Pray for Haiti, one year anniversary

CHRISTIAN ALLIANCE FOR ORPHANS

Please join us to...PRAY FOR HAITI

January 12, 2011

4:00pm EST

January 12th will mark one year since the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Those few moments and their aftermath took hundreds of thousands of lives, left countless homeless, and affected countless children in profound and permanent ways, including leaving many as orphans.

Join us on January 12th, 2011 at 4:00pm EST as we come together as a community to pray for the country of Haiti, for stability and integrity in its government, for ongoing relief and rebuilding efforts, for the Haitian church, and for the children of Haiti we all care about so much.

What we did yesterday...

We met up with some of my favorite people at the Children's museum about an hour away from our home. One of the women who runs RHFH's rescue center had a chance to see S. again during her visit to our area! S. stayed at the rescue center for a few weeks of his life before he came to us in 2008. I am so grateful for what RHFH has done for so many precious kids (and adults) in Haiti. If you can, please support them!!! It has been such a pleasure to get to know these wonderful people and call them my friends.

What a week, already!

I got sick on Friday night, it just came on all of a sudden; backache, headache, sinus ache, chills. I went to bed as soon as the kids fell asleep. (they were sent to bed early!) Then I was woken up by two little boys. They usually sleep pretty well, but they chose the night I felt like crap to wake up at 2 am. And of course my husband was working, so I was on my own. I texted him to complain, and see when he would be home. He got home after we fell back asleep, but I heard him tell me he was taking Saturday off! I was so thankful to hear this. I slept in, and laid around most of the day. I missed the homecoming of Isaac and Robert. I went to bed early again. Sunday I still felt bad, but better. J. went to work and I survived. We actually went out to Sarah's house for a little party to welcome Isaac home. It was so fun to see E. and I. together again. They seemed to remember each other, and by the end of our visit were hugging each other!

Yesterday was I was busy catching up on emails. I have had a LOT of people inquire about becoming a host family. I need to figure out a way to get the host family application on the MAT blog. Anyone have any suggestions? I'm not very computer savvy. Sarah suggested maybe scanning it and having it on a jpeg file. I thought that would work, but it's a four page application. We have had a lot of activity with MAT, and a lot of drama with Haitian kids and immigration. Please pray. I took a break from the computer to help E. with a potty accident. He had waited too long to get to the bathroom. As I was changing his pants, I returned to the living room to see S. with a bottle of curry powder (he had climbed in the pantry cupboards). There was yellow powder all over my keyboard and the floor! I was not happy. I felt like I just could not catch a break. I spent last night ordering some childproofing items online at One Step Ahead. And I also bought this... I am sure the boys will love it and it will be great for their occupational therapy! I did have a wonderful chat on facebook with a woman caring for our daughter in Africa. I was so glad to get to know her better and hear a great little story about her personality. (if you want to read my private blog please send me an email- on side)

Today started off poorly too, with both big kids missing the bus, at two separate times! How does that happen? L. forgot to set his alarm, and when he realized he had slept in he didn't want to wake me up. He thought he'd be in trouble! L. is very responsible most of the time, and has never slept in before. I would not have been upset, but now I was, since he didn't let me know he needed me to wake up and drive him to school! J. was working out at the gym and I knew he would be home soon. I waited for him to arrive and he got L. off to school in time. All the other kids were up early, so C. was ready for school in time. Except I noticed she had not changed her clothes! I made her go change, and got her out the door. THEN realized she had come back in to grab another piece of bacon as the bus drove by. Thankfully J. was able to take her to school on the way to work.

