Today was the first day I allowed myself to be overwhelmed. I'm not sure that I had done that yet. Today was the first day I have really cried for the tragedy that is the earthquake. And the tears are far from over. They will well up in my eyes without so much as a warning and become all consuming. It is healthy for me to do this though...to get it all out. My heart is definitely broken for this country and her people. It truly is devastating.
I actually had dinner with a gal tonight who had not heard about the earthquake. I asked her if she'd been living under a rock.
Late tonight we got an e-mail from our Senator's office. She had heard from her contact at the state department that they needed a number for each file she had sent him yesterday. The number is the number given to our case when the embassy in Haiti received our file from our local field office. If we had not signed our I-600 in November, I wouldn't have had this number. I am so thankful we did that!
We also registered our adoption with an "agency" that is tracking adoptions. I got two e-mails from them today. One of them asked parents whose adoptions were in the "waiting for a visa" stage to contact her immediately. Essentially, these are files for which the adoption had bee legalized in Haiti. We were in parquet when the earthquake hit...ours hadn't been fully legalized.
This news is encouraging and I am having trouble not being too optimistic. I am trying not to get my hopes up...there are simply too many variables at play.
We learned yesterday that the children are officially homeless. They had to move the children to the yard of Quisqueya Chapel, a church building and campus not too far from the houses. Tonight we found out that they will be receiving 10 tents to provide cover for the children should it start raining. Chris talked to one of the adoptive parents and told him that they were all good. They have begun serving just two meals a day (as opposed to 3 meals and a snack) to ration their food a bit. Hal is sleeping in the truck and Chris is staying with the kids (not sure if this means he is staying at the girls' house). The children are able to run around and play.
The UN has started doing structural checks of buildings left standing. They have not yet made it to the girls/babies house.
Quisqueya Christian School, also in the neighborhood, is set up as a hospital/clinic and trauma center. They will also be a food/water station. This is good news as it means necessary provisions will not be too far away.
There is a small team of men heading down next Saturday. They hope to find suitable housing for the children, set up water purification and sanitation, and bring as much cash and protein food items as they can carry. Roundabout Geek is considering joining them.
Julie is heading out on Tuesday with formula and cash - both of them are much needed.
Specific prayer requests:
- Pray that commercial airlines are able to land on Tuesday so Julie can get the supplies to them
- Pray that there is transportation for her from the airport to the children
- Pray that the men may also get in and have safe transportation
- Pray for wisdom for us as we decide if Roundabout Geek should go as well
- Pray for continued provision for HIS Home
- Pray that it would not rain
- Pray that the US Government and Haitian government would come to an agreement about the children who have adoptive parents - that all children in process would be able to come home to complete the adoption
- Pray that there would be some type of refugee status for all newly orphaned children
There are some incredible stories being shared as well. Pierre was to have been at class on Tuesday at 5:30 if he had not needed to be in Trinidad. The building where his class was held is destroyed and his classmates did not survive. Dianne (Pierre's wife) normally does her grocery shopping on Tuesdays at around 5:30. The grocery store she frequented was a three strory store, the Caribbean Market. It too was destroyed, trapping many within its ruins.
We have heard from so many people that they are ok and it is good for the heart to have something to praise God for in the midst of the storm.
God is still good. God is still in control. God still loves us. God is still God. Nothing can, or ever will, change that. I will praise Him in this storm, in this new time of anxious waiting. In this helplessness, I will seek his peace and his strength. I will try to focus on Him instead of the questions, worries, and insecurities that are flying around in my head. I firmly believe that God will bring us through this. And it is in Him and Him alone that I shall put my faith.
Always trusting. Always loving. Always praying. Always believing. Always.
1 comment:
Hey lady. I found out about your blog through a FB post. I just want you and the family to know that I am praying for you all and Joshua. I will be checking in for updates.
Post a Comment