Thank you again for your coveted prayers while I was away. I have made it back safely from Nicaragua but life has not yet settled down. When I returned home, I was blessed by the birth of my second nephew (Paige’s child) and my brother Andy’s marriage to Elisa, a wonderful Godly woman. On the 13th of July, I will be heading to Dominican Republic with the youth group from Calvary Chapel. As always, this will be such a wonderful time of fellowship with the youth, other leaders, and people of the Dominican.
Now for the update on Nicaragua! I will admit that it is very difficult to put into words because there are so many experiences that I would love to share. The Lord definitely went before me and prepared the way. Many of you received my update from Nicaragua via email about William and how God was and is definitely at work in his case of adoption. Through prayer, He has been preparing the hearts of William and William’s family. He softened and opened their hearts to have a relationship with my family and me. EVERY aspect in the story of William’s case is an example of God’s sweet pursuit of each one of us. And, it was a complete MIRACLE that William’s dad would even have anything to do with us. Not even a year ago, the grandmother was angry that someone may be adopting him and was living in fear that William’s dad may kill her if she allows William to be adopted. Obviously, God’s name is written all over this. There are still many obstacles but I refuse to focus on those. All I can do at this moment in time is to continue to walk through the doors that the Lord has opened. And, when He closes a door; I will continue to praise His name, take comfort in knowing that His ways are perfect, and recognize that His name will be brought the most glory through it all. Our next step will be to find a death certificate in El Salvador for William’s mom who was part of a gang and murdered. It’s hard to keep my mind in the “now moment” and not let it get ahead of me in the “what ifs”. Therefore, I ask for prayers that my mind will be clear and my focus will be on the moment where God has us, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace” (I Cor 14:33).
Life at the orphanage was crazy like usual (how can it not be with 35 children living there fulltime and 61 children in the daytime) but I cannot imagine spending my summer any other way! I still feel so blessed to have the opportunity to live alongside these kids and see some of them grow up over the past six years (I feel like a proud mom :). This summer, I was able to love on the little babies a lot!! Almost every morning, I would go on long walks out of the Canyon with 2 ½ year old Israel. We would talk, sing, laugh, and look for cars, buses, and motorcycles on the main highway. Then before the kids would go to bed; we would say our prayers, sing, and give hugs and kisses. Have I mentioned what a blessing these children are to me!?!? Some nights, I would just go lay on the beds with the older girls as they were going to bed and talk (I think I even got them in trouble sometimes due to curfew…oops). These girls are like sponges just waiting to soak anything up. Many of the girls have been abandoned not just once but several times. They are searching for acceptance and what exactly true love looks like. Which resulted in many of our conversations being focused on the love of our Father in Heaven and how His love is the ONLY perfect love that can be found. I want these girls to know that the love of man will never fulfill our deepest desires and will never be the perfect love we are searching for. But, there is One who is in pursuit of us and will never let us leave His embrace. The stories with the kids and people of Nicaragua do not end there but for all of them to be written out would turn this letter into a book….and I’ll spare you from that :) 
Once again, I ask for your prayers as I head back to Nicaragua August 2-24. I will spend most of the time with the kids at the orphanage and will also be working with our lawyer on some of the specifics with William’s case. I will never be able to thank you enough for all your prayers and support that you have shown me. Your prayers have been felt and each one of you is having an impact on the lives of the children there. "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express" (Romans 8:26). Many of these children are regarded as abandoned but please join with me in continual prayer over them. Pray that they will be so tightly embraced by the Lord that they will be able to rest in His arms listening to His heartbeat. Thank you!!!
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