I was in a pretty bad mood this morning. I don't like waking up to children fighting, not doing what I ask, or them talking back to me. I don't like feeling overwhelmed and buried in paperwork. I don't like burned toast or bits of burned sausage in my scrambled eggs. And I don't like when my 2 year old won't stay out of things and has knocked three of my pottery dishes on the floor by climbing on the table! I don't like that he doesn't "get" that it's not safe to climb up or into things. (we have still not determined if it's a cognitive delay or just that he's a very active two year old boy) I don't like waiting for papers for our adoption. I don't like that UNICEF is causing hang ups for adopted children from Haiti to come home to their families. I don't like that my house can never stay clean for more than a few minutes. I don't like that this precious little girl lost her life way too soon. I don't like that there was a devastating earthquake in my boys' country of origin effecting millions of people, some whom I know well.

It really helps to blog about my rough times. But the best therapy is reading God's promises. I especially loved reading this verse in the Message translation:

Philippians 2:14-16

Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I'll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You'll be living proof that I didn't go to all this work for nothing.

Wow! Is that convicting or what?

Please pray for adopted children

There has been so much happening the last few days. Things are not looking good for Haitian adoptions. Please please just pray!! Last night we had 5 of our kids leave and now 2 of them are being held in "protective" custody 3.5 hours away in a GROUP HOME. One of these little boys has to take medication every day and we only packed a few days worth. The family was going to take him to the doctor right away. We have two more babies flying out this morning.

Daryl has not yet gotten to PAP. His charter flight keeps getting pushed back. He is now scheduled to arrive tonight as long as everything is still a "go". He is still going to try get to the embassy, but we have been told they are no longer issuing any humanitarian parole's. He may get turned away right away without even trying. PLEASE pray things change. If he gets turned away from the Embassy he is going to try get to CAP to help out there. We have some people stateside that are still trying to help get all our kids out. We just don't know what is happening with any of it.

Send to all your prayer warriors you know!
Robin

UPDATE: Daryl is in Haiti. He is riding a bus to get to Cap. tomorrow. Please pray for him!

Adopting Haitian Orphans

I received this email and thought it worth passing along:

Adopting Orphaned Haitian Children

AdoptUsKids has received a number of inquiries from families that are interested in adopting Haitian Earthquake Orphans. At this time, the first priority of government and disaster recovery officials is to address the immediate medical and physical needs of the people affected by the earthquake and assist in the reunion of family members who have been displaced or separated by the disaster. Therefore, it may take a long time before children affected by the disaster may be available for adoption. The U.S. Department of State provides information on the adoption of children affected by natural disasters and conflict on their website at:http://adoption.state.gov/news/Haiti.html.

You also can locate contact information for adoption agencies that place children from Haiti through our resource list of U.S. Adoption Agencies That Place Children From Abroad at:http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/country_resource_lists.cfm.

Chocolate fix

I had a emotional breakdown after driving home from my adoption support group yesterday. I am so anxious for our friends trying to bring their son home. So sorrowful for the Haitian people who've lost everything. So helpless. I ended up going to my friend's house last night for a last minute sleepover. There is nothing a little wine and chocolate can't solve, right? We woke up early to the phone ringing and emails...news changing every minute. I am so glad there are so many people trying to help them out. Read Sarah's blog for updates. Pray for them please.

Please pray for Isaac

and his parents (our close friends). Go here to read about how they are actively trying to get their son out of Haiti. Pray for safety. Pray for mercy. Our friends have been waiting for over three years for their son. E. wants his best bud home soon! It's almost been a year since they last saw each other.

M's story

My friend M. and I have been in contact with each other since we were in process of adopting our E. She was a volunteer at his orphanage and has a real heart for Haiti. She gave me permission to post her email she sent the other day, describing her recent trip to Haiti.

Thank you all for your patience in waiting for me to find the words to tell the story of our adventure last week. It is still very surreal to me that Little M. and I were in Port Au Prince, Haiti when the earthquake struck on Tuesday. The destruction to Port Au Prince is devastating and the suffering of the Haitian people absolutely incomprehensible. And yet Little M. and I survived the inital quake and I felt protected at every step of our journey over the next few days. For that, I praise God. And I write, not to sensationalize the event, but to personalize it and to ask you in the coming weeks, as the media moves on to other news, to continue praying for and supporting the Haitians through their recovery and rebuilding.

