Change is in the air

I wrote the message below in February and meant to send it out but never got around to it.  Now it's April already but February's message is still current!

We are going through a transition time, from infant rescue to raising children.  The goal of infant rescue is to get the child well and the family through a crisis and then return the child to the family.  Raising children is a whole different thing.

All our attempts at small groups failed because our staff were not able to change.  We now have new staff and are trying again.  We are closed to new children.  Two infants remain.  After they return to their families we will not have a baby room anymore.  We are looking for a fulltime teacher to homeschool Emma, teach all the children English, and direct children's activities.  Pray that I can find a kind, intelligent Haitian man who will be a good role model for our boys.

We have moved from cloth diapers to disposable diapers to reduce staff time spent on laundry.  We use pullups at night on all children who need them to keep mattresses from being ruined and the children's rooms from smelling bad.  If you can have a diaper drive for us it would really help.  The little kids can wear size 4 baby diapers.  Older ones need 4T 5T pullups.  Diapers can be bought here or can be shipped to my Agape Flights address.  If you ship via Agape, please send money to cover the shipping costs.

We do not need baby formula or baby clothes:  we have enough formula to finish the one little guy left.  I have given away all of our baby clothes.

This is a difficult transition for me.  I love the kids but my heart is with infant rescue.  I simply cannot do both without full time help from someone from my own culture.  Please pray that God will send a partner, or a couple to open a second house, so we can have infant rescue at one house and raise the children who are ours permanently in another house.

First Baptist Hattiesburg MS decorated a new room for our girls.  They are now upstairs next to my bedroom.  Nine little girls in one room!  I love it!  They chose the color.  It is a bright, cheerful yellow.  Thank you, FBC Hattiesburg!  The boys are anxious for their rooms to be decorated, too!

Feb 9 2013
"Have you ever sat beside a sick child and said that you would do anything to have them healthy and normal again?  I have and in most cases I got my wish.

Now they are full of energy and spunk.  Help!  None of us are trained for this!  My admiration for school teachers and other childcare workers has increased exponentially as we try to figure out how to handle them now.  Twenty kids from 3 to 9, climbing on the roof, going out the gate into the street, climbing the wall surrounding the pool:  in general, running wild and taunting their 'captors' (nannies).

Last week the cavalry showed up in the form of Brenda Whitmer, Jacqui and David Eckdahl, Lannie and Bruce (I neglected to get their last names) from Owensboro, KY.  The guys did repairs and improvements.  The ladies worked all week with the kids and nannies, making schedules, forming groups, organizing activities and supplies.  They are heroes!!!!  Today is our first day on our own and it doesn't look nearly as good as it did last week but I think we'll make it:  it just takes practice.  (hahaha)

Wouldn't YOU like to come spend a month or 2 or 10 here directing children's activities?  We desperately need help!  The kids are good, just full of energy and trying to figure out life.  All have have been traumatized.  More than half have life threatening conditions.  They are so cute!  I can guarantee a challenge and personal rewards and lots of laughs! "

God bless you all.  Thank you for all your support!

 

 

 Aaron meets his grandfather for the first time.  I was interested to see that Aaron had no fear of this strange man.  Maybe he had met his grandfather when he was a baby, before he came to Faith-Hope-Love, but Aaron was only 2 months and in critical condition when he got here. 

 This little band of kids 'escaped around the back of the house' and they got BUSTED!  Look at them run!

 FBC Hattiesburg young ladies work on decorating the new girls room.  When they got finished we brought the girls in for a look.  LOVED their faces!  They feel very special and bragged to the boys.  The boys will get their revenge when FBC Hattiesburg comes back in May do fix up their rooms.

The Bellevue Baptist team from Owensboro gifted us with this gate at the back of the house to keep the kids from escaping around front.  The front of the house holds too many dangers for them to be there without adult supervision:  e.g. stairs to the roof, gate to the road.

Shelves and boxes neatly organized on the front porch with all kinds of supplies for kid activities.  It is all available for the nannies to use to help keep the kids occupied.