More thoughts from Haiti....

So my last email may have seemed a little down. I think that is because my senses are on overload- all of them. I have obviously seen things I will never forget, but I have also heard things that are equally unforgettable. Like the kids at the orphanage quoting Psalm 34- all of Psalm 34. Hearing them sing Jesus love me in English and creole. I have been able try foods this week, that to say the least are interesting, and not a staple in American cuisine. Things like goat and conche (the thing in those big seashells). I felt the hands of the kids in mine, and the arms of the kids hanging around my neck, and their hands running through my hair to see what it felt like. These kids are so amazing in how they look out for each other, but also for us. Last night in our group share time, Mr. Frank talked about one of the kids told him he loved him. Then he asked if he could pray for Mr. Frank. The next thing Mr. Frank knew, he had kids touching him all over his body and little whispers as the kids prayed for him. I heard several stories of the kids offering their food to people and being amazing hosts. They zip your backpack so none of the other kids will take anything from it. They want you to sit with them while they eat. They are amazing.

I am also impressed with El Shaddai ministries, and the impact they are making in the lives of the kids. Many of the older kids will eventually move into their pastor training program. In the meantime, they are having the Truth poured into their lives.

That is for now, just know that God is up to something in Haiti.

Love you guys, and thanks for your prayers.
Seth

Sent from my iPad

News from Seth

So I haven't had a lot of time to actually try and put some of my thoughts down, but we have a little bit of free time this morning. The guest house we are staying in is about a 15 minute van ride to the orphanage. The roads in Haiti are terrible. Try to think of the worst, washed out road back home, and that is just about every road here. At night we go eat at a restaurant in jeremie, and we drive through jeremie. It is a city, so you think people would be going to work, or have a vocation, but the people just sit around all day. It is like they are waiting for something. Maybe something or someone to come rescue them, but someone never comes. Everyone walks everywhere. You will see an occasional motorcycle, but most people don't have those. On sunday, on the way back to the guest house, we dropped off a mother at her house. She had walked 45 minutes to get to church with a little kid in this ridiculous heat - on mothers day. But that is just part of the deal here.

One of the things that I have been struck by with the kids is how much they simply want to be held or just touched. They fight over the ability to hold your hand. Even the older ones. For the most part, they do a good job of sharing what they have or making sure that the little kids are taken care of. For the most part, they are happy. You will see some kids crying because someone they had latched on to had picked up someone else, and they became jealous. I do worry about Bobby because I doubt he is eating as much as he needs. I think they eat one meal a day. It seems like a decent amount of food, but bobby didn't eat any of his food yesterday. I imagine that happens a lot. The mommas can't really sit down and make each child eat their food. They are busy doing all the chores. Nothing here is easy. Think of all the things we can do with the flip of a switch. They have to manually do everything. They cook food in a room with fire and pots. They wash clothes in buckets then dry them on clothes lines or by putting them on the top of the houses. The mommas rooms are really not that different than the kids rooms in terms of comfort. Their brooms to sweep are made out of sticks and twigs roped together.
No air conditioning- ever.

Starting to rain again so I must go. Miss you guys terribly.

Love Seth

Sent from my iPad

Look at these two!

As you've heard, Seth is in Haiti. He is spending his days with Bobby, which is GREAT! Seth said that today they made real progress. Bobby would play, then call out "Seth". Seth would look around and Bobby would smile and hide. Then they would do it again. Seth showed him pics of Elizabeth and Sam. Seth said whenever he said "Sam" Bobby would smile big! How sweet is that?!?!
It really seems that doors are in fact being opened this week. Please continue to pray for God to move mountains!!!

Together at last!!

At about 5:45 tonight, Seth called!! He was just leaving the orphanage and had been with Bobby all afternoon!! He said Bobby was as cute and wonderful as everyone said. He said he talked the WHOLE time. He also said that he is TINY. He had Bobby on his hip the whole day and it was wonderful.
Seth has had the opportunity to meet several men at the orphanage. He met Pastor Lionel. We have been told that Pastor Lionel is the one who found Bobby after the earthquake.
I am continuing to pray for miracles this week. I know God can do things we cannot even fathom! Please don't stop praying!