Last month I had planned a short trip to Haiti for some meetings regarding Little M. Our American Airline flight into Port Au Prince landed half an hour early at 3:45 pm on Tuesday and we deplaned quickly because the airbus flight was only 3/4 full. I had only checked one small bag so Little M. and I were out of the airport by 4:30pm. We went straight to the Visa Lodge hotel (which is only a 5-10 minute drive from the airport). I checked in, quickly dropped our bags in our room, and returned to the patio restaurant of the hotel. I had just ordered food for Little M., when the shaking started. Ceiling fans and panels fell around us and chaos immediately broke out on the street below- people screaming, dust clouds billowing. At first we werent sure if it was an earthquake or if a bomb had gone off. I even initially felt relief with the first aftershock, knowing that we were not dealing with a coup or chemical weapons. Most hotel guests immediately went to the pebbled driveway/parking area of the Visa Lodge. An American pastor also staying at the hotel had an iPhone that worked intermittently for the first few hours after the earthquake. That is how I immediately knew the magnitude of the quake and was also able to send a text message that Little M. and I were safe. The American Airline staff arrived at the Visa Lodge later that evening reporting that part of the control tower at the airport collapsed and that their offices were destroyed. Had our flight not been early or I had chosen another hotel or we had been in a different part of our hotel, our outcome could have been very different.

Aftershocks continued through the night and we spent it outside in the driveway (open space) of the Visa Lodge. The kitchen of the hotel was destroyed in the earthquake and the main buildings had large cracks in the walls. At first light Little M. and I, 2 American pastors, and a few other guests from the hotel caught a ride with an airport shuttle that was taking some pilots to the airport to survery the damage. We all knew the international side of the airport would not be running flights that day. But we were initally hopeful that the small airport, which normally runs small airplanes back and forth to other cities in Haiti, would be cleared to at least fly its planes out and we could get to Cap Haitian. After a few hours we realized that was not going to happen and that we were also not going to be allowed to leave on the private plane of a man from the DR who had offered to take us. One of the other Visa Lodge guests who was at the airport with us was from the DR and had a pickup truck parked at the Visa Lodge. At that point he decided to try to drive to the border and he graciously allowed us all to go with him. It was 12 people total by that time and we must have been quite a sight piled into that pick up truck with all of our luggage, too. We had no idea if roads would be passable and I wondered if I would have trouble getting across the border. The critical care nurse part of me was pretty disgusted leaving a place in such dire need. My heart was torn over the unknown whereabouts of many friends. But it seemed the only option as I had no way to provide safe refuge or clean water for Little M. for more than a few days.

We saw small bits of the destruction in PAP as we passed out of town. But by the time we were a few miles outside, it was eerily quiet and undistrubed. The rest of our trip to the border was uneventful. Our time at the border was tedious but no one questioned us and we all passed through within a few hours. From the border we drove 5 hours to Santo Domingo. Once we were across the border into the DR cell service returned to the iPhone and we were once again able to send a text to family and also (unbelievably!) rebook our plane flights to leave from Santo Domingo Thursday morning. We found a hotel in Santo Domingo by 7pm that evening. And our travel from there to Miami through customs/immmigration and to home on Thursday was smooth... another amazing occurrence.

Little M. and I had an adventure last week. An adventure we will not forget. We were protected from harm and safe during extensive travel. I thank the Lord for that. And I am deeply indebted to the pastor whose preparedness for his trip (iPhone with an international plan!) allowed us to contact family and who provided help and protection in countless other ways. We will continue to process our experience for a long time- but at this time I feel, above all other things, blesssed. Thank you all for your prayers, support, and encouragement this week.

