Almost two weeks in and I'm finally out of panic mode. We got all of the stuff we had to do within the first 10 days of receiving a child (visits with doctor, social worker, psychologist, and lab tests) and other stuff that came up, including a visit to the dentist because a child was in pain - found out he needs 4 crowns! Did I mention he's 6? Oh yeah, about those lab tests - it's not so easy to get kids to poop when you want them to. We pretty much failed while we were at the lab, so we had to fill vials at the home and get them to the lab within 2 hours. Thankfully the lab is only 30 minutes from the house, but it was one stinky car ride!

I also got to accompany our social worker on our first court date! Only one person could actually go into court, so I was essentially the nanny - ie watching and playing with the kids during court proceedings. 

We are in the process of hiring another nanny so that we can take a few more kids - hopefully this week! And I'm really looking forward to Pastor Fred, Dorothy, Sun, and Kate coming in just one week - YAY!!!!!! Oh yeah, Tom, too.

Thank you again for your prayer support! There were a few tense moments, but God and your prayers brought us through. 

With much gratitude,
Jackie
More to come!

Eight is enough...for now. 
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Started off a little crazy - one child peed in his pants and threw up in the car. I couldn't blame him, it was an hour ride through some pretty windy roads. So, frantic search for clothes once we got to the small mall, found toddler clothes which was close enough, then off to pizza and a giant dinosaur themed play structure! America's got nothing on Guatemala as far as play structures - this one was huge and so much fun! It was hard to get the kids to come down and eat lunch. And then -- Frozen 2! All in all, a very full day.

Thank you for sharing in this journey!! More to come!!

(Sorry for the edit- the children's faces are covered for their protection)

Five for now. This was our first devotional time with the children. I have to say, Luky, the head nanny was awesome! And the children are hugging monsters - especially the girls. Although they are here for some pretty heart wrenching reasons, they are receiving a lot of love. Our staff are doing such a good job engaging and caring, and these children are responding so well! They are finally in a safe home where they are receiving love and care and can forget (for a time) their past and just be happy kids (as they were meant to be!) 
More to come, but for now, here are our prayer requests - 

• ​For the children to feel loved and safe and to receive healing
• For the caregivers to love the children and be wise; also, that they would not become over weary physically or emotionally
• Jackie - for wisdom and strength to lead and guide staff and make difficult decisions

It's comforting knowing that God is over, below, and in everything we do, always protecting and leading. 
Thank you all for your prayers!!

 What a day! I would love to post a closer picture, but was advised not to post a picture, name, and/or story together so as to protect the child's identity. And I have to tell her story. 
Today we got a call asking if we were interested in taking in a 10 year old girl who is currently being treated for epilepsy. No other orphanage was willing to take her. It was not an immediate "Yes!" from us. Tom and I both struggled with taking on a child that would need special care. In the end, we knew it was never meant to be easy and said yes.
And then we found out about all the other stuff they didn't tell us. The girl had been in the hospital since Dec 26 because she had a seizure and a neighbor had filed a report. According to the written record, the family was too poor to buy the epilepsy medicine which is why she had a seizure - which led to the neighbor's report. She was just released today and because of her state when she was admitted (apart from the seizure, she was pretty obviously malnourished), the courts would not allow her to go back to her home.
And there's more. The family never registered her birth so as far as the government is concerned, she does not exist. The process to get her an identity is at least 7 months. And apart from being malnourished, she is also at least somewhat developmentally delayed. Our lawyer, who picked her up from court, was teaching her the alphabet during the ride in her car. She has never gone to school, her speech is unclear and the court has ordered she be given speech therapy (at our cost, of course). Her vision is impaired and her gait is also a little unsteady. BUT SHE IS HAPPY! It took all of 30 seconds before she was hugging the three of us who met her at the car. She loves the attention she is receiving! She teases and laughs and makes us laugh as well. 
And my heart is overjoyed! Its so obvious how hungry she is to be loved and seen. And I am so thankful that God has given this particular girl to us as we begin - she is the perfect start!

Happy New Year!! Plus a quote from one of my favorite movies.
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I can’t believe we’re only days away from seeing children here! Even though our official start date is today, this is a slow week for the courts and realistically we’ll probably get calls on Monday. We have some staff starting on Monday (cook and 2 nannies) and will bring on additional staff as needed. In the meantime, lots of shopping – toiletries, groceries, additional bedding and bath supplies, etc. Will definitely keep you posted!

As I start the new year and looking back on the past few months, the hardest part for me has been being here on my own. Although God has brought me in contact with many new friends here, I often find myself missing my family and friends back in the States. But God is so faithful! Just this past Sunday, God again comforted me with His word - Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go - again reminding me that He is with me always, everywhere. 
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As always thank you for your prayers! More to come!!