My 4 little mermaids!
Splish...splash!!!
Summer bliss for our kids! Thank you, Jesus!
Marcos!
Pablo, Antonio and Daniel
Briza enjoying the pool.
Lining up for lunch!!! Hamburgers and spaghetti. Who could want more!
Baby April...just found out she was born in April so she is 15 months old. Please pray that I will be able to talk with the blood mother about terminating her rights.
Secretary Fred...
Head Waiter Roger
Chief bottle pourer...Mark with his lovely assistant, Karen
Sweet new faces at Lily. Someday I hope to edit in their names.
Mark and new Jazmine
Samuel, Boni and others checking out Fred´s camera
Alberto, Mark...grilling buddies! Alberto always likes to help!
Nohema giving Armondo an eye lift!
Brenda and her Papa!
Samuel and his new Papa
Who is tougher...I wonder
Armondo and Carlos
Roger...the new Lily Game-Boy
Chewy is watching for Tio Gary to come!
Fred chatting with Abuela Esther.
Briza, a new girl, Roger and Cielo
Luis and Carlos
Jackie caught with chili on her chin!
Marisa, another new girl.
Hey...Elmo is in Mexico!
Roger and his new hair dressers! They were putting everything but hair gel in his hair.
Another face of Andrea´s many...
Breakfast prep crew.
Fresh chili made our mouths and eyes water. WOW!!!
Jean and Jackie making the chili fixin´s. Jackie is from Mass. She is such a hard worker and everyone loves her.
Who else but Briza can blow bubbles, walk and hold on to the Princess puppy at the same time...
What a team...Nohema and Brenda!
Armando and his Tia
Part of the new Hernandez family...Fred, Brenda and Samuel.
Baby April and Ruby
Ruby and the Princess dog.
Lorena and goofy Roger. This pink had might be a new praise team thing...who knows...
Marcos and Alberto...what great kids! Their mother is coming Sunday afternoon and I will be talking to her about going into DIF to terminate her rights. She has already agreed to do this. Please keep praying.
Sweet Brenda
Nohema--how I love this girl!
A new Bro and Sis
Swimming races are always fun!
They whirled around for too long...
and one girl spoiled everyone´s fun. yuck
They had a snack shack and little Jackie turned on the charm to beg for a snack...and I think it worked.
My ladies Sunday School class has been going through a book by Calvin Miller, which has been a good study. This particular book has been on joy. The author stated that the automatic result of seeing God in action is joy…and I agree. My wild God has left His fingerprints all over down here. It is easy to see where He is working…and there are new fingerprints every day! I am filled with JOY! Children’s lives are being transformed, as well as the worker’s hearts. I praise You, Father! There is a new boy named Angel. The Lord has put him on my heart. I don’t know his situation yet, but I feel compelled to talk to him about my BIG God. I also plan on spending time with big Javier and giving him ‘The Purpose Driven Life’ in Spanish. Friends, please help me pray for the opportunity to spend one-on-one time with these precious kids so I can talk with them about Jesus.
I had a hard time sleeping last night as many of these kid’s sweet faces kept sweeping over my thoughts and they were crying out to me for a family. I never really experienced such a thing before. I kept giving their requests to God, but today I feel like some things need to happen. This morning I have compiled a revised wish-list of things to accomplish down here to get ‘orphan status’ for these kids. The list is overwhelming, but I am giving this to God and letting Him provide me with opportunity to accomplish what He wants me to do.
Silvia has had a recent visit by her biological dad and brother. It was a big thing for her. Her dad is in poor physical and mental health, but she cherished the time with him. The sad thing is that she learned that her mother has a new baby…that she is keeping. This has broken Silvia’s heart. The rejection is being relived all over again. Please keep her broken heart in prayer. Silvia has given this hurt to Jesus…which is cool.
I am writing this posting in my casa and then bringing it to the internet café where I can download and post the blog. As I look out the window, there are about 4 noses pressed to the window…along with the princess dog’s nose. They are waiting for us to ‘come out and play’. (For those of you who have been here, you know what this is like.) The children watch our every move. Please pray that we will be Jesus to them. Mary, Alondra is here…and I can still hear her laughter when you spent so much time with her. Thanks for showing her Jesus’ love!