In closing, I want to offer a few suggestions for practical ways to help Haiti in this time of great need:

The most efficient and effective way to donate to the immediate relief effort is to give money to organizations that are already in place in Haiti and prepared for this type of situations. Organizations that I recommend include Partners in Health (www.standwithhaiti.org), Doctors without Borders, Real Hope for Haiti (www.realhopeforhaiti.org), Feed My Starving Children (www.fmsc.org), and Water Missions International.

One of the next greatest concerns at this time is for the NGOs who run orphanages and rescue centers in Haiti. Many of them survived the earthquake but are concerned about access to necessary supplies (infant formula, medications, food, soap) to continue caring for their children and the ones they will receive from this crisis. If you are interested in helping in this way, please send money to Children of the Promise (www.childrenofthepromise.org) or Real Hope for Haiti. And if you are interested in collecting basic supplies, please contact me for more information.

Blessings,
M.

tonight

It's been a while since I have updated the blog about my grocery challenge. I have really fallen behind on that but I believe I am still on track. The whole Haiti thing has really put things in perspective for me and I realized that in the big picture I would rather spend my time volunteering for the Medical Advocacy Team right now than record grocery spending! I have been glued to the internet and news... and heard great news tonight that orphaned Haitian children who were in the process of being adopted will be granted a visa or humanitarian parole! How exciting for these waiting families. I knew that something good would have come out of the rubble. I have been quite depressed the last few days, after the reality of this sunk in. People I have met, and places I have visited are forever changed. The footage and stories I have heard just break my heart. And yet, our lives here continue on. The Medical Advocacy Team is working full force to get things lined up for the kids we were working on before the quake. There may be more coming. It will be interesting to see how this all happens. My inbox has never seen so much action! There are many people wanting to help. I also created a facebook page for MAT, so you can join and keep up to date there. My home and kids have been a bit neglected this week, but they are just as concerned for the Haitian people as I am. They have been asking about the kids we have helped in the past. I have heard that Clepson is ok, but have not heard from anyone else. I would love to know if S.'s birth family is ok.

Pray with me please, and praise God that there are so many people who desire to help!

Help for Haiti

The Medical Advocacy Team's website has a list of places to donate funds for Haiti. A team of people is being coordinated to go there to help as well. They are looking for nurses, doctors and other medical trained people who can travel there soon. Here is the link.

Pray for Haiti

My heart aches for Haiti after hearing the news of the earthquake this afternoon. Prayers are with friends and loved ones there, especially my boys' birth families. I can't even imagine... *warning, graphic images* http://picfog.com/search/haiti

Raffle for Heartline/ Mercy shirts

Check out the raffle going on to raise funds for Heartline Ministries. Lots of great prizes! One of the prizes is a Mercy shirt, any size. They are 100% organic cotton short sleeved shirts with a very nice design. If you don't win, you can still buy one for $20.

Please Pray for RHFH

Copied from www.haitiresuecenter.wordpress.com

Priye pou nou joudia

November 19, 2009 by haitirescuecenter

Hey faithful reader. I want to ask you to pray for us today. The needs today seem overwhelming, no they are overwhelming. There are well over 350 outside our gate waiting to pass in the clinic today. There are a lot of kids in the RC today that are sick. Several on IV’s and feeding tubes. Several near death. Several of the kids with kwashiorkor are severely sick. Some of the worse cases we have seen. Dad is leaving today for a 1 week trip to visit my brother and his family. We need all of you today to pray- for it all. Pray for strength for us, safe travels for dad, all the patients waiting to pass, all the sick kids, all the ones that are near death, and the ones that are just arriving. We love each of you and know you are with us and you will pray.

Isaiah 35:3-4 (The Message)

^3-4Energize the limp hands,
strengthen the rubbery knees.
Tell fearful souls,
”Courage! Take heart!
God is here, right here,
on his way to put things right
And redress all wrongs.
He’s on his way! He’ll save you!”

