working at a school district in Nevada growing my skills with pediatrics and have the option of picking up extra hours in an outpatient clinic working with pediatrics. I would have an OT mentor to help me the first few months as I get oriented to the school district.

My other option is moving to Oklahoma where I would find a full time OT job to pay off my loans. It probably would not be working with pediatrics BUT there is a job opening in the Oklahoma school system for an OT right now that I am trying to apply for but can’t from Haiti. I will have to wait till I get home. I would still be able to continue being the Miriam Center Occupational Therapy Coordinator and I would also be working for No Boundaries International and be helping develop what I have been doing in Haiti on a global scale. I would write articles to be published letting people know what is available for therapist and therapy students to do outside the US, I would help create videos to be sent to therapist and therapy schools educating them on what is available. I would also be helping develop a blueprint of what a rehab technician program looks like in a 3rd world country and developing a curriculum for it. I would be trying to set in place opportunities that therapy students can do their level 2 fieldworks in developing countries. Those are all things I would be helping with related to my field of practice but I would also be growing spiritually by going threw missions training, growing spiritually in daily worship times, and serving in the inner city and globally with No Boundaries. I would be working with a group of people who are spiritual leaders and spiritual role models to me. I would helping develop a new program called In Their Grasp which is a new program No Boundaries, Courtney and I have begun developing the past few weeks.

Please pray that I would hear clearly where God is calling me, that I would be able to Trust His leading and timing. That God would fill me with wisdom and guide my every step. That I would filled with patience and peace as I wait upon Him. Thank you for all your prayers and support while I am in Haiti.

Good Day!

I had a very production, fulfilling, good day! I decided last night that today I was finally going to take time to spend 1 on 1 time with my Miriam Home children and at the same time do their evaluations. I spent an hour with 7 of the higher functioning children today (Ju-Ju, Den-Den, Steven, John, Owens, Markinely, Joshua). I am mentally exhausted now but this might have been my favorite day.

Some highlights from my day included watching Owens getting so excited over having a book read to him in Creole and realizing that he understands every word. Showing Steven my first completed signing video with animals and having him perform each sign prior to it showing up on the screen…Den-Den coloring using his hand and small crayons…Ju-Ju walking just holding onto my side… Markinely sitting and interacting with me for an hour and holding his crayon with a tripod grasp needed for writing… Joshua getting so excited to play with toys and making me a picture…John showing off his mad fine motor skills with cutting and lacing. My heart was over joyed by the time I was done working with them. I was so proud of them, I was reminded of why I love being in Haiti so much…It is these children. I was reminded that the reason I work so hard to advocate for this program is because of these children. Each of them have so much potential, each of them are precious children loved by the God of the universe, each one of them were placed here at NWHCM to be loved on, to be nurtured and for the love of Christ to be shared with. I don’t know why God has chosen me to fight for them, chosen me to love them, or chosen me to poor into them BUT I am so thankful that He has and I am so thankful that HE continues to poor into me strength, love, wisdom, and energy to continue being a vessel for Him to use.

Today did not come without some hard moments though. One of my biggest was realizing that what these children need is to have someone here full-time who does exactly what I did with them today….spend an hour with them 2-3 times a week doing therapy and educational play activities with them. It is so hard knowing how much potential these children have… how much they desire to learn and grow in their abilities…knowing that all the supplies are here BUT realizing right now there is no one to fill that position. It is hard knowing I have the skills and abilities to fill this need but knowing that God has not called me full-time to Haiti yet that I am called to be a good steuart of my resources which means paying off my loans. It is still hard at times knowing that I have been called this time to minister to For Jonathan’s Sake and pour my time into that program.

Courtney and I are realizing how much bigger the program of the Miriam Center is and as it has expanded into 5 programs in which 3 of the programs need a full-time person to be over them in order to run at full capacity. These programs include the Deaf School, the Luke 2:52 School (could use a therapist and special education teacher), and For Jonathan Sake requires a full-time person now. We are planning to start a sewing program for For Jonathan’s Sake which will require someone to help run as well. And as we start building our new facility in Bono we are still planning on keeping the Miriam Center here in St. Louis running and will need people to come along side and help us in Bono. Please Pray for People to answer the call, for God to provide for these needs. We know God always provides! Please pray for patience and peace as we wait.
Please continue to pray for me as I discern where God is calling me. If He is calling me to Nevada of to Oklahoma.

