Thankful in the Wait

Oh so much has happened and on the other hand so much has NOT happened.  Apparently China is now on national holiday, AGAIN, and so we might find out something on Thursday.  It is almost laughable.  I mean tomorrow marks 13 WEEKS waiting for TRAVEL APPROVAL!  Really?!  Questions rage in my mind at times.  Why the delay?  Does China not want us to adopt her?  Is there a person on a personal vendetta against us?  Is our agency not advocating for us enough? (ad nauseum)

Peace in a house of five children is a rare commodity, I honestly cannot believe we are adding ANOTHER one.  AND SHE'S 4 1/2 YEARS OLD!  We've missed the baby years.  Though we expect her to be developmentally delayed we will never have those first four years back (and we started this process when she was three).  We have never been in that situation before, except for a foster respite child and that was only for three days, not a lifetime.  How I still pray for --- and that God can reach down and heal the hurt in her little heart.  And now here we are eight years almost after our first respite care and we are looking at being the forever family for a special little girl and month after month is ticking by where she is not with our family because of Chinese bureaucracy and the processes still being developed for the "copy dossier" process.

I imagine you are thinking how can this woman title the post "thankful in the wait" when she just wrote that tirade?!  Well on Sunday I heard this wonderful communion devotional talking about "being thankful in the wait".  The speaker compared Noah and Jonah.

Noah obeyed God in building the ark, God had told him that he would send a flood.  The ark was not something Noah could build in secret, it was longer than a football field, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high.  Not something you could hide in a garage.  So of course he was ridiculed, it hadn't even rained yet in the world.  Well about 100 YEARS later it finally flooded.  100 years!  That's a LONG wait in my opinion.  Yet, "Noah did everything just as God commanded him." Gen. 6:22  He obeyed in the wait.

Then there is the story of Jonah.  Jonah finally got to Nineveh and delivered God's message and then he went to sit and wait for Nineveh to be destroyed.  Jonah wanted God to immediately destroy Nineveh because of their wickedness, but because of the Ninevites repentance, Jonah was sorely disappointed in his wait.  He then told God, "I would rather die".  (Jonah 4) Jonah was angry that he had to wait for Nineveh's destruction (it was destroyed much later).  It was a sinful place and he didn't want to see God be gracious and compassionate toward them.  (How often is this us?  We are wronged and we want the person who wronged us to pay.)  Not anything is recorded of Jonah in the Bible after his anger that God had compassion and didn't destroy Nineveh.  Jonah became angry and let that anger destroy his ministry in the wait.

So am I going to be thankful that we have the opportunity to adopt from China again?  I am going to be productive in our wait for TA and do the things God has already given me?  Or am I going to become embittered and angry because things are not happening on my time schedule?  I chose to be thankful.  Thankful for our wonderful children who are in our care.  Thankful that Lillyanna will join our family in HIS time.  Thankful for our home.  Thankful for plenty of food.  Thankful for Mr. Incredible's job (though he does travel a lot).  Thankful that I am the daughter of a caring Father who loves me, knows what is best for me and has my best interests at His heart.  Thankful?  Thankful.

But if you would like to pray for God to hurry this along, I would be thankful for that as well. :)

All on His Own

You Know ...When...

You know you can make a difference when:
You recognize the need.

You know you can make a difference when:
You have a friend who has fostered or adopted and you think, "I could do that!"

You know you can make a difference when:
Your own 32 cent coffee is more appealing than the expensive gourmet coffee because you can save/give the difference to make a difference in the life of a child.

You know you can make a difference when:
Paying retail for clothes is out of the question because all you can think of is how some children have no clothes of their own.

You know you can make a difference when:
You are willing to take on an extra job to pay for your adoption or help somebody with theirs.

You know you can make a difference when:
You go through foster parent/adoptive parent training.

You know you can make a difference when:
You see beyond the immediate gratification of your wants/needs to the life altering reality you could give a child.

You know you can make a difference when:
You complete that mountain of paperwork to begin fostering or the adoption process.

You know you can make a difference when:
You get beyond your own comfort zone and open up your heart and life to a hurting child.

You know you can make a difference when:
You adjust your life to accommodate the special needs of a hurting child.

You know you can make a difference when:
YOU have welcomed the least of these into your HOME, your FAMILY, your LIFE, your HEART.  (it might not always be easy)

You know you have MADE a difference when:
The change you have made is in you and you will never be the same again.


Creation Groans from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

Please pause our blog music at right before you press play.

Beautifully Written

We get asked why.  Why have five kids?  Why foster? Why adopt?  Why adopt more?  It's hard to verbalize sometimes either due to lack of time, energy or zeal, but I came across this on another blog and had to pass it on.  It so fitly expresses why.

"Look after the orphan and widows in their distress"  James 1:27

Blah, Blah, Blah

The good news of Tuesday concerning the adoption was overwritten today with more news of paperwork not being done yet... in finitum, ad nauseum... 

