Reunion with the girls..

Before we left to Nicaragua our discussions with the dad went from you can have them all weekend to, only one day to a little bit. We ended up being able to see them on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for about 5 or 6 hours each day.

On Friday the dad was right beside them all the time making things very uncomfortable for everyone.

They came to our hotel where we had a big pool. Having the girls in the water away from him helped a little.

On Saturday he had loosened up a little and sit at the end of the pool giving us some personal time. It was a world of difference for the girls. They were much happier which made us much happier. During that day Terry was able to teach Carmen how to swim. She was already really close and just needed some guided direction. They loved every minute of it.

Saturday night was the church they attends 30th year celebration and the girls were out real late so by Sunday they were a little tired making things a little ruff.

While the girls were playing in the pool I had a chance to talk to the dad. He was very grateful for all we have done for the girls and for our love to them. He thanked us many many times. He said he was not aware that we had invested so much time and money into the girls. It was almost like he was saying if I had know maybe I would not have pushed so hard. Who knows..

It was a bitter sweet visit for us. We learned the girls are at least being taking care of and appear to be happy. They expressed they do not like the wife of the dad. Apparently she is very mean to them and they are having a hard time with her. The dad even expressed his concern for their relationship to us.

Isamar appears to have a bond with her dad but Carmen is on her own. The entire time we were with them he never touched the girls to hug them, help them or console them at all. It was as if he was a distant cousin or something. It was really odd for us because we were hugging them and kissing on them and tickling them as normal.

The girls acted a little odd to us which I guess is expected. They have not talk to us since August and when you don't see someone or don't talk to them time can change you. It has really changed them. One has to remember the girls now have many things they never had before. A family, a grandmother, an aunt, uncle, 3 year old brother, a church family, a new school and lots of attention. They are content. Being with us does not look as pretty to them as it did before when they had nothing at the orphanage.

We left them with a bitter sweet feeling. We both were so happy to see them and spend time with them but we both know that things have changed now and the hopes of them in our home has diminished. At this point we are not sure if they had the choice to come if they would. That's a hard thought to swallow for me.

Please continue to pray for the girls. It has to be ruff for Carmen not getting the same attention as her sister is and not feeling wanted by the wife of Isamar's dad is not helping things. I can tell food is short in the house. They are not getting the pleasures of the orphanage that is for sure but at least they are not going hungry.

We have invested a great deal in this adoption, financially and emotionally. Please pray with us on what to do next. We have to decide by May to continue and adopt another child or just stop. It's a very painful process to continue.

I have come great pictures of the girls. Check them out here.

Thanks so much for your continued prayers and support to get us there to see them. Pray for wisdom and for my broken heart. For me this adoption is over. My love will never change for them but the process has to come to an end. I'm at that end.

Angie

Finally access to a computer..

I know many of you have been emailing me asking what is going on and I´m sorry but I have not had much access to a computer. Today is our last day. We will be flying out at 1:55 am tonight-morning. We need to fly home on the 8:oo am flight home in the morning. Please pray we get on this flight. We are flying with a buddy pass so  there is no guarantee we will get a seat. We will have already been up for 24 hours by then.

I have so much to update you on. Will need many many prayers going forward but right now I only have a minute to type so it will have to wait.

I would appreciate your prayers as today I am sick. I am emotionally drained unlike any other trip and I am wore out as I have not slept much this entire week and the night has not even come yet.

I appreciate all the prayers so far and know that you are keeping me lifted up.

Much more to come.

Angie

Our first day in Nicaragua

Well after 22 hours of traveling we made it safely to Nicaragua at 3am this morning. I am so grateful and blessed to have friends here that take care of me. It's really not safe traveling that late at night in Nicaragua without people you know.

Today we woke up early and started the negotiations to see the girls. I feel like I am in jail and trying to plead my case to get out. It' s like pulling teeth to get the dad to work with us but eventually he showed up.

It was bitter sweet to see the girls. We all were so happy to reunite and sad to know our future plans are no longer the same.

We spend most of the day playing in the pool and trying to reunite but the dad stayed right on our heels and it made the girls really uncomfortable and us too.

He does not trust us and feels if we want to see them we must be with him at all times. I'll take what I can get...It beats nothing.

He promises that he wants our relationship to continue and he won't stand in the way. We will see.

Tomorrow we will see them again for the last time. He won't let us see them on Sunday so we will have to enjoy them as he allows.

Please pray for me as this is much harder than I expected. I am so torn because they are acting different (which is understood). I know it comes from not talking to us for a long time. I am hoping he will allow us to continue calling them but I am sure he will be listening in. He thinks we are going to tell them that we are their parents not him. What he does not understand is I will do nothing to confuse or hurt them. Trust is a big issue with Nicaraguans.

I'll update you more as the time passes. For now please pray for our day tomorrow and that the dad will chill out a little and let us have a conversation with them without him in the middle of it.

Please also pray for my Logan as he is sick with a cold. I had to leave him that way and it breaks my heart that he is home feeling horrible and I'm not there to "baby" him.

God Bless and thanks for covering me in prayer.

Angie

Getting Ready to Go...

