Britnie and Fedlene are Home

Britnie and Fedlene are both back home in Haiti with their families!

They weren't in the United States long, but they touched a lot of hearts while they were here. We are so thrilled to be able to return two beautiful healthy girls to their families.

An enormous thank you to their host family here in the United States, and the doctor and hospital that donated their care. You have changed the lives of these precious girls and we can't thank you enough!!

Britnie and Fedlene By: Host Mom Tanya

Our family has had the great honor of hosting Britnie and Fedlene while they have been here in the US receiving their medical care. They arrived the end of November, right before Thanksgiving, and will be heading back to Haiti next week. They received their surgery after being here only two weeks, and the last of the stitches came out last week, just in time to go home!

Our journey with the girls began when I saw their photos on the MAT blog, and saw that the doctor that had volunteered his care was in our state... I thought the chances were slim that the doctor was actually close to us, but I inquired about hosting the girls, and sure enough, their doctor was only 15 minutes away from us. It seemed like a sign from God that we were supposed to be the ones to care for them while they were here. Unfortunately at that time, we were trying to finish up the adoption of our Haitian son, and didn't feel comfortable working on 3 visas (one for our son, and the medical ones for the girls) at the same time, so we had to pass on hosting them, and my heart was so heavy.

At that time, another family who was adopting from Haiti signed up to host the girls, and they also live near us so I was excited to be able to at least visit the girls while they were here in the US.... well, things such as this rarely go as planned.... time moved on, and the girls still were not ready to come to the US (paperwork wise). In the mean time another family signed up to host the girls, because the first family would be bringing their boys home from Haiti very soon.

Long story shorter... time once again went on, and that family had other things come up that would make them unable to host. We were given the opportunity to get our paperwork together so that we could be the host family.

We were so incredibly excited. We picked up two brave, beautiful little girls from the airport, and within the week started going to appointments to prep them for their surgery. The doctor who provided his care, and his office staff who did all of the scheduling were so sweet, and had everything under control. We just needed to show up when we were told.

The surgeries went off without a hitch, and we were in the hospital about 4 days.... the rest of our time together has been recovering, taking antibiotics to avoid infections, and getting to know these darling little girls. They and their parents have definitely been a living testament to us about what REAL faith, and trust are. Their parents had to trust complete strangers (us!), they had to trust a doctor who they had never met or spoken to, they had to trust that it would be safe to put their daughters on an airplane, and trust that everything would be ok.

The parents were able to receive updates via Real Hope for Haiti, and they were also able to print off pictures to give to the parents as well. While I am sure that has helped ease a little of the worry, I can only imagine how much they miss their girls..... In only 6 days they will be reunited. Our family will be so sad to say goodbye, but we only have to think about how joyful the reunion with their families will be.

We ask that you pray for the girls and their families as they get reacquainted with each other. That their transition from the cold North Carolina winter weather, back to the heat of Haiti won't be too rough on their little bodies, and pray that God will continue to watch over them and their families. We will be praying for safety as they travel as well.

Our hosting experience has been awesome. Since we had just brought our son home from Haiti in July, all of the "parenting" Creole was fresh in our minds.... we have been able to communicate with the girls from the beginning. There have been many times when the girls were telling a story and I could only pick up on bits and pieces of what was being said, but as long as I was being attentive, and smiling and nodding- they didn't seem to care if I really understood or not. The girls have fit right in with our 6 children, and I have taken comfort in knowing that these well rounded little girls come from and will be returning to their loving families. They are smart, funny, silly, cuddly, playful, brave, beautiful little girls, who I know are going to grow up to do big things.

We want to thank the MAT Team here in the US and those other hard workers (Lori from RHFH- and her family) who did all of the initial paperwork and running around. What they do is not considered glamorous on many accounts, but I think it is some of the most precious, "noteworthy" work. I feel like we had the easy job of hosting and caring for the girls, and they did all of the hard stuff!

Eloise is here.

Eloise was referred to us from GLA in Haiti. She arrived in the United States recently to receive cardiac surgery!

Her host family reports that she is settling in well and will have her first doctors appointment soon. We will keep you updated on when she will received surgery. Isn't she a cutie?

Saintana Update

Sweet little Saintana continues to do very well. Her first surgery was a success and she has recovered well under the loving care of her host family. Saintana saw her surgeon Monday and has gained 2 lbs since arriving! She's doing great and her next surgery is scheduled for February 6. The surgeon will close her colostomy and hopefully all her digestive tract will work perfectly.

Thank you for your continued love and prayer for this darling girl. You can follow her host families blog HERE.

First Post-Op Pictures of Baby Bear

Here are some post-op pictures of Baby Bear.

Please pray that the brain CSF is NEG and he can have shunt surgery soon. Otherwise we may be talking several extra weeks in the hospital. We will continue to keep everyone updated. Thank you for loving and praying for this sweet boy!

Bear update post first surgery

Bear had his first surgery yesterday. They repaired his myelomeningocele (closed his back) and also tapped his ventricles to take a sample of the CSF fluid in his brain. This was sent off for culture to see if its going to grow anything. We are heavily praying that it doesn't grow anything. Bear has a tummy infection and a urine infection already so we are just hoping that the antibiotics do their job and he can be well on his way to healing!
As long as his recovery goes well over the next 48 hours- he will be having surgery again on Thursday for a VP shunt for his hydrocephalus and also repair of the hernia in his groin. For the next three days he is on his tummy and as of right now we are in the ICU.
Surgery yesterday went very well but because of having to get several blood transfusions- we are in the ICU where he can be monitored more closely.
Thank you all for your continued prayers for Baby Bear. He is a very sweet baby and is eating so well- despite being on his belly- it is truly amazing.
We will try to update the blog later today with pictures of his back.