On the way!

Seth just called- they are in Miami. They will spend the night tonight and tomorrow at 9:30... off to Port au Prince!! I am so excited I can hardly stand it! He is traveling with an amazing group. I know this is going to be a great trip.
Please join me in praying for progress. I am praying that doors (big, wide doors) be opened that would allow for Bobby's birth certificate and his parents' death certificates to be FINISHED this week so that his move to New Life can happen and happen SOON. I know God has a plan for this sweet child. It's is too hard to fathom that God would bring this child to us, lay him in our laps so to speak if it wasn't his good and perfect will.
Please pray that God would let big things happen this week toward the adoption.
Love you all!

Crickets...

I have been chastised by a friend for being a "slacker" for not posting for a while. I'm sorry, really I am. You know, when this journey started Erica told us it would be hard. That was and is more true than we could've ever imagined. We go for days, then weeks, then even months with no word at all. I am trying so hard to trust in God's perfect timing. His will not mine...His will not mine...

On a much brighter note, Seth IS GOING TO HAITI in 8 short days!!!! He leaves May 27 and he will meet our sweet Bobby. I cannot wait! He will be home on June 4. Please pray for his safety and that his time with Bobby is perfect. Also, please pray that God would make a way for some progress to be made while Seth is there. Pray hard!!! :)

And, you have heard me talk about the creche- the safe place, the home where Bobby will go when he gets tranferred to live until he gets to come home. Tomorrow night, we are going to a dinner to meet Dr. Bernard, the man who owns the orphanage and will help us get Bobby home. How cool is that? He is here for

back surgery. We, along with the other parents adopting from Haiti, will meet him tomorrow night. Feel free to pray about that too! :)

That is all for now. Please continue to pray for God's timing, for our (my) impatient hearts and most importantly for God's protection over our sweet boy.

Thanks! We love you all!

God is moving!

This has been such a great past few days.
First- you have seen several of the adorable pictures that Erica sent to us from Haiti. What a wonderful blessing!

Then, we saw Erica on Sunday. She told us several good things, among which are the mayor of Bobby's town is on board to help find his birth certificate and someone to authenticate that he is in fact an orphan. She said that he just might get to move over to New Life with the first group of kids. That would be GREAT!
She gave Bobby the goodies we sent. One pair of shorts we sent were too big (imagine that) so she gave them to someone they fit much better. She said he followed the child around saying "MINE" in French. LOVE IT!!!

And- my sweet friends and Elizabeth's precious friends "the Mallorys" have been praying for Bobby at night. Mallory prayed "for the person who was taking care of Bobby to do a good job." This has been a prayer of ours- that his "Momma" would love him extra and take good care of him. Now, those of you who know me well know that I am a little bit OCD about germs and cleanliness. (not that you could tell right now...) When Erica talked to us Sunday, she said that she noticed this trip that Bobby's Momma is one of the older Mommas there. She tends to him more than some others might. And that her house is the cleanest. Seriously, God even answers my crazy OCD prayers! How amazing!! It's just one more way that He shows me He is in control even when Bobby isn't home yet.



On a completely unrelated note, I want to share with you a miracle at our school. Our janitor, coincidentally named Bobby, is in need of $5000 to get his wife on the kidney donor list. Both of her kidneys are failing and she is doing dialysis 3 days per week. We decided to have a bake sale yesterday (Tuesday) to raise money. You know, bake sales are usually big money makers- like maybe $20-$30 right???? We had kids bringing in money left and right. We had a 7th grade and 8th grade boy who decided to put their Christmas and birthday money together for Bobby. They brought in $500!!!! Do you know that as of today our school has raised over
$7700 FROM A BAKE SALE!!!!!! If that's not a miracle, I don't know what is. We prayed and God answered!

I pray that God will show himself to you as He has to me! God is amazing, He is worthy and He is RISEN!

Love you and please keep praying for our sweet boy!