Knights and Damsels

Joy

Aftershocks

Check out the link to News headlines- there are still multiple aftershocks- a pretty big one yesterday. Most are living outside or in "shored up" housing. While the kids need to be in shelter, it makes us pretty nervous to have the only option be a damaged home.
The world has moved on from the Haiti "story". Alot of people have given generously and then detached themselves from the messy reality of what is going on down there. It is even hard to find news stories about Haiti.
Please continue to pray and support those who live in the chaos everyday, including our loved ones at HIS Home.

Gracie's first specialist visit

Gracie visited the orthopedic specialist today for the first of apparently many times. The "unofficial" diagnosis is Arthogryposis, which is a genetic disorder which causes joint contractures. She has limited movement of fingers, wrists, legs and feet. Her leg bones are not in the hip sockets- apparently she was born this way, the doc. doesn't know if he will be able to get them back in as the bone and socket have been growing separately for the last 18 months. She is going to be the lucky recipient of two nice casts in about a week, and they will recast every couple of weeks in order to get her feet pointed in kind of the right direction, then comes the surgeries. Probably in about 8 weeks they will do reconstructive surgeries on her feet, and possibly hips as well. Pray for her as she faces all this stuff she needs in order to be able to walk.

Our princess Daphna was just treated for a tapeworm......oh the glamor of it all!
That may just explain the appetites!

Looks like we are delivering supplies to Ohio this Saturday- thank you for all your contributions to HIS Home. We still have room in the container if you want to add to the shipment.
Blessings!

Supplies

I just got word from Ohio that HIS Home supporters are filling up a shipping container with supplies to get shipped to Haiti. The shipment is going to be leaving from Richmond, Indiana on March 3. I am planning on driving to Lima on Sat. Feb 27 to deliver any supplies that we have gathered by then. Right now we have about 250 pounds of formula, medicines and clothing. If you would like to donate the greatest needs are childrens medicines (cough, fever etc.) and infant formula. If you can get it to me then I will make sure it gets to the container on time.

Also, the HIS Home 300 MI route is nearly completed. We are beginning to recruit riders for this large fund raiser for HIS Home. Check out the link to the his home 300 michigan route for all the information, and please contact me with any questions.

Daphna and Gracie are an absolute joy. We are having fun introducing them to everyone who has been praying for them for so long. Gracie should start seeing specialists in the next week or so and we will begin to determine the extent of her disabilities.

Also, continue to be in prayer for Hal in Haiti. The political situation has become very frustrating, and the adoption and humanitarian parole options are at a stand still thanks to foreign intervention, specifically UNICEF who has been granted authority over the care and movement of orphan children. UNICEF opposes international adoption of any sort, and while they do alot of good work in providing medical care, shelter, education and food, they also are proponents of abortion and population control. They are not allowing any children to leave Haiti at this point.

Lois Dorothy Swieringa

On Friday night Judy's mom left us and as our daughter Megan said, "is skipping like a little girl" in heaven. We thank God for such a loving, accepting, serving and gentle Mom, mother-in-law and Nana.

Funeral arrangements are through Schoeder Lauer Funeral Home in Lansing IL. Look under the obituary link for Lois Dorothy Swieringa for details.

Bittersweet

On Tuesday we were called late afternoon to Chicago. Judy's mom has been suffering from congestive heart failure, pulmonary hypertension and stage 4 cancer for some time now, and had taken a turn for the worse. It was a huge blessing to be able to introduce her to her two newest granddaughters. As of Thursday, hospice has been providing comfort care and we are awaiting the celebration in Heaven when Mom goes home.
We also had a chance to introduce Daphna and Grace to their Grandpa. He is now living in a memory support apartment in Chicago.

HIS Home

We received word today that the deal on the new home that Hal had found in Haiti has fallen through. The plan for right now is to shore up the existing girls/babies home and move into it until God opens the door for a new building- they are in rather short supply right now in Port au Prince. Apparently the girls home has very few cracks in the walls, but it has shifted about 6 inches off of it's foundation. Unfortunately, it is no longer an option to keep the kids outside in the church yard, and no other long term option is presenting itself as of yet. Please pray for the wisdom of the workers as they shore up this damaged building, and for Hal as he continues to search for appropriate shelter for the 58 kids still in his care. Hospitals are beginning to contact HIS Home looking for places to release kids who have no one coming to pick them up. We know that Hal and Chris desire to make a place for as many of these "new" orphans as possible.
Daphna and Gracie are fitting in just fine at home. Daphna is having some "going to sleep" issues, but the rest of the time is a happy and healthy 2 year old is rather enjoys pestering her older brothers. Gracie continues to eat long after everyone else is done at the table and is smiling all the time. I noticed yesterday that many of the creases in her forehead are gone....we think she is relaxing and enjoying this new life. I can only imagine the stress there has been on this little body for the last 3 weeks. She is even beginning to dole out some rather sloppy kisses once and awhile...
Check out the link to the HIS Home 300 Michigan route coming this June. The planning phase is almost completed and rider and sponsor recruitment has begun. The need in Haiti is greater than ever, and it is our desire to do all we can to support HIS Home in being an example of Christ's love to the least of these. We would love to have you join us on the ride.