In Nevada I would continue being the Miriam Center Occupational Coordinator and advocating for the children at the Miriam Center from the states 10 months out of the year and then get to spend 2 months in Haiti doing hands-on ministry with them. During the year I would be working at a school district in Nevada growing my skills with pediatrics and have the option of picking up extra hours in an outpatient clinic working with pediatrics. I would have an OT mentor to help me the first few months as I get oriented to the school district.

My other option is moving to Oklahoma where I would find a full time OT job to pay off my loans. It probably would not be working with pediatrics BUT there is a job opening in the Oklahoma school system for an OT right now that I am trying to apply for but can’t from Haiti. I will have to wait till I get home. I would still be able to continue being the Miriam Center Occupational Therapy Coordinator and I would also be working for No Boundaries International and be helping develop what I have been doing in Haiti on a global scale. I would write articles to be published letting people know what is available for therapist and therapy students to do outside the US, I would help create videos to be sent to therapist and therapy schools educating them on what is available. I would also be helping develop a blueprint of what a rehab technician program looks like in a 3rd world country and developing a curriculum for it. I would be trying to set in place opportunities that therapy students can do their level 2 fieldworks in developing countries. Those are all things I would be helping with related to my field of practice but I would also be growing spiritually by going threw missions training, growing spiritually in daily worship times, and serving in the inner city and globally with No Boundaries. I would be working with a group of people who are spiritual leaders and spiritual role models to me. I would helping develop a new program called In Their Grasp which is a new program No Boundaries, Courtney and I have begun developing the past few weeks.

Please pray that I would hear clearly where God is calling me, that I would be able to Trust His leading and timing. That God would fill me with wisdom and guide my every step. That I would filled with patience and peace as I wait upon Him. Thank you for all your prayers and support while I am in Haiti.

Cleaning the Depot

We have spent the last 2 days cleaning out the depot which turned into a much bigger project than expected. Originally we were simply going to clean out the depot. I say simply like that was going to be an easy job but compared to what it has turned into it would have been. I was planning on organizing the depot so that it would be user friendly to all the groups that came in to work with the Miriam Center this summer. We started Monday afternoon and the mess stayed pretty controlled. Tuesday morning it exploded and by Tuesday night we decided while we are at it we should clean out all the deaf school’s room (we recently inherited this program and it has not organization right now) and organize it while we are at it. So Tuesday night we went over to the Deaf School and broke in (we had a key ;) We went over at like 10PM and brought a bunch of trunks over to begin organizing. We went to bed and figured this morning we would finish conquering. This morning Courtney went over to the deaf school to get some more stuff to bring over only to arrive to find the school in a panic thinking they had been broken into and all their stuff was stolen. Even the principle of the school showed up. All the teachers and students were in a panic and upset because everything was gone. Courtney quickly broke the news and cleared the air. After the confusion was cleared up they carried over 6 more trunks full of supplies. All morning till my outreach program went into organizing the deaf school supplies. I am so excited to set up a classroom and provide them with all these resources to make their program better. Courtney and I worked more this evening organizing but are still not finished. Tomorrow morning we will finish and set up the classroom. Tonight while cleaning the Depot and organizing all the deaf school supplies Courtney turned around to where many of the children were sitting and watching us. She put up letter notecards and steven began signing each letter. It was a priceless moment and we were 2 proud mom’s grinning ear to ear! We made him do it 2 more times so we could video tape it! Tomorrow I will get back to organizing the depot for the Miriam Center and the For Jonathan Sake outreach program. About the time we get all this stuff organized our crates from the states will be arriving 

