Haiti

I had sat down last week to try to sort through my feelings and post something, and then, the internet was down. So, maybe now I can write something that makes some kind of since to everything that has gone on in Haiti the past 2 weeks.

I guess my biggest concern was for the orphans that were being adopted by our friends the Heaton's from Roca. The Heatons had become really good friends of ours and we had stayed at their house a couple of times when we were in Lincoln.

I got a call Tues night from my mom telling me that Haiti had an earthquake, I really had not concept to the enormity of this disaster. I immediatly thought about Kristin and Scott and their daughters in Haiti.

I received an e-mail from someone named Barb Anderson who come to find out she was a good friend of the Heaton's and her and her husband Doug are partners with them in Anderson Ford. I wanted to call them right away but decided to wait until night, no answer. I told them I was praying for them and that I loved them. Then I saw them on TV and Kristin looked really tired, I can't imagine not really knowing if and when your children would come home if all of your paper work is in rubbles and all the people who could or would do anything about it were dead or missing.
I made phone calls and e-mails to our senators and congressmen to epediate these adoptiongs so the families could get their kids home. I talked to Senator Johanns aid and he didn't sound very positive, saying that they had gotten briefed that morning that their was no way to get any supplies to the country as the airport was damaged and the port couldn't received ships, I told him where there was a will, there could be a way, and we needed the Senator to do whatever he could to make sure the children could get out in a timely manner as they were running out of food and water and security was a problem.

Jamie and Ally McMutrie were 2 sisters that ran Bresma #3 and this is where my friends kids were. They were very scared at night as there were 4500 criminals that escaped from the damaged prison running loose and gun shots very close to their gate. They also experienced people dumping dead bodies outside their gate and the stinch was unbelievable, I am sure enough to make you sick, I know what it smells like when a hog dies and we don't get it disposed of right away. Also, it was hot there so that made the smell even worse, without this devastation the city smelled aweful. I prayed for their protection every time I thought about it, I plead the blood of Jesus over them and charged the angels to surround them and protect them. I also prayed a hedge of protection around them. I knew that angels were surrounding them and protecting them against all danger.

I got an e-mail on Monday saying that things were progressing in getting them home, just be patient. Then we got the news that they were coming home. Praise God, a true miracle from God. The govenor of Pennsylvania and the representative from their state pulled some strings and got all the kids from Bresma out of Haiti and to Pennsylvania.

I never got to talk to Kristin, but, I saw her on many TV stations telling about the plight of the orphans and how people need to get envolved and make a difference in an orphans life.

Friday morning I got an e-mail saying they were flying into Lincoln between 3-5. Then a few minutes later, an e-mail saying that the generators wouldn't start and the plans had changed. Alden did not want me to go as the weather was suppose to get nasty and their was dense fog. I called and asked what time the flight would be flying in and they said around 6 and in Omaha. I talked to Alden about wanting and needing to go to meet them at the airport. He told me I could do whatever I wanted, so I started packing for the kids and I to go to Omaha and possibly stay overnight either in Omaha or drive to Lincoln and stay with my mom. I called the school and picked the kids up, they were so excited.

We ran into bouts of dense fog on the way to Omaha, but, the weather never got nasty. Alden said the power went off at home and that was the reason he stayed home cause he thought there was a possibilty of that happening since we were experiencing freezing rain.

We got to the airport plenty early and their was so many people and reporters just waiting for the arrival of the Heatons and their 2 precious girls from Haiti. We were all just waiting around and the reporters started talking to us and the kids and before we knew it they had Christian and Jasmine talking to them on Camera. Then they wanted to know if I they could ask me questions on video tape it. Lots of pictures, I bought balloons and made a sign. The reporters took lots of pictures of my kids, it was so much fun for them. Then, the moment everyone was waiting for, the Heaton's finally bringing their kids home. Everyone was cheering and the airport was bursting with excitment, so many tears of joy to experience this joyous moment with them.

We met Alden's brother Dean and Gina and went to eat with them and then headed for Lincoln, called Alden and told him we might be on TV, we got to Lincoln in time for the 10:00 news and watched the Heatons on the Lincoln station and guess what we were in some of the footage. Even the New York Times were there and we got to talk to them. They had been with the Heatons 2 days prior and then today and were going to be at their house the next day and then go to church with them. Kristin really wanted to get across to people the importance of the plight of the orphan.

Kristin told us to call her Saturday and said if she felt like it she wanted us to come out as she felt her girls needed some familiar faces, and since we spent time with them this summer in Haiti, she wanted them to be there.

I called her about 11:00 and she the New York Times reporters were coming pretty soon and call her at 1:00, so we did and went out there around 2:00. Kristin was downstairs with the reporters and we were up-stairs being a part of their first day home. Both Bethania and Deunette were enjoying themselves and the gifts people had brought them. I eventually went downstairs and the reporter was still asking Kristin questions and the photographer was upstairs taking pictures.

We left around 3:00. The next day we got to go to church with them, their first outing as a family, Scott told me he thought their first outing should be church, and he was right. The girls were really good, and of course everyone was so excited to see them. Dieunette wouldn't let Kristin put her down, that was good and bad. Good cause that meant she is already attached to Kristin and bad for Kristin's back as Dieunette weighs 40 lbs.

We felt really blessed to be able to be a part of this moment with them.

As far as how my kids are doing with all the things going on in Haiti, they are sad, very sad and want to go back, like yesterday. they still don't know if their family is ok, and this worries them. Christian really acted up in school and basketball practice, he had a couple of rough days. I thought taking him to Omaha to see the Heatons would help him get through some of his grief. His good friend Jimmy was on TV singing and on the front page of the Pittsburgh news and I know he was jealous even though he wouldn't admit it.

I know that I am going to have to schedule them both for a counceling session to be able to process this better. At least they found out that their favorite nanny at the O is alive, Moma Robert. Also, our favorite driver Denis and his family survived. Nothing will ever be the same there and this is devasting to them, their homeland is destroyed, and it will take years to rebuild. My heart is heavy for their people and what they are going through. I know the ones that put their faith and trust in the Lord will get through it though by the grace of God. I am a firm believer that God hears the cries of his people who totally rely on him to help them. I have heard of so many miracles in the midst of this tradegy already and I know there is so many I haven't heard about. I heard one lady that was rescued from under the rubble say that she prayed and trusted the Lord He would get her out and HE did.

I am hoping to post pictures of the Heatons in the near future.