Jacob's turn

We celebrated Charlie's birthday a week early since Jacob leaves for Haiti next weekend (on Charlie's birthday actually). I am so excited/sad/nervous/happy and a million other emotions about Jacob going to Haiti. He's finally going to get to meet the children I fell in love with back in March. Especially Lucien. We have read a bible story to Charlie every night followed by her bedtime prayers. We pray that the Lord would protect her innocence and health. That He would keep her safe through the night and that He would help us raise her in a way that honors and pleases Him. We also tell her all about Lucien and pray for him. That he would know how much we love him and that he and his "brothers and sisters" at the orphanage would be safe and sleep well and know that we think about him. 

I can't help but be a little jealous that Jacob gets to go and I don't! I have this stupid fear that Lucien won't remember me. How selfish right? Shouldn't it be that I worry that Lucien remembers and comes to know Jesus? I of course want that for Lucien AND for my Charlie girl. (and for the rest of the sweet babies in Haiti for that matter). I daydream all the time about finally getting to go back over to Haiti and the House of Abraham and embracing that little boy in my arms. What if he's like "hey, crazy lady, who are you and why are you squeezing the crap out me?" So, I'm sending him a letter and a picture of me with him via Jacob. It's amazing that spending just a few days with someone can make such an impact! I'm still rooting on him going to Ole Miss one day since we live so close to Oxford!

People have asked why we aren't considering adopting him if we feel so strongly about him. We have prayed about it, and we don't feel like we are supposed to. I don't feel like I am called to be Lucien's mommy. I feel like I'm supposed to be a part of his life and help him know Jesus and live his life for God. Jacob and I plan to make trips every year to Haiti to maintain relationships with Lucien and all of the other kids at the HoA and eventually take Charlie with us one day - a long time from now. :)

So - to the point of the post, since I get so sidetracked - pray for Jacob and the rest of the team going to Haiti. I've been, so I know how different scary it can be. He won't have his handy iphone to be able to just call or text if he needs something. He won't understand the language (except for "hi, my name is," "how are you," and "thank you"). Pray that the will get a multitude of opportunity to share the gospel! Pray that they get a huge amount of work done on the new House of Abraham. Pray that they remember why they are there and that they would be the Hands and Feet of a most incredible Savior!

*And if all of that isn't enough to pray for, pray that I would be strong as I send my husband off to a foreign country on  my baby girl's first birthday! Jacob is my rock and I will miss him so much while he's gone since I most likely won't be able to talk to him at all. I'm already looking forward to seeing him walk run down that corridor at the Airport to his two girls!! BUT we aren't called to be comfortable or to have constant communication. We are called to do the work of God and tell all the nations about Jesus's love and mercy!

Thanks for the prayers, for the support, and for reading this silly blog that I still can't figure out how to put pictures on!

S