More Praises and Prayers...

First the prayer needs...

It has now been 37 days since Isamar's DNA test. The longer this takes the farther out our stay in Nicaragua will be causing us to go into our businesses fall season which makes things very complicated.

The council that meets to vote on us has not met in several months; however, they are meeting this Friday and possibly next. If we could get the test results in now it is "POSSIBLE" to get on that council schedule for next Friday.

God knows the plans for this adoption and I am not concerned about our business but the bible says, "Ask Not, Receive Not" so I'm living by that motto and asking you guys to be in agreement with me and ask God to intervene in the delivery of the test results.

If the results are positive it changes this process completely and will hold this process up again.

P.U.S.H. - Pray Until Something Happens.. That’s what I'm going to do.

Time for Praises...

Remember my soccer team in Somotillo I wrote about? Remember I told you about having a connection to the Charlotte Eagles? You're not going to believe how God showed off this time.

Yesterday I received a call from Jim and Renee Hughes who also have a sports ministry and are currently working directly with the Charlotte Eagles. Ms. Hughes informed me that she is working with a group of teens who are going to Nicaragua in July and they have raised additional funds that need to be spent. What better place to spend that money but to bless a group of teens in Somotillo?

That's right, they are going to provide the much needed cleats to my soccer buddies, and not just cleats but the kind that the Eagles wear. They are also going to provide balls and shin guards. The coolest thing is they are going to give them the "Gospel Soccer Balls" to use in their ministry. Those balls look like the gospel bracelets and you use them to share the story of Christ.

Can you believe this? God took total strangers and together we are going to bless a soccer team with items they are believing by faith for. Just imagine how this will build their individual faith.

Give God Praise for the little things and watch Him give you BIG things..

Thanks for your prayers and for the praises.

Angie

Preparing for a June Mission Trip

Terry and I will be going to Nicaragua in June and with us will be a couple who is interested in adopting Loriana as well as my friend Jorge and his girlfriend so I can't waste having all those people with me so our plans are to minister in at least one or more villages while we are there.

In order to do so I need supplies. I am sorry for the short notice but with friends like you guys I know we can pull some things together.

I have most of everything I would need except for the following:

Toothbrushes - I can get 12 for a $1 at the 521 Flee Market if anyone is going that way.
Toothpaste (travel size) - Can you ask your dentist if they will donate some for me?
Fingernail polish - The moms and teenage girls love to see me come with polish.
Combs
Washcloths
Fingernail clippers
Razors - disposable
Purse Size Umbrellas would be nice - do you have one in your house you can donate?

I would need to get any thing you have no later than June 13th if at all possible.

Please email me if you have any of these items and if you get any so I will know what is coming in.

Please remember that I might be the person going to Nicaragua and handing this stuff out but it's YOU that make it happen for me. You play a huge part in every trip I take so remember one item is more than I had yesterday. No amount is too little.

Now let's get things ready to show these people how much God loves them and how much Americans do care about other people.

God Bless,

Angie

No News Is Good News?

Oh how I wished that saying was ALWAYS true.

Well the long awaited month has come and gone for the DNA results.

My attorney went yesterday and was told they have not received them as of yesterday, THAT THEY KNEW OF. The right hand does not know what the left hand is doing there so for all we know the results are laying on some lawyers desk.

The case worker told my attorney she would go to the lawyers and ask and report back on Friday. Even that is crazy. It's not like this building is 20 stories high and she has to go to 10 people. The Lawyers, all 3 of them, sit in the next room. It would not take 2 seconds to open the door and say, "Hey, anybody have the DNA tests for Isamar Umana"?

Can you tell I'm running out of patience?

I figure I have two options here;

1. I can worry and be unsettled and cry all day with grief and God will take his time as He teaches me to trust Him or;
2. I can rest in God's peace and He will see that I am trusting Him and just maybe He will hurry this process up for me and I will pass this test.

I am choosing Option 2 but I can tell you it's the hardest thing I have ever done and it's a day to day process for me. For weeks it's been easy but now it's every morning when I wake up I have to give myself a serious pep talk and decide that minute that I will not walk in doubt today...

What about you? How do handle God's tests? You do know that if you fail the test today He will give it to you again tomorrow right?

