“Once our eyes are opened
we can’t pretend we don’t know what to do.
God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls,
knows that we know, and holds us responsible to act.”
Proverbs 24:12
All day long we were carrying my cell phone, praying that Dw would be able to make contact with us. Right about 5 pm he called!! Yippee Jesus!! We talked for 13 minutes and it was soooo good to hear his voice and hear a speck of what was happening.
First off, Dw went as part of a leadership team from our denomination to assess how exactly to plant an orphanage(s). He was told before he left, that they knew that Dw’s appointment was a divine assignment because of all the orphanages he has been part of, volunteered at, and supported. They also loved that we have adopted 7 kids ourselves. {I love that part too!}
Anyway, on the flight from Ft. Lauderdale to Haiti Dw was bumped by the airlines to First Class and who should be sitting across the aisle from him? {Only a God-thing since Dw’s legs are so long and get so uncomfortable in the regular class.} The man is on a staff at a HUGE church in America and was formerly the Assistant Director of Feed the Hungry. Sounds like another divine assignment to me!! The man and Dw hit it off and talked the entire trip. By the end of the trip this gentleman turned to Dw and said, “Maybe Dw, you should partner with us.” Hmmmm. Now we’re talkin’.
I guess yesterday Dw “ran” into the gentleman again. =) Anyway, who knows how God will use that meeting, but I am tickled and am confident that it was not an accident or coincidence. We firmly believe that every single thing that happens in life is going to be used by Almighty God somehow, either now or in the future.
Today as Dw and I were on the phone Dw was barely able to talk….he kept crying and crying. He said through tears, “You know the orphanage Elijah and Elizabeth were at Linny? Well the different orphanages I was at today make the one in Uganda look like a palace.” He said that he found an orphanage run by a little old lady….and he had opportunity to talk to her for a long time {he also fell in love with some kids – I know, I know, shocker, right?}. He met several sibling groups whose parents had been killed in the earthquake.
Dw asked this elderly orphanage director if she has much help come by way of missions trips, etc? She said no, but she prays all the time that God will send people to help. How horrific that she has been praying for years for help and seen basically none at all. No doubt, this will be a place for future mission trips we will be leading.
Dw said that the devastation is even hard to verbalize…..and that he needs to come home to just process it and talk about it with me. He could not stop crying. He said that he could see shoes, diaper wipes, clothes….all sticking out from under buildings where bodies have been crushed. He said nothing in life has prepared him for what he has seen. He also said that the devastation is beyond words. He said the people are without hope. His heart is completely broken for the Haitian people.
Please pray for all those who have gone to Haiti to work and help. Pray for God’s grace and peace to penetrate their hearts and minds and that God would use their presence to minister to the Haitian people. And NOW is the time for the body of Christ to mobilize and be His hands and feet. We cannot turn our backs.
“Once our eyes are opened
we can’t pretend we don’t know what to do.
God, who weighs our hearts
and keeps our souls,
knows that we know and
holds us responsible to act.”
Proverbs 24:12
that is pitiful – about the orphanages and such. Praying for the people who went to help, and that GOD would be seen in their lives by the Haitians. I pray that the Gospel will be shown to these people.
Thank you for this post Linny. I can't wait to read updates from your hubby. I've made several posts on Haiti also trying to get people to be aware of how we need to step up! STEP OUT! Haiti was bad before… I shudder to think of what we will see when we return this summer. I found the other part of my family there. My family in Christ Jesus. I love them dearly. Tell your hubby that there are more people praying for him than he knows! ♥
I'm loving following your blog! And this post is especially meaningful as we have connections ourselves to an orphanage there, as well as several friends who have brought home their children in the past month. I'm so excited about your husband's efforts there and will continue to follow your family's journey and pray:)!!
Dear One,
Praying for your precious husband as he tries to process all the horrors that he is seeing. Praying that God will strengthen him to do, and act, and say, all the He has lead him to Haiti to do. We are praying that God will lift up a tangible hope for these broken people. May God richly bless Dw as he is being His hands in that place.
Love you!
Linny,
First, I am so glad you heard from your husband. I know that when my husband travels internationally and it's several days before time zones and openings to call match up, I can't really rest until I hear his voice. Then I can sigh a big sigh of relief.
I have felt from the beginning of this earthquake tragedy that God was going to use it to bring hope and healing to Haiti. It's a nation that is predominantly Christian. And yet, because of the corruption for so many years, any aid that went there, was not given to those who needed it. I think people gave up on sending stuff. I believe that now, through this devastation, that little old lady's prayers are being answered. People will come. She will have help. She is known now to you and DW, and if I know anything, I know that you guys are going to do something to bring relief to her and those in her care.