And our internet is on strike.  I am only hoping the connection holds out long enough to post this.  It's bad, real bad... Feel like I'm living in the early 1900's, no cell service, no internet, no TV.

Miopia and a little news

Monday's post:

Miopia is near sightedness.  How near sighted we were when this adoption began.  How near sighted I continue to feel as we have been living literally 9 1/2 weeks waiting for tomorrow. (11 weeks since the Article 5)  For 9.5 weeks we've been unable to make long range plans (like more than two weeks in advance).  We "live" for each email from our agency waiting to see if we have travel approval.  A week ago we were told "very soon" and the last two emails (Friday and today) that I sent to the agency have gone unanswered.  GGGGRRRRRRRRRR!

It's at times like these that I lose my peace and quite honestly I've been struggling with depression.  The wait to have Lillyanna in our arms has been exceedingly long, since September.  Keeping up with three properties totaling 35.4 acres is daunting.  Not being able to change our legal residence because of the adoption and the adoption being drawn out is maddening.  There are so many "little" things that need to be fixed or done and I never have enough time to do them.  The thing that really eats me up is how China did everything in the beginning so fast and now when EVERYONE else is getting Travel Approval in three weeks or less we have been waiting MORE THAN NINE!!!!  (I know God's perfect timing :-))  But I am really wondering if China simply doesn't want us to adopt her and they keep dragging their feet.  The frugal part of me wonders if all the delays might make them drop the $5,300 orphanage donation fee (don't think it's likely, but maybe?! :-)).  Mr. Incredible continues to travel a lot, mostly day trips, but still very inconvenient (to me). 

So that's what our life looks like right now.  Not very pretty or glorious.  However I know as God continues to work in our muddy mess there will be a beautiful piece of pottery emerge.  He is the master potter and I'm (we are) the clay.

The devotional for today in Jesus Calling is:
"Peace is my continual gift to you, it flows abundantly from My throne of grace.  Just as the Israelites could not store up manna for the future but had to gather it daily, so it is with My Peace.  The day-by-day collecting of manna kept My people aware of their dependence on Me.  Similarly, I give you sufficient Peace for the present, when you come to me by prayer and petition with thanksgiving.  If I gave you permanent Peace, independent of My Presence, you might fall into the trap of self-sufficiency.  May that never be!
I have designed you to need Me moment by moment.  As your awareness  of your needdiness increases, so does you realization of My abundant sufficiency.  I can meet every one of your needs without draining My resources at all.  Approach My throne of grace with bold confidence, receiving My Peace with a thankful heart."
The scripture readings are, Ex. 16:14-20; Phil. 4:6-7,19; Hebrews 4:16

Tuesday's Post:
We still do not have Travel Approval, HOWEVER, we do know that we are now actually waiting to get TA in China.  Apparently the director of this department in China called our agency's office in China to let them know that they FINALLY had all the paperwork and they we REALLY are now waiting to get TA.  That all transpired on 4/12, so who knows when we we actually get it.  I am so glad that I stepped up and called a detail person at our agency, since I am a detail person and I have been speaking and emailing with an overview person.  So no great exciting news, but at least we know more of what is going on and that helps.  I guess being the first family in the ENTIRE WORLD to do a copy dossier with China has a few drawbacks!  Yes, not our agency, but of ANY agency in the world we are the FIRST.  Not sure I like being the ground breaker... :)

GREAT NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is what was in our inbox this morning.  Our contact at our adoption agency let us know that SHE had been told that WE would get TA "VERY soon".  Now your idea of very soon and my idea of very soon and China's idea of very soon may all be different.  But it was good to get a positive report, the first in 9 weeks.  Now if only we could actually get TA and then travel at the beginning of May, she could be in our arms for her 1/2 birthday of turning four.
Maybe I might attack the packing again.  I just haven't had the heart to try to pack lately with the uncertainty of TA.
In other news, we are to get Mr. Incredible's Chinese Visa tomorrow and attend a workshop training on starting a foster/adoption support group on Thursday.

Oh What a Weekend!

The big boys participated in a bike-a-thon to raise money to send Chinese orphans to camp.  They raised enough by themselves to send one orphan to camp for a WHOLE week then mom and dad chipped in a little more.  They did an awesome job biking for almost three hours Saturday morning.  I did come to the realization that they need new bikes though.  The bikes look so big laying around the yard, or in the driveway or on the porch..., but with the boys on them... whole other story. 

Saturday afternoon was filled with final preparations for J's party and at 3pm the guests started arriving.  Only one van full got lost and they did finally make it.  I think the boys had so much fun tromping through the woods and almost everyone went home with a compass (the store only had 10 so brother groups shared).  There was an obstacle course (that J made with some direction and help), some orienteering through the woods and finally a bonfire and marshmallow roast! 