I have failed so many tests before this one that I think I have finally figured out how to pass God's test.

Are you in the middle of a test? Are you passing it or failing it? Evaluate your attitude and you will soon know the answer.

Please pray for the people involved in this adoption and the people of Nicaragua.

There is a transportation strike there now and many people are struggling because all the buses and taxis have stopped. Things are not very stable right now which could cause even a longer delay in getting these results.

Thank you for walking this journey with me.

Oh what a glorious day it will be when they come home.

God Bless,

Angie

Praises and Prayers

During my last two visits I had 3 young men from a local baseball team come to me and ask if there was any way for me to help them get equipment for their teams.

Just think about it, they could have ask me for food, money, medicines or any other much needed items. Instead, they asked for baseball equipment. I was very impressed by there request because it was more of, "Would you please pray about helping our team" instead of "We want you to help us, or We really need your help". They were gentlemen with a heart for the love of baseball.

I told them I would come home and ask for assistance for their team and in the mean time they needed to be praying that God opens a door for them.

As soon as I got home I found a company that donates uniforms and equipment. There name is Pitchinforbaseball. I had to write a letter to them and fill out a huge application. I called them since I had not heard anything from them only to find out they had deleted my request by accident. I'm glad they did because then they felt sorry and actually took time to listen to me.

Today I got a phone call from the President who informed me that they do not give equipment to Faith-Based ministries but since my letter to them encouraged them and explain my plan to help these young men they would send me what they had. No promises of how much equipment, just some.

Within hours I received an email from them and they are shipping me more than I asked for. I'm getting enough uniforms (pants, shirts and socks), cleats, gloves, bats, balls, catchers stuff, and bags to put the stuff in and score books for up to 4 teams. This is 1,000's of dollars worth of equipment for FREE.... They even paid the shipping.

For those of you who know me well you can only imagine how happy I am. For those of you who don't well you can say I played 8 years of sports in school and 27 years of Softball. Baseball/Softball has been my life. Being able to bless these guys is a huge blessing to me and them. Praise God.. With this I will build relationships that could lead to Salvations.

Not long after the baseball man called the phone rang and it was a company that donates Eye Glasses. I had filled out another form online and they have agreed to give me 200 adult glasses and 200 children’s glasses and a machine to use to determine the strength of used glasses FOR FREE.... This is not the company I told you about earlier. This is an additional one. Glory, Glory, Glory…

Now for the Prayer Requests...

I got word yesterday that all the buses, taxies, and tractor trailer drivers have gone on strike in Nicaragua. The gas has gone up to $6 per gallon in some places.

This is a huge issue. There are 1,000's of trucks with food sitting on the borders refusing to bring it across until the President does something about the gas prices. Food has doubled in the last two days. People who were already struggling are having severe problems now.

It takes about $2,000 to fill the gas tank of a tractor trailer. Do you know how long it would take for a self-employed person to make $2,000 in Nicaragua?

Please pray for the government to step in. Without a resolution soon people are going to be desperate for food even more than they are already.

I was going to book my flight yesterday and heard that an American was pulled over by the strikers and harassed. They are angry at us because we are at war and it's hurting them. Nothing serious happen but it scared the American really bad. Needless to say I am waiting to book my tickets for June. I won't live in fear but I also believe in using wisdom.

America is in a serious position with the gas prices at $3.75, imagine paying $6.00 per gallon on a salary of $50.00 per month.

I'm a week away from hearing about the results for Isamar. As we get closer, pray for my peace and for God's will in her life to be fulfilled. No additional news at this time. Hopefully I’ll have great news to report next week.

Thanks for your prayers,

Angie

ps. If you are affliated with baseball leagues and they need to get rid of gently used equipment, please contact Pitchinforbaseball.org A huge Thank You goes out to them for all they did for the boys in Somotillo.

Remember the Girls..

I have no new information at this point. Still waiting on the DNA test results.

Please continue praying for the girls.

I can't imagine what is going through their little heads. The stress I am sure is more than any child should have to endure.

Pray with me that the results come back faster than a month. It's only been 2 weeks and it seems like forever.

Thanks so much,

Angie and Terry