Lastly we shared that we were in the process of starting adoptions for the girls. Through starting that and calling on living relatives and contacts for the girls we were shocked at what God had in store.
I now totally understand more than ever why He doesn't just lay everything out there for us. Though we think that would be easier so we can just know what to do, or what to expect. Our human minds would not be able to believe or comprehend the plans God has for each of us.
I am so thankful for that.
I am so thankful that he didn't tell us everything we had come here to do was going to look totally different in just a short time. We might have ran the other way in all honesty. Never would we think emotionally and spiritually we would have been able to handle the events and even how fast each event and transition took place, but HE can handle it.
You see among many orphanages- you will not always have true abandoned orphaned children. In our case in the matter of taking the girls in it was a strict process of questioning and making sure there was no other way to care for this child and that the family wanting their loved one to be in the orphanage had felt they absolutely had no other option but this one.
We learned that sometimes that is the hardest thing for family to do because they are truly giving up their child in hopes that they may have a better life... but what is a
better life. We long to be loved, we long to be cared for, we long to be with family and to feel a part of something.... I am still not a pro at all in this whole orphan care/adoption world. It is so hard because it is not black and white, some children are better off living in poverty with family that truly loves them than living with a family that is not their own but yet very far from poverty. I also think adoption is such a beautiful thing and can be so wonderful for the child, and the adoptive family.
We had another friend working in a similar situation in a different country and they said it so well "I guess our goal is to be putting ourselves out of a job" And that is what we did we just didn't realize it would happen in just two short months. Especially here in Haiti where it seems things just take a whole lot longer. Though yes we put ourselves out of a daily job, now we have such an important job to continue to pray, pray and pray, daily for these families and for the girls and for their transition back in their homes.
So to get back on the girls and each situation- when family members came to start paper work for adoption, as quickly as they learned what adoption really meant, and that they could potentially never see "her" again, they were against it. They then wanted "her" back. They explained to us that they were fine with "her" being here and not seeing "her" because it would be better for "her" and they would always have food and clothes and nice place to sleep, but that they never wanted to put "her" in a place where they would never see "her" again, they were okay with the orphanage because then when they were 18 they would get to see "her." So for some this is grandparents, and aunts talking, but for one it was a mom, and for another it was a dad.
This was the hardest thing for us because in our minds we felt that going back to where they each were would not be good for them, because obviously if they were with us it was because where they were was bad. But it is more just sad to us (americans) then it is bad, and it is just a normal life for the average haitian child.
Would they eat good, will they teach them about Jesus, will they continue to take them to school.... we had so many worries and fears and emotionally we were overwhelmed and scared but at the same time we had to TRUST. For one if the family is wanting "her" back we had no right to keep them from taking their loved one. What really was hard for us was that when we were thinking we would be starting adoption process for these girls and they would be 2-3 years still living in the home, we mentally, and emotionally were not ready to hear that from families. Especially for some of the families to tell us that and then in the same day leave with the girls. It was heartbreaking, but yet it was all part of Gods perfect plan for HIS daughters. We had to keep reminding our selves we don't even come close to loving them at all as much as God loves them. So we know that He would love them, protect them, comfort them, and provide for them in every way.
We were nervous and scared and felt so bad for the girls but it has really been such an amazing thing and we are seeing that this is the best thing for each of the girls. God is so good how He has worked everything out. We waited until this point to update you on things because in some ways we thought we would send the girls with family and they could bring them back, or change their mind. But just this week we have completely transitioned the last girl out all but two went back with family. We are praying every single day for the girls and their families and the transition for them. We trust God that this is His will for each of their lives. We Thank HIM for working things out and for the transitions for the girls. There was lots of tears more from us than the girls but we have already had some of the girls that left first back in February come back and visit and we have had such a great time seeing them, and seeing that they are doing good and they are happy. The hardest thing is to see that those families do not have a lot and I am sure there will be times when food is sparse and that is what breaks my heart, but in reality that is life here and we can help but what happens when your not here, and we don't want to enable them to rely on us for those things because we wont be here and then they will get used to just getting things handed out to them and that will only make life harder. So we just pray that God provides jobs for those families that maybe are struggling and we pray that most importantly in their hard times they are crying out to Jesus.
The time here for each of the girls was not at all a waste or a bad thing, for some of them they were very young and potentially if they did not get the food and care they had in the beginning when Jared and Jalayne took them in they could not have made it. They also were taught the love and the truth about Jesus. It was so neat to hear them recite scripture in both english and kreyol and some of the older ones had even asked Jesus into their hearts with Jared and Jalayne before they left. We praise God for the seeds planted in each of their lives at a young age, and we pray that they will never turn from that and that they will be a light in each of their families.
It was neat that in the process of transitioning the girls back with families we have then been able to share Gods love with them and pray with them. Our nannies who were very heartbroken over this as well even exchanged numbers with the families and have taken upon themselves to make sure some of the girls that lived near them were going to school still, and invited them to church.
How Great is our God! Only He could have worked all these things out. Only He knew the girls would be with us for a short time, Only He knew that they would end up back with family or be adopted, and ONLY HE WILL BE GLORIFIED in all of this.