The past 2 days of chaotic organizational mess have made running my for Jonathan’s sake program more challenging as we hold it in that room. It has also prevented the Miriam Center kids from being in the playroom as well. So lets say everyone is ready for things to be organized! The first day I planned on doing For Jonathan’s Sake in the hallway outside but wouldn’t you know it was pouring rain. I only had 2 kids and so I thought well we can fit in a little corner that is still clean in that room. I had planned to make necklaces to work on FM skills and had a craft to go with the Bible lesson. The group that day was my higher functioning kids. Well 3 more showed up shortly after we moved into the room. It was a little chaotic but we had fun and that is what matters. Today I was really hoping to be finished organizing because I had all lower functioning kids which I use the barrel, therapy balls, swings, etc. with. Well, I ended up moving a matt, taking a therapy ball, some toys out to the hallway outside and being creative. It ended up working out well. God always provides!

My past few days have been really busy between organizing, For Jonathan’s Sake, studying for my boards, and pressing into God as I seek wisdom, guidance and understanding about my future.
One of the things I have been struggling with is finding the balance. I have been frustrated because I can’t seem to get everything done I want to get done and feel I need to get done… I have not got to spend as much time with the Miriam Home kids like I want… I was frustrated with the fact that I am laying all these foundations for programs and I won’t be here to see them continue running, I was frustrated that I have to leave so soon. I finally came to a point today where God reminded me that its not about me, what I want, what I feel I need to get done…It is about HIM. Every day I have been praying for God to use me how He wants and obviously He is…so why am I so frustrated? Because I had begun to take my eyes of HIM and fix them on me and what I wanted, my plans, my desires. Scripture says that his plans are not our plans. And as bad as I want to spend more time loving on the children and less time doing paperwork and organizational things that is what God has called me to. As much as I want to reap the benefits of the foundations I am pouring and be there to see what comes months down the line…God has not called me to that. I am called to be faithful now, to lay a solid foundation for these programs, and right now to do the organizational piece and I have to leave the rest up to Him. Please pray for me as I am daily trying to surrender each of these programs to God and give Him complete control over my life!

I have also found out I will be leaving the mission a week early June 8th and be spending the rest of my stay in PAP. I will be spending 2 days at another organization that wants to start a special needs facility similar to ours. Courtney and I are flying down to walk the land with them, talk to them, give them a blueprint of what we are doing at the Miriam Center and dream Big with them. Then on the 10th I will be meeting up with Jody and spending till the 14th working in the Tent City that my home church has been supporting with Jody. I am going to get to deliver food and supplies. Some of which we collected and took to the warehouse in Kentucky. God has really been opening big doors. I am so excited for this trip BUT with that said though I am super-excited my heart hurts that I just lost those days with my kids. Please pray for peace for me as this once again is something I need to surrender to my BIG GOD and trust his plans!

Internet once again to slow to post pictures :( sorry guys

Sunday Church at Bono

I have had a busy few days. Sunday we went to church at Bono again. We arrived at Bono by tap-tap after crossing 3 rivers for our truck driver to tell us if it rains we will not be able to get back. The whole way there it looked like it was going to rain. So we circled up and prayed that the rain would hold off. The group that was with us was leaving the next morning. I turned to Courtney and joked well it would be one way to keep them here (we liked them and have joked that we were going to lose their passports so they had to stay). We no more than walked into the church and it started sprinkling. Courtney preached and did an amazing job. It was her first time preaching in Haiti and she talked about what a big God we serve threw the story of Elijah from 1 kings 18:16-39.

A little background about the town of Bono we were in. It is only 15 minutes from Ansephalor “The voodoo capital.” So most people in Bono practice Voodoo.

Elijah went before the people of his town and said “How long will you waver between 2 opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him but if Baal is God, follow him.” She talked about how we serve a God that wants all of us not part of us and how we can’t serve God and do Voodoo, we can’t serve God and money, etc.

Elijah went on to say “I am the only one of the Lord’s Prophets left, but Baal has 450 prophets.” She set it up to show that even though to everyone else it looked like Elijah was alone that with God we are never alone.

