Pain…

Such a fallen mess...

Pain. Deep pain. Etched into the soul.

Memories of the past.

A desire to belong.

Deep longing for a family.

Missing the family that they once had.

Remembering siblings.

The mother that they believe loved them.

The pain of not remembering a mother.

Wondering why God allowed them to be born into a life of pain.

And I also ask, "God, why was I so blessed?"

The sun is warm with a slight breeze blowing. A lazy, thinking kind of day. The refrigerator hums. The babies are asleep. I take the moment to work on paperwork. And then a knock on the door. I find a 10 yr old crying brokenly. Oh dear, what has happened? She cries because she misses her family. She cries for what might have been and isn't. What can I offer her? I have no way to change what is now. But, I can offer her God's love and give her mine. The privilege is mine but the pain is hers. It becomes a small part of me as I reach to her heart.

From the baby who comes with no name because there was no one to love him or her to the 16 yr old that no longer wants to be a child of the state and is rebelling as a result of that pain, and every individual story in between. "God, where are you?" I know He is here. I know these are His children. I want them to find His love and healing for that pain. And to feel security in the moments when they don't know who God is. To feel His love through each one of us here that represent His arms, His feet, His words. Oh God, fill us and help us to never let them down.

Thank you for praying for us today.

Unknown future… known God!

Pray.. That the LORD thy God may show us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do. Jer. 42:3

Is any thing too hard for the LORD? Gen. 18:14

This is what the LORD says-- your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. Is. 48:17

As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. Ps. 18:30 & 2 Sam. 22:31

We’re looking at a lot of uncertainty and change here at the home and I’ve been working on trust and waiting. Then as I searched for some answers these are some of the verses that God gave me and I know that He is in control and will give us what we need in His time!

Greivin has been working on his US citizenship for a while already and is still trying. He has his residency but can’t continue to live here with only that. He had another appointment this week and has a month to try to satisfy the requirements or he needs to return to the states to live if he wants to keep the residency status. They are giving him trouble because he said he would not be willing to bear arms in case of a draft. Please pray with us that he would be able to satisfy them and can receive his papers without leaving here.

We also have an immediate need of 3 other workers. We need a full time kitchen supervisor/cook and 2 childcare workers. We have 2 of the Mom’s leaving in May and need replacements to care for their children lest I become as the old woman who lived in a shoe. The one Mom is caring for the teen girls now and cooking but we feel it would be best to make that two separate positions.

So, pray with us and for us that God would show us His will and clearly open the doors for whoever He has planned to come work here. And also that we could rest in Him and wait without worry.

Goodbyes and change…

Yesterday we had another tough exchange. The twins, Axxel & Atdriel, and their brother Alvin left to go live with an uncle. They were some very lively boys that added a lot of spice to the mixture here! And then last evening was the farewell supper for Gideon. Oh, my! It’s going to be so hard to see him leave! He’s been such a tremendous blessing to us here and we will miss him horribly!

 

The last several weeks we had a group here from OH doing more welding work and on Wed was the big installation day. Our entrance is now transformed and looks so nice. It was a big deal to put up the roof as a finished item but they did a great job getting it in place.

  

loading & transport

And then up, up…

hold your breath…

… and it’s up!

 

Add the gates and it’s beautiful!

    

We are really enjoying having Nate’s here! Our boys are enjoying their school vacation and it’s a great refreshment for us all. They brought gift packets for the children, from their church, so Wed. evening we passed them around. The children loved it! Thanks to all who contributed to the project!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a wonderful week with all the young energy here! Lots of fun times! Randy, Brian, Chad, Kenlin, J & Vicki are the ones that came. The guys worked on roof tile, put in new washline posts, and helped paint pottery. Vicki helped Gina and I keep  the clothes washed, house cleaned and food made. One day she made a monstrous batch of monster cookies to keep the coffee breaks going. Evenings were spent playing games, sitting around a campfire, even snipe hunting. Playing soccer with the boys and getting beat up, at least made memories! Thanks to all of you for coming and helping!

Roof workers

Emptying the kiln, getting ready to paint pottery 

Painting…

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

And… the afterwards!! They really did paint!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Darin & Nevin took them all to Tijuana this morning and then on to the airport. The boys will stay then til evening and bring Nate’s family along back!

Joy & Sorrows…

 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed:

I will sing and give praise. Ps. 57:7

This has been a week of mostly sadness. As I worked to process the hard things we were facing my mind kept coming back to this verse and I am so thankful that my heart can be secure even in the midst of trials.

On Tuesday evening Kristin came here for the night and then on Wednesday our family and Darin took him and went to Tijuana to be with Virgil’s. It was great to have Dianna and Kristin there too. On Friday Lorne and I went over around noon and were there again until after supper. I’m so thankful that we are able to spend even a little time with Virgil’s when they come. It’s so hard to see Liz suffering and just to trust that God is doing what is best for us all. We were blessed that there seems to again be more hope that she will have help than what it seemed at the first of this week. Lord willing, we plan to go to the hospital again on Wednesday with J when the Hershberger nephews and Vicki come to MX.

Friday was a day of emotional roller coasters! The one very positive happening was that we signed the final DIF paper for Tania’s adoption. That allows the process to move to a state level which is very exciting. There is still a long way to go but yet this is progress.

Then in the afternoon our emotions plunged again when we found out that Karla (14 yr old) received her release and was going to move to live with the lady in Tecate. This lady cared for Karla when she was younger and for a while already has been working on the process of having her again. Karla wanted to go live with her as this gives her contact with her family again. We knew that it would be soon but did not know just when it would be. So, while we were in Tijuana we found out that she’s leaving Friday yet and by the time we came home she was gone. Thankfully she came back again on Saturday to visit and get a few things she left here so we got to talk with her some more. She plans to come for church and really wants to fellowship with us and spend time here when she can. Pray for Karla that she could remain faithful to God and could be a witness to the family there.

Today most of the people from here went to join the Orphan’s For Jesus group for church and lunch. They are at Rancho Ojai, a campground 3 miles down the road. I stayed here with Dustin and Tania. Dustin has had a stomach bug for the last couple days and I’ve been fighting a cold and cough for over a month already so decided it best not to join the crowd of people and be out in the cold and rain.

Pray for us that we may not be discouraged but continue to see that God is faithful regardless of the circumstances we face.