The past month....

Good evening everyone. It's now been almost a month since I've updated, and Laura and Andy are back in Jamaica (thank you JESUS!!) so I have MUCH more extra time. Most of which I don't know what to do with now that Laura and Andy are here. 

Well the time that Laura and Andy were visiting the U.S. was crazy and much more hectic than I could have ever imagined! My days went as followed:

6:30 AM – wake up and get 7 boys and myself ready for school.

7:30 AM – finish up lesson planning in the school

8 AM – eat breakfast get lunch money for the kids that go to the local school

8:30 AM – 2:30 PM – I was supposed to teach from 8:30-2:30 everyday, but the kids and I usually didn't get to the school till 9:30 or 10 due to staffing issues, getting money from the Cambio for the house, payroll, and other odds and ends that popped up when the staff would arrive in the morning. 

2;30 – 5 PM – help Christena (our accountant/secretary) run the house making sure the kids could get to their doctor and dentist appointments, go to PTA meetings, house and vehicle repairs, etc. 

5 – 6:30 PM – supper and then all the older kids watched a movie.

6:30 – 7:30 PM – showers, devotions, prayers, and SLEEP for the 7 boys.

7:30 – 9 PM – lesson planning

9 PM – fall into my bed exhausted!!!

My days were definitely packed from start to end, but God revealed to me that I can do anything through Him who strengthens me! No joke. He got me through those 3 weeks of chaos, making sure I was leaning on His strength and not mine. He's also rekindled my passion for teaching. I was starting to get bored with teaching, but after having to deal with all the situations outside of teaching, I would rather be helping my 4 students learn than running a children's home ANY DAY!! 

Having Michelle here was wonderful! It's kind of weird to think just a year ago we were in each others position – me visiting, her living here – now she visited and I'm living here. The kids love and admire her so much, but I know Robin's Nest is going to be moving forward in so many ways that it would have been difficult for one person to handle. It's an exciting transition to be here for. I'm praying that God will provide us with 2 couples willing to take over Michelle's position to keep the children's home running properly. There have been some prospects, but no commitments yet, so if any of you know any willing couples to serve full time, point them our direction!

Since it has been awhile since I've written, there's been some exciting trips I've been on:

- 2 throw up's and 37 pee's later – we arrived in Kingston for an all day fun-day provided by Digicel, Jamaica's #1 cell phone provider. Digicel provided transportation, free food, games, face painting, presents (toys), and much more for MANY different children's, boy's and girl's home ALL around the island. There was even a surprise appearance by Usain Bolt!! Ion entered the wheelchair relay and raced another boy. Andy pushed him and Ion WON!!!! The cool part was Usian Bolt put Ion's medal on his neck! Then we went to the concert where Elephant Man was there (he's a rapper from Jamaica and raps with a lot of American rappers, I guess). It was really cool to see a few famous people come together to give the kids of the island something fun and enjoyable for a day. The kids from our home were definitely the most well behaved! It was bittersweet, encouraging to see how well behaved our children are, but difficult to watch the other kids and how rude and mean they were but knowing they have never been taught differently.

- 2 hours AFTER the time we were asked to be at the ship, we were finally on our way up the elevator to the buffet dinning room on a cruise ship. The Jamaican Tourist Board hooked us up with lunch, a show, and a sit on Santa's lap on the most beautiful ship I've ever seen! It was the biggest boat I've ever been on, but really the only boats I've ever been on are speed boats, so that says a lot about my water adventures! But the children go lots of yummy cookies before they got to eat pizza, burgers, chicken fingers, and hot dogs for lunch. They were spoiled! Then we headed to the show where there were dancers and singers performing and singing Christmas carols. After the performance, all the kids got to sit on Santa's lap and each kid got a toy and candy. They LOVED it! The kids liked getting all the attention from all the pretty girls and handsome men, and all the performers thought our kids were ADORABLE (only because they really are!).

- Laura had the wonderful experience of going to a conference on orphans and HIV at one of the most beautiful all inclusive resorts on the island (Rose Hall Resort and Spa – check it out... it's gorgeous!). She also had a chance to stay there, which she didn't and she let ME stay there one night!! It was heaven!! The bed was like at home, the food was delicious, and the hot tub was amazing! I wind surfed, kayaked, AND water tubed in the Caribbean Sea. Who knew I would ever be able to do that? It was great. I picked up on the wind surfing pretty fast, but that's only because I'm terrified of sharks and I didn't want to fall off my board! I was able to fully relax and be able to come back to the kids rejuvenated!