Elijah ordered to have 2 bulls brought and for 2 alters to be set up…one to God and one to Baal. Then Elijah said you can call on your god and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire- he is God. So the people prepared their bull and all morning they called on Baal, they shouted and danced around but nothing happened. Elijah taunted them “Shout Louder” maybe your God is sleeping, perhaps he’s deep in though, or busy, or traveling, maybe be is sleeping and needs awakened. So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears until their blood flowed. They did this all day and still no answer. Courtney hear explained how they did all these things for this God who did not answer them, they even shed blood for this God and no answer. We serve a God who hears us, who cares for us. He cared so much for us that He sent His son to who bleed and died for us.

Elijah was already alone (physically) and had all the odds against him BUT after building an alter to the LORD dug a trench around the alter and had them drench it in water 3 times with 4 large jars of water. The water filled the trench. Elijah did this to show with no question that His GOD was the one True God. That His God could complete the Impossible.

Courtney stated “The pain it takes everyday to serve a BIG GOD when things are not easy when rain come and roofs leak and things flood and children get sick and mouths do not get fed. So our God is asking in this story to be a BIG God against BIG odds.”

Elijah called upon the Lord saying “Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you O LORD, are God, and that youa re turning their hearts back again. Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.” Our God is powerful, He is a BIG GOD.

“When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, The LORD- He is God! The LORD – He is God!”


Courtney ended by saying “ BIG GOD…Do not doubt him, He showed himself against all odds, there is a bigger picture, because our BIG God has showed himself in our lives, but he is asking to show himself threw you to the lives of your family…of your friends… of your neighbors….and to the ones who are still worshiping the lower God. He is asking you to acknowledge how BIG He is. How BIG He is in your life, in your family, in your neighbors, in the world, in Haiti. He is asking threw you to be part of the healing that is Haiti. The healing against those who worship a god or god’s, or a statue, or a doll, that is not our God… our BIG GOD, that showed up. So this is 1 story that is about our Big God. The story continues that the prophets were gathered by Elijah and they were killed in the name of our BIG GOD. So this a story that applies to you... We have already won. I believe that Satan does not tremble because of the power he has…because of the hold he has…because of the people who worship him…. I believe he trembles because he already lost and knows that our God is Big. The cross is an example that our God winning. He won so your lives are not in the standpoint of if our God will Show up. Your God…Our God…My God has already showed up and shown himself big in this story but at the cross. He came, He bleed for you… He died…He took your sin… He rose… He won and He showed himself BIG. God is asking us to live lives that show that He is BIG and already won! Show in your life to your wife… to your children…to your neighbors…to your friends…to your family….and to the ones who worship Satan. God is asking us to live lives that show He is BIG and that He has already won!”

At the end of Church the No Boundaries Group had someone donate water filter straws and that will filter water for up to a year. We were able to hand straws out to each family. And though it sprinkled all threw the service it never poured and we were able to make it back to the mission.

On the way back to the mission we were talking about food we missed and eventually got on the subject of what food we have not had yet at the mission that we usually have. One thing I really like that we had not had was chicken salad sandwiches. So, after talking about it…yes, I was craving it. When we got back to the mission what was for lunch other than exactly that with homemade REAL rolls from Scratch. It was amazing. They make the most amazing bread here. The other night I ate 5 rolls (Don’t Judge me ;)

Monday morning the No Boundaries group headed out. It is going to be so weird not having them here. They were such a huge help to me with Miriam Center stuff especially the evaluations. Thank you guys!

sorry internet not working well enough to post photos

Painting With the Children

The other day we

Sensory Play

Climbing the Mountain

I went for a hike up Courtney’s Mountain yesterday afternoon. It was really good to get out and go for a walk and be out in the community. Here are some pictures from the beautiful view from the top and some of the children on the way

Loving on my kids

Today I was down in the Miriam Center and Joshua crawled up to me and layed his head down on my lap and wrapped his arms around me. I started singing the song “Mighty to Save” and patting and rubbing his back. After a few minutes he started rubbing my back. It is a moment I will not forget anytime soon. As I sang and thanked God that He is mighty to save. God saved Joshua and brought him here to the Miriam Center for a purpose. I prayed over Joshua asking God to heal the hurts inside of him with knowing he was abandoned. I prayed that when he is lonely, sad, or scared that he would know that God is with him.

