With Three Kids on Every Arm…

Our day yesterday in a nutshell…

- Working on the house… It’s been so encouraging to see the house come together each day and to be blessed with a chance to be the hands and feet of Jesus in a tangible way.

- Facilitating a VBS and helping with a feeding program for kids from Renados, another neighborhood here in Gonaives… Hilarious, in a word. Pray that the Lord would continue to open hearts to what he would say and how he would move. Pray that the VBS would be a help in continuing the ministry started by the missionary family there.

- Playing with kids in Jubilee… It’s no exaggeration to say that most of the time, each of us has at least three kids attached to us in some way. We spend our days surrounded by kids. Smiling. Beautiful. Games and basic language lessons offer endless entertainment, opening doors to share the love and saving grace of Jesus Christ. Love. Yet, in the face of face-splitting grins, many of us find ourselves wrestling with difficult questions about ‘why’, working to trust in the grace, justice, and sovereignty of a God who knows his children by name. The words of Psalm 46:10 remind us to “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in all the earth.”

And for those of you who are wondering about the situation with the baby, here’s an update (and a full story)… Laura Lynn, a missionary who is a nurse and teaches at the school in Jubilee (the neighborhood in which we’ve been working), runs a Mamba program for malnourished children. One child in particular, Youvendjy, hadn’t been doing well at all and was not being cared for well by his mother (who is mentally ill). He is 2 ½ years old, but weighs as much as an 8 month old should, which has slowed his development considerably. Laura Lynn (Lala) had been working with the mom to see that Youvendjy got the nutrition and care he needed, which eventually led to him being with Lala for parts/all of the day. Eventually, it was decided that Youvendjy needed to go to an orphanage in Port au Prince (hopefully for a short time) that specializes in caring for malnourished and very ill kids (the missionaries here in Gonaives have connections with the missionaries running the orphanage). Because the mother is not well, this meant she went back and forth between agreeing that this should happen and being very, very upset about it; so much so that the police came to the house one night insisting that the baby be returned to the mother (which was a reversal of what the mother had given permission for earlier). But one of the beautiful things about our Father is that God is so faithful and worked the situation out for his glory – and in ways that make it possible for Youvendjy to get the care he needs. Through a meeting with one of the City Commissioners in Gonaives and the willingness of neighbors from Jubilee to act as witnesses, the Lord opened a door that will let Youvendjy to go to Port au Prince for now. The commissioner is from Jubilee, is a Christian, and has told Lala that he’s willing to be involved in the process for the long run, all of which are huge blessings. Tomorrow, Lala, her sister Casey (who is here visiting), and Youvendjy are headed to Port au Prince. From Port au Prince, Laura Lynn and Casey will head home for three weeks and Youvendjy will go to the orphanage. God is good, no?