Blessed

At the end of September a team came to build a basketball court at a local primary school.  Included on this team was some of our friends from Vancouver and it was so great to share Rwanda with them for a little while!  This team also brought us so many things from our wish list- we were amazed & humbled!  I had to take a picture to show you just how big they blessed us!

And this is not all- another team from All God's Children International came this month and they brought us more items from our wish list- including a new stainless steel skillet- which I needed so much.  My other skillet *had* non-stick coating on it that was all scratched off, it was warped, and just in terrible shape!  So happy to have a nice pan that will last me now.

One of the things we got to do with this team was to spend a few days visiting an orphanage on the other side of the country.  There are around 600 kids of all ages there.  Somewhat overwhelming, especially at first.  I found my place in the one year old room.  A small room (about 6 ft. by 12 ft?) with 20 babies in it.  There are foam pads on the floor where the workers and babies all sit and hang out together.  The nice thing is there are many workers here (all volunteer, just paid room, board and some pocket money).  Of course there are no diapers for all these babies, so they take scraps of material and tie them in a make shift cloth diaper around the babies.  Needless to say, as I sat on the floor with those babies, I got peed on everyday.  But I didn't mind too much.  I love that age & part of that is probably because they are old enough to become attached to you and really respond to you.  I had a few special little friends that I was sad to have to leave.

It got me thinking about how I am praying for Rwanda.  I am praying for the country to become more open to adoption, both inside the country and international.  Then on Sunday the pastor was preaching about something else, but when he got to Romans 8:15-16 he talked to the congregation about how Rwandans traditionally do not have an understanding of adoption.  It is very common for households to take in children from extended family members, neighbors, or friends.  However, these children are not considered full members of the household.  Many times they are treated like hired workers.  The pastor (who has spent much time in the US) talked about how in the West when a child is adopted they become a full heir and on equal standing with any other children in the family.  It was a blessing to me, because inside I am saying "Yes!"  I really would love to see the hearts of Rwanda open to adoption in all ways so that more children would be placed into forever homes.

Let's agree and pray together for God to change hearts and direct the future of a country.

Please also remember to keep our family in our prayers. Our paperwork for Christine's adoption is still sitting in an office here.  #74 out of 150, and I think they have started working on the first few in that pile.  We need our adoption completed before we return to the US June 3rd.

We also are beginning this week with online high school for Christine.  She is wanting to make up for lost time so she can enter 12th grade next fall.  It means basically taking a double load of classes for the next 8 months, and a double load for me as her homeschool teacher.  And I'm still trying to homeschool Nate (which can be very challenging).

Thank you for your prayers!

God Bless You,
Lisa

P.S.  Another blessing for our family (especially KaLia) is that her pet rabbits had babies this week.  Eight baby bunnies- very exciting!