A Prayer for Haiti

Today is a crucial day for the orphans of Haiti. Officials are meeting to decide whether or not to allow families with biological children to adopt these precious children. My friend Shelley, her husband Corrigan, and their two children are in the long process of adopting two boys from this impoverished country. They recently returned from there, where they met face to face these two little ones, Woodelson, 2, and Denilson, 8. I've seen their pictures, heard bits of their stories, listened incredulously as Shelley has spoken of the conditions of the orphanage; fifty children are cared for in a three bedroom home. And these fifty are blessed, because unlike so many other orphans in Haiti, they have a home. They are not roaming the streets begging for food; they are relatively safe and cared for compared to the many others who are not.
Thankfully, all fifty of the children in this particular orphanage are in the process of being adopted. Shelley told me though, that like them, around 75% of the families seeking to adopt these precious little ones have biological children. Many of these families have been to Haiti, have begun to establish love and trust with these children, and are now facing, through no decision of their own, the possibility of having to leave them orphans once again. My thoughts turn to Woodelson and Denilson; I see their smiling brown faces, the depth of their dark eyes, and I know that the love of God and of Shelley and Corrigan would give them a home, a family. And they are only two of the countless children in Haiti who could be left orphans if this decision is made today. Only two, out of fifty, out of so, so many.
Will you please join me in praying for God to have mercy on these children? Will you pray that as the rivers of water, He will turn the hearts of the officials toward them? And that instead of more delays, He will expedite the lengthy process of uniting these precious ones with the forever families that are waiting, loving, and praying for them? Thank you! And, if you are praying, please stop over at Shelley's blog and encourage her today as well. You can also see the many great shirts and things she's designed that celebrate adoption here. All proceeds will help bring their children home!
Finally, I want to share with you the words that Peregrine prayed this morning: "Dear Lord, please help all the orphans in Haiti to have food, and give them all families. And please help the people in the meeting to be right, and make it so people with kids already can adopt them. Amen" And amen!

A Boy Named Woodelson

In a faraway broken land there is a home for children, a three bedroom house with fifty little ones. Fifty brown faces left by parents too impoverished to care for them. Fifty little hearts waiting and hoping that they will soon be taken to another land, a strange land, to live with their forever family. One of these little boys is named Woodelson, and he was just visited by the family who is waiting and hoping and praying that they can bring him home very soon.
Woodelson is just two years old, and it's my friends Shelley and Corrigan who are in the long process of adopting him. While visiting Woodelson in Haiti, they also met another boy named Denilson who they are praying about adopting as well. Denilson is older, 7 or 8, and Shelley knows she'd need to homeschool him when he comes home. He doesn't speak English yet, and doesn't know how to read or write. She asked me if I knew of any resources for beginning to homeschool a child like this, so I thought I'd throw it out there and see if anyone else can help. I know there are many people who have adopted older children and who've adopted internationally; if you know of someone like this who'd be willing to share their experience, would you put them in touch please?
Also, please join us in praying that God will expedite the process of setting these children in their forever families. It could take another year or even two, and that's a long time in the life of a child; it's also a long time for the waiting families who love them! Shelley has written about their experience in Haiti on her blog. I'd encourage you to go read it and send up some prayers on behalf of these little ones.