Thomas is Now at Peace…

At 4:45am this morning Thomas met His Healer and will no longer feel any pain. One of the most precious things today was talking with Celidia – a caretaker in the Miriam Center. She loved little Thomas like he was her own. The small service was held at 4pm and we loaded the casket and the workers on the back of the truck and went to the cemetery. As some of the workers got out of the truck Celidia was too emotional to stand-up. Courtney and Beth went ahead with the rest of the workers and I sat back on the truck with her. She told me that we’ve been to too many funerals together. I shook my head yes. She asked me why does God take all her children?

Thomas was a child from the Miriam Center with hydrocephalus. We watched him as a perfect little baby with perfect little skin and a beautiful smile  turn into a child that cried in enormous pain, who’s head continued to grow until he became blind, and his weight wasted away to nothing. He wasn’t simply a child of God – but he was also the child of every worker who took care of him.

We watched Celidia before – when she would gently hold him, sing to him, and wipe the little  tears that would stream down his face. She took time to love on him – to value you him. Yes – he was definitely her little boy.

But I gently reminded her – that even though he is her little boy – he was God’s little boy first. I told her that today is sad but it’s also a beautiful day for Thomas. He got to  see the face of Jesus this morning. What better arms to hold him? What better face to smile at? I picture God tickling under his chin and finally Thomas is able to smile – - a smile we haven’t seen for weeks.

I believe Celidia’s crown will be too heavy to wear. I told her that maybe God placed her here so she could be the mother to all these children – so that they can feel valued  and loved before they go Home to meet their Daddy.

I believe that the babies who pass through this world that we get the pleasure of loving on – will remember us in Heaven. I told Celidia to imagine the day when she walks through those gates and she sees all these little babies clapping and smiling….no more tears will she wipe as they yell and  run to her. To imagine that day when she gets to reunite with all her children. What a magnificent day that will be!

 

One of the Things I Come Home To Every Day

Seeing Heather’s beautiful new boy – I couldn’t help but remember that special day. After 92 days in the hospital – seeing two perfect little boys – how amazing is our God! I have been so worried for Heather these past few weeks. She doesn’t blog about her troubles like I did! LOL! But she really had some scary moments. Her faith is so strong. I cannot wait for Zeb to play with Levi and Asher. How truly blessed we are on every level imaginable!

 

Zeb is HERE!!!

Heather and Janeil welcomed little Zebadiah Lee Arthur Owen  into the world at 11:30am. He was 8lbs 6oz and 20 inches long.

What a beautiful addition to the family!! Thank you all for your prayers and love for Janeil and Heather and their family!

 

Prayers for Heather and Janeil

Heather and Janeil are in the hospital tonight awaiting the arrival of their 4th child – little Zeb. Heather’s platelet count has been very low and she is being induced tonight. Please pray for peace, for a healthy little boy, and for a healthy momma after it’s all said and done. It’s such an exciting and yet kind of scary time.

 

Shower of Blessings for Candy Land!

I love that today I get to write about one of my favorite programs – the baby orphanage. I am so excited to tell you what God is doing!

I’ve written a lot about Kandiance who passed away last month from cancer. She was truly an amazing warrior for Christ. It didn’t matter the conversation – it always ended with Kandiance talking about Jesus. She would get off on one of her tangents and everyone would say – “There she goes – she’s off in Kandi-Land!” Yes – she often lived in a world of her own but it was always her heart’s desire to come to Haiti and work in the baby orphanage. She never got to make that trip here but she will never be forgotten just the same.

In honor of Angel and in memory of Kandiance - we are naming the baby orphanage – Candy Land! We cannot wait to dress that place up and make all the babies feel like they’re apart of the game! We are currently fundraising to finish off the 3 bedrooms we’ve started – so we can house more children. There are many ways you can help.

1)We need things like tile, paint, fans, lights, wood, plumbing parts, electrical parts, fabric, etc. Write some places and see if they’ll donate some of the supplies.

2)Join us next summer when we bring in people to literally make the place look like the game board.

3) I’m serious about this. I plea for it every year and I never get a response. Be at Walmart the day after Christmas and buy out their lighted candy canes and Christmas decorations. I’m serious – really do it. I hate it that I’m not in the states the day after Christmas to buy decorations. We start decorating the campus in October. We can never have enough lights! The babies love to look at the lights and we bring kids in to tour and watch movies every December.

