Hope for Heaven

As most of you who know us, know that last March we signed up to sponsor 10 kids in Ethiopia. Tim and I have never seemed to do things in a little way, that just hasn't been God's plan. So last March God laid it upon our hearts to sponsor 10, Yes I said 10. Wow that seemed like such a big number and especially since we didn't know how much that was going to cost. We didn't pick the children someone picked them for us. Anyways we got 10 girls, ages 9 to 14 they were all living within the trash dump, our sponsorship got them out of the dump and into boarding school. To learn more about that program go to www.p61.org God also laid it upon our hearts the very same night we needed to help build orphanages. We are still in the works on this plan He has for us, and He will make that happen all in His timing. So last November we got an e-mail telling us one of our girls was sick and sent home from school. After going to the doctor it was determined that she would go back to school. Then on March 23rd this year we got another e-mail, this time she was back from school and could not go back until she was over her health issues. I e-mailed my kids pediatrician, she had just got back from there and I was wondering if she had seen her. Ms. Kristen told me yes, she was the first person she seen, she treated her, gave her some medicine and told me she needed surgery. It was never a question would we help, we were already praying and started talking to people to get a visa for her so she could have surgery. Surgery there didn't seem like a good choice. However, we had time this was not life threatening, I ask questions, I sent e-mails, I was doing the work just getting nowhere for 2 months. I didn't give up, God keep telling me to push it, I got nowhere. I really started to question all of this, I had medical things come up that needed to be taken care and Samantha needed her adenoids out. So, I just keep praying God keep saying she's coming get ready. I can be very hard headed sometimes just ask Tim or my parents. I didn't listen, sure I keep sending e-mails but, I wasn't getting READY! We have a room in our home that could be used for a bedroom but it's been storage since we moved in. God said get the room ready, I said maybe I'll clean it out use it for an office again. God said No, make it her room. I said when I find out she coming and if we get a referral form the hospital there so we can get a visa. God said...Get Ready! Well that brings us to the last 2 days.... Yesterday morning on my was to the surgery center with Samantha to have her adenoids removed I got a phone call. The voice on the end was crying, I knew this wasn't good. Carrie had just got back from Ethiopia, and she had spent the week with Heaven, she told me Heaven was very sick and in the hospital. Heaven had ask to go home and die because she felt there was no hope for her, she needs heart surgery and they don't do this in Ethiopia. They told her Mama Serena was working on getting her out of there so she could have surgery. The Big thing here is the original health issue was put on hold which was no easy task it was reconstructive surgery, she has no control of her urine or bowels. She has to wear a diaper, she's 12 years old. Heart Surgery WHAT? I was not prepared for that, so I thought. I soon realized it didn't matter if I was ready or not. God was ready and he started moving mountains and at the same time gave us a total peace about it all. I love how the Big Man upstairs can push you off a huge cliff and at the same time open your parachute. Yesterday was full of God things, Samantha's surgery went really good, we were told we would get the referral for Heaven, she was feeling much better, we got her official diagnosis so we could start talking to doctors, Heaven has chronic rheumatic heart disease. Her Grandma who has custody of her, said she would sign all the papers and give us the letter we need, the guys at Great Hope church in Ethiopia said they would start working on all her paperwork there, we talked to a pediatric cardiologist who is looking at her records. He's not a surgeon but we are trying to get her story out there so we can find one. It was alot to process in one day. Today I woke up to the e-mail from Sumer that Maste had her birth certificate in which I need to file with all the papers, Heaven was still doing better and got to go home today, we got her echo cardiogram that we needed, WOW! We could have never got any of this done in 2 days without God, this is all Him. When He moves mountains you better be ready. Wait I forgot, we got the phone number from a friend who gave us the doctors cell phone number, and he is working on our side (thank you Duane and Hollis). I got the number for a agent in the embassy (thank you Jennifer)
Thank you Carrie for everything, Sumer we love you, Maste thanks so much for fighting for Heaven making sure the doctors seen her and she got the treatment she needed. Thank you Kim R. for not letting me give up. Most important Thank you JESUS, you are my rock and none of this would have happened without you. Everyone I talk to keeps telling me the same message... He's got this one.

We are asking all of you to pray for Heaven we still have a battle ahead but nothing God can't handle. If anyone has some fundraiser ideas please share, because this morning I sent in the paper saying we would take responsibility for her and right now that may mean raising the money for her surgery if we don't find a doctor quick who can do this.


I know this has been one long post but I have one more blessing to share...

Meet Heaven...




This girl already has our hearts. God gave them to her and we are so blessed and thankful He did, and for allowing us to be a part of His plan for her. This will all be to Glorify Him. Some say she's a lucky little girl, I'm thinking we are the lucky ones.