We had planned on Sunday being our usual Sunday, but M decided to liven it up a bit when he fell from his top bunk (he was climbing down, or standing at the edge).  He screamed but could still move his arm and there was no obvious deformity.  After church and him still favoring his arm, he and I took a trip to the urgent care center.  A two hour wait later and 30 minutes back in the room, we found out that he indeed had broken his arm, a buckle fracture.  So not clean through the bone, just on one side.  Not sure how that can be, but I saw it with my own eyes.  I called our pediatricians office this morning just in case we need to put a cast on instead of the splint.  Yesterday evening he was already talking about riding a bicycle or his scooter...

Life with M is NEVER boring! Though it is not ever an easy road, I am so glad to be his mommy.

Ready at ALL times

It's amazing, I called CPS today, about doing some training for our foster/adoption ministry.  And this afternoon... I get a call about a little baby girl who needs a home for the next couple of days!  (Sorry hon, I've been trying to call you!)  I guess God's finding a way to fill the time until we get Lilly! 

So thankful that I've learned to be flexible and willing to serve.

Someone to Consider

A Host Mother’s Plea
By Tiffany Taylor Wines ttaylorwines@orphanoutreach.org

When we adopted our children from Russia in 1996 and 1998 my husband and I had no idea how much our life was going to change. Parenting our children has been the biggest blessing and challenge of our lives. However, they are not the only orphans who have shaped our world. Immediately after returning from our first trip I was haunted by the faces of the children left behind. I starting looking for ways to give back and became very involved with a program collecting shoes for children in Russia. That volunteer job led to working full time in orphan ministry and eventually helping start a ministry, Orphan Outreach, four years ago. I have led many mission trips and taken my husband and both children on trips to serve in Guatemala. However, our greatest joy and heartbreak as a family has been hosting older children who were visiting the U.S. to raise awareness for adopting older orphans. 

Hosting a child from Eastern Europe was an awesome way to let our children learn more about their culture and also allow them to personally share their toys, rooms and hearts with a child who needed to learn what it was like to be part of a family. We have hosted four times and each time I have said that it was the hardest thing we have ever done. Children who come from hard places like an orphanage have so many issues very unique to their own situations. It was obvious each child had been hurt and they each dealt with that hurt in their own way. I also felt an instant pressure to show each child a loving family; I had to remember that did not always mean a “perfect” family. The pace of keeping up with the planned and surprise activities would always add a layer of complication to our already busy lives. But the hardest thing, by far, was falling in love with each child and not knowing what the future held for them.

Our first host child had extended family she was still close too (even though she was in the orphanage) so she was not placed for adoption. We still see and write this lovely girl and thankfully she is very involved with Bible study classes at her orphanage. She knows that our family will be there for her as she transitions out of the orphanage and into school. The second child we hosted needed to be placed in a family along with her older brother. It was a long process as the agency dealt with in-country slowdowns and accreditation. We are so thankful that they were placed with an awesome family in Texas and we have been able to see how they have thrived. The third child was quickly adopted and now lives happily in Houston. So that brings us to 2010 and Dimitry (name changed to protect the child).

Last summer, we spent a wonderful two weeks as his host family and loved experiencing Texas through his eyes. Dimitry was different from our other host children from the beginning. First of all, he was very easy going. He happily got in the car whenever we mentioned that it was time to go somewhere. He was so brave and never questioned where he was going! He did not have to be entertained. He was happy to sit and color, play with toys, video games or listen to music. He was honestly the first host child who got easier the longer he was in the house. It was obvious he liked having older siblings. He loved spending time with our 14-year-old daughter and running around with our 12-year-old son. It was great to see how much he wanted to connect with us! Dimitry was showing us things and making jokes all the time.

As we got to know him it was very obvious that he was very smart. It came as no surprise to us when we found out from the orphanage social worker that he had been tested and had a high IQ and that the orphanage where he lived was for the talented and gifted children. He would ask us about the value of a dollar and quickly convert the dollar to rubles in his head.  He was very curious and asked lots of questions. He had been taking English in the orphanage and he was eager to learn more. He had only been in the orphanage a short time but according to the caregiver he had made amazing strides and was making solid grades in all his subjects. His caregiver also said that the experience of being hosted in a loving home also had a huge impact on his personality.

His list of great qualities goes on and on: he was a good eater; he was kind and gentle to our pets; he loved entertaining us with magic tricks. He was even appropriately reserved with everyone in the family, but after he got to know us we got the best smiles and sweetest hugs from him.

So why is Dimitry waiting for a family? Only because he is a 10-year-old boy. Boys wait for families, even the fabulous boys. I have prayed and prayed for a family for Dimitry but honestly no one has even inquired about him since August. We received darling photos of Dimitry receiving the gifts we had sent him in November. He quickly wrote a note asking when we were going to visit. It breaks my heart to think of him sitting in an orphanage, anxiously waiting for a family to call his own. Please help me in letting others know about the amazing child. Maybe you are the family he is waiting for?

If families want to learn more about Dimitry, they can go to Dillon/Buckner’s Eastern Europe screening form at www.dillonadopt.com/EE_screen.htm to receive a password to view a photo and brief information on him. From this web page, families may also contact the Buckner Adoption & Maternity Services case manager for additional information and how to begin the adoption process to adopt Dimitry.

