Our thanks to the fullest...

On a rainy Sandy Hurricane day we all had to say goodbye to two very amazing people and their cute little man. This was not an easy thing for anyone to do to say the least. But knowing it was all in Gods plans and He is guiding each of our continued steps for us here and them there we can have peace to know it is well.

We knew this was going to be a harder transition for us then even moving down here. Gods Grace is enough for us and he is covering us. We are so thankful for the last couple months. To be able to do ministry with family is such a blessing. We loved every day we were able to spend together and considered it a gift from God!

Jared and Jalayne to say that our staff, and girls here are thankful for you is an understatement. They are more then thankful, you have changed each of their lives for the better by loving them and sharing Jesus with them and they are truly blessed and forever will be grateful for the time they had with you here in Haiti.

Praying for Gods continued provision in your lives and that he keeps you healthy and warm this winter.

We are proud of you, we love you, we miss you, we are so thankful for you, and we are so thankful for the ministry you have done here.

We all have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Thank You Jesus!

   We are so quick at times to ask for prayer as soon as the slightest need comes up.  Jesus wants us to come to Him at all times, every day. Not just when there is a need, we are afraid, or if one of us gets sick.  He wants our conversation to be so often, he wants us to be His very best friend. He knows our thoughts and our deepest needs before we even tell Him.  He is just waiting for us to open up our hearts to Him. I also think sometimes he is waiting for a THANK YOU.

  We make sure the girls always say "Please" and "Thank You."  We ask of Cohen to say Please and Thank You for just about anything { it's really cute } but more importantly we want him to learn to be appreciative of things. Lately he has been saying it without us telling him.  When I give him anything like a cup to play with in the bath, open the door for him, or today when I helped him jump over a cement block that we cross everyday when walking into the orphanage, he just looks at me in his little cute not at all baby voice and says "Thank You Mom" and oh my goodness......my heart melts. It is the simplest phrase but it means so much. Eric and I both always love when he does this and we always share with each other if one is not around, or even if we are both there we will say "did you hear him!?"

So if we get that excited from it, how much more do you think it melts the heart of our Father.
  
    I was thinking of how that last couple months before our move here all my prayers were, Jesus please keep us safe, Jesus please provide for us, Jesus please keep the boys healthy, Jesus please take away all my doubts and fears. Not saying I still don't add those things in but I don't at all feel afraid being here.  I was more afraid living in the states when Eric would have to travel for basketball then I have been here at all.  I am not worried my children are going to get sick every time they take a bath from the water. :)

  I also know we asked of many of you to pray with us for those things and for our transition here. I want to make sure you don't stop praying for us by any means..... :) but so you know that He has heard our prayer and we want to Thank You for praying, but most importantly Thank Him and Praise Him.

For from HIM, Through HIM and to HIM are all things. For HIM be the glory forever!  Amen. 

Romans 11:36  

  Thank you Jesus for this day, Thank you for your provision in our lives, Thank you for bringing us to Haiti, Thank you for our marriage and the love we share, Thank you for our healthy boys and for coming before us in Haiti and meeting us here and our every need. Thank you for the girls and our staff, Thank you for allowing us to grow closer to you during this time and as a family. Thank you for Jared and Jalayne and for helping us and for the very special time we have been able to spend together, Thank you for surrounding us with so many friends and family that love us and truly care for us, Thank you for those who are praying for us everyday and when ever they think of us, Thank you for those who are financially giving to meet our needs here, Thank you for our health, Thank you for a home, Thank you for making this the smoothest transition in the world for us, Thank You that you are not even close to being finished with us, Thank you that you love us so much, Thank you for allowing us to see how much you love us, Thank You for who you are, Thank you for freedom to serve you in Haiti, Thank you for allowing us to learn the language, Thank you for generators, Thank you for fans, Thank you for rice, Thank you for clean water to drink,  Thank you for computers, phones, and skype. Thank you for CFM trusting us to be here, Thank you for visitors, Thank you for comfort when we are missing out on births of new babies from people we love, and for comfort and peace when a brother was in ICU, Thank you for very dear friends of ours who are going to soon be parents. Thank you for comforting us and family during the many transitions we have gone through on both sides in the last couple months. Thank you for supportive and praying churches, Thank you for praying parents! Thank you for PEACE and GRACE.  {We are so blessed and we are so loved by our Heavenly Father} Thank you for answering every prayer we prayed leading up to us being here and since we have been here. Thank you that because of who You are we do not have to live in fear.
Thank You Jesus So Much!  WE LOVE YOU!    
Amen.


