Daughters on Three Continents

It occurred to me the other day that we have daughters on three continents.  For parents who are self-confessed control freaks, we are a bit out of our comfort zone.  And yet, that is exactly where the Lord wants us to be.

Savannah Faith waits for us in China.  As usual the most frustrating part about adoption is the fact that we have absolutely NO control over the time frame.  Our part of the paperwork is finished and ready to be put in the mail.  We're just waiting, waiting, waiting on the government - this time the U.S. government - to complete their next step, so we can mail our dossier to China.

Adoption paperwork is a bit like watching an orchestrated dance. First  paperwork waltz's across the ocean to China where you wait on PA (tentative approval to adopt your child) and then back to the US for I-800A (tentative approval to allow the child to immigrant).  The waltz continues with the dossier going to China for LOA (definite approval to adopt your child) and then back to the US for I-800 (final approval to allow the child to immigrant).  Then the dance continues as the paperwork makes the trek to China one more time for TA (approval to travel to China) and then back to the States for the US Embassy's approval for an Embassy date.  And finally the dance winds down as plane tickets are obtained.

Now think about your most recent DMV visit.  Do you remember the bureaucratic speed (ahem) and clarity that awaited you upon your arrival? (Do you notice the sarcasm in my voice?  There is a reason we call my most dreaded experiences "DMV moments" in our house.)  Now imagine DMV speed and multiple it times the six trips across the ocean our adoption paperwork must make to the various government offices, both in the States and in China, before we can finally get approval to travel.

Now you understand the glazed stare that meets your eyes when you innocently ask us, "When is Savannah coming home?"  Sigh....

That brings me back to my original blog paragraph, we are completely out of control, and that is exactly where the Lord wants us.

While we wait and wait to hear paperwork updates on Savannah, Michaela is busy at work in Swaziland, Africa.  It's a bit surreal making weekly calls, via Skype, to a continent half way around the world, to our seventeen year old daughter and realizing that we have absolutely no ability to go to her if anything is wrong.

However, I can honestly say, we have a complete peace!  It can only be the Lord.

It's thrilling to hear the joy in her voice as she tells of sharing Christ's love with the children at the carepoints.  The fact that she is in her element is indisputable.

Even her training on our farm has even come in handy.  Two days a week she harvests fresh vegetables.  After spending all morning in the fields, the team takes veggies to the carepoints where they are distributed to the children.  The vitamins and nutrition from these are invaluable for the children whose primary diet consists of one meal a day of corn and beans! 

And while two of our girls are out of our reach but safely in the Lord's hands, I'm reminded that our four daughters who are right under our roof are not really safe because of "us."  They, too, are safe because of His good pleasure and His protective care.

One of my favorite verses has long been,

"If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,

 

even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast."  Ps. 139:9,10

 



It has extra special meaning to me now as I wait for two daughters to come home from "the far side of the sea."

Swaziland Here She Comes!

I am finding one of the sweetest blessings of parenting is seeing our older children, not only walking with the Lord, but discovering His special plan and purpose for their life.


Since turning twelve, Michaela has sensed the Lord's leading to mission's, specifically African
missions. 

In 2010, she and I made a two week trip to Swaziland (a tiny country in South Africa) to minister to the AIDS orphans.  On that trip I fell in love with Africa and the children.  Michaela was already home.

Now, two years later, the Lord has opened a door for Michaela to return to Swaziland, Africa for three months.  She'll be traveling with one other young lady and working with Adventures in Missions at their carepoints for orphans.

       This was one of the children we were able to provide an outfit for last time we visited.

Just a little background on orphan care in Swaziland...

Swaziland boasts no public orphanages or foster system.  No safety nets exist for children without parents.  They are on their own.  Literally.  With the highest HIV rate of any country in the world and the resulting mortality rate of young and middle-age adults, the orphan population is staggering.

Children remain on their parents, grandparents, aunts/uncles homesteads even when no adults remain alive.  This means children as young as eight or nine are taking care of younger siblings and trying to provide for their needs.

The carepoints, funded predominantly by individuals and churches in the United States and run jointly by Adventures in Missions (AIM) and HopeChest, provide a safe haven for these children. 

Last trip we took packages of balloons for the children to play with.  They were a BIG hit!

The carepoints are places for the children to come (some hike up to 5 miles a day) to get a hot nutritious meal, to play with other children,  to receive attention from the go-go's (older Swazi women who volunteer their time to cook at the carepoints) and to experience the love of Christ.

Michaela will spend much of her time working at these carepoints, as well as making visits to homesteads.

This is Michaela carrying a 25 lb. bag of grain on one of our last homestead visits.

Michaela hopes to use this time in Africa to not only show the love of Christ to the women and children she meets, but also to confirm God's call on her life to full-time ministry in the country.

