Packing Hilarity

     So here's a funny picture for your mind.  Picture a whole school full of books, a huge kitchen, office supplies with a surplus of 30 years of memories, student dorms, a preschool, and our family home.  And then picture all of this needing to be packed and shipped in a container to another island.....and it's Brice, me, our 3 young kids (who make it more messy than imagined), and grandma packing it up!   Several of our local staff have already left and been employed elsewhere since they have found other jobs.  And our other American staff family had a family vacation planned elsewhere this week.  So, this is our work crew.  We've been starting our days at 7 and going until 10 or 11 and somehow it's getting done.

     We had originally had a team coming to help.  And then timing of responses from sellers just was off.  Then, several of our board members came together and after visiting with us and seeing us personally, said......."You guys need a rest.  You are working overtime everyday, dealing with baby loss, waiting on international move, and we think you need to take a few months off for complete rest and restoration."  We have never done this.  Even when back for a month in the summers we are always working full-time headed to churches and visiting supporters and sharing about WISE.  So, we prayed with them and decided to go ahead and pack now and in this time of waiting for the properties to sell we would head back to the States.  While we can't just take a full several months off, we have promised to take a week of family vacation time to rest.  So, we are busy getting all of it packed up and then will possibly be sharing with our wonderful supporters all that God is doing here soon.

Our Praise Baby

Man, it seems like such a journey....and only been several months.  Well, 8 months ago we started praying and trying for another baby when the adoption of the girls fell through.  I finally got pregnant and we were all so thrilled!  There were 3 months of morning sickness, which they all say is a great sign for a healthy baby. 

Here there are only 2 working ultrasound machines on the island and it can take 1-3 months to get an appointment for them.  I had made my appointment with an OBGYN this past week after Easter.  We went in so excited to see our baby and PRAISE we did get to see a beautiful perfect baby with hands and feet, but no heart beat.  Our doctor was amazing, prayed with us for a miracle and even got us in that day at the other ultrasound to check again.  Both had the same answer.

Here lately several have passed on at the hospital inaccurate amounts of anesthesia, and we just did not want to take that chance with my health, so we prayed the baby could pass naturally and I not have to be hospitalized for a few days as the doctor wanted.  Four days later, at our home....our baby passed on.  We were able to see the sweet baby with hands wrapped around his stomach and grieve.  We felt so grateful to God for allowing him to pass and us to be able to see him.  We also were so very thankful for friends who called and cared so much.  And we were so grateful to have fellow missionary partners who kept our other kids shielded and safe, cooked us many a meal, prayed with and for us. And huge PRAISE that as a doctor Dave could look at baby and placenta and make sure all had come and help us know what to expect and what we were seeing.  

We miss and long for our PRAISE baby, but so thankful each day God guides us and we have HIS comfort.

Easter - New Life

Chrisandra has been my friend for forever it seems like.  One of my favorite parts of the week was always walking to her neighborhood (she lives in the governmental housing down by the airport), chatting with her, catching up, learning about her life, and praying with her.  

So many would wonder how the girl does it.....17 now with 2 small boys.  3 neighbor kids orphaned by AIDS that are often living with her.  A 10 by 10 foot home.  Having a mother who was always drunk and still trying to keep others safe from her abuse.  And yet....never has she complained.  And she is always smiling.

When at first she wanted to start taking classes to learn about becoming a Christian, after a month of study she said leaving the night life of partying was too hard.  Living with her boyfriend and the life she was living didn't line up with what God talked about.  So, she said it was too much.  Then, after much prayer and crying hard......she came to Brice and said......"I'm ready to live for Christ!"  

Love this sister!