{{You can send us praise/prayer requests we would love to pray with you! ebcobz@gmail.com}}

The summer that never ends..

     We are loving our time here in Haiti, it feels like summer and coming from Ohio we should have had frost on the ground by now.  Growing up we didn't have air conditioning and now I realize that was all in Gods plan for my training and preparations for Haiti. - (Thanks Dad!)
     Until last week it was still summer break for the girls. School finally started and they were so excited to go. They were excited to get new shoes, wear their uniforms and put special red and white ribbons in their hair.  They all look so adorable all dressed and ready for school. The oldest five are in school leaving the youngest three, Miles, and our boys home to play. The little ones are loving their time together. Also loving all the extra attention they are getting.
    Eric is still learning all the ropes to living in Haiti and keeping things running smoothly for the girls.  He is doing so well at taking over here.  Sometimes things can take hours here for him to do that we could have done in 30 minutes back home.. God never stops teaching us patience that's for sure.  Eric is doing really good with learning the language the nannies will tell me his creole is strong. I am proud of him. :)
     I started further creole lessons with our nannies. Each day I meet with someone different and they help me with my language learning. It is a nice time to have actual conversations and get to know them better. Its a rare occasion to not have two or three little ones running circles around us when talking so I am loving this time to just learn from them and learn more about them. In hopes to having a better relationship with each of the ladies I get to work with during our time here.
    Cohen is still picking up words here and there and shocks us all when a creole phrase comes from his mouth. We all get a kick out of it. Especially our staff here.. I am learning it is really a sign of respect to learn the language of the country you are living in. People love it even if you just know a little bit of their language, it just shows you care enough to try and learn.
    Papa, and Grandma came last Tuesday- Cohen was speechless he was so excited! It was so nice to spend time for them especially for our boys.  Cohen loves being around people and both his Papa's and Grandma's mean so much to him. So we were so excited for him to see some familiar faces. But it even gets better yet, Aunt Ruby, Aunt Carol, and Aunt Marlene came to visit as well! It was so fun for all of us to see them and spend some time showing them around Haiti. We stayed up too late and had some good laughs! And as you can imagine Parents/Grandparents and Aunts would come bearing sweets, and gifts. They even brought stuff for the girls and it was so much fun to be able to watch them receive the gifts.
    A group from Ohio and Florida came to work along with Cody Troyer and the block machine. They finished the first house built with the block machine. It was good to see everyone here coming together to help a family in need of a home!

   Thanks so much for coming and spoiling us!- Also thanks to everyone who sent things along with them-we are so blessed and appreciate it!

So glad to have swings here!

The girls would have been just as excited to have these bags let a lone the dolls and clothes inside!

This was one of my favorite parts, Rosiany pulling out the dress up heels from her bag and just getting right up and showing us her "runway walk" 

Grandma and Cohen and Miles, We are going to miss having Miles around here! 

Eric was there capturing all the excitement the morning before their first day of school!  They were so excited! 

Cohen keeps wanting to make a fire like Papa- so we finally did! 

This was so cute the other day they all took turns running and jumping  on me and then running back and doing it again. Some how I was able to capture this moment just in time.

Evos and Senita making mamba- peanut butter!
It is so good here to eat it especially when she lets you try it right from the pot while it is still hot and creamy. 

So thankful for this man, and of course the little man. :) But it is amazing how much God continues to draw us closer to each other and closer to HIM. 

Life lately..

