Habakuk's Well

Mark and I have been preparing to adopt two brothers from Liberia, West Africa, for the past year. In June 2009, our hearts were broken when we were told that our youngest boy, Habakkuk, then 2 ½ , had died of cholera, a disease acquired from drinking contaminated water. Habakkuk lived and died in a village with no well. He is not the only child who died for lack of clean water. Since losing our boy, it has been our dream to build a well in his community. We are trying hard to raise the money so construction can be completed before the rainy season, which starts in April. Pastor Peter Flomo is a son of the Kpeletayama village where our boys, Michael and Habakkuk, were born. He now lives in Liberia's capital, Monrovia, where he is the foster dad for at least eight children, including our Michael. At our request, he put together an estimate for a well in Kpeletayama. The well will cost $5,500.
A Brief Profile of Kpeletayama Village From Pastor Peter Flomo, son of the village
"Kpeletayama is a village in Suakoko District, Bong County, Liberia. It contains about nine huts. This village is surrounded by over ten villages with similar conditions. It is a ‘village with nothing’. With the population put together, 500 persons from the town will benefit while those from the surrounding areas will also benefit from this potable water. The people in this village are simply “existing” while others are living. They are without basic life necessities. Your help is a LIGHT IN DARKNESS. This village could be the “Nazareth of Liberia” where no one expects any good thing. For those with hearts for humanity, I invite your investment in this village and your dividend will be one of eternity.

Please consider making a donation to bring hope and life through clean water to a village with nothing.

I believe we can be the change

While I was shoveling today, I was thinking about how I came to be a person that believes I can be the change. I know I can't save the whole world, but I believe God put each one of us here to change a corner of it and truly, in my heart, I believe that if everyone did their part, we would change the world. Not in some theoretical dream, but get down and dirty, hands on, see it happen, change the world.

I think when we were young, most of us believed we could do great things in the world. Somehow life experiences make it harder and harder for us to believe that we matter, that we were put here for a reason, that God has a purpose and a plan for our lives that would impact others for good. Many of us just live our lives like there is nothing more than eating, sleeping, and working and then someday, dying. THAT IS NOT WHAT LIFE IS MEANT TO BE! Dream, please, hurting people are depending on it.

What is it for you that makes you angry or moves you to tears? Who are the people you feel like you need to speak up for? Is it the poor? The elderly? The orphan? The addict? The abused? Is is mothers, dads, kids? I know my list could go on forever. But the point is~ this hurting, broken world needs you. Be the change.

A Christmas gift

On Christmas Eve day I went out and got the mail. In it I received one of the best Christmas presents of this year. Our I600a approval.

We applied for the I600a in Jan (?) We went to St. Paul for fingerprints in Feb. I went again in March because I have "defective" fingerprints. : ) We submitted our home study in May. And then we waited. And waited and waited. Nothing. Finally, I emailed our adoption agency and asked what I should do. They asked me if we did our fingerprints. I said yes. I asked them if they submitted our home study. They said yes. Then I asked, "Where did you send it? Our fingerprints are in St. Paul." They responded, "Oh, we sent your home study to Milwaukee. We will resend it right away." About a month later, (Nov) I received a letter from USCIS saying I needed local police clearance since my fingerprints failed. ( I never realized how important those little buggers are!) So, I got that taken care of and finally, received the paper we have been waiting for!

Could this be your son?

One year ago yesterday, I opened an email titled- ?. In that email was a picture of a dirty little boy with a big belly and a sad little face. And: This is Michael. He is four years old. Could he be your son?

I don't know what goes through other adoptive parents heads the first time they see their child, but I was filled with emotions I couldn't put words to. I even asked some friends if there was a "normal" way people, mothers, were supposed to feel. Well, it's been a year now and I still feel many mixed emotions, often.

Yesterday we were at the Peder Eide concert at Trinity Lutheran. We went to hear him sing his new song- Why Wouldn't I. I used to have it on my blog page. We had the chance to talk to Peder after the concert. It was a very special way for me to celebrate, yes, I can use that word, to remember, that one year ago, I saw my boy for the first time.

I just got the info I was waiting for in regards to the water well. In connection with that, I received a message from the pastor who is currently Michael's foster dad. He said, "Extend my greetings to Michael's parents." It was the first time anyone has called us Michael's parents. Joy and sorrow. Hope and longing. All part of the journey of love.

Not alone for Christmas

I found this song last night. I was amazed at how it echos my emotions lately. And, it reminded me that I'm not the only one waiting, loving, longing.

For all of us, here's Merry Christmas - Third Day

There's a little girl trembling on a cold December morn
Crying for momma's arms
At an orphanage just outside a little China town
There the forgotten are
But half a world away I hang the stockings by the fire
And dream about the day when I can finally call you mine

It's Christmas time again but you're not home
Your family is here and yet you're somewhere else alone
And so tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in his arms
And tell you from my heart I wish you Merry Christmas

As I hang the tinsel on the tree and watch the twinkling lights
I'm warmed by the fire's glow
Outside the children tumble in a wonderland of white,
Make angels in the snow
But half a world away you try your best to fight the tears
And hope that heaven's angels come to carry you here

It's Christmas time again but you're not home
Your family is here and yet you're somewhere else alone
And so tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in his arms
And tell you from my heart I wish you Merry Christmas

Christmas is a time to celebrate the holy child
and we celebrate his perfect gift of love
He came to earth to give his lifeand prepare a place for us
so we could have a home with him above

It's Christmas time again and now you're home
Your family is here so you will never be alone
So tonight before you go to sleep, I'll hold you in my arms
And I'll tell you from my heart, and I'll you from my heart
I wish you Merry Christmas

Bittersweet thoughts of the holiday season

First of all, I don't know why I need to torture myself with catching up on my friends' blogs of happy pictures and memories of their adopted children safe and sound at home with them right before I update my blog which is still about the waiting.

We put up the Christmas decorations on Sunday. The ponderings of my heart were bittersweet. Last year, I had dreams of what this Christmas would be like. I was sure our little boy would be here by then. There is the Christmas stocking I bought last year when we first received Michael's picture. It's hanging by the fireplace with the rest. And there's the Christmas stocking that's not hanging up too.

I made a Christmas ornament with Michael's picture on it and hung it on the tree tonight.

Alaina's teacher told me today that Alaina has been talking about her brothers a lot lately. The one that's in Liberia and the other one's that in heaven. Evelyn is the Star Student next week and she's including Michael in her family too.

Our gifts arrived for Michael this week. My friend still didn't see him smile. Oh how precious that first glimpse of joy in his eyes will be.

Happy Birthday dear one

November 6 was Michael's fifth birthday.

I can think about what didn't happen for his birthday this year or I can dream about what it will be like next year. I choose the latter.

I am really excited that a friend of a friend is going to Liberia next week and will, hopefully, be taking a small package with her for our boy. Some matchbox cars and of course, some books. : )

So, Happy Birthday, Michael. Know that you a loved beyond measuse, constantly in my thoughts and prayers.