a tender moment with a loving boy

He was a loving and playful child, who we loved but hardly had a chance to get to know. After working through the adoption for over two years, Isaiah was taken from us.

We still do not know the full story, straight answers are hard to come by. Just yesterday, “W” said “if I had a little brother, I would teach him everything I know…“.  The comment hit us between the eyes and it was hard to keep the emotions contained. We both just choked back the feelings of loss and grief.

This one needs more prayer

He seemed so relaxed and “at home” with us during our visit. It never occured to us that he may never make it home to us. After all that he had been through, surviving Dengue Fever, and after finally getting our dossier through the process to MOI – it just seemed like Isaiah would surely come home to us.

He repeated songs and played little games with Mummie. He so quickly engaged with us and captured our hearts. We still can’t believe the he didn’t make it home with us. 

We still pray for our little Isaiah every day. Lord, please bless him, keep him and make Your Face to shine upon him, grant him Your shalom and guide his life according to Your mercy and grace.

Almost family

A very moving chronicle of the events at the Orphanage, from one week after the earthquake until the evacuation on 1-23-2010. Includes clips of our kids, among many others. Chronicles the details of the work being done in Haiti to obtain the Humanitarian parole visas, the terrible situation in the Orphanage, as well as interviews with CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Soledad O’Brien.

The filmmaker embedded himself at the orphanage after seeing news about the situation. Amazingly, he catches much of the drama, without belaboring it, in a very powerful and moving docudrama.

(click the link below, if the video is not embedded. )

http://www.hulu.com/watch/202472/adopting-haiti

Then the earthquake struck. There was scant information about our orphanage and what we learned was distressing. No food, no water and no shelter. Robbers coming onto the property at night to steal what few supplies were available.

A lifetime passed in twelve days. Much of the information we got was very distressing.

• One day we were told that the kids may be evacuated.
• The next day we were told they would have to stay in country indefinitely, with no means of support.
• The next day we were told they would be brought into an undetermined location in the US and put into foster care until we could complete our adoptions.
• It was unclear what their status would be or whether we would even see them again.

Then, we were given 36 hours notice the kids may (MAY) be evacuated and we may have to pick them up in Florida. Then, we were told they may be brought to Colorado. On day 12, we picked up our kids from the airport – released to us on “humanitarian parole visas”. 

Neither we, nor anyone else, truly knew what that meant at the time. There was no legal process in place. And there was no guarantee what would happen. When we received our kids, we weren’t even given a shred of paper. We just received two very cold and very timid Caribbean kids wrapped in blankets on a very cold January day.

End of the Beginning+

Thank God, we were sponsored by the Rennaissance Hotel at Inverness for two nights stay. It took some time just to help the kids calm their nerves! “Y” was shaken every time she heard any rumbling or banging sound – if it sounded like an earthquake, she dove for the floor and covered her head! “W” was distressed by all of the travel and trauma of the 12 preceeding days. He had not slept fitfully for entire time. His first night was probably the deepest and most relaxed sleep he ever had in his life.

After coming home and settling into new living arrangements (suddenly), we all began to try and find what “normal” looked like. The first 90 days was a daily test of patience for everyone. Some of the concerns:

• You don’t have a wall around your house! Robbers will come inside and take all of the food and attack us! (No, they won’t, it’s okay)
• Will the earth shake here? Will the house collapse? (no, we don’t have earthquakes) Well, neither did Haiti until January 12th!
• Your dog scares me! Big dogs eat children in Haiti! (this dog will love you)
• The sun is going down, we have to go home now! It’s not safe to be out after dark! (Yes, it is. You are safe now).
• I can’t stay in a room alone in the dark! I have never done that before! I always had someone with me in the dark! (it’s okay, we are with you) No, I mean right next to me! I’m afraid to be in the room alone! What’s that noise??!

Haitian kids don’t understand Winter; And they definitely don’t understand Spring in Colorado. (How long will it keep snowing? when does Summer start?) But, summer did come and it was great. We had a truly great summer.

1. “Y” learned to ride a bike.
2. “W” learned to ride around the entire country-neighborhood despite the obnoxious packs of farm dogs that harass you.
3. We went many new places and saw many exciting new things, like: State Parks, National Parks Water slides, Transcontinental Railroad, paved highways that never end, downtown Light Rail, Museums, and best of all ”smorgasbord”. The list of amazing things goes on and on. (it’s amazing how many free things you can do that are completely new and exciting when a kid has never seen it before).
4. Made new friends, played with old friends (yes, other kids from the orphanage in our own town).
5. Visited “Odyssey” and made their own “radio” recording.
6. Go to the Library and check out more books than they have ever seen in their lives, every month.
7. Learned how to play baseball, went to a “Skysox” baseball game and a UCCS basketball game and an Airforce Falcons Basketball game.

Unbelievably, much of this while dad is out of work!