We are doing really well and are continuing to learn the language and spend time with the girls.  Summer time is so much fun and today we had a little glimpse of what life is going to be like here when the 5 oldest start school in October! It is going to be a lot more quiet here but Cohen and Kiara will find ways to make up for that I'm sure. Cohen turned 2 and he has more energy than he did when he was 1 so we have our hands full.  Eric and Jared took an overnight trip out to the country with Rosiany and Mariline to see their Grandma.  I spent a morning in the kitchen with Evos (the cook at the orphanage) she showed me how she makes rice and beans that was fun and challenging in itself how many things are when you are learning a language.

Jared and Jalaye have been here since October 2009, there time will come to an end the last week of October.  This is going to be a very hard transition for everyone so I ask that you join us in covering them, the girls, our staff, and us during the weeks to come and after in prayer.  Pray for a smooth transition from them to us at the orphanage. Also pray that God provides for them as they move back to the states and that he covers them with His Grace, Peace and Mercy.

                    

My first attempt at doing their hair.  Rosiany was the brave one to allow me to practice on her.

The back :) - they were all so sweet encouraging me the whole time.

"Greater things are yet to come, greater things are still to be done in this city... "

"Greater things are yet to come, greater things are still to be done in this city... "

That is our prayer but even more significantly we pray for the girls we have come to love and for people we have met here and we pray that God would provide for them and allow them to be the ones to make a difference in their city.

There are so many things in moving here Eric and I realize that we took for granted.  One thing specifically is a free education to think growing up in the states going to school is just part of life and its free unless you choose a private school that then you have to pay for but here an education is far from free. It is a privilege it is a gift and it is something many long to be able to do but can't afford it.

With our girls, nannies, neighbors, friends, we have many people asking us to help pay for their children to go to school. We have a list of children (18) that need sponsored for this school year which starts the first week in October. Some children will complete a whole year of school here and then at the end of the year they may not have the money to take the final exam and they lose that year of school and would have to retake it when funds allow them to do so.

The cost of sponsorship would be $600 US. This would cover everything from registration, testing, books, uniforms, and the school its self. 100% of the $600 would be specifically for their schooling and we could in return give you updates on their education and photos.

We ask that you pray and see if this is something that God would have you do on your own or as a family, bible study, class, school, work, or church.  Thank you in advance please note that the majority of the funds for the child allowed in school needs to be paid up front.

Thank You!
If you are interested in doing this please email us!
Eric and Briana
ebcobz@gmail.com

"Dadda, Momma, I wanna see the girls" -Cohen David Coblentz

"Dadda, Momma, I wanna see the girls" -Cohen David Coblentz

After every nap and every morning when he wakes up those are the first few words that come out of his mouth.  He gets up with the sun here which is not the norm for him. We were fortunate enough to have a son that slept until say 9:30 or even the many times we would have to go in and wake him so he didn't sleep past 10. It was awesome and one of the things I prayed he would carry on in Haiti. :) Obviously God knows best and has heard and answered way more important prayers and probably just laughed at me a little or a lot with that one.
But Cohen is in love, and wants to spend all his time with "the girls" we are thankful he has taken to them so well and them to him in return. He knows them all by name and wants to pray for each of them at night and will go down the line when we are not with them and he will ask "whats Kiara doing?"... etc...
He sometimes loves to use that little 2 letter word "no" but we are working with that and each day gets better and better. Overall Cohen and Conrad are doing so good with the girls and it is so cute to watch them interact with one another and to hug and say "sorry" when needed. As parents and bringing our children to a totally new place with new faces every day we were in constant prayer that they would adjust well, not be jealous, and get along good with the girls. And they are both doing so well and Cohen is even picking up the language. He is entertainment to them and the ladies and men that work with us get such a kick out of any little creole word he has to say.

Our first month here has flown by. Eric has been learning so much from Jared on how to do everything at the orphanage. And we are working our hardest at learning the language. It can be frustrating at times but has given me a new found respect for anyone who can speak more then one language and especially for people I have talked to back in the states that had learned English. But language learning is our main focus right now along with developing relationships with the girls and each of the men and woman who work  with us here.