I will be praying for DW and his God-given gentle heart while he's in Haiti!
OH Linny, that was CLEARLY a very DIVINE appointment that DW had on the plane…I love how God makes 'connections' for us like that! I can't wait to see what unfolds because of that meeting.
My heart is breaking for the Haitian people, too. I know that I can't even begin to fathom the devastation from the photos I've seen compared to all that DW has seen in person. I mentioned the other day that I have a friend that is over there right now for 30 days. I believe he went with his church, as well. They have such a heart for serving and I am so grateful for those servants hearts!! May God use them to bless the lives of many during their time there.
LOVE that scripture in Proverbs, too! Once that one sinks in, you can never shake it… which is a good thing!! <><
Blessings and Hugs,
~ Tanya
I don't know if you know of this group, but I read their blog. They have been updating since the day of the earthquake in Haiti, and I have sent many prayers that way. http://www.theglobalorphanproject.org
Thank you for your post Linny! I am so glad you heard from Dw! I love how the Lord works through him!
I am so sorry for the devastation in Haiti- I pray for the haitian people and especially for the orphans. My heart aches for them and wants to bring them home… now!
I look forward to hearing Dws revelations once he is home and able to process this experience.
(You have 7 adopted kids- you are so ahead of me- completely not fair… I am going to catch up to you!)
so…just where does a soon-to-be 45 yo mother and 52 yo father of 7 children (two adopted from Rusia 5 years ago this month)go to find their next set of precious children?
So grateful for all that DW and others are doing in Haiti. We're hoping that David will be able to go to Haiti when more of the rebuilding starts happening (he's a carpenter).
Blessings,
Sarah
Oh Linny!
I am praying, praying that the Lord will use that team to be His hands and arms and voice of HOPE and healing to everyone they meet in Haiti. Praying that He will be the sustainer of the team, that He will carry them. That they will run and not grow eary, walk and not grow faint.
Praying!
Shannon
Linnie,
Provers 24:12 has just been resonating within me since your post "We didn't Get the Memo." I can't escape the conviction of it! (don't want to either)I am not content to have my emotions touched or my heart pulled on and let it end at that any longer! We are praying for DW, and waiting in great anticipation.
Brian and Megan
Linnie,
Provers 24:12 has just been resonating within me since your post "We didn't Get the Memo." I can't escape the conviction of it! (don't want to either)I am not content to have my emotions touched or my heart pulled on and let it end at that any longer! We are praying for DW, and waiting in great anticipation.
Brian and Megan
Praying for Dwight and all he will touch while in Haiti.
It breaks my heart just reading this…praying for God to speak BIG thru DW and he will have many doors opened to help the children of Haiti.
Thanks for sharing this Linny. I can't imagine the things DW is witnessing. Been praying for him and will continue to do so. Can't wait to see how God continues to use the earthquake for His good. Praying for the people of Haiti.
Hugs,
Robin
Wow. God is going to do something big. I just know it.
Linny,
I am amazed at the divine appointments given to Dw on this trip to Haiti (also referencing the newest post). We had been working with Haiti for over two years trying to bring home our children and I know how completely disorganized this governments officials are. Praise God, He got our children out at the end of January, and I have been so preoccupied with them I haven't given much thought to their homeland lately. I know the need is greater than ever, thank you for the reminder!
I am so glad Dw is there to see and help and bring back a passion for Haiti and maybe some connections to orphanages. I have no idea what Haitian adoption is going to look like in the years ahead but I pray that it will be smoother and faster and the children who are spoken for will not have to languish in their creche for years. It breaks my heart to watch my children and know that many of their behaviors came from those years of being in an institution while I was waiting for permission to come get them.
But, even more than that, I pray that Dw brings back connections to an orphanage that will greatly benefit from help and aid. An orphanage who will raise up secure, loved and Godly children who will be able to help turn their country around. As much as I would like to try (!) we can't adopt them all and the children who stay need someone who will invest time, training and love so that they will be able to give back when they are grown. Someone to break the cycle of hopelessness…
I have no idea what God will call us to do in the future but I hope He will use our family as He has used yours. In spite of a very rough couple of months with our newbies I know that adoption IS God's heart and that He will use my weakness to show His strength, His plan and His love for the least of these. I also have not "got the memo" and I pray He will give my husband the same passion and drive so that we can be a forever family to many more children in the years to come 🙂
God Bless you and your family (and I know He does!)
Kirsten
God is definitely doing something big. I have goosebumps reading this post and tears in my eyes. Continued prayers. Hugs and love