Devastation in Haiti hits us at home

Whew... where do I even begin? Surely, an ocean of tears have been shed from our home this week! As many of you know we have two of our teen adopted children in Haiti right now. We received word quickly that Stephanie and the family she is living with is safe. However, we went about 7 LONG hours before hearing that our precious 17 year old son Jacques had survived! We know there are many other families still waiting and wondering about their loved ones and our hearts go out to them and our prayers are with them. So we praise God for sparing the life of our Jacques, however, he is not at all in a good situation. From what I understand their building has been basically destroy (though not collapsed) and is unsafe and unusable so the kids (Jacques and over 50 or so other teen orphans) are living/sleeping in an outdoor basketball court. When I explained things to our son Jude (age 12 and adopted from Haiti) he knew about the place and shook his head and said "That place is VERY dangerous". Needless to say that did not bring any comfort. I do not have information on if they have had food or water since Tuesday. This morning we rejoiced as we learned that they had been reached and rescued, only to later find out that we were mistaken and they have not yet been rescued. Please keep our sweet son and the children from his orphanage in your prayers while you pray for the people of Haiti! He has been our son legally since August but we were waiting on a passport and visa to bring him home. So we cannot get him into America! I've contacted our congresswoman and researched and research on ways we might be able to get an emergency visa of some kind. Problem is~ Haiti has no working government. Probably won't for a long time. So there is nowhere to even take him to get a visa. Hundreds of adopted families are in the same situation with us. Also, we are hearing that adoption related issues are way down on the list of priorities. Understandably the first order of business is getting help out to those who need it the most. We will continue to seek options and pray for miracles!!!

We also must comfort Jude (Lovenie is not able to understand what is happening) as he also does not know if his birth family has survived. He asked me "What about my Mom and Dad, my Aunts and Uncles, and all my cousins" and I have no answer for him. I can only hug him and pray with him.

I have not posted anything here yet about this additional painful situation in our home, but we are also in the heartbreaking situation of seeking a family to re-adopt Jude. Information has come about that makes us certain we can not continue to raise Jude and Lovenie in the same home. Jude has been with us almost 1.5 years now and to say we have bonded with him and fallen in love with him is a huge understatement! We have prayed and prayed about this. We are so in love with Jude that I have even begged and pleaded to God that there would be some way, any way at all that he could remain here with us. God has confirmed again and again that it cannot happen, and is not His plan for Jude. We have been physically ill and sobbing over this situation. It is one I wouldn't wish anyone to find themselves in! Jude will be leaving us this weekend and will be a couple thousand miles away with very dear friends that we trust. It is a great comfort to know that he will be staying with them. We know that he will really enjoy them and they will enjoy him as well. They are not strangers to him and neither are their children, but are considered family to us. We do continue to seek a permanent family for Jude. So please pray with us about this and share information with families who are interested in an older child adoption through adoption disruption. We intend to keep the reason "why" private but will disclose everything to a family considering adoption. Jude is able to bond. He is so kind and extremely funny. ANY family that receives Jude as their son will be so blessed and so thankful to have him in their life. We praise God and thank Him again and again that He would allow us to know and love Jude the way that we do. We'll always be thankful for the role God has called us to in his precious life. God has confirmed to us multiple times that He "knows the plans he has for Jude, plans to prosper and not to harm, Plans for a future and a hope". We take comfort at that even as we cry until we run out of tears over saying goodbye to him.