The girls love Eric so much and it is so fun to spend time with them.  Even now the youngest two girls that were scared of us when we first got here are not so scared of us anymore and will give us a smile now when they see us and let us hold them. :)

God is so good and he is already teaching us so much one thing Eric and I can both say He is showing us is how to love like Jesus we will never truly be able to love anyone we meet as much as their heavenly father loves them but we are giving it all we got. He is breaking our hearts for what breaks His and we are loving it. He has shown us so much peace, comfort, and grace already.


Just a little sneak peak into life here...

Cohen and the little flower girl Kiara 

Conrad and Juanese 

Cristelle

Rosiany, Dalinda, and Cohen 

Niclaudette

Genese

Bonswa!

Have you ever laughed to yourself at the crazy family running through the airport trying to get to their departure gate in time… well I have and I have many times thought to myself “I am glad that’s not me” but this time it was.. well to be honest I wasn’t exactly running I was calmly walking as fast as I could while pushing Cohen's stroller as Eric was running with Conrad. Yes he was embarrassing me… but running in public like that at 6 am is just not my thing. But with much delays and scares of being told there was no more flights out until the following Monday (after our original flight from Cleveland was canceled) we were very thankful to have landed in Haiti Tuesday July 17th on time with ALL of our bags (Thank YOU JESUS) and we got out of the airport in a timely manner.  Praise God… plus a pleasant surprise along the way…. 1^st  class to Haiti from Miami?!  We'll take it!  I thought to myself the men sitting next to Eric and I probably didn't appreciate our children acting like children. J Though there is no smooth sailing when you each have an infant on your lap but at least we had some extra leg room.

We were so anxious once we got there to go see the girls.  The older girls were excited to see us but we know it will take time for that trust and relationship to completely happen.  The little ones were a little bit terrified but I can't blame them, Cohen and Conrad would act the same way toward a stranger until he was more comfortable.  They see so many people come to their home for a couple days here and there and then leave so in time they will be more open and loving with us.  They sure are the most adorable children and they are so well taken care of and loved by Jared and Jalayne, the other workers and their heavenly Father. Having a crazy little son really helps bridge the gap in situations like this. Within the first couple minutes of seeing them at their home Cohen was chasing the chickens and some of the girls were chasing Cohen. J  Anyone who is fearful for my children living in Haiti do not be J Cohen is the happiest little thing running around here. The second he woke up from his nap he said “mom outside” and over to visit the girls we went. Conrad is just doing his usual thing eating and sleeping. The girls have enjoyed pushing him around in his stroller these first couple days. 

Before we know it these two will be chasing each other all around.

Cohen enjoying his first meal with the girls. Below his first fried plantain.
He hasn't turned any food down yet. :) 

What a blessing it is to have Jared and Jalayne already settled and living in Haiti they had a place for us to stay and they even had clean sheets, and some food in our fridge for us. We feel so blessed and almost guilty knowing things were much different down here for them when they first moved.  We are feeling very much at peace with our first couple days here.  Knowing it will not always be easy and the time will come to see Jared and Jalayne go and we may have a hard time at first adjusting to life in Haiti. But with all things HE is the ROCK that never moves, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever more. So in knowing and believing that we know that our time here filled with ups and downs hard times and great times is going to be a wonderful time for us and we are so excited to experience more of Gods love in Haiti, through developing relationships with each of the girls and the woman and men who work at the orphanage. I am putting all my expectations, fears, and doubts aside and I am putting all my hope, faith and trust in the Lord Jesus.

Cohen and Miles... poor Miles is learning very fast how ornery his cousin is.

Thank You for your prayers, and support financially and physically that have allowed us to be here, we were so ready to just get here! Saying goodbyes at home and leaving friends and family was not easy or fun but being in the place where God has asked you to be is filled with much Joy and Peace!

Please continue to be with us in prayer during our time in Haiti.

Blessings from Haiti

With Love

-Eric, Bri, Cohen, and Conrad

Things you can be praying for right now:  Saying goodbyes again this week to my dad (Briana) and Eric's parents, language learning, C & C adjusting to the heat and bugs J, the girls as they open their hearts to us, J & J as they share their lives in Haiti with us and adjusting to having us around watching and learning from them.