We're two days away now from heading to Nic and there is so many things going on. God must have great plans for us when we get there because the devil is working overtime to discourage me. He should learn by now that his tactics don't work with me.

We have had our rental car reservation get cancelled and it will now cost double each day, we've had the dad push back on allowing us to see the girls the full weekend and we have had unexpected expenses come up everywhere.

I'd say that was a good indicator of great things to come.

During my quite time with the Lord a couple of days ago God just dump a new project in my head. He is so good at piling my head full of ideas.

I would like to pursue having a type of Upwards Soccer Camp in Somotillo or another village. I have had several people approach me about wanting to help with any sports ministry I will have coming up and then out of no where God lays this on me.

I contacted Upwards today and discussed what they have to offer and it was not as I expected but it can be workable.

I already have a youth soccer team of 22 teens there and what better way to have discipleship go on after we leave but to have them involved. I plan on sitting the pastor down and the team and discussing having a camp this summer. Just imagine having a room full of kids and parents all at once and telling them about Jesus. What an easy way to bless them with fun and the Lord.

Pray that God will direct my paths and show me what location and direction to go in.

As I mentioned I am going back to the village of Coffradia to discuss the garden project and it's success. I hope to learn more about how things went during the process. Pray I get a good response from the families that participated. It's hard to get them together all at one time.

Here is the projected schedule so you will know each day how to pray.

Friday - Sunday - visit with the girls. If we dont' get the girls until Saturday we will be visiting a new location on Friday.

Monday - we will travel to Somotillo and stop along the way to minister to Oscar's mom who is in prison. Continue to pray for her release. She was found guilty of selling drugs but her husband was the one that was doing all the selling. She was not even in town when he got arrested but she was taken anyway and found guilty. Her husband has since been released. His family paid his way out. Her family has no money to do so.

Tuesday - Wednesday - we will arrange meetings with different people in Somotillo. The village of Coffradia, the pastors I have been working with and the soccer team.

Wednesday - travel the 3 1/2 hours back to Managua.

Thursday - visit another area and another ministry that I am interested in finding more about and leave that night for the flight home, arriving the next day at mid-afternoon. We will be flying from 12:00 midnight until 12:00 noon.

Thank you for the continued prayer for this trip. There are a lot of wonderful things going on and the angels have gone before me to make the path straight.

God has blessed me with almost all that will be needed for this trip. I am still around $500 short. There have been several people who have mentioned they are sending money in or have sent it so maybe that number will change by Wednesday. Thanks to all that have been able to help. God will multiply your giving. He will bless you more than you can imagine. If you can still help but it won't make it by Wednesday, email me and let me know the amount that way I can account for it. I just don't want to have a ministry need and not be able to bless someone.

Without prayer folks we can run up against many oppositions as I have already. Will you commit to praying for us daily? I have been praying for some friends of mine specifically and to remember I made an agreement that every time I ate something I would lift them up. Will you do the same for us? If you pray nothing more than Lord give them favor, that will be sufficient.

God Bless all of you and I can't wait to come back with great stories of what God did on our trip.

Angie

Inquiring Minds Want To Know...

I have had many of you ask what is going on with Jacob and what happen with calling the dad. Here's the latest.

Jacob is doing great. He came through the surgery with flying colors. His doctor is Dr. Parsons from Charlotte Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat. He is great. He is a christian man. How do I now you ask? Well he floored me just before taking Jacob back. Out of no where he said to us, "Let's pray over Jacob before he goes back". Before I knew it he was leading us in a healing, protection prayer. I am still amazed. I have never had a doctor act like him. He didn't even give me a chance to say no. That's a true man of God. Can you imagine the lives he is affecting by his prayers over these children? What boldness he had.

The prayers of the doctor and you are working because Jacob is acting like he never even had surgery. He has a little soar throat but that's all.

Thank you so much for agreeing with us for his healing. God listened, and answered.

As for Isamar's dad. We called him as planned and he was very hesitant in responding to our request. We asked to have the girls over the weekend since they were out of school. He kept saying they had homework and house chores to do. After more discussion he agreed to let us have them on Saturday at 2:00.

I am trying not to be pushy with this man but he is pushing my patience. I am trying to be grateful for the fact that I can even see them but it's hard. Of course, I want to see them every minute I am in Nicaragua but obviously he does not agree with me.

Please continue to pray for this situation. I am not sure how much my heart can take if he changes his mind.

Also, continue to pray for the rest of our trip. I can't wait to visit Coffradia and talk to the families that participated in the garden project and see the family that got the new house.

We are continuing to trust the Lord to  provide the much needed finances for this trip. Since the last time I posted we have had many unexpected expenses arrive. The enemy is of course trying hard to discourage me with changing our plans and adding those expenses but I am standing strong that God is in control of this trip. He is my pilot and He will be the one to direct my paths, not the enemy.

Thanks to those who are supporting us with the finances and prayers. You are a part of this trip even if you aren't going with us. Without people like you the work of the Lord that needs to be done all over the world would not happen. You are precious in His sight.

Your prayers are what will make this trip successful so please continue to lift Terry, the boys, and myself up in prayer. Today, tomorrow and all week long.

Let's watch God show off together...

God Bless,

Angie