If You Don't Have Something Nice To Say...

it's best to not say anything at all.

That's why I've been quiet.  I can't be silent anymore though.  There are times with adopting a child that are blissful and wonderful, more wonderful than giving birth and then there are times in adoption that are just hard.  I want to be an advocate for more adoptions.  But, if I said it was all easy or that nothing bad ever happened, I would be lying.  Maybe the child dies before they are in your arms.  Maybe the birthmother doesn't relinquish rights.  Maybe there's an unexpected bump in the road that sends you careening off of a cliff and you are just trying to survive.

Today I have been fighting depression and anger at what is happening.  We have been waiting for TA since FEBRUARY 9TH our Article 5 was picked up January 31st.  This is really insane.  We had been expedited to this point and now when we are one step from having her in our arms, we come to a SCREECHING halt and wait.

I've been told I am a patient person.  I am here to say, I am NOT patient.  I am not happy- for me, my daughter, my husband and our family- this wait for TA has turned into ludicrous because NO ONE can say when it will end!  Meanwhile Lilly is isolated from the other children since her nannies fear another fracture.  Meanwhile M is being the biggest pain in the backside because we have been living in uncertainty for two months!  And meanwhile time, precious time, is being lost in helping Lilly to have a good quality of life now and in the future.

We have prayed for the adoption all along the way, daily, at least.  Over the course of this adoption my prayers have increased from daily, to hourly to a constant crying out to God, "How long must I wait?!  How long must she wait?!"  "Lord, we thought we were being obedient, what is happening?"  "FIX THIS!"

Psalm 119
⁸¹ My soul faints with longing for your salvation,
   but I have put my hope in your word ...
⁸⁴ How long must your servant wait?...
  
Isiah 40:31
" ...but those who hope in the LORD
   will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
   they will run and not grow weary,
   they will walk and not be faint."

I have felt so weary lately.  Weary from the bad attitudes of a certain child.  Weary from the adoption stalling out.  Weary from emotional drain of uncertainty.  Weary from praying and praying and praying and it seemingly being that God doesn't hear.  I KNOW however that HE DOES.  I KNOW that in HIS TIMING we will get Lillyanna.  I KNOW that GOD is ALL POWERFUL, more powerful than me, than communist governments, than brittle bones AND HE will bring Lillyanna home and HE will bring Lillyanna healing.  I KNOW these things, but in day to day life when the ocean waves are crashing over and you are an ocean away from your child it's hard to live these things and believe that it really will happen.

TA Update

We continue the wait for TA with no idea of when it might come.
We were given an exception to start the adoption process for Lilly on Elizabeth's paperwork in October.  Mostly this is due to Lillyanna's medical condition and her need for treatment.  But being the first isn't necessarily the best. (This is now something any family who has adopted within a year from China can do.) China has admitted making an error- we are unsure if it is in granting this exception OR not moving the paperwork to our current adoption. But until they fix their error our adoption is at a standstill. We ARE still adopting Lilly and their approval of us as her family IS NOT the error, thankfully.

• We need prayer for endurance- for us and the kids. Lillyanna now also knows that she has a family waiting for her, so for her little four year old mind to understand the delay.

• We need prayer that China quickly fixes the problem.

• I am specifically praying that God would work and that we would be able to travel on or about May 5th. That get's us a day past the coming April and May kids birthdays.

Honduras - Day 10

Well, it's day 10 of our blitz and we have a long way to go  to make our goal.  We have 40.5 commitments... can we get 59 commitments today?  It seems impossible... but we know that God can do great things.



We've seen Him do it this week!



We've seen it in people giving their best gifts.



We've seen it in the stories we've received of families eating tortillas in honor of our kids in Honduras. (by the way, we'd love to hear more!  Tell us about your Tortilla Tuesday experience HERE)



We know that God is at work, and pray that He will continue to move today!



Yesterday we talked about the difference Lifesong Honduras is making.  Today we get to hear a personal testimony of this difference made in one Escalon graduate, Victor Rodas:



The reality is that without your support stories like Victor's... stories like Edgar's and Tania's and Edmund's would cease to exist.



We have till the end of today.  Can we reach our goal?

Contact us at info@lifesongfororphans.org to make your commitmentn AND tell them we sent you from our blog!

Your donation will be doubled thanks to a gracious giver!