During the year, it happened that “O” became very ill from a burst appendix and nearly died before getting surgery. “W” was so moved by her recovery in the hospital, it opened up his ability to discuss his experiences of having surgeries in Haiti. He told us of his terrifying ordeal and how much he suffered. I just can’t imagine it.

Our total toll of medical needs for 2010: Two kids in hospital stays 3 times, for surgeries. Mum and Dad each having serious leg injuries with time laid up and off work (Mum still recovering!). From February through June, it seemed we had a trip to a doc or a hospital every other week!

Thank God for the support and encouragement of friends who have stood by us and encouraged us through this year.

Mum is homeschooling the kids, which is paying off greatly.

A quick visit to friends and family on the west coast in October. Pacific Ocean was great, but on the coldest day of summer, I think.

Dad is starting a new business, since the job market is so attrocious here.

Our adoption finalized in November.

Wow, the kids loved the holidays. Impossible to quantify how much fun that was.

Bam! Year is over, what’s next??

The kids were great, the trip was busy and the weather was – hot! Visiting the country was, as one of the other dads said “wide angle 3-D, Dolby 7.1… shocking to the senses”.

We had two unexpected events immediately upon arriving at the orphanage: “W” needed another surgery – urgently - and little Isaiah had a double eye infection. This put a lot of stress on us all and a damper on the fun of the visit.  But, we still had a great time connecting and bonding with them.

Amazingly, the orphanage has a full time nurse, who is able to handle most of the concerns that come up. Sadly, the kids that come in to the orphanage are often so sick – that the nurse is challenged to meet the needs. Our little guys are doing really well, thanks to the loving care of all the workers at the orphanage. Truthfully, I have never seen so few people accomplish so much with so little.

When an 8 year old comes and asks you to adopt them, and then another and another – it really grabs your heart. One of them said to me: “I know you are adopting my friend. Can you adopt me too?” Nothing prepares you for those times. How do you look at a little person and say, “no, I can’t do that for you”? You just have to pray for them, right there, that God will bring the right forever family to them. And then bless that child and say “I wish I could adopt you. You are obviously very special”.

Feeling better and looking happy

“Iaxx” seems to have finally really recovered from his bout with Dengue fever. He is looking better and better in every picture. For so long, he seemed unhappy in every picture, but he has had smiles and a cheerful face for every pic over the last two months. The news is that he has 14 teeth on the bottom and 10 on top. He’s now 28 pounds and is 33.25 inches tall.

"W" gets into the mix with the girls

“Wxx” is growing like a weed and seems to enjoy dancing and playing. He has a happy face for every picture. We hear that he is the top of his class and is doing really well, so much better after his surgery. He likes to break dance and play soccer.

really, I'm not shy

“Yxx” is always grinning, has new adult teeth coming in to her gaps and her hair is getting long. She seems to enjoy playing and interacting, but is shy. She seems to have a flair and panache about herself that is fun to watch. She loves to jump rope.

Over all, it has been good to see the photos we keep getting from the Orphanage and from others who have been able to visit.

We can’t wait to see the kids.

Our ladies had held her and loved her on their trip down in 2007. We cannot believe that this lovely little one has just perished tonight.

It has shocked us all and reminded us exactly how fragile all of their circumstances are, even in the shelter of the orphanage.

Y & W at the Orphanage in November

Yxx is looking very sweet. We hear that she is shy, but very well adjusted and polite. Her new teeth are coming in. Papa P says she is a real sweetheart.

Yes, we finally have our dossier recognized in the Social Services department. It was nearly one full year from when we first began proceedings to submit our dossier. It seems this has been the most frustrating and wearying year ever. But, God has blessed us through it.

We will have some new pictures of the kids soon. Even a video. (as soon as I figure out how to load it).

Latest news is that W is very smart and doing very well with his schooling. He won a competition recently for Bible memorization at the orphanage. Attaboy!!

Wow, we wish we could talk with him personally to tell him we are proud of his efforts. We believe these kids have a call on their lives – so it is not surprising that he would work hard to memorize Bible verses.

We are praying for an opportunity to go to the orphanage on the next trip, at the end of winter. We have to send payments for the adoption and the support first, and so our need is great. But, our God is greater and he is able to supply our need.

We are very thankful that we have made it into the next step of the adoption process. Thank you to all of you who have prayed and who have supported us and who have encouraged us. We got an encouraging call from a family two days ago to tell us that they are praying daily and they want to help us make it through the next steps by working with us to raise support for the adoption costs. Praise God!

God is good and he has blessed us with amazing friends.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. …And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”  (Colossians 3:12,14)

Updated pictures soooon.

Not sure of what's going on just yet

So, it has been a long time since this picture without any new postings. That is because we still have not seen the kids again, since the ladies went down. But, we have good news in recent days.

There is much to be thankful for, at the end of 2008; namely we have turned a corner after a long dry spell.