“IF THIS IS A DREAM I WISH NEVER TO AWAKEN.” --Cinderella
Most of the time when we receive emails and letters regarding our family they are of a positive nature, encouraging our hearts. But recently a letter came scolding us for adopting Burundian children, saying that they would be better off in orphanages. I wonder if it’s an instinctive trait in all created beings—to belong to family. To find each other is the theme of love stories—to search for, find and hold on to something that is precious is Biblically based. Is it coincidence when people longingly seeking, ecstatically find? Or is it God at work, boosting us over walls and incredible obstacles in the world—as He sees fit?
It’s normal that as they grow my kids get curious about their beginnings of which we don’t know much. Christopher, age six and ornery at not getting his way, threatened to run away to look for his “other” mother. All orphan stories are tragic—how can a little kid handle that history? How can I make it all better? In the end they each need to be brave and courageous, accepting to live without remorse or regret, that God allowed them to be different—their Burundian roots grafted into our ”Muzungu” (word for foreign white person) family tree. I remind them that, when they were but new-born infants, The God of the Universe was there by their sides, giving them two miraculous gifts: first, determination—to hold on tenaciously through birthing and abandonment worse than TV trauma; and second, the opportunity for us to find each other.
One of our teenage daughters, Carly Mae, turned 16 on May 1st. Her name means Strong Maiden, and her Kirundi name, Ingabire, (Inga-beer’ay) means Gift. Thank you for your prayers for her and for all our kids—every one of them is truly a GIFT!
We praise the Lord for work and ministry—I know I write as a mommy—I’m the one typing out these newsletters—forgive me if I talk mostly about my immediate ministry—our ten amazing kids and Rainbow Centre children.
“From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise.” (Psalm 8:2)
God bless you—everyone!
Monday, June 11, 2012
April Update
“HAPPINESS IS NOT NECESSARILY COMFORTABLE” --Thomas D’Ansembourg
The children are home from RVA!! Their clothes draped on every chair, the bathroom a madhouse, the kitchen in fast food mode, and ten kids glad to be out of school but continually wondering, “Mom, what can we do NOW?” We’re just a typical family on Easter break.
Another volunteer, Makenzie Bryson, joined us last month. Her father, David, accompanied her and stayed for ten days helping out, like fixing plumbing problems at the Rainbow Centre. He also was a gracious courier for our documents needing to go to USCIS in Chicago, the first step in applying for citizenship for our last six kids. Pray with us that the applications will be quickly processed. Thanks to David for his willingness to repair sinks, toilets, dismantle fans, and crawl into attics hunting electrical problems and roof leaks.
Makenzie stays on to help at Discovery School and Rainbow Centre. We enjoy her guitar playing fun songs every evening for family prayer time. One favorite is “A Joyful Heart is Good Medicine,” a lively tune that changes key with: “but a broken spirit dries up the bones,” (Proverbs 17:21) which is sung in painful discord—a reminder to me that I’ll be way out of tune, dry up and crumble if I don’t “rejoice in the Lord always and again I say REJOICE!” (Phil.4:4) Jesus is ALIVE! The Creator loves me! Glory and Trumpets! Thank you, Lord, for Calvary and Easter—for giving yourself for me!
Praise note: Joy and Jesse Johnson return after Easter, from being on furlough in the USA. We’ve missed their skillful input and liveliness. Pray they travel safely and smoothly with their three young boys through airports and sky.
Praise note: After a year’s wait, the title for the house near the mission is nearly ready—we can start preparation for moving in, first inviting the bees to leave. We’re so thankful that we’ve been able to stay where we are until our “new” house is available.
Post Note: "We have the title!" It took over a year but it's finished now so we PRAISE THE LORD for bringing it about! Thanks to everybody for your prayers!. Now, to get rid of those bees!
Praise note: Samuel successfully completed 2nd term at the King’s School with volunteer, Rachel Jacobs, helping him through sign language to mainstream. He signs answers to questions and then she voices them to the teacher and class. Thank you, Rachel!
Blessings and Love,
Melli, Ken, Sarah, Lizzie, Carly, Cindy, James, Daniel, Samuel, Christopher, Angel and Andy
The children are home from RVA!! Their clothes draped on every chair, the bathroom a madhouse, the kitchen in fast food mode, and ten kids glad to be out of school but continually wondering, “Mom, what can we do NOW?” We’re just a typical family on Easter break.
Another volunteer, Makenzie Bryson, joined us last month. Her father, David, accompanied her and stayed for ten days helping out, like fixing plumbing problems at the Rainbow Centre. He also was a gracious courier for our documents needing to go to USCIS in Chicago, the first step in applying for citizenship for our last six kids. Pray with us that the applications will be quickly processed. Thanks to David for his willingness to repair sinks, toilets, dismantle fans, and crawl into attics hunting electrical problems and roof leaks.
Makenzie stays on to help at Discovery School and Rainbow Centre. We enjoy her guitar playing fun songs every evening for family prayer time. One favorite is “A Joyful Heart is Good Medicine,” a lively tune that changes key with: “but a broken spirit dries up the bones,” (Proverbs 17:21) which is sung in painful discord—a reminder to me that I’ll be way out of tune, dry up and crumble if I don’t “rejoice in the Lord always and again I say REJOICE!” (Phil.4:4) Jesus is ALIVE! The Creator loves me! Glory and Trumpets! Thank you, Lord, for Calvary and Easter—for giving yourself for me!