The REAL "Tortilla Tuesday"

After our preemptive Tortilla Tuesday last week, I had been looking forward to "the real deal" on the 29th. I think the kids were looking forward to it as well. When Mr. Incredible arrived home and looked at what I was cooking, "oh, it's Tuesday" escaped with very little zeal. My wonderful Mr. Incredible was raised on "meat and potatoes" and does not like vegetarian meals. I however was raised on a mostly vegetarian diet, because we couldn't afford meat. The last fourteen years have been interesting trying to find a balance in our diet and we aren't there yet :)

The kids have loved (with the exception of one and he does like the tortillas!) having beans and rice with tortillas on Tuesday for the last couple of weeks. Tortilla Tuesday has also afforded me the opportunity to have ANY of our children come help stir the beans or make the tortillas. (not always possible with every meal) It's a nutricious and simple meal. (my life needs that right now :)) What an opportunity it has also provided to sit and eat a meal that so many others share ALL the time and reflect on how BLESSED our family is. Though the meal may not be Mr. Incredible's favorite, he does a wonderful job leading the kids in thinking outside of their world.

I actually managed to snap a few pics this week, ENJOY!

the effects of saying 'smile' 

At least he likes the tortillas!

Maybe no hot sauce next time...

 

Recovered from the hot sauce and back to charming the camera :)

With the preemptive Tortilla Tuesday last week both Mr. Incredible and myself ended up with heartburn. So I researched and tried a variation this week- no onions and added a little baking soda to the beans. Well the heartburn wasn't as bad this week, so maybe more baking soda next week because I think Tortilla Tuesday is going to hang around for awhile!!!

It's Tortilla Tuesday!!! Don't forget to send in your photos and stories to info@lifesongfororphans.org!


What difference does Lifesong Honduras really make in the lives of the 550 students we work with?

Nutritionally:  Every day students at Lifesong Honduras receive 3 balanced meals.  (Join us today for Tortilla Tuesday!  Confused?  Click HERE)

Educationally: The national average of students in public schools who go on to college in Honduras is around 1%.  At Lifesong Honduras, about 40% of students go on to college!

Economically:  In a country with a national unemployment rate of 70%, over 70% of Plan Escalon graduates have full-time jobs!

Spiritually:  2011 Vision Team member, Brian Kerz, speaks from what he saw first hand:

Isn't teaching the gospel message really what it's all about?  And after leaving Lifesong Honduras to live on their own, 90% of Escalon graduates still consider themselves Christians and 85% continue to attend church on a regular basis!

Lives are being changed.  Lives can continue to change because of the difference being made by people like you!

Our goal is:

We have two days left.
We need 63 commitments!

Will you help us continue to serve children in Honduras?

Can't commit to $30 p/mo? Give your best gift today... we can all make one sacrifice and come together as the body of Christ to make a big difference!

Contact us at info@lifesongfororphans.org to make your commitment AND be sure to tell them that we sent you from our blog!  Your donation will be doubled thanks to a gracious giver!

Your support makes these stories possible!
All administrative costs are covered, so 100% of your donation will go directly to helping orphans.

Honduras - Day 8

Happy Monday, everyone!  Well, we are on day 7 of our blitz, with only 3 more days to go!
Today we're going to let Guy Henry, director of Lifesong Honduras, tell a little about Plan Escalon in his own words.

Plan Escalon from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

God is working in Honduras!  He is bringing up young men and women through hardship to a place of purpose and hope... and He is using the staff at Lifesong Honduras to do it!

But they can't do it alone.  Will you join us?
Our goal is:

So far we have 31 commitments.

We need 69 more.

That's about 23 commitments a day!

Please join us!  If you can't commit $30 a month, give what you can.  Let's come together to serve these kids in Honduras.  Let's change their lives.  Let's change their nation.

Don't forget to participate in tomorrow's Tortilla Tuesday! (Don't know what this is?  Click HERE)

Contact us at info@lifesongfororphans.org to make your commitment AND be sure to tell them that you came from our blog! Your donation will be DOUBLED thanks to a gracious giver!

Hear personal stories & follow the progress on our blog!
Your support makes these stories possible!
All administrative costs are covered, so 100% of your donation will go directly to helping orphans.

Edmund Gives Back from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

Edmund is just one example of many who have been helped by Lifesong Honduras, and are now giving back.  I love how he obviously cares for these kids and even gives what little he has away so they can have shoes!  What a great example.

Here’s a question for you… How many pairs of shoes do you have?.

10? 20? 30? (eek!)

The kids at Lifesong Honduras have one pair each… sometimes two (a pair of boots to serve in).  Wow.

This Saturday join us for Shoe Saturday.  Simply count your shoes… and get your kids in on it too.  Have them count theirs.  And then tell them about the children in Honduras.  Tell them about Edmund who sacrifices his own money so children in the village can have something on their feet.  Then as a family pray.  Thank God for His faithfulness and His blessings on your family.  Thank Him for raising up men and women and children in Honduras to care for the poor, the orphaned, the vulnerable.  Ask Him to continue to provide and watch over them.  Ask Him raise up supporters so Lifesong can continue to serve in Honduras.

We are reaching for a goal:

Please pray that we can reach this goal?   Maybe God wants to use you?  Will you prayerfully consider joining us?

Maybe you can't give $30 a month... Maybe you can give more.  Today we want to encourage you to give your best!

One commitment we've received was a one time gift... Another commitment was matched by the donor's employer... meaning his gift has now quadrupled!  We are so excited to see people rise up and give what they can!