Burdened

I feel weary. I cannot even begin to explain how sad my heart is at times. I have suffered with the gift of compassion for many years. I remember the feelings I had as a young child while watching a "feed the starving children" type commercial on tv, or caring for a sick pet. I have these same feelings now, tenfold. I get so emotional at the thought of a child suffering, whether it is in the same county as me, or across the world. There are so many, and we can't save each one. It is just not possible for us to do it on our own. We can make a difference in a few lives though.

I believe that God brought several people in my life for a specific reason. I met my friend Sarah several years ago at my kids' homeschool program. She had adopted from Children of the Promise in Haiti. I was eager to learn the details. J. and I had considered adopting in the past, and the seed that had been planted by a Focus on the Family radio program had begun to sprout.

Sarah and I became fast friends and soon we began volunteering together. We traveled to Haiti and helped save the lives of a few precious children. We've been through heartbreak and experienced great joy. Sarah and Salem both started the MAT from the ground up. I soon became the host family coordinator.

Though our adoptions, traveling to Haiti, and helping several children, my life has changed. My priorities are much different and I feel happier about the little things in life. My relationship with my Father God has changed too, and for that I am most thankful.

I do, however, carry this burden. The burden of hearing about a little girl, orphaned and abandoned because of an illness. Unable to obtain medical care because of the country she was born in. Her story is so similar to our son's. I want so badly to help, but I am limited to what I can do, because of finances and circumstance.

I did not seek her out. The Lord brought her story to me. The timing is not perfect for us, we are busy, and I have a lot going on in my family. But there is something about her that is calling out to me. I am not sure why, I feel the need to do what I can to save her life. I am reaching out to others, so that they can experience the same joy and blessings I have experienced by helping a child.

It is the best feeling in the world.

Psalm 28

Of David.

¹ To you I call, O LORD my Rock;
do not turn a deaf ear to me.
For if you remain silent,
I will be like those who have gone down to the pit.

² Hear my cry for mercy
as I call to you for help,
as I lift up my hands
toward your Most Holy Place.

Burdens and Blessings

• School begins on Wednesday. Rejoicing and worrying all at the same time.
• E. has been mean lately, mainly to me.  Is he mad that I left him for four days?  Am I just too sensitive?
• AWANA starts up soon. I recently signed up to help.  I wanted to go to women's bible study during AWANA, but they also offer it on Wed. morning.  Which is the same time as the playgroup  I wanted to go to with E. and S.   Decisions, decisions.
• A two month old baby boy has been missing for two days mere blocks from our home.  He was taken right out of his home.  Police suspect family or friends since his mother was recently sentenced to prison.  Praying little baby is safe and well.  I am uneasy.  
• The youth at our church shared about their mission trip to Guatemala.  It was moving and I am amazed by the spiritual maturity of these kids.  Praying about going on a mission trip next year if offered to adults.  
• Triage? Is this something MAT must do to help the children who need surgery?  Should we limit God's capabilities?  I am struggling with this.
• Needing to unpack clothes, do laundry and figure out a menu for the coming week.  Ugh.
• Glad J. is still on vacation and we have some time to spend working around the homestead. His birthday is coming up!  My mom bought him and I tickets to a David Crowder Band concert in Oct. for his gift.  How fun!
• We have many appointments coming up...doctor, eye doctor, dentist, therapy...times 7.  It's a lot.  I am so grateful for good insurance and benefits.  
• My K. is 6.  She is struggling lately with some not too big issues, but could use your prayers.  

Host Family Needed

There is a need for a host family in the LA, California area.  I don't have the details, but if you are interested please contact Robin at cotp_robin@yahoo.com

"Lord I left you in mon high"

Cl. had a list of praise songs he enjoys.  The minute he got in the car to come to our our house he asked J. if he knew the songs.  The first one was written "Lord I left you in mon high" in carefully printed pencil.  I laughed when I saw it after he was in bed.  It is supposed to be "Lord, I lift your name on high".  Cl. is a joy to be around.  He is certainly a teen, and already knows how to push the boundaries, but it's been a fun day today.  The kids are all getting along wonderfully.  The only thing I don't get about him: he doesn't like chocolate.  Crazy.  