Praise note: Joy and Jesse Johnson return after Easter, from being on furlough in the USA. We’ve missed their skillful input and liveliness. Pray they travel safely and smoothly with their three young boys through airports and sky.
Praise note: After a year’s wait, the title for the house near the mission is nearly ready—we can start preparation for moving in, first inviting the bees to leave. We’re so thankful that we’ve been able to stay where we are until our “new” house is available.
Post Note: "We have the title!" It took over a year but it's finished now so we PRAISE THE LORD for bringing it about! Thanks to everybody for your prayers!. Now, to get rid of those bees!
Praise note: Samuel successfully completed 2nd term at the King’s School with volunteer, Rachel Jacobs, helping him through sign language to mainstream. He signs answers to questions and then she voices them to the teacher and class. Thank you, Rachel!
Blessings and Love,
Melli, Ken, Sarah, Lizzie, Carly, Cindy, James, Daniel, Samuel, Christopher, Angel and Andy
March Update
“…no one can ever pay enough to live forever…” —Psalm 49:8 NLT
Yesterday was Christopher’s 6th birthday. The dining room was decorated, the fudge brownie cake baked perfectly, festive with sprinkles and candles. Music played, balloons and streamers swayed in the breeze. Nothing was lacking (except presents, which were in the suitcase that didn’t make it to Burundi on my flight from Nairobi the other night). Too bad Christopher was sick in bed with malaria, sleeping off a fever. But all was not lost. Christopher eventually awoke, we cheered, sang, he blew out his candles, and ate two pieces of cake. Much later the airline called, the suitcase found. Ken slung it on his motorcycle and brought it home. The presents, long anticipated, were gleefully opened, and all was well. Another birthday witnessed, celebrated and saved.
No matter that big and little things go wrong, I still WANT to expect MY plans to work How- ever, real life has so many variables—any plan is at risk. That’s why someone once said, “Pray to God but row for the shore.” And thank God we’re not digits in an Algebra equation like what my kids are trying to learn right now! If you don’t get the steps right then everything is wrong.
Plans are good… I still need to plan and pray. But some wise person once said, “I have lived to thank God that all my prayers have NOT been answered.” Thank God that I am not in complete control of my children’s futures! God knows the plans He has for my kids…plans to prosper them and not harm them, to give them a hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11, my paraphrase). Billy Graham said, “More can be done by prayer than anything else…” so please pray with us:
As we home school our Carly (9th grade) who was struggling with boarding school.
As Samuel (almost 9) progresses to speak…he’s saying “Mama” very clearly.
That the process for attaining U.S. Immigrant Visas for the youngest six children will move forward in the next few months. (Complicated and expensive, with mind-boggling forms and documentation to be sent to USCIS in the USA, awaiting months for approval to proceed to Nairobi to the US Consulate for physicals and interviews, then finally a trip to the USA to meet the last requirements for U.S. Citizenship for the last six children.
(These are requests close to a mother’s heart—thank you!)
Blessings and Love,
Melli, Ken, Sarah, Lizzie, Carly, Cindy, James, Daniel, Samuel, Christopher, Angel and Andy
Yesterday was Christopher’s 6th birthday. The dining room was decorated, the fudge brownie cake baked perfectly, festive with sprinkles and candles. Music played, balloons and streamers swayed in the breeze. Nothing was lacking (except presents, which were in the suitcase that didn’t make it to Burundi on my flight from Nairobi the other night). Too bad Christopher was sick in bed with malaria, sleeping off a fever. But all was not lost. Christopher eventually awoke, we cheered, sang, he blew out his candles, and ate two pieces of cake. Much later the airline called, the suitcase found. Ken slung it on his motorcycle and brought it home. The presents, long anticipated, were gleefully opened, and all was well. Another birthday witnessed, celebrated and saved.
No matter that big and little things go wrong, I still WANT to expect MY plans to work How- ever, real life has so many variables—any plan is at risk. That’s why someone once said, “Pray to God but row for the shore.” And thank God we’re not digits in an Algebra equation like what my kids are trying to learn right now! If you don’t get the steps right then everything is wrong.
Plans are good… I still need to plan and pray. But some wise person once said, “I have lived to thank God that all my prayers have NOT been answered.” Thank God that I am not in complete control of my children’s futures! God knows the plans He has for my kids…plans to prosper them and not harm them, to give them a hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11, my paraphrase). Billy Graham said, “More can be done by prayer than anything else…” so please pray with us:
As we home school our Carly (9th grade) who was struggling with boarding school.
As Samuel (almost 9) progresses to speak…he’s saying “Mama” very clearly.
That the process for attaining U.S. Immigrant Visas for the youngest six children will move forward in the next few months. (Complicated and expensive, with mind-boggling forms and documentation to be sent to USCIS in the USA, awaiting months for approval to proceed to Nairobi to the US Consulate for physicals and interviews, then finally a trip to the USA to meet the last requirements for U.S. Citizenship for the last six children.
(These are requests close to a mother’s heart—thank you!)
Blessings and Love,
Melli, Ken, Sarah, Lizzie, Carly, Cindy, James, Daniel, Samuel, Christopher, Angel and Andy
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