Thank you to those who have committed so far.

We have 15.5 commitments.

Can we make 100?

We have 7 days... 84.5 commitments to go.

With your help we can do it!

Ok so... update

Our YUMMY beans and rice and homemade GF tortillas!  So good I made more tortillas and we had it again tonight with daddy!  (so glad he's home after his business trip) No it's not a really large bowl, it's a fairly small tortilla, but Mmmmm good!
Here's the recipe from cooks.com Easy Homemade Flour Tortillas

OK so...

I've posted twice about Tortilla Tuesday with Lifesong and I guess I was so anxious to remember my time in Honduras growing up, that I made tortillas and beans and rice for TONIGHT! Oh well, maybe we can start a tradition of every Tuesday is Tortilla Tuesday! Pictures to follow, hopefully.

Did you miss the post about what is going on at Lifesong Honduras? Click here.
Did you read about Tortilla Tuesday on Tuesday, March 29th? Click here.

What did you have for breakfast this morning?

Maybe some coffee?  Yes?

Maybe some rice and beans, with white cheese and tortillas?  No?

At Lifesong Honduras this is what a normal breakfast for the 550 kids we serve looks like.

For lunch they will get tortillas with either vegetable soup, pasta, or chicken with rice and vegetables.
For dinner they will eat rice, beans, cream (similar to sour cream) white cheese, eggs (2 times a week) and (you guessed it) tortillas.

Next Tuesday, March 29th join us for Tortilla Tuesday as we eat rice, beans, and tortillas for the day and provide tools for you to use in sharing with your family… in order to further teach out children about the lives of others.

Enjoy a meal at work or with your family or friends of tortillas, rice, and beans.  This is a great way to not just talk about life for kids in Honduras, but to actually experience it, if only in one small way.

We want to encourage you to use this opportunity to share the need in Honduras with your kids, friends, and co-workers.

Here are a few facts and conversation starters:
1. Honduras is one of the poorest nations in the western hemisphere

2. Last year approximately 75% of new students coming into Lifesong Honduras were malnurished, their weight and height way below average, and needed extra vitamins and supplements.  Pictured below are three 7th graders from this group:

"The reward comes in many forms... to watch them grow and their appearance change, knowing that you played a part in that.  It is hard explain, but when you take one of our graduates and compare them to someone of the same age, from their own villages, even though the differences may range from ever so slight to obvious, it is visible."

-Lifesong Honduras staff member

3. There are innumerous un-reached mountain villages that still do not have electricity or running water, children without clothing or shoes, and families without food to feed their children.

- Homes are barely constructed of mud, sticks, cardboard and whatever material they can use to cover themselves.

-Many villages have no organized church, nor a pastor, nor a church building in which to meet.

-Students at Plan Escalon spend part of their education giving back… visiting mountain villages, where many of them came from, to bring food (rice and beans) and minister to the people.

- Imagine what it would it be like to live in a mountain village in Honduras… What would it be like?  Would you feel hopeful of your future?   How would you survive?

4. At Lifesong Honduras they have to make 3,500 tortillas made every day… on only 3 stoves!

- Can you imagine making that many tortillas every day?  Think about how you would interact with others in the kitchen.  How easy would it be trying to accomplish this with only 3 stoves?

*Be sure to have your camera ready for Tortilla Tuesday! Please send Lifesong a photo of you and your family or co-workers (or whoever you invite) participating in Tortilla Tuesday, your location, and a short story about the impact it made and the conversations you had to info@lifesongfororphans.org! If you have a blog or facebook, consider sharing it!

Our goal is:

Will you join us?  Every dollar will make a difference!  Every dollar will be doubled for the sake of orphans!

So far we have 4 commitments.  Thank you!  We still need more.  Together we can do more for the children and the future of Honduras!

Contact Lifesong at info@lifesongfororphans.org to make your commitment AND be sure to tell them that we sent you from our blog!

Hear personal stories & follow the progress on our blog all this week!

Honduras Blitz from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.

(Pause the music at right to hear the movie)

What if every time you gave a dollar to orphans it became one more? 

One more dollar towards food, education, shelter?

One more dollar towards sharing the Gospel and providing Biblical mentorship?

One more dollar towards changing the life of a child?

I love to use this platform to advocate for those in need... and thanks to a generous donor every dollar given to Lifesong Honduras will be matched… up to $120,000!  We praise the Lord for this amazing gift and invite you to be a part of it.

Over the next 10 days we are teaming with Lifesong and are hoping for 100 1-year commitments of $30 a month.  Just think, for about $1 a day a life in Honduras can be forever changed.

