Wow!

This all I can say right now….Wow!

I am back from Haiti trip #2. After another week spent helping over 400 patients at Halos Medical Clinic, loving on 39 orphans at Angel House and making 18 wonderful new friends, I am still in awe over that country. I am in awe just as I was after my first visit last November. Christ’s presence is abounding there and anyone who takes the time to discover it certainly will.

I had a fabulous time with both of the boys this week. God certainly blessed me with lots of free time so I could have quality time with each of them. This past week, I was able to play with both Daniel and Jonathan. I enjoyed every laugh, each cry and all the hugs and kisses we shared. I am so very grateful for all the time I was given enabling me to love on them.

Although we are waiting to tell Daniel we are adopting him until his 6-month wait has past, we had so much fun together. I told him over and over again I loved him. This made him smile so big, and I could tell it made him so happy knowing someone loved him. It tickled me to death when he would tell me he loved me, too. What a blessing it was to be able to add some sunshine to his life and happiness to his heart! Tim, Megan and Kate had me bring down a school backpack for him so he would have one like the other children. He was just so proud of his new possession; he wore it the entire time he was at school on Monday. I know how special it made him feel that he now had something of his own; and I am so glad we were able to be a part of that. God willing, I will be able to tell him we are adopting him in April when I am in Haiti again. What a joy it will be to be able to give him a family ~ a possession only he will be able to have!

Watching Jonathan grow and change as the week progressed was such a joy. At the beginning of the trip, he would get a huge smile on his face and crawl over to me as I entered the nursery. By the week’s end, not only did he do that, but also he was calling me “Mama” all the time. He also understood when I would enter the nursery; he was going to get to leave with me. He would begin telling all the children and nannies “bye-bye” as he would make his way to the entrance of the nursery. He also figured out he was going to leave Angel House and go with me to the guesthouse each evening. Knowing where the street gate was, he would make his way there telling everyone “bye-bye.”. These were such strides of growth for our little guy! In November, he was terrified to leave the orphanage and clung to Mike and me when we were at the guesthouse. This week, not only did he want to go there, but he wanted to be there to play, eat and crawl all over discovering his new surroundings. What a joy it was to see him change and begin to trust me!

There is just so much to share and so many stories to tell about my week in Haiti. As so many people who have visited there, it takes a few days to unwind, recharge and reflect. Stay tuned for many more blog postings about my adventures…