Monday, May 31, 2010

Great news! Mothers' Day! Visits! TRUCK!

May 31, 2010

Wilmerson's PCR test is negative -- that means he does not have the HIV virus! He was 4 months old when his aunt brought him to us after his mother was killed in the earthquake. His screening test for HIV (which only tests for antibodies) was positive but the PCR proves that the antibodies in his blood came from his mother, not his own immune system. PRAISE GOD for this fantastic news! (Wish I had an updated photo of him. He looks much better now!)

Mother's Day in Haiti was this past Sunday. Kez made a party for the nannies and kids with Watermelon!! Thanks for the pictures, Kez! It looks like everyone had a great time. Those wonderful ladies need to know how treasured they are for the great work they do with the kids! Thanks, Lord, for our beautiful Haitian staff and for Kez giving her time to honor them.

Jessica will begin tomorrow to watch over our house for the month of June. Thanks, Jessica! Please send lots of pictures and stories.

A new car. Truck, rather. That has sounded almost impossible to me for a very long time but faithful partners have been working hard to raise the money. Frank King is in Haiti now, doing the shopping. If all goes as planned, we will have a BRAND NEW Tata Xenon dual cab, 4WD, diesel pickup truck by the end of June. I'm still hesitant to celebrate - after all, anything can happen in Haiti - but it really looks like this will happen. THANK YOU, LORD! and Frank! and our many many friends who have been working so hard!

(We're making progress on the generator, too. I hope we can report success in the next update. Generators and vehicles are both scarce in Haiti now.)

Children in the USA reacted with amazing compassion to the earthquake in Haiti. Wanting to help, the Child's Play Preschool at Lakewood Presbyterian Church, where my niece Nicol Mickler teaches, collected socks for our children. 1200 pairs!!!! Young American children are learning that they can make a difference. The LORD is SO proud of them! So am I.

FUN! I have seen THREE of my Haitian kids while in the US! Isna and her family visited me in Maryland. Poutchino and Christelle went to the zoo with Nancy and me. They are beautiful! radiant! glowing! My heart sings praises to the Lord when I see what HE has done for these children!

Mother's Day was a day of mourning for hundreds, maybe thousands, in Haiti. We all need to remember that the needs there are bigger than ever. Our mission will be growing and expanding to help as many as we can. Please pray that we will honor God and bring eternal change as well as improving circumstances, and that everyone around us will see God, not us. We would love to have you partner with us.

Dyana and baby
Kez and Johnny

Claudine and Rosa





Chacha (Richardson) serves watermelon

Guerdline



Eva, our cook, enjoys a rest on Mothers' Day


SOCKS!

Isna - first day of school!!


Poutchino and Christelle at the Jacksonville Zoo

Thursday, May 27, 2010

May 20, 2010

I am still in the United States. My new grandson, Cree, was born in April with a heart defect and a genetic syndrome known as 22q13 deletion or as Phelan-McDermid Syndrome. His heart can be repaired but we won't know until he's older how the syndrome will affect him. For now he is stable. This has been a tough time for my family and I am very glad that I was here when he was born. When Cree has heart surgery I will take care of my 2 year old grandson, Cole, a very active little rascal. Thank you all for your prayers!

The Haitian government has asked large NGOs to scale back on free food donations. More children than ever before will starve. Our ministry must grow to try to save these lives. Our focus will be on taking into our home malnourished infants and children - and their mothers when appropriate - until their families are back in their own homes and working. Please pray that everything we do will demonstrate God's love and draw people to HIM!

Jesula and Claudia, two of our wonderful Haitian nannies, have worked at FHLIR for 4 years now. They are very good but have resisted taking leadership roles. Now that I'm not there they don't have a choice. They have plenty of resources: a pediatrician available 24/7, a nurse 6 days a week, Kez drops in from time to time, mission groups have visited, they have a driver and car, and so on. These wonderful Christian ladies can discover and develop their leadership abilities. What a boon they will be to Haiti! Thank God for the chance to help HIS Haitian people learn to lead!

Isna and her new family met me in Rockville, Maryland, a few weeks ago at the White Flint mall. Isna has bonded to her family. Though I got hugs and kisses and lots of attention, Isna went to her mother or father when she wanted comfort and affection and played with her sister and brother. It was pure JOY to see Isna settled in their wonderful family!

I am proud of my Haitian family for handling everything on their own. Thanks to Beaver Brooks, Kez Furth, Wayne Dollarhide, and Jim & Kim Dewar for visiting our house and helping. Thanks to Andy Leslie who will take a group in the next couple of week and to Frank King who will work on getting the generator bought and installed. Many thanks to Jessica Footz who will stay with the children for the month of June. And to Abby McCullough who will spend the first two weeks of June helping Jessica. This is a beautiful instance of the body of Christ working together. When one can't be there, others will.

Poutchino is blossoming in Jacksonville! He has a new shunt and his multiple infections have been treated. Nancy keeps him busy with occupational therapy and physical therapy and soon will add speech therapy. His response is heartwarming. He makes many more sounds than ever before, participates in his care, is more interactive and interested in the world around him. We are praying that someone will fall in love and give him a permanent home in the US.

Praise God for all his blessings! It is good to be his child and share his love with others. Thank you for working with me in this ministry.



Poutchino with Christelle Brickell in Jacksonville. For more photos, look at Nancy's album on Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1006755217#!/album.php?aid=2052450&id=1006755217

Isna on her first day of school: real school!



Tatiana, Isna, Jabin and Natalie Hollinshead (l-r) riding the train at White Flint Mall in Rockville, Maryland, May 2 2010.


My new grandson, Cree, born April 16, 2010. He will have open heart surgery soon.


My 2 year old grandson, Cole, and me. I will care for Cole while his new litle brother has heart surgery.