Partnering with Tree of Life Missions in Honduras, Lifesong for Orphans is able to work toward providing hope to the hopeless, help to the helpless and healing to the hurting.  TOLM reaches kids through a program called Plan Escalon.  (Escalon is translated "escalator" and is used to describe the children's escalator out of poverty/brokenness.) 
Through this program we strive toward:

• Providing an education to the poorest of youth
• Providing food to the poorest of youth
• Providing vocational training & micro-business opportunities
• Providing free medical and dental clinics to those in need
• Training young people to give back to their communities
• Reaching people in the jungles of the Mosquito Coast 

Stay tuned for stories, personal testimonies, and fun ways to spread awareness and instill a heart of giving in your kids!

Our goal is:

Will you help us?  100 commitments in ten days is no small feat, but with God it is possible.  We have seen Him move mightily in His people to serve orphans and we pray that this ten weeks will be a testimony of that!  Together we can make a difference in the lives of these kids!  Together we can do more to bring joy and purpose to orphans!

Contact Lifesong at info@lifesongfororphans.org to make your commitment AND be sure to tell them that we sent you from our blog, poormanponderosa!

Hear personal stories & follow the progress on our blog all this week!

Check back often to hear personal stories and get updates on the progress.  Please join us in prayer as we ask the Lord to raise up 100 commitments!

Proving Ground

The last three if not four weeks of our lives have been hard beyond measure. Glorious in some ways seeing God's provision and utterly discouraging in others as we cycle through the valley of bickering, contention and a child who is unable to be reasoned with.

My pastor said on Sunday that a tree's roots only grow stronger and deeper by being blown by the wind. This is one of those times in life when the "rubber meets the road" or "being stretched to the limit" is almost an understatement.

We still have no word on TA and it is looking like May will be our travel date, if then... so many factors, so many uncertainties... and I've heard ticket prices are soaring. I don't have the strength to look, not today.

My trust is that He is still there, but this is one of those days where I cannot base that trust on feelings, but by looking back and seeing how God has been faithful.

A Chance to Make a Difference!

Tortilla Tuesday!!

Next Monday we will be kicking off an exciting 10 day blog-a-thon to spread the word about what's going on at Lifesong Honduras.  We will be sharing personal testimonies from changed lives, peeking into everyday Honduran life, and giving some tools to spread awareness in your families.
One of these tools is a little something we like to call (da-daDAAA!):

Tuesday, March 29th we will be dedicating 1 meal to eat what the children in Honduras eat on a daily basis... and we want you to be a part of it!  We will also provide some great topical questions and discussion guides for you to share with your kids on what life is like for children in another culture.


Would YOU join us?

We'll share more as we get closer to the 29th, so mark your calendars, get your camera ready and head to the store to get tortillas, rice, and beans for the whole family!

The Worry Tries to Come

This past week has been fraught with turmoil.  One child is really struggling.  Trying to organize and resettle.  Bickering between the boys.  Mr. Incredible was gone to help his mom move... After days of basically no mail, the bills have started arriving.  Carrying two mortgages and two utilities... 

I start to worry and the what if's try to crush me.

There's something wrong with our dossier in China and the government there is trying to fix it.  We have no idea what the problem is, but the blackout dates of April 8-30th for travel are looming overwhelmingly large.  I guess it is encouraging that they are not asking for us to redo something, but it is maddening that our Travel Approval is waiting only on one person's signature and there is some issue that we are powerless to resolve. 

We are powerless, but God is not. 

The devotion for today in "Jesus Calling" ends with, "Be still, and know that I am God".  God is God and I am not.  No amount of worrying or anger is going to bring Lilly home sooner.  My attitudes toward all my children need to reflect God's love and not the uncertainty over timing that I feel.  We may be in China a month from now or we may be updating our homestudy and planning on travel in May or June.  Whatever comes God is in control.  My faith is in my Father.  My hope rests in Him.  By His grace we continue on.

To Fill You In

We still do not have TA.  We found out today that there is some "issue" with our dossier that China is working on...  still waiting for that signature...  Travel is not going to be permitted after April 7th until some time in May due to Chinese holidays and a trade show in Guangzhou.  We so need TA right NOW!

Mr. Incredible left today, driving, for OH.  To move his mom to NC...  Praying that she will want to move, she will move and that she will improve with a change in environment...


So the kids and I are four days without daddy...  I am looking forward to more reading, still don't know what to make for dinner tonight though.  Maybe I should work on that?! :)

Our lives are so incredibly full right now.  It kind of is life imitating our garage.  Oh to have a clean garage, oh to have an uncluttered life, but God brings us through the mucky muck to the other side and we look a little more like gold. :-)

So It's Been A Little While

Circumstances haven't permitted daily blogging, or pretty much anything routine!  I have been amazed at how God has been with our family and though one may get sick we have yet to all be sick at the same time or even near the same time.  This has been one of those special blessings that our family has needed in order to be able to get through the last couple of weeks.  Due to the sensitive nature of a couple things, I can't fill you in on everything, but Elizabeth is recovering well from her surgery yesterday (to have tubes in her ears, again).  After several days of no internet I am enjoying "feeling connected" again.  Though I noticed my productivity was MUCH higher when there wasn't email, blogging or facebook to distract me.  Life is taking on a more normal schedule and we are anticipating getting our Travel Approval any day now.  It seems that our TA is once again waiting for the top directors approval and has been for over a week... weren't we here 19 months ago?! 

