Jean and her girls. Yazmine has been suffering from a cut on her leg that isn´t healing good. We´re going to get her to the Dr.
Fessenden girls getting their gifts. Wish you could have heard their squeels of delight!
By the way...Roger is in heaven. His heart is torn because he really misses Ramon back home...and of course Luanne.
Julian loves Fred. I was surprised to see Julian here. Rosa said that the Chihuahua family that was going to adopt him backed out suddenly. Good news is that his blood mother, Olivia, is saved and doing great. Ed and Rosa saw her last Sunday and she is growing in the Lord. She is still not able to care for Julian, so we now need to pray for a forever mommy and daddy for him. Julian has Down´s Syndrome.
Angel and his soon to be Mom. Who is taller? They were trying to figure it out!
Chores are now done after evening devos. It is just too hot out to do it during the day time. This is not a great place to have a hot flash!
Jazmine and Karely...sisters!
Belem...reading her future mom and dad´s note over and over again. The kids treasure these things!
Rosa playing with Julian.
Johana and the newest addition to the orphanage...a princess puppy!
I saw Karely going through the Americano´s trash looking for treasures.
Our newest youngest addition.
Isn´t she adorable?!!! Please help me pray that I will be able to make contact with her blood mother while I am down here. Rosa thinks we can locate her since she knows her.
Nico and the Princess puppy!
The famous bus ride to the OXXO for cookies!
A truck taking a horse for a walk. Maybe this is normal down here...don´t know. It´s not in Mears, Michigan.
Ahhh...the anticipation of Papa bringing the cookies into the bus.
Antonio enjoying a sucker! What a blissful sight.
Katy and Armondo
Silvia and Marcos trying to share a water bottle. I can´t tell you the difference in Silvia. There is a deep peace in her eyes and she is a different girl! Jesus is in the life-changing business.
New brothers...there are a lot of names I need to learn. Each child is so precious!
Lupita and Nico teaching me how to play marbles. Needless to say I didn´t win. We sure had fun, though!
Papa and the new princess dog. He carries her around often. Sorta neat to see.
Lupita and a chocolate smile.
Sergio and Marcela are the ones praying for a forever home.
Many new children and new pets. Yes, Gary, our friend Lola is still here.
Silvia, Maggie and Lupita and their chocolate fever!
Yesterday, the Lord let me come home to Lily. I cannot begin to tell you the flood of emotions that swept over me as I was greeted by hundreds of hugs and kisses! The children are growing up so fast. It has been only 18 weeks, but I am amazed at the longer legs and deeper voices! The part that breaks my heart is the fact that there no parents to treasure the precious moments of losing teeth, summer-time freckled noses (yes, Briza and Cielo both have adorable freckles) or growth spurts when they suddenly are needing a longer pair of pants.
There is so much to say…so let me begin! FIRST OF ALL…AN AWESOME NEWS FLASH!!!! It looks like we WILL NOT be going to the border town to visit the Riley kids’ mom. This is really good news because the judge in the blood-mother’s town requested to have her come in so he could find out why she won’t terminate her rights since she has had no contact with them in 8 years. She didn’t show up…so he officially titled her ‘irresponsible’ and he is planning on terminating her rights. Is this a mighty showing of God’s hand or what?!!! We are scheduling an appointment with this judge either tomorrow or Monday. He will be viewing our DVD we brought and Mark and Jean will be speaking to him directly, while Alex and I will be putting in our two cents. He has the authority to push this through quickly. Right now we are standing in awe of our BIG God. He went before us.
After my welcome of everyone, there was a line-up of children that were lingering behind to speak with me. In my heart, I knew what it was all about…and I was right. “Tia Linda, did you find a family for us? We pray and ask God every morning and every night for a family.” Alberto and Marcos said, “When is Alberto coming to take us home?” I have not said anything to them…but they are planning on being adopted in Hart…and they even have their family picked out. Ana said, “Did you find a family for my brother and sisters?” There is a sense of desperation in their little voices and a pleading. I just choke back the tears and remind them that God has to make this happen. Then I run back to my casa and cry out to God. Only he can find forever homes for these precious children.
Guess where we spent the day today? At a water park! (The pics will be posted tomorrow, hopefully.) The water park let us all come in for free! Cool, huh? It was sunny and HOT. I didn’t bring my swimsuit…so I was just watching…until the very end. That water slide was just too inviting…so when Papa announced 5 more minutes, Javier and I went down the water slide. HOW FUN!!! I screamed all the way down and loved the refreshing water. Ahhhh! I had to block out the fact that 120+ kids were swimming in there…and I never saw one of them using the restroom in 3 hours. Too bad I swallowed so much water at the bottom of the slide.