I could write a novel on living with Fred and Roger…things I never knew before…and didn’t really care to know. They have gone to town at least 5 times now and finally remembered to buy the toilet paper and bathroom spray last evening (which are very important things in life). The copies of the keys that they went specifically to town to get the first day haven’t been made yet either. Unfortunately the problem is being 50+ years old. I’ve tried my best to remind them…and haven’t been very successful at that either…so who am I to talk, huh? My big 50 time is arriving soon. Does any of this sound familiar Barb and Luanne? Barb, I never knew Fred screeched like a lady in childbirth while taking a shower in cool water. Roger and I had a good laugh over that. Maybe he should try out for the church choir? Fred has also convinced the American girl working here that he is French. Makes me shake my head. We have new nicknames for him now...Frenchy Fred and...well I won´t say. Both of those guys giggle like little school boys and are having the time of their life. I don’t know how they made it clear down here. It’s amazing what these kids can do to you…it’s like a magic spell. They have stolen these grown men´s hearts. I don’t have time to tell the Roger stories. Maybe next time.
My favorite memories here are watching Mark and Jean Riley with their kids. There is a definite bond that has formed that only God could make. The joy on their faces radiates and blesses all who watch. Thank you, Jesus, for a couple who is willing to take a sibling group of 6 into their home and adopt them. It not only brings me JOY, but I can sense the smile on my Father’s face.
I have to share with you a couple more things. First of all, I have finished reading an amazing book. It’s entitled, ‘In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day’. I don’t have the author’s name because Papa is now reading the book. But this is a life altering book. It is based on the story of Benaiah in II Samuel 23:20-23. The author pulls many truths out of this story and I’d like to share some during the next few days. We are encouraged to be ‘lion chasers’…seizing the challenges put before us. The author says, “When we don’t have guts to step out in faith & chase lions, then God is robbed of the glory that rightfully belongs to Him.” He also said that spiritual maturity is seeing and seizing God-ordained opportunities. “Benaiah did what lion-chasers do. He defied the odds. He didn’t focus on the disadvantages. He didn’t make excuses. He didn’t try to avoid circumstances where the odds were against him. Lion chasers know God is bigger and more powerful than any problem they face in the world. They thrive in the toughest circumstances because they know that impossible odds set the stage for amazing miracles. That is how God reveals His glory –and how he blesses you in ways you never could have imagined.” What do I say? Amen!!!!
Lastly, the children are still talking about swimming at the park yesterday. You know what it is like when your children are swimming and they want you to watch them do various stunts? Multiply that times 100. All the children were performing various tricks that they wanted us to watch. How fun! That was a big deal to these kids because they were able to be ‘normal kids’ for a few hours and maybe they forgot for just a few moments that they live at an orphanage. I wish you could have seen their big smiles. I know their Papa in heaven loved to hear their laughter and He is probably still smiling at the thought of them.
I miss you, my Prince. Love on our kids and grandbabies for me. I’ll love on these kids for you. My, how our family has grown beyond our wildest dreams! I remember crying in the recovery room after having an early hysterectomy at age 30…giving my dream of more children to God. Look at us today! God is AWESOME!
2 ADOPTION UPDATES...
Rileys visited DIF today in Chihuahua. We will be visiting the border town to meet with the judge and lawyer there either Monday and Tuesday...whichever day the secretary at DIF schedules us. Please keep praying for them. Things are sounding great...but their hearts are guarded because of previously dashed hopes. It sounds like to me the mothers rights are terminated and that is a done deal. Now they have to post to prove the dad is not in the picture...which could take less than a month and a half. I am greatly encouraged. This case has turned from a bleak shot in the dark to a sure thing. Thank you, Jesus!
Hernandez case will be moving to the courts with judge number 4 the middle of next week. Getting passport pics of the kids tonight. Everything is ready for their case to move through the judges hands.