Well the day the must begin!

I found this and had to share...

It took A WHILE for it to load, but so poignantly stated the case for so many.
(remember to pause the music on the right so you can hear the audio)


Hope is Fading – Orphan Sunday from Allan Rosenow on Vimeo.

...plans...

We plan and then God happens.  The closing on our house is NOT going to be what the contract stated, nor is it going to be Thursday.  We have now been told Friday.  The closing date seems to keep vascilating between Thursday and Friday.  Why not Wednesday, when it was scheduled for?!  Though it may not be what I want, it will happen. 
Another couple with paperwork dates the same as ours got their TA yesterday.  We DID NOT.

Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Our plans may not go according to our plan, but HIS plan is always at work.

Words of Encouragement

As I ran about town yesterday, I stopped at a friends to drop some items off for her adoption travels.  I felt so drained, so empty, so exhausted.  We still have no word on our TA.  She gave me a precious devotional, Jesus Calling.  Here's the entry for February 21st:
"TRUST AND THANKFULNESS WILL get you safely through this day.  Trust protects you from worrying and obsessing.  Thankfulness keeps you from criticizing and complaining; those 'sister sins' that so easily entangle you.
Keeping your eyes on Me is the same thing as trusting Me.  It is a free choice that you must make thousands of times daily.  The more you choose to trust Me, the easier it becomes.  Thought patterns of trust become etched into your brain.  Relegate troubles to the periphery of your mind, so that I can be central in your thoughts.  Thus you focus on Me, entrusting you concerns into My care."


Colossians 2:6-7 (the Message) "My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you've been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You're deeply rooted in him. You're well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you've been taught. School's out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving."

Psalm 141:8 "But God, dear Lord,
      I only have eyes for you.
   Since I've run for dear life to you,
      take good care of me.
   Protect me from their evil scheming,
      from all their demonic subterfuge.
   Let the wicked fall flat on their faces,
      while I walk off without a scratch." (the Message)

1 Peter 5:7 (the Message) "So be content with who you are, and don't put on airs. God's strong hand is on you; he'll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you." 

What a Week!

My week had had enough drama by Monday night.  Mr. Incredible was feeling ill, disappointing news on the house, no news with the adoption and the stacks of boxes were overtaking the house! 

This is how Timothy greeted friends who dropped by Monday night.  T*equila box in hand, stating, "These are my clothes!"  My house looks like a well stocked liquo*r store with all the liquo*r boxes around.  Unfortunately any drunk that may break into our house would be sorely disappointed to find kitchen items, toilet paper, diapers, books, clothes... 

Tuesday brought me feeling very poorly along with more frustration on all fronts.  Wednesday was a blur of school, somewhat encouraging news on the house and having to basically totally redo (unfortunately unnecessarily) a project for church.  Oh how I pray that today will yield news on the adoption, news on the house and that me not going to exercise and staying home to pack/paint might actually be beneficial and maybe I can kick this congestion once and for all...

Here's the project I was working on.  Enjoy!

Waiting on Travel Approval

Oh this is familiar territory.  Weren't we here not that long ago?!  Our Article 5 was dropped 2/9/11, so that's when our three to eight week wait began.  But because of everything else that China has done for us quickly, will this be expedited also?!  Thinking we will get TA this week, but I know that seems unrealistic.  God is a God of the impossible though!  So we will wait and see what He does... It would be nice to be able to plan, to at least some extent, the next 2-3 months of our lives thoooough... okay I'll stop griping. :-) 

The Things God Brings Your Way

Some days are easier than others.  Some days you wish you could relive over and over.  Some days you wish had never happened.  

Though our opinion of each day can vary, God created each one.  The good, the bad and the ugly each come our way for a reason, a purpose, a plan.  

Elizabeth has been puny for the last week, tomorrow we go to the ENT to see if it is a problem with the tubes in her ears...

At 11pm Sunday night we had a "photo shoot" to try and get a picture of us wearing the clothes we would meet Lilly in.  Our "shoot" was during one of the very brief interludes of not holding Elizabeth for the past 72 hours. 

 oops

 oops, again

 Really, we haven't been drinking officer.

YO! We live in da hood.

 Yes, I'M AWAKE!

The keeper!

The purpose?  We are sending the photo and a letter in a care package to Lilly.  Praying and hoping that seeing this photo and then seeing us (in same clothes) will help ease the transition.

Happy Chinese New Year!

We are marking this special occasion by watching The Three Stooges and I Love Lucy.  Chinese, right?!  Hey when you have puny kids/parents and you don't want to go out- 1) Because it is SO COLD and 2) You don't want to bring any other germs home- you make do!  Nothing says Chinese New Year like lentils with rice and carrots soup and our afore mentioned entertainment (at least this year).  Lol!  Maybe we won't be packing, adopting and puny next year.  Cheers!