Grace for the Waiting

Dear Aaron,
This week has been so hard. I am not sure what made is any harder than any other week and why it seemed so hard when we have only just started this journey.  I don't know, but it was hard.  I dream about you at night.  I talk about you everyday.  I think about you constantly...I... miss.. you.

I thought that I almost had Daddy Lester talked into letting me climb on an airplane and come to see you.  But Uncle Emory talked him out of it. *pout face*   I know that Uncle Emory is right. I have to wait. I have to be patient.  But.... I... miss... you.

Today, we had a yardsale.  That is where we take all of our things that we don't use, put them outside and let others buy them.  I was watching a lady walk up to one of my tables when I noticed a little boy walking beside her.  She turned toward me and he walked out from behind her.  He took my breath away.  He had a pacifier in his mouth so all that I could see was his eyes and the shape of his head.  So many pictures of you have your thumb in your mouth so that all I can see are your eyes and the shape of your head too.   He looked exactly like you and for a minute...I was in Haiti again.    I walked around to the other side of the table and fell onto my knees in front of him.  When I realized what I was doing I decided that I needed to ask his mama's permission.  "Can I hug him?"  She smiled at me and said yes.  I held my arms out to him and he fell into my arms and snuggled up to my neck.  I held him so close.  I hugged him for a really long time....because....  I... miss... you.

When I finally was able to let go, I told his mama all about you.  I took her over to a picture that I had of you and me together.  She smiled and said, "His eyes look just like my son's eyes."  I nodded in agreement with her. I told her that I thought that Jesus had sent her as a special blessing to me.  Jesus knew that I needed to hold you.  Jesus knew that I needed to feel you hugging me.  Jesus knew that....I... miss... you.

She told me that she didn't plan to come to my yard sale.  She had been to another yard sale down the road from us and her car was parked far away...but something made her walk down to where I was.  She agreed with me that it must have been God that sent her to me.  She could tell by the tears in my eyes.  She knew that....I... miss.. you.

So today I am thankful for the grace that God granted to me through that little boy and his sweet little hug.  I am am amazed at how God is providing for even the smallest of  needs and I am trusting that he is meeting the smallest of your needs too.  I hope that God will send a lady to you.  Maybe she will have dark curly hair. Maybe she will wear glasses,  or maybe she will wear the same perfume that I wear or have a voice that sounds like mine.  I hope that when you see her, when you hug her, or when you hear her voice...that you remember me...and that you will know that....I... miss... you.

Love,
Mama Shelby

Bringing you up to date...

I just thought that maybe I should update you all on where we are in the journey to adopt Aaron.  If you haven't done so, please read "How it all began" under the tabs on our home page to find out how God began this journey that we are on.

As you know, our family traveled to Haiti in January of this year.  God had several purposes in mind for us on that trip but one of those was to find an orphanage that had a license for adoption.  Ms. Dorothy's orphanage (Faith Hope Love Infant Rescue) is primarily a home for children with special medical needs.  While she is presently in the process of getting a license from the Haitian govt, her primary calling is to meet the needs of sick babies/kids.  Some of the kids in her home come to her in order to get through critical health challenges and then return to their families.  Though Aaron has been diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease, he is, for the most part, a very healthy little boy thanks to the love and care that she has given to him.  Moving him to a licensed orphanage will not only provide a means for us to begin adopting him, but it will free up a spot for another child who may have a critical medical need to be loved and nurtured in Ms. Dorothy's care just as Aaron was.

God surely directed our path as we sought for the right place for Aaron to live until we can bring him home.  Over a course of events, God directed us to Cathy Fitzsimmons.  She and her husband, Rodney, have ministered in various ways to the people of Haiti for 30 years. They have raised their family there and have devoted their lives to the work of the Lord there.   They presently over see, through the help of Baptist World Mission, an orphanage that is directed by Pastor Anesse Aristild and his wife Madam Aristild.  When Cathy introduced us to the Aristild's and showed us around their orphanage, there was such a sense of peace.  All I could do was cry as Cathy translated for us to the Aristild's about the need that we had for Aaron.  Through tears of joy, I managed to whisper a "Thank you" after they told us that they were willing to take Aaron and love him "as their own son."   I can't even tell you what a comfort those words were to this mama's heart.  Even though they couldn't speak much english and we couldn't speak ANY creole at all, there was a calm assurance way down in my heart and an unexplainable "connection" to them  that let me know that these people would love and nurture our son in the same way that we would if we could be there.

After finding the right orpahange, the next step was to find out if  we would be able to qualify to adopt Aaron. We wanted to be sure that we met the guidelines before we put him through the pain of leaving Ms. Dorothy's home to go to a place that he had never been, to live with people that he had never met.  It was such a HUGE thing to think that we would be affecting this child's life in this way.   We did some investigating over the internet, made some phone calls, asked some questions from people in the "know" and found that we should be able to meet all of the U.S. and Haitian guidelines. PRAISE THE LORD!!!

While we were in Haiti, we found out that Aaron had a brother and a grandfather living in Jubilee.  We wanted to be sure that we had the blessing of the family before we began the adoption process, so Kathy and Beaver Brooks (missionaries living in Gonaives Haiti-Much Ministries) sent a picture of Aaron into the community in an attempt to locate his family.  Much to our surprise we found out that Aaron's biological father was alive and came to Jubilee from time to time.  So, word was left with the family requesting that he contact the Brooks' when he returned to Jubilee.  We need to get his consent to adopt Aaron before we begin to take the next steps in his adoption. 

Several weeks have passed and another message was sent last week requesting that he contact us.  So far, we have not had any word from him.

So that is where we are.  Waiting. From what I hear, that is the common theme for families adopting from Haiti.  I have faith that God, who holds the hearts of Kings in his hands and turns them to or fro (Proverbs 21:1) will move on the heart of this father and get him in touch with us soon.  We believe that God wrote a book about Aaron's life before he was ever formed in his mother's womb (Ps 139:16) and that he will order his steps in those good plans that he has made for Aaron's life (Jeremiah 29:11).

Would you join with our family in prayer that Aaron's father will contact someone soon?  I know that God's timing is perfect. Even so, I am sure that you can imagine how this mama's arms are aching to have her baby snuggled in them.  Each day that passes feels like another opportunity missed to watch God's plan unfold for Aaron's life.  I know that he is well cared for, and he is loved tremendously by Ms. Dorothy as well as the Nannies that help her care for him.  I just feel as if a piece of our family is missing.

 Thanks so much for your prayers! As soon as we hear from Aarons' father, I will be sure to update you all.