GCIH: 2011

Adoption

James 1:27 "Religion our Father considers pure and faultless is this,

to look after widows and orphans in their distress."

There are many reasons to consider adopting from Haiti. The most compelling one is that a child, your child, may be waiting for you. The children of Haiti have already lived through hardship, including a devastating earthquake, multiple hurricanes, probable death of a loved one, malnourishment and deprivation. The children living in orphanages truly deserve our attention, they deserve our prayers, they deserve to be part of a family.

God is calling each of us into action.

-If you are being called to pray, then pray.

-If you are being called to give, then give.

-If you are being called to give a voice to orphans, then become an advocate.

-If you are being called to adopt, then move forward in faith.

God's Children in Haiti, a division of God's Children Adoption Agency, Inc., is currently working with three orphanages in Haiti. We would love to visit with you and hear how God is speaking to your hearts!

Adoption

There are over 143 million orphaned and abandoned children in the world. These are children that "lay me down to sleep" in foster homes, orphanages and street corners around the world. This is an overwhelming number, but I challenge you not to let it scare you into doing nothing. God is calling each of us into action on behalf of the fatherless.

Prayer impacts the lives of all children,
Orphan ministries impact the lives of many children,
Adoption impacts the life of one precious child.

Please let today be the day you do something....

If God is calling you to pray, then pray.
If God is calling your family into orphan ministries, listen and act!
If God is calling your family into adoption, please contact us.

143 million is a huge number, but you can make a difference in this number....
one child at a time. -Amy

Looking back...at the children.

When you see a child every day, the changes are not so noticeable....when you see them every other month, it is as if they have been transformed. But, one thing has stayed consistent with the children at Foyer des Petits Demunis, they have always had the ability to smile...and to melt your heart!
Over the past year, we have had children come and go at the orphanage. Some have come while their parent(s) look for a better living situation, jobs and suitable housing and have since returned to their biological homes. At one point, there were 38 children living at the home. This was a bit too many, as the house was not big enough and it was a financial stretch to feed and care for all of the children. In the past month or so, many children have returned to their biological homes. The children now living at the orphanage are in various stages of getting their paperwork completed for adoption. It is the intent of Jeanel, the director, that each child in his care and unable to return to their biological home, be adopted. It is our prayer that families will be found for each of them.
Our relationship with Foyer des Petits Demunis is changing from one which provides much financial support for the daily operations of the orphanage to one that is facilitating adoptions of the children from the orphanage. We are still very strongly involved with Foyer des Petits Demunis, but our intent was never to "run" the orphanage, as Jeanel does an excellent job in this capacity. Our prayer is continue being used to find adoptive homes for the children at Foyer des Petits Demunis.
When I count my blessings of the past year, one stands high above the others. This is the blessing of having known each child, even in the short time I may have known them. Each child is so beautiful, so precious and so amazing. I pray for safety, protection and good health to the children that have left the orphanage. I pray for forever families for those that have remained.
-Amy

June, 2010

May, 2011

October, 2010

May, 2011

June, 2010

May, 2011

A Look Back...

Note: This is the first of a series of posts that will look back over our time spent in Haiti, provide transparency into what is going on presently and look to the future of this ministry.

June 2011 marks our one year anniversary involvement in Haiti through God's Children in Haiti. And what a year of miracles it has been! II want to say thank you for your prayers, your financial support and your dedication to this ministry.

When I arrived in Leogane' and entered the gates of the orphanage, I remember thinking, "these children are not going to make it another day like this!" I remember purchasing a generator for electricity and the dancing and singing that erupted when the power came on. I remember the first evening, as I headed to our tent and realized that all of the children were falling asleep outside, on the ground, too afraid to sleep in what was still standing of their orphange building. I remember looking at the flattened neighboring buildings, buildings that were once two stories high, now reduced to rubble not higher than myself.

I arrived back in the states with an overwhelming feeling of inadequacy. How could I possibly be of help to the children in Leogane'? How could I, from Minnesota, give them what they need to stay alive, to become healthy? Little did I know I would not be doing it alone. Over the past year I have been constantly reminded of God's faithfulness through the community of believers. When I have asked, you have answered.

As I reflect on the past 12 months, I am humbled by the generosity shown by those who were moved into action. Below are just some of the many things that have been provided, through your generosity:

-Rental of a building to provide safety and shelter. Multiple paintings throughout the year to clean up after all those dirty little fingerprints. A fenced in area on the roof for play, relaxing, hanging of laundry and private study time. A well that is deep enough to provide water coupled with water purification systems.

-A pick up to transport the children and guests when they visit. It has also been used on the daily 4 hour trips to and from Port au Prince for adoption related appointments.

-Medical care, including a physician's visit, many medicines, payment for hospital stays and clinic visits.

-Cribs for the babies and toddlers, stack-able beds for the younger children and cots for the bigger children and nannies. Blankets for all!