This morning I had a wonderful time just loving on the children. I held Walden for a good 15 minutes and just sang to him, talked to him and loved on him. I could feel him sink into my arms and saw in his smile how he was savoring the moment of someone loving on him. I also had the opportunity to do the same thing with Kem. Kem and Walden are my 2 kids who are trapped in spastic body’s but so there cognitively. Neither of them can communicate threw speech but are determined to let you know what they want. Kem today grabbed my foot as I was spending time with Walden to let me know she wanted some cuddle time as well.

This afternoon we have a fun filled day planned including sensory play witht the kids, then a worship time with the gran moun and miriam home children. The following are some pictures from this morning. In the following pictures you can see why these children just steal my heart :)

Sydney Update

So Thursday Sydney’s mom had to get blood work at the clinic and so they were back at the mission. normally They will be in the Friday group but sense they live so far away we told them they could get there food while they were here. Right away she spotted us out and handed us baby Sydney. We took Sydney and weighed her and she had not lost any weight. It was so good to see Mom looking so healthy and baby Sydney was smiling and looking much healthier as well. Mom kept thanking us for getting her into the clinic Monday and for sending them home with food and providing a way for them to keep their daughter and love on her. She told us that when they brought Syndey to us that she did not even know because she was unconscious. She said that was why she was crying when she finally got to see her daughter on Monday. This story warms my heart and is the prayer of my heart for all the For Jonathan Sake parents. That they would have this kind of love and compassion for their children. I am glad that I get to see them every week.

Joshua's Story

Here is the quick version of Joshua’s Story. A few months ago we received a new little boy into the Miriam Home. His name is Joshua and He is was found face down in the rubble following the earthquake. He has Cerebral Palsy and it is amazing that he survived. A group of American’s ended up calling up Courtney and asking if she could take Joshua in. The day after all the paperwork was finished and Joshua’s was part of the Miriam Home family. We found out that he had a mom and she came around but was also found out that she was using him prior to the earthquake and making him beg on the streets. Joshua is so smart and completely there cognitively. Joshua knows his mom abandoned him and he struggles with that. He has the best smile and fits in so well with the 3 amigos (Den-Den, Steven, John). We are actually up to the 6 amigos now sense we added Owens, Joshua, and McKinley).

For Jonathan's Sake

So this was my first week of starting our new schedule and programming with the For Jonathan Sake Mothers and Children. It has been such a joy finally getting to work with the families after months of preparation in the states. Last Thursday and Friday I introduced myself to many of the families and started on their evaluations.

This week has brought me so much joy as I got to see parents interact with their children at a new level when they were provided with access to resources (toys), see children’s eyes light up as they are able to do things they never thought possible. I taught a girl how to tie her shoes one handed because she had limited use of her other hand.

This week we have completed over 20 evaluations. It has been wonderful having the No Boundaries group here to help with evaluations. The thought of having over 40 evaluations to do between For Jonathan’s Sake and Miriam Home was overwhelming. With there help it has freed me up to have more time to focus on interaction with the families. To talk with them, explain things to them and making sure their concerns are addressed.

In general the parents come and we go back to the education room. I spent time with each family for 20-30 minutes. Working with the child, giving the parents treatment ideas, and educating them. Then we have a time of worship and give each child and their parent musical instruments to play along. Then I do a Bible Study. At the very end the children get weighed and then the parents get food for the entire week.

Monday is my Autistic Group- I had a blast interacting with them. We tried out the swings for the first time. It was a blast.