Joy

While cleaning up the dishes tonight I experienced an overwhelming sense of joy.  My hubby J. was playing his guitar and singing worship songs while all of the kids and our visitor, Cl. were singing along.  It was like the Lord was giving me a hug, and telling me we are doing the right thing with our lives. At times I feel restless, frustrated and unsure about our direction.  But really, what control do I have to change the coarse of things?  NONE!  It is all in His hands.  I believe He is glad that we took the time to get to know Cl. better.  I am so happy my children have had the chance to meet friends from all different parts of the world.  L, C and K are patient, kind and understanding to other people's differences.  It is good to know how much they learn from these experiences and see how blessed they are to share their love, home, parent's attention, bedrooms and toys.  We've experienced heartbreak too.  It's hard to see kids leave after we have formed a bond.  We have loved a child who has passed away in another country.  The positives do outweigh the negatives.  We personally gain much from the experience, but the overall goal is to see families reunite with a healthy child.  That is pure delight.

If your family is interested in hosting a child through the Medical Advocacy Team, contact smithjklc@hotmail.com to get a host family application.

A visitor

We will be having fun with a visitor this week.  He is coming today and staying for a while.  Cl. is here from Haiti with the Medical Advocacy Team.  He had surgery,  is recovering well and will be going home to Haiti next month.  His host family is on summer vacation so we are helping them out and will enjoy his company.  Cl. is 13, just a half year older than our L. and speaks English well.  I am hoping he will feel at home and have fun being here.  While he is here he will be experiencing:

a rehearsal dinner for a wedding

an American wedding

our church

a possible trip to the water/amusement park

life in the country

and more

Sunday boredom

Bored today so I will give a little update for you on life here:

• The girls' door jam broke from too much pre teen slamming.
• I fixed it myself and then began painting said door jam.
• I noticed other parts of the hallway that needed fresh paint so kept on going!
• I painted for 3 hours.
• We skipped church because of sick kids, and J. is at work.
• E. made it home from Gramma's last night.  He did great and did not have any problems sleeping there.  He missed us though.  
• We missed him, but did enjoy the short break.
• E. sang "Old Mac Donald" for about half an hour on the way home followed by vomiting up a red substance.  He didn't even miss a beat. A call to Gramma revealed it was raspberries.  Yuck!
• C. is still at Gramma's house.
• It is still really hot in our town, but not as hot as it was a few days ago.
• I've been praying and thinking long and hard about life.  Where and what is God calling us to do? Something is stirring in my heart, but not sure what.
• Maybe a mission trip to Haiti?
• Or realize my dream to live off the grid?
• Or start my own business?
• Or move to Hawaii?
• I do like mild weather, or AC.  Right now we have neither.
• Mini vans are not very reliable.  We have a warning light on the dashboard again.
• I really like America's Best Dance Crew.  MTV is playing reruns today.  Fun.
• When I get thin I am going to take dance lessons again.
• Did you know I was a dancer for 13 years?
• I danced in Washington DC Independence Day parade with my team.  
• I had a fun time going to a movie and swimming laps with Sarah the other night.  We saw Food Inc.  If you haven't seen it, you should.  You will never look at food the same way again.
• We are trying to come up with a plan to celebrate our 14 year anniversary at the end of the month.   We may ship the kids off to the other Grandma and Grandpa's house and stay at home.  How much fun would that be to have the house all to ourselves?  We could do some fun day trips.
• J. is going to be in a wedding next weekend.  The groom is only 21.  I feel so old.  It's funny to think we were younger than 21 when we exchanged vows. (I was 19!)  People must have thought we were crazy.  We defied the odds.