-School tuition, books and uniforms.

-Food, including high nutrition rice mixture, high protein peanut butter mix, much formula and cereal.

-Clothes. -Diapers.-Toys.-A computer for Jeanel, the orphanage director. -Burial costs for two children and one nanny.-Beds for the spare room for guests.-A television for the children to watch videos on.

I wish that each of you could see the faces, hear the laughter, receive the gratitude of the children when each gift has been given. And, even though I realize it is not has good as hearing it first hand, please understand that your generosity has been greatly, greatly appreciated! -Amy

Adoption

It probably goes without saying that I believe very strongly in adoption. I believe it is a God-ordained, God-directed process that ultimately places a child in a family. Having a family trumps everything else. For a child that truly cannot return to their biological family, because of life's circumstances, death of a parent, inability to parent or by parental choice...adoption gives this child what he so desperately desires....a family.

Is the process easy? No

Is it the best answer for the child? No, being able to stay with the biological family would be the best answer.

Is it sometimes hard for the biological family, the child and the adoptive parents? Yes

Does God have His hand in it? Yes. "God sets the lonely into families." (Psalm 68:6)

Is it Biblical? Yes. "Pure religion our Father considers pure and faultless is this; to care for widows and orphans..." (James 1:27)

There are over 143 million orphaned and abandoned children in the world. Adoption steps to the forefront of caring for them....one child at a time. God's Children Adoption Agency, Inc. will continue to advocate for these children....God's Children in Haiti will continue to advocate for the orphaned children in Haiti.

Because of the need for families, we are now accepting adoptive families throughout the United States. Please refer to the adoption section for more information. If God is calling you to adoption, please consider answering His call.

An Amazing Event!

Our countdown was completed and today I feel like I'm missing something to do! It has been such a blessing to share the faces of our children with you, in preparation for the Jason Gray concert held on April 29th. The event was awesome!

Thank you to all who attended and the blessings, both prayerful and financial, that were given to God's Children in Haiti. Thank you to the people who did the leg work to make this happen! (Deb, Kristin, Anita, Shelly, Alison, ROCK ministries, etc...) Thank you to Jason Gray for being so real, so entertaining and such an advocate for our ministry.

Did I mention it was an amazing event?

Day 1: A time for Thanksgiving!

              During the past forty days, I have given you specific reasons to pray. It is my sincere hope that you will continue to keep God's Children in Haiti in your prayers, as we work with the children in Haiti. I would also ask that you pray for God's Children Adoption Agency, Inc., as we diligently work to bring orphaned and abandoned children into their forever homes through adoption.
             Today is a day of thanksgiving! Thank you to those involved in the Jason Gray concert being held this evening. To say I am excited for this event is an understatement. Thank you, Jason Gray, for honoring this ministry with your music. Thank you Deb, Anita, Kristin and Shelly, (and all the other volunteers at Living Waters Church), for your hard work! May God do a great work this evening!
           And, thank you for supporting this ministry through prayer and giving. I am humbled, honored and blessed to be a part of it.
In Christ, -Amy

Day 2: Please pray for Bianca

Such a strong little girl,

who has been so ill

and yet has such a will to live....

Here is a face that you gotta love!

Day 2 of 40 days of prayer....please join us!

Day 3: Please pray for Anel

Such a strong cry and a will to live...

keep eating and someday you will be strong enough

to tell them not to dress you in pink!

Thank you to Real Hope for Haiti for your help in caring for Anel!

Day 3 of 40 days of prayer....Please join us!

Day 4: Please pray for Daphline

The "youngest" of the "big girls,"
she has the spirit of a child and
the life experiences of an adult.
May God greatly bless you, Daphline!

Day 4 of 40 days of prayer....please join us!

Day 5: Please pray for the new President

Today, I am going to ask you to pray for the bigger picture in Haiti. Instead of looking into the eyes of the individual children, I want you to consider the country, as a whole. For those of us watching and reading about the electoral process, (or the lack thereof), it has been a long, drawn out drama. Since November, when the process began to elect a new President and have the current President, Rene Preval, step down, there has been the initial vote, exposure of extensive fraud/cohersion in the election, (Preval's nephew and candidate used fraudulent means to gain his votes), intervention of outside sources to enforce a democratic vote, a recount, emergenge of new run-off candidates, (popular singer Michel "Sweet Micky" Martelly and former First Lady of Haiti, Mirlande Manigat), the run-off election and finally, the outcome, (Sweet Micky won). To add to the drama of the above process was the return of two formal rulers of the country, Jen-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier and Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Many Haitian believe justice has been served in the election of Sweet Micky as President. They want change and chances are, change is forthcoming.
Will it be the change that progresses Haiti? That question has yet to be answered and it is worthy of our prayer. So, please join me in praying for the newley elected President and the transitions that lay ahead for Haiti.

Day 5 of 40 days of prayer....please join us!