Tuesday is my higher functioning kids. I had 2 siblings that had Arthrogryposis multicomplex congenital. It was cool because I wrote a paper on this in college. Solely for the fact that I could not pronounce it and they dared me to pick it. Well, got new I needed knowledge of it down the line…BIG GOD  This I would have to say was my favorite day. We played parachute games, made a craft, sang and played instruments, had a children’s Bible lesson, and just had fun together. I am excited because with this group we are going to do a lot of prevocational activities with the kids and the kids are excited

Wednesday and Thursday are my lower functioning kids. I did not think I would enjoy this group as much but God blessed me with the opportunity to form a good relationship with the parents and the kids ended up being a lot of fun. I enjoyed finding toys for them and seeing their parents interact with them.

Friday is my group of younger children and baby’s. This group the parents really bonded together which is a big hope for this program. To not only provide the family with resources for the children but also community and support for the mothers.


Tuesday night God woke me up at 3AM and gave me the Bible Study he wanted me to share with the families. The first 2 days I had 4 parents ask me to take their kids and put them in the Miriam Home. Every time a parent asks me this my heart breaks. Can’t they see that their children need them. God laid upon my heart the importance of Protecting the family unit. I talked to them about how we are God’s children and read Romans 8:16 and 1 john 3:1. I wanted them to know that they are God’s children and that we are brothers and sisters with Jesus.

I discussed the dynamics of family specifically the role of parents (provide for us \spiritually, emotionally, physically\, to love us, to comfort us, to wipe away our tears, to discipline us and to teach us. I then talked about how God does the same things to us as his children. God as our father provides for us, loves us so much he sent his only son to die for us, comforts us when we are hurting or sad and wipes away our tears, teaches us where to go and how to live, and also disciplines us when we don’t obey him. I wanted to make sure they understood the family is a safe and nurturing place. I explained to them that the reason I love this program so much is because it is all about providing them with the resources to to keep their family together. I explained to them that when their child is crying they don’t want me to comfort them but that they want them as their parents. There is a special bond and love between a parent and child. I explained that when I am hurting or sad or have exciting news I still want to run and tell my parents.
I had them look at Jesus’ life and how the night before Jesus was crucified scripture says he spent the night in the garden crying out to His Abba Father. I wanted them to know that just like Jesus we as God’s children we can cry out to Him like their children cry out to them. When they are hurting they can cry out to Jesus who is their comforter. When they are sick they can cry out to Him because He is their healer. When they are lonely they can cry out to Him because He is always there. I went on to talk about David and how the Psalms are the cries of His heart to his father. It is amazing that we have a God and Father in Heaven who hears us and waits for us to come and spend time with Him. He hears us and loves us. He is the same Father who wants to provide for our every need.

I went on to talk about how they have not been given an easy life BUT they have been given a BIG GOD and Father who loves them so much. I wanted them to know that I know that having a special needs child especially in Haiti is hard. That is requires more energy and time that they have to poor into them BUT I also wanted to paint a picture for them to see that we are very needy children to God. That all of us are broken, hurting, sick people ourselves. We are pretty needy BUT our father promises never to give up on us and to never leave us or forsake us. Just as Jesus is faithful and never leaves us, we can be faithful to our children and never leave them. I wanted them to know that by loving their children, they were showing their love for God. At the end I told them Lets love our children as Jesus loves us!

I have been having a hard time having peace about spending so much time working with the For Jonathan Sake program because that has been consuming most all my day between preparing for it, running the program and all the paperwork and writing up evaluations and treatment plans. I have not got to spent a lot of time with my kids in the Miriam Home and they know it. Courtney has had to remind me that I can’t do everything and that this is where God is leading my focus to be right now. Once I get all the evaluations done, the activity papers written up, treatment plans written for each child. I will have much more time to spend with the children of the Miriam Home. I have a really hard time keeping balance in my life especially here in Haiti when I feel pulled in so many directions and there is so much I need to do.

God has blessed me with an amazing translator who is passionate and works great with the children. God laid upon my heart to start talking with him. I found out he was in school in PAP but his school was destroyed. They are rebuilding his school. He only has 1 year left to become an accountant. I told him how good he was with children. I asked if he had ever thought about working with children. He said yeah but there are no jobs out there. I told him what if I could offer you a job here working with the Miriam Home. What if I could send you to training to become a rehab technician. I gave him a lot to think about and pray about. I ask for your prayers for the young man as well. Ask God to show him where He is leading and guiding his future. I ask that you also pray that God will bring someone to fill our need for a rehab tech.

