Forgotten No More, Part 2

After praying last night against the spirit of "forgotten" and praying for God to reveal to K that she is not forgotten (a prayer time which I could not bring to an end and therefore, could not go to sleep!) I received an interesting email today.

Dr. John Leininger is from San Antonio and has worked among orphanages/orphans in Haiti for many years. He has been in Haiti for 8 weeks - since the earthquake - giving medical attention to the children at K's orphanage and many others as well. He is a HERO!!! I have not had the chance to communicate with him during this journey to K. And I have never heard from him either... until today. Today he sent out an email to the families matched with orphans at HCRM saying that his time in Haiti is about to come to an end for a while and that from this time forward we could send letters and pictures to our children at HCRM through a missionary couple there (by email) or mail our letters and pictures to a certain address. As I read his words I was taken back because up to this point I have assumed that the orphans were not told they were matched because -well - what if the Hope Act doesn't pass and we can't get to them? How awful if they were attached to our names/photos/letters and then something happened to keep us from getting there? So I emailed Dr. Leininger right back and asked, "are you saying that the orphans know they have been matched and have families waiting to adopt them?" And he immediately wrote back saying, "the children most definitely know they have family waiting on them and they want pictures!"

And then it hit me... She knows.... She knows she's not forgotten!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And God has yet again answered the prayer on my heart the night before. More than that - God revealed to me that any concern about "K" knowing who we are before we have final word she can come here is based on my own unbelief. He has been saying to me this evening, "Haven't I shown you over and over again that I am in this? Believe this will happen because it will." (Just when I thought I wasn't a square anymore!) And then, in that conversation with God I realized - No matter how long it takes, no matter how hard it is we cannot and will not let K down. With God, we will see this to the end. She will be our own because the Lord has started this and he will complete it!

In addition to this amazing revelation today there is still more wonderful news. My friend Katie Tankersley is headed to Haiti this weekend - an opportunity that came out of nowhere! Instead of partying for her spring break from nursing school, she will be taking hope to the hopeless. She is with a medical team and a film team through an organization called "We Hear Your Voice". She talked with her team leader on our behalf and it looks like she will have a chance to visit HCRM at some point during her stay and will get to see K, take pics of K, deliver a care package to K and ask the orphanage director some questions about K. If by some chance Katie can't get to HCRM, the team leader said he would make it his personal mission to make sure K gets the care package. So one way or another, she will be receiving a special package from us in the next 10-12 days!  And apparently, now we can continue correspondence with her through letters - AWESOME!

In the package we included: bubble gum and jelly beans to give out to her friends, a couple of toys, a stuffed animal, a sundress with cardigan sweater, a blanket, a letter from us with a picture of our family AND I found a cheap mp3 player and downloaded all our songs on it so she can hear our voices. I was also able to record a message on it for her. It is battery operated, so I sent a bunch of batteries as well. I was also able to package up a gift for the orphanage director and his wife (a thank you letter, CDs, silk scarf and other goodies), 3 beach balls that Katie can blow up and play with the orphans there, a frisbee and some CDs for Dr. Leininger and Katie's team leader. Thankfully, Katie is SUCH A SWEETIE to do this! Katie leaves for Miami in the morning and then heads to Haiti on Saturday. She will be visiting many orphanages and ministering through medicine, hugs and quality time to dozens if not hundreds of orphans during her stay. Please pray with me for Katie to have strength, courage, safety, boldness, joy and everything else she will need to be Jesus in Haiti.

Here are some pictures of our care packages and one of precious Katie!