We have been in Texas 2 days now! I think that Jason and I are just in awe of everything. We got our house almost unpacked. We arrived on Sunday night at 10:30pm. There is a gate at the entrance of Sunny Glen so we had to wake someone up to let us in. We unpacked a few items. We realized that our bed got wet from the rain and thought it might be damaged. We feel asleep in one of the unused children's room. Our house has a three bedroom/two bath apartment for us, 8 rooms for the children(soon to be moms and babies) and a respite room/area for relief staff. The kitchen has two refridgerators (3 including ours) and two laundry rooms. There is currently a mother and her two children living in the home. One of the other houseparents are with us while we are transitioning and training. Tonight we have to read a very long policy manual and take 6 tests. Cradle of hope is the ministry name of the program we will be helping to run.On Friday we will be getting a one month old and a mom. We went to the store today to pick up 2 more highchairs, some safety gates....latches...ect....Christopher was so excited to be picking out all the items. He helped build one of the high chairs when we got home because one of the children needing it right away. He really loves the babies!!!!He is in awe of them. Yesterday because of the bed situation, one of the employees here told us we could have their kingsize bed and a futon! What a blessing! We spent the past two days unloading and situating. Tonight we actually had a few minutes with the kids. We absolutely loved it. They had to go to bed though! We are busily doing laundry and cleaning tables and floors, even Christopher, he is so excited to be a part of this new life.....we really see him blossoming..he really has a servant heart! Thank you Jesus! Christopher and Jason went biking around the quarter mile circle. There are five houses for the children here! This week most of them are in South Padre on vacation. The houses get a week long vacation once a year! Next week a church from Loiusiana are coming to do VBS. We are excited for them to come! Christopher already made a great friend and they played legos and played on the playground for about 2 hours yesterday...he will also be homeschooled. So they will be great friends I am sure.
Logistics of things: We will soon be getting a 15 passenger van to use....we have a store on campus to get food and clothes and anything for free(which is AWESOME) in addition to cottage money to go get items that we need.....we will be rotating working three weeks with one week off each month! We will be primary houseparents to this new program called cradle of hope...for teem moms(pregnant or with children already) helping them to learn to be selfsufficent, get counseling, finish their education, get doo medical care, have emotional and spiritual support, learn parenting skills and life skills, ect...it is exciting....and this is a great team of MISSION-MINDED PASSIONATE PEOPLE stepping out in faith to run this program for the Lord. In one county last year in the Rio Grande Valley there were 119 enrolled teenage moms. WOW! There is such a need and God has such a great plan we feel so blessed to be called to this right now! And to be able to do this as a family is remarkable! Thank you Jesus! We will continue to update as God moves and work through us...change us Lord so that your love is always evident....
Pray for the girls/women that will come....pray for the babies/toddlers. ...pray for Sunny Glen...that we will get all the grants and support needed to run this program.....Pray for guidance as we help these girls....pray for all the other houseparents and their children....pray for the other kids here! WoW! I see you LORD....wow! You amaze me Jesus! I will never forget your unfailing love....you deserve all the honor and glory....we lift you up LORD...let this be your kingdom on earth...your intended plan.....help us to do your will...thank you for all the people that have already worked so much to make this happen...i have never seen so many people working so fiercely for something before...they are a blessing...let nothing stand in their way.....For the generations and families that will be forever changed LORD(including ours)! Thank you Jesus!We are humbled Lord....thank you thank you thank you.....
I love all the newness of this great adventure.....to just put that dependence on God.....it is so beautiful.....I am so thankful for my partner Jason, my love....and for such a beautiful spirited son....that we could do this together....there is no greater thing in life than that! Amen....more later!!!!!!!!!!!!