All of the kids love the notes and letters you sent down. They have been reading them over and over. Becky and Keith…your girls are more than ready to see you again! Hey everyone, your response of money has been overwhelming. Between a large check from a Mass. church and checks/cash from other people, I was able to bring down over $10,000 for Lily. Isn’t God awesome? He amazes me over and over. All we have to do is listen to his voice and be faithful. He does all the rest.
Roger and Fred and been in 7th heaven. Fred is spoiling his kids rotten (which I don’t blame him one bit, and Roger has spent every last minute with Lorena and Mark/Chandra’s kids…spoiling them as well. You’d think they are brand new dads! How fun!
You forget many things when you visit…like odors, dust, flies, heat, etc. but it only takes a small moment to adjust. I’ve held kids on my lap already and discovered warm liquid running down my leg (before swimming), snuggled heads with little jumping creatures, smooched dirty faces and let Ramon run his squished banana fingers through my hair as I sat with him on the bus. I couldn’t be happier. Second thought, yes I could be. If my Prince were here with me. Gary, little Javier, Luis, Oliver, Chewy, big Javier, Nico and many other boys are trying to figure out why you couldn’t come. They have no comprehension of a job and responsibilities back home. I am asking God to help them realize you’d be here if you could. For those of you out there, we have listed our house and business again…and we are back at square one. Am I discouraged? Absolutely not! God is working and I can hardly wait for the green light. It’s His timing…and His timing is perfect. Gracious, Dios!
P.S. Fred and Roger, the crazy amigos, told me there is no need to post on this blog because there are here. Not a selfish bone in their bodies, huh? Any thoughts for them???
P.S.S. My proof-reader is not with me, so please forgive my blunders.
6 comments:
Well you tell my dad that believe it or not the world does not revolve around him. I know it's hard for him to comprehend that haha. Just kidding...."Love you dad" I'm so glad you guys are there to love all over my little girls. I miss them terribly!! We are all fervently praying back home. What awesome news about the Rileys!! God is good...all the time! Please keep us posted as to how things go with DIF. We know God is in control. Enjoy your sweet reunions Linda. I know those kids must have been so excited to see your plane land.
Tell Roger and Fred we've been waiting for news and updates here too!! Praise God for answered prayers that you all arrived safely, and the news on the Riley kids. Will keep praying; there is much to pray over. Love to all, from Al and Dorothy
I'm pretty much blown away. I shouldn't even be awake right now but thought I'd check to see if you posted anything before I fell asleep for a whole 4.5 hrs. I can't believe what God has done already!!! I can't believe the news with the Rileys' case. I just can't believe it. For some reason looking at the pictures didn't make me cry- I guess because I look at mine ALL THE TIME and I want more than pictures!! I want to be with the kids in person. But reading what God is doing RIGHT NOW- the things that I've prayed for, we've prayed for- is just beyond belief...and I couldn't fight the tears. Thanks. :) I didn't realize that Rog and Fred would be down there with Mark and Jean, too. What a fun group! I'm so thankful that God brought you back. So thankful. I know there's more that I could say, but responsible Lauren says it's time to hit the hay. Uh, didn't mean to rhyme. I guess that's what happens late at night. Thank you so much for getting to the blog so quickly...please keep us updated. And as always, the more pictures the better. We love 'em. I love seeing the kids grow and change...and seeing the new faces that come along. Linda, we love you and will be praying.
ohhh..... my heart is hurting. lauren and i have been more spontaneously crying lately. today we had our lil' teenage friends over and something was said about lily. i couldn't stop crying. the girls kept repeating, "is she serious?"
please tell marcela, rubi, ana, karla and jasmin i send my love. we can't wait to see them again. marcela's hair is so long! loty and i just stared at her picture in amazement.
love you, linda. love what you're doing there, the God you serve and just plain YOU. We are praying here.
May Christ continue to be glorified in you as we seem Him restore and heal those children.
Just read lauren's comment. she's nextdoor in her room cuz we still live together... just not on bunkbeds with a million little girls. Note to responsible Lauren: it is 1:45am.
also, how's american jackie? we haven't heard from her.
Oh! last thing, seriously... little brenda? she's still there, right?
Little Brenda ia gone. Little Johana is gone. The classroom didn't make the final inspection so there will be no school there this fall. So much has happened, so many children gone and so many new children. It's incredible.
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