- Is the TV show "The Closer" any good? Can a 12 year old watch it?
- Do any of you know if there are good cell phone plans available where you do not have to lock into a year or two contract? We are hoping to do better than the price you get when you just put minutes on with phone cards, but only need a USA cell phone from late August until January. Any ideas of who might offer a shorter contract?
- *IF* you attend a church ready to get involved or looking to get more involved in The Great Commission and would enjoy hearing more about the work being done in Haiti, we (our family) are looking for a few new partners for 2008. We will be Stateside and available to visit and give a presentation this fall/early winter. If you can give us an "in" at your church, please let us know.
Emmanuel is hanging in there. Licia said he is keeping food down and starting to look a little better. The next week is big for him. Please pray specifically that he does not pick up any germs. One virus can wipe a guy that size out in no time.
Lord willing he'll make it through the week and then be able to go for some blood work. With both parents dead the possibility for HIV is greater, something that will need to be checked. After that bridge is crossed I hope to talk with the aunts and cousin and see how they feel about placing him for adoption.
He is an orphan in the truest sense of the word. We have established that the remaining relatives would rather not be burdened with raising him and are already stretched thin, so maybe this will be a good option for them. Many times we find that families won't place the baby for fear of what the neighbors will think or say. In this case it should be an easier transition since they've already allowed him to leave their care. Everybody knows everybodys business here, that is not always such a positive thing.
The culture is actually not all that adoption-friendly. We've been surprised at how many Haitian people assume we get paid something for having Hope, Isaac and Phoebe. Many are perplexed by it and question our motives. One of our birthmoms told us that people often accuse her of selling her children, the implication being that they are working/slaves. When you consider that this country of 8 million sent only a few hundred kids to the USA last year, and not anymore than that to Canada and other countries -- it means the vast majority of the population has not ever been exposed to the idea of adoption. It's a foreign concept.
In reality, I think much of the USA culture does not "get" adoption either. The statistic that 2-3% of Americans adopt tells me the general population still finds it odd . Like many of you, we've had people assume our adopted kids are not as important or valued. Someone in my family once made reference to me being their "caretaker" rather than their Mom. Some people cannot wrap their mind around the idea that it is possible to truly, unconditionaly love a child that did not "come from you." I think many people think it is some inferior way to build a family. Wrong. Wrong. And wrong. But - I digress. Enough of that.
I know lots of you are rooting for Emmanuel and praying. Thank you.
We'll post some photos of the Birthday boy after his party Monday night.