I am so excited to see what God is going to do in the next few weeks with For Jonathan’s Sake. Please keep the families, the children, and me in your prayers.

Tent City

So as many of you know as a church and the women from the women’s retreat have raised quite a bit of money to support a specific Tent City in PAP. I talked to Jody yesterday and she was telling me how big of a blessing our church has been. There has only been 2 churches who have partnered in on this project. The other church met more specific needs like tents that fit the size of each family, stoves, etc. Our church is the only church who has provided food and money to buy food. So sense the earthquake it is because of all of you that these 250 people have been feed. I am excited that at the end of my trip probably around June 11th I will be flying to PAP and helping deliver food to this tent city.

Some other exciting news is that the boat with all the peanut butter and other supplies you all collected and donated for disaster relief will get here next week and so we will be able to make care packages to hand out at the tent city as well. I want to thank you all everyone who donated supplies and money.

Please pray that things will run smoothly…that the plan they have set up for handing out the supplies will work and that all will see Christ and know that what we are blessing them with is a blessing from God.

Tent City

So as many of you know as a church and the women from the women’s retreat have raised quite a bit of money to support a specific Tent City in PAP. I talked to Jody yesterday and she was telling me how big of a blessing our church has been. There has only been 2 churches who have partnered in on this project. The other church met more specific needs like tents that fit the size of each family, stoves, etc. Our church is the only church who has provided food and money to buy food. So sense the earthquake it is because of all of you that these 250 people have been feed. I am excited that at the end of my trip probably around June 11th I will be flying to PAP and helping deliver food to this tent city.

Some other exciting news is that the boat with all the peanut butter and other supplies you all collected and donated for disaster relief will get here next week and so we will be able to make care packages to hand out at the tent city as well. I want to thank you all everyone who donated supplies and money.

Please pray that things will run smoothly…that the plan they have set up for handing out the supplies will work and that all will see Christ and know that what we are blessing them with is a blessing from God.

Sydney

Last Friday we had a new little girl come and join us for the weekend. It is a God story how we received her. It was during the hours of For Jonathan Sake and one of our Miriam Center workers approached Courtney and told her she had a child she feels Courtney needed to look at. When she first went over she thought…aw look at that cute little girl! In the next 15 minutes Courtney found out this cute little newborn baby was actually 6 months old and no a newborn at all. At further investigation we found out the baby may have a genetic disorder and club feet. Her father reported they are from far away and the mother is really sick and has been sense the baby was born and that they have 3 other children at home.

It was decided that we would keep Sydney till Monday and asked the father to bring back mom for us to have the doctor look at her. This allowed us to monitor Sydney and get much needed nutrition into her body. Many of us enjoyed loving on her and showering her with hugs and cuddle time. Courtney and I were not sure if the father would return or not but on Monday He did return with mom.

At the first sight of mom I new she was sick. Courtney was not on the compound so it was up to me to handle the situation. I ended up after talking to various people and being persistent getting her into the clinic to get looked at by the doctor. They waited 4 hours to but did get in and found out that the mother was anemic and malnourished.

Dad right away picked up his little girl and loved on her and mom cried as she held her. It was so wonderful to see these parents so in love with their precious gift from God. Prior to this we were debating on what to do, should we keep Sydney every weekend and send her home during the week to monitor her, should we just have the parents bring her one time a week and get food like the rest of For Jonathan’s Sake. Seeing there love for the child made our decision that yes…we would send her home providing them with double the food we normally do for a family with extra peanut butter and formula for the baby. We prayed with the family and just loved on them. I can’t wait to see them on Thursday and see how everyone is doing. Please pray for this family. Pray that they know how much they are loved by the God of this universe. Pray that Sydney will grow and come to know the Lord. That God will bless there family