Howdy Ya'll

Guess who is in Texas?

Baby Bear!

It has been a long journey and a REALLY long 24 hours.

But HE has arrived and is doing well.

We are heading over to the hospital now for admitting time.

Thank you all for your prayers and support.

Much, much more to come.

B.B.

(Baby Bear)

Bear update

No passport for Bear today as we had hoped.

Please pray for all of our hearts to remain steadfast and strong.
Please pray for the passport people to get it done TOMORROW.
Please pray for us to all forge ahead with plans and not let anything stand in our way.
Please pray for Bears personal round the clock caretaker (shown above).

And pray for the people at RHFH- they are more busy this week than their normal BUSY life. They are swamped truthfully. They had hoped like the rest of us that Bear was in TX- two

weeks ago- and seeing him wait and suffer has to be a great burden to bear.

This is it. This is just in the nick of time.
It HAS to happen tomorrow.
(Then he will get his Visa on Thursday and travel on Friday.)

Please pray and please pass this on to everyone you know to have them pray.

Bear continues to eat well, gain weight, and is doing OK.
His bump is still changing and thinning in some parts.
He has been fever free.
His head circumference is getting larger...
He is a strong baby and fighting so hard.

Psalm 107:1-4 (The Message)1-3

Oh, thank God—he’s so good!
His love never runs out.
All of you set free by God, tell the world!
Tell how he freed you from oppression,
Then rounded you up from all over the place,
from the four winds, from the seven seas.

4-9 Some of you wandered for years in the desert,
looking but not finding a good place to live,
Half-starved and parched with thirst,
staggering and stumbling, on the brink of exhaustion.
Then, in your desperate condition, you called out to God.
He got you out in the nick of time;
He put your feet on a wonderful road
that took you straight to a good place to live.
So thank God for his marvelous love,
for his miracle mercy to the children he loves.
He poured great draughts of water down parched throats;
the starved and hungry got plenty to eat.

Lots of updates!

Baby Bear's passport is in the works. The application was able to be made yesterday and it is being processed. The best case scenario is that they will be able to have the

completed passport tomorrow- but there is always a chance it can take longer.

Bear is hanging in there and doing OK. Thank you for your continued prayers.

Sweet Fedna had a full day of traveling yesterday. Thanks so much to Jessica and Jamie (escort and host mom) for helping to bring Fedna to her final destination- TEXAS. And thank all of you for helping with the cost of her plane ticket. What a tremendous blessing it was to be able to have Fedna travel so quickly! Today she is going to see the wonderful Doctor and also to receive some pre-operative testing. On Monday she will have her surgery. What a blessing!

Adorable Saintana was released from the hospital yesterday and is now back at home with her host family. She will need another surgery in February and then recovery time and if all goes well- she will be headed home shortly after that! You can read more about her journey here:

Saintana's Host Families Blog

Fedna

Fedna's travels and journey have officially begun.

Please keep her, her family, medical team and host family in your prayers.

We are so excited for Fedna to receive the surgery she needs.

For updates and to follow her journey, please visit her host families blog at:

http://dreamingbigdreams.wordpress.com/

Bear Update

"I want my passport so I can get my visa!!"

No passport today.

Bear's Birth Certificate needed to be fixed and archived- it was actually the cause of the gender on the passport being wrong- as it also said he was a "she". We are hopeful that they will have it done tomorrow and then they will work on getting the passport error fixed.

The good news is that Bear is doing OK. He is fever free, seems comfortable and he is eating well.

His "bump" continues to heal and appears to change some in different spots daily.

This speaks volumes to his strength and the TLC he is receiving.

It is a miracle he is thriving so long. Praise!

So please continue to pray for his health and well being. The wisdom of his caregivers and of course the passport, birth certificate and visa. One more thing that we request prayer for:

The waiting is very hard on not only Bear and everyone involved in planning but for his parents as well. His family lives 10 hours walk away from where Bear is staying and receiving medical care. His Dad has to be present at the visa appointment and will have to walk back for that to happen. Please pray for his parents- for their wisdom and the Lord's guidance in their lives. This is a difficult and trying time for them and may they also feel the blessing of our prayers.

Thank you.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow we are hoping and praying that Bear's passport is able to get fixed so that he can go in for his Visa on Tuesday. Can you please pray with us? It would be wonderful if it was fixed tomorrow and then they gave him the actual Visa on Tuesday instead of making him wait. There is a chance that everyone might not be in the passport office who is needed there to fix the passport tomorrow. (They are coming back after vacation and maybe won't all be in until later in the week.)

So truly we need a miracle... and that is going to take a lot of prayer!

Also- Bear's myelomeningocele is getting really thin. Although the three places that were leaking before are healing- there is fear and concern that it could open up completely. Please keep praying for his health and the wisdom of his caregivers. Thank you.

We are still waiting on an update about Saintana and we will post one as soon as we have them.

We have three children who will be returning to their families in a few weeks, what an amazing blessing each of their journey's have been. We will be posting more soon.

And... the great news is that Fedna will be coming to Texas FOR SURE this week. We have coordinated several wonderful volunteers schedules and it is all going to work out beautifully.

Saintana's 1st Surgery

"Tana" has her first surgery today. (She will have two while she is here in the USA.) Please keep her and her families in your prayers. (Her host family as well as her family waiting ever so patiently in Haiti for their baby to heal and return to them.) The surgery is going to last 6-7 hours and Tana might need to go to the PICU tonight and then spend several more days in the hospital recuperating. When we have an update we will definitely update the blog and let you all know how she is doing.