The kids are now off of school for a week for Christmas. Laura, Andy, and I are trying to get the TRUE meaning of Christmas across to the kids. Teaching them it's not just about presents, but Christmas is about Jesus coming for us. I've been reading all the events leading up to Christ's birth to the girls for bedtime devotions. It's amazing to see the knowledge that these kids possess about Jesus and His followers. I'm quite sure I wouldn't have been able to tell you who John the Baptist was, let alone who his mother was or that he was Jesus' cousin! These girls can nail it down to the Angel that visited both Mary and Elizabeth. It's encouraging to me to continue to learn and grow in the love and knowledge of Christ. 

Well, when I get a chance I'll be posting pictures. I'm not sure when that will be, but hopefully I'll write an up-date before then. 

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a beautiful time ringing in the new year! I miss you and love you all!

I'm wearing many hats the next few weeks

Good morning everyone!!

This past week and a half has been crazy! I guess every time I write, that's what I say, but I always feel as if I don't have a chance to sit down and catch my breath. 

Laura and Andy left on Thursday to visit family and friends in the states till after Thanksgiving.... well really, they had to leave or Jamaica would throw them in jail, but I like to call it going home to visit :) 

Upon their departure, I became the replacement director till the 2 of them get back. 

I'm not only teaching 4 boys with very high special needs and much needed patience (which has been wearing thin), 

but I'm also managing 30 staff, 

making sure everything that needs to get done around the house is getting done,

all the while trying to give hugs, kisses, and love to 30 kids. 

I think I'm doing the job of what should be 15 or 20 people. It's become a very stressful job. While I'm teaching 2 different lessons to 4 boys, I have to deal with fixing the van, washing machine, and the boys urinal and make sure cooking and cleaning is getting done up at the house. 

I didn't give Laura and Andy, let alone Michelle, enough credit for what they do on a daily basis. If anything, these first few days, God has revealed to me that running a children's home is definitely not what He has in store for me. I know I'm supposed to be teaching. 

It's so hard to be this multi-tasker and make sure the kids get what they need. I'm praying I'm getting to every child every day to give them at least a hug, a kiss, and an “I love you”. 

Just an up-date on the children in the past 48 hours (which I am still trying to re-cover from):

One of the new babies, Dion, now 11 months, that we took about a month ago, left. I received a call at 6:30 Monday morning (don't worry, I had already been awake since 5 am... the boys wake up EARLY!) from Dion's dad saying he wanted to come and visit with Dion's mom. I was concerned from the get-go because Dion's mom wasn't in the picture when we picked him up from his dad AND Sunday night Dion's mom's NEW boyfriend came up to the house looking for her. I told Dion's dad he had to go to CDA (Child Development Agency) and get a letter from them saying he can visit his child (this is the procedure with any parent that wants to come and visit their child). The problem was: we didn't go through CDA to get the child, so CDA didn't know he had the child so Dion's dad still had all his rights to his child. When we took Dion, it was our understanding that his dad was going to get a job, start saving for a house and save money to care for Dion. Well, Tuesday morning showed he had obviously not gotten a job, Dion's mom was pregnant with another child with the man that came up to look for her Sunday night, and I found out they BOTH have mental problems. Since we didn't take Dion through CDA his mom and dad still had all their rights to Dion and we couldn't tell them to leave and for us to keep their baby, so I legally had to give the child back. Dion left with his mom and dad, and left me heartbroken for that child.

I laid down and cried and asked God why He would do this to this child who is just a baby and doesn't deserve anything that is going to happen to him in the coming years. But then I realized that all the children that live at our home have come from situations like this – some worse than others – but all have the same story, just a different book. None of the children deserve what have happened to them, and that's why they need more love, care, and attention than any of the other children I've come across. In all honesty, it's harder to keep showing and giving them more love. The longer I'm here I see the different things they do to get attention and the children start to push button's I never knew I had and after I have to discipline 30 other children I have less patience for the next child. It's hard to admit that, but it's true. After talking to Mrs. Beckford about Delroy leaving, she opened my eyes to this thought: it's not the kids fault. Not that I had ever thought that any child was at fault from what happened to them, but I feel as if I have been a lot harsher on them as if the children were taught right from wrong (they weren't). Mrs. Beckford explained to me no child deserved what happened to them and we can't hold them responsible for their past, we can only teach them how to treat the other children and how to act appropriately. I had never thought of this before (I'm not sure why....) but it helped me to think of why I was here differently. I feel when your on the mission field long term, you forget why you are where you are. It easy to do that, being caught up in the stress and everything go on around you. God used Mrs. Beckford to pull me back to reality and tell me (gently) why He wanted me here: to love on the children (even when tough situations arise, like Dion's). God is a good and merciful Father, He feels for His children here – I know He does, because I do and I'm sure His pain is much worse than mine. There will be a day where we will all be pain free and with our Father forever... but until then I will continue to do what He wants me do down here and hopefully use the gifts He's equipped me with to bring glory to His Name. 

Well, I better go.... I've got a full day of teaching, running a children's home, and giving kids love.

I'll post soon enough.

Love you and miss you all!