Unless the Lord shows her otherwise, her plan is to return to the States in December.  Finish her senior year of high school and then complete her nursing degree and mid-wifery training before returning to Africa.

Please pray for God's hand of protection and direction on Michaela as she travels half-way around the world to shine His light.

Pray for Phil, too, as he allows his 16 year old daughter to follow God's leading for her life.



Her Internet connection will be sporadic. But you can follow her adventures on her blog...
www.africamylife.blogspot.com

Swaziland - Kruger National Park

Our family had the opportunity to go to the Columbia "Zoo-Zoom", as Isabelle calls it, over the Christmas break. We took some wonderful pictures of the girls feeding the giraffe. Unfortunately we had a camera malfunction and lost all the shots.

In lieu of the zoo shots, I decided to post some of Michaela's and my favorite photos from our safari in South Africa. Unfortunately we had the auspicious privilege of setting the Kruger record for the hottest day ever in the park...it was over 120 degrees. Let me tell you that is HOT when you are in an open safari vehicle on the plains of Africa. Due to the heat, we did not see any Big Cats. They all, wisely, stayed in the shade. The rest of the animals cooperated and came out even despite the heat.

I kept saying the entire day, how can anyone see these animals and not believe in a Creator!

This was our safari vehicle. I felt like I was in a movie when we walked up to it!

This was our driver, Lynn. She was complete with a South African accent which made the entire trip complete.

This elephant was within 10 feet of our vehicle. He was not at all concerned about us.

And this was my favorite sighting of the day...

"How many are Your works, O Lord! In wisdom You made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures." Psalm 104:24

Swaziland and Speechless

A team of 6 from New Hope Church in Pennsylvania and Michaela and I joined up in Swaziland, Africa for 12 days that changed our lives in October.



Swaziland, with the highest AIDS rate in the world and an average life expectancy of 28, is a beautiful country with a people that exude joy and life.





Our time was spent, largely, with children whose lives are impacted by the AIDS crisis...children, ages 18 mos. to 5 years, who walk up to 5 miles to CarePoints where they can get a meal for the day...many times, their only meal for the day.




Children who eagerly accept hugs and cuddles....



who need to experience the love of Christ in tangible ways....




who need those with SO much to spend time giving so little...






We've been home 3 weeks tomorrow.

I've been to Swaziland, and I'm speechless.

Now what Lord...I've seen the need, and I will be back. Show me how to share the blessings you've given me with those who are so desperately in need.

Swaziland - Here We Come!

Michaela and I are thrilled that. Lord-willing, we are going on a mission's trip to Swaziland in Africa in October. (We thought we might travel to Haiti this summer but the doors kept closing and now we know why!) You may remember, back in April, when the Lord stepped on my toes...ahem...and instead of using my garage sale money to buy flowers, we began supporting a sweet little girl, Thabile in Swaziland?? To be honest, I had to look Swaziland up on a map, back then, to figure out exactly where it was in Africa.

Since that time the Lord has fanned into flame a real passion both in Michaela's and my heart for the people of Swaziland. We never dreamt we could actually travel there, but in God's providence, some doors opened and if all goes as planned, we'll board a plane on October 2nd and fly to Johannesburg, South Africa. Then we'll take an 8 hour bus ride to the Nsoko Project in Swaziland where we'll spend 10 days in-country.

Swaziland has a population of just over 1 million people in a country the size of Rhode Island. The average life expectancy is only 28 years old due to the high HIV/AIDS rate. Many children are orphaned at a young age, and the country has no formal orphanages. This leaves children taking care of children. Children's HopeChest, the organization with which we will travel, is setting up CarePoints across the country, which offer safe havens for the children to congregate and get meals, medical care and love from local pastors and full-time missionaries. We'll get to offer love and support to both the orphans and the workers while we are in-country.

Just to explain how amazing God is in providing this opportunity for Michaela and I...the ONLY time I could go on a mission's trip this entire year was October 2-11. Phil has a fall break at school, and he can be home with the 3 little girls during these dates. Because I don't feel comfortable leaving the girls unless he can be with them, I prayed that if the Lord wanted me to travel with Michaela, the dates would fall over "fall break." What are the "chances" of a mission's trip falling on those dates? With God all things are possible!!

We called Children's HopeChest and asked the dates of the Swaziland mission's trips. Of course we had to fit into a group...they don't allow individuals to travel alone. The only group with an opening, just "happened" to be based out of Atlanta and was traveling from October 2-11. You gotta love it!!

It gets even better. The team is traveling to Joyela Care Point which is located in the same geographic region as the little girl we support. So if all goes well, we'll even get to spend some time with Thabile while we are in-country. That is just icing on the cake!


Thabile


Please pray for God's provision for the travel costs for both Michaela and I. And also pray for my health to stabilize. We are believing that if God wants me to travel that all of that will come together!