Hello!!! Yes we are still alive and well but have had little chance to update our blog! 5 kids keep us hopping for sure and then the computer is at the YWAM base where we walk to to eat our meals. The power is only on in the evening, however, so if I have the opportunity to get on the computer (with two other teams waiting for it and with 0 out of 5 children fussing) I am doing good! I hope to post this tomorrow and put some pictures on for you to enjoy.

This is the two week mark in Jacmel and it has been good. It always takes some getting used to to settle in a new place so I know we have only started to get into the groove. The girls have taken to us well and although we’ve had some rough mornings with Lauren crying because we have to take her to school, for the most part they are very happy girls! Melainey is a little joker! She wrinkles up her nose and laughs at herself many times throughout the day. She loves to clap for herself when she thinks she has accomplished something. Kira and Melainey are getting along great. Our prayer was that Kira would do well with her sisters and not feel jealous over mom and dad’s time and love. It has been so answered that I am almost sad sometimes because she is so independent and often doesn’t even want to cuddle with me! She is constantly bringing Lainey to one of us as if to say ‘here….she needs you’. Lauren is enjoying having the attention she is getting and we have been praying for a lot of wisdom in parenting her because it’s so hard to know how to deal with her emotions. She swings from so happy and energetic to very quite and serious. It’s funny…she sometimes is so much like Dawson we have to laugh. Loud and hyper and just does silly things without thinking about them. AHHH!! What are we going to do with TWO of those! Please pray with us about all the relations in the family. Sometimes I think Dawson is quick to be offended and it seems like his attitude right now is like putting up with a friend that will go home soon. He has such a soft heart and our desire is to see that shine through and for him to embrace the future and love his sisters so much right away. It all takes time we are realizing though, and he feels like we are spoiling her because we aren’t to the point where we are disciplining them the same yet. Jordan swings back and forth from being a great big helper and enjoying the time with Lauren to being sometimes annoyed at her typical 5 year old behavior. So normal! There are so many variables to consider! The girls, I think, are equally attached to Sheldon and I but he thinks that Lauren is more to me. Melainey, on the other hand, seems to really like her Uncle Carl and Sheldon both. It’s very cute and good for unlce Carl’s ego! I think she just knows they are suckers who will carry her everywhere she wants to go. It has only been a couple weeks so if we know one thing for sure it’s that we don’t know anything yet!

On the ministry front we are getting involved with what God is doing through Y.W.A.M. here in Jacmel. We fix our eyes on Christ, the author and perfecter of out faith. We recognize that God works on his own schedule and His plans aren’t ours. We believe the words that John Piper wrote in his book Desiring God: “In the end, one must finally come to see that if there is a God in heaven, there is no such thing as mere coincidence, not even in the smallest affairs of life.” and Proverbs 16:33 – “The lot is cast in to the lap, but the decision is wholly from the Lord.”

We are showing a Christian DVD tomorrow night. The plan is to do this at least once a week. We want to show the Jesus movie in a couple weeks when people know the drill and there is a bigger crowd. Y.W.A.M. has an orphanage here that is only a year old. There are eleven kids here from about 2 and up. The director, Lubenz Romulas, is a fantastic guy. His wife, Andy, and their two kids live upstairs in our house. He is passionate about his city and country and has a vision to see God transform it and make it a blessing to the world. Y.W.A.M. has a prison ministry (which started when Lubenz and his director at the time were thrown in jail overnight and saw the need there), a prostitution ministry, an English class opening doors to preach the gospel and more. There is a couple here with them who have a specific burden for mountain ministry. They are planning a treck into the mountains to a village where 4 of the kids in the orphanage are from. We would like to go and be involved in giving food, clothing, bibles, medical aid and whatever else we can. Sheldon is pumped to take the equipment and show the Jesus movie too!

Our highlight coming up is looking forward to a visit from Grandpa and Grandma and then Andrew and Jamie. Only two weeks! On that note, if anyone wants to send some childrens gravol for the clinic, we can’t get it here. That would be great! I’m sure they wouldn’t mind bringing it along.

Kira is talking so much suddenly. She looked up at the moon last night and said “I wuv you moon!”…so CUTE!!! She repeats everything and I am realizing that it is really good for Lauren too. They are learning to speak English together! Please pray for Lauren because she has a pretty nasty scalp infection. I can’t even do her hair because it hurts so badly. I take her to the home every other day and a few of the older girls do it. I bought this special shampoo to wash it with and some anti fugal cream that I apply twice a day. It is really gross. The sores on her head pus and scab and it is so hard to treat. It stinks too and I am always worried about the other kids getting it so it’s a real pain to always keep a look out that she isn’t putting her head on someone else’s pillow etc… Today is Saturday and we are at beach with the kids. On the way home will need to stop and get her head done and I am so not looking forward to her screaming for two hours again while they do it. Everyone is telling me we need to cut her hair so it will heal but Marlaine says no so I sure hope it will get better fast!

We have made our way around Jacmel and feel like we are getting to know it now. Last Sunday Carl and Steph, Melissa and I went to town and we didn’t realize that people are staring to celebrate carnival. We kind of got mobbed by a bunch of weird people dressed up like devils and rubbing charcoal and mud on us! Hmmm…. So, we avoid going on Sundays now. Apparently they do this every Sunday leading up to the big Carnival at the end of the month. Nice to know…common sense will go a long way with that kind of stuff.

We are still trying to figure out life as we are waiting for a refrigerator and some furniture. We have needed to buy a few things but don’t want to buy much so we’re trying to get by until YWAM’s transition is through and the move is complete from one house to the other.

Hmm….what more to say. I think I’ve rattled on enough for one day but I want to make up for lost time! Please keep us in your prayers. Our girls, they say may be ready in July or August. Time will tell, as no one or nothing else accurately can. Our hearts miss our home and loved ones there but rejoice in this time with our daughters here. We know that this time will be invaluable. On a shallow note, we really are missing the convenience of home too! Ladies…do not take your washing machines for granted!!…Toasters, blenders, freezers (even a fridge!), pots and pans, electric stoves and ovens, beds, chairs…you get the idea! Sheldon is probably in his glory….’just like camping!’ hehe. Although his version of ‘roughing it’ is a far cry from mine.

Love to you all. Be blessed!