4)If you can draw or paint or sew curtains – or contribute to the decorative supplies in any way – let me know. I’d love to put your gifts to good use.

5) Sponsor a child. We need people who will consistently give to sustain our program.

6)The other thing you can do is throw a baby shower without a baby! Want to know how to do it – I know just the people you should call. First Church of Christ in Burlington, KY  just hosted a Shower of Blessings for our precious little babies in Haiti. They have been collecting things for a while and we now have a truck and trailer-load worth of baby items! I am so excited – I cannot WAIT to see everything! The nurses and all the workers cannot wait to unload that boat full of supplies!

It can be a real burden on your spirit when you see programs you love lacking the essential items they need just to function. Our Burlington folks not only got the things we needed but they got so many things we WANTED – things we DREAMED of having! Can I just share a “few” things? How about a new washer/dryer, industrial ceiling fans, a new dvd player, and get this – a 42-inch TV!!! I know where my kids will be every day – - – well they’re already there everyday! (Except this week because there is a scabies outbreak – another story for another day! LOL)

We’ve got walkers, swings, potty chairs, high chairs, picnic tables, cleaning supplies, baby wipes, washes, shampoo, diapers, food, medicines, formula, clothes, blankets, bottles, a play kitchen, play gyms – i mean the list goes on and on!

One person took an idea and decided to make a difference for babies in another country. I don’t ever want to hear someone say that something is too big – that there is no way they can make a difference. I challenge you to do something so extraordinary that the only way it can be accomplished is if God intervenes……and then watch Him work!

It’s our goal to raise $25,000.00 to FINISH the construction of the baby orphanage. That is something TOO HUGE for Angel and I to do alone. Thankfully God is with us! LOL! Isn’t He always? What about you – are you with us?

If you’d like to donate money to help the baby orphanage- please send a check to the mission:
NWHCM
PO BOX 829
Versailles, KY 40383
Just write a note it’s for Candy Land!

Just some pics of the Shower of Blessings

 

Step Away From the Pea Pods and No One Gets Hurt….

 

Two Peas in A Pod…

 

Trick or Treat…..Haiti-Style

The kids love to dress-up! It doesn’t have to be Halloween in order for them to prance around all dolled-up! It’s always fun for the campus to see the kids dressed up in costumes. We have to be creative about where they can trick or treat at the compound! It’s funny because we’re already decorating for Christmas! I guess we’re just like the stores in the states with the Halloween aisle right next to the Christmas one.

 

Thomas…

Amazingly enough – Thomas is still hanging in there. Tonight I watched as Celidia (a Miriam Center Worker) gently cared for him. He’s lost a ton of weight. His entire body is skin and bones. It breaks my heart to even look at him. Here is this precious little boy who’s body could not weigh more than 3lbs with a head that weighs at least 8lbs. He’s in so much pain and cries out every time we touch him.

I’m finding it harder and harder to process why God hasn’t called this precious little boy home. Right now he is taking a bottle but has diarrhea so he’s not gaining any ground. Courtney compares him to a little Holocaust child and she’s not far off. He’s the poster child for the saddest, skinniest little child you could imagine. I can’t bring myself to take a picture and post it.

Remembering him when his head was not this big and his body had more meat on it – -it makes every part of my heart ache. Was it not just a month ago that he looked like one of my little boys – smiling and cooing?

He’s weak and in pain. Please pray for God’s will to be done. If it’s not to take this boy home – please pray for his pain to go away – for there to be some sort of healing – one way or another.

 

Conversations with My Girls……

Mikela says – - Mommy – I need to put my diarrhea in a secret place so no one will find it.
Mommy – - WHAT?
Mikela – - I don’t want anyone to read it. (DIARY)

Rosie – - I’ve been thinking a lot.
Mommy – about what?
Rosie – - that I really need some candy.
Mommy – is that all you think about?
Rosie- – no. sometimes I think about coke.

Malaya to Angel – - Where is momma Angel?
Angel – She’s in Heaven.
Malaya – When’s she coming back?
Angel – Oh honey – she can’t come back.
Malaya – Nana’s mommy is in Heaven too. Maybe they’re friends.