Haiti: Day 3

By now I was getting acclimated to the cold showers, no mirrors, no hair dryers, no flat irons, extreme heat and sleeping in tents.  I spent day three at the orphanage as well because I wanted to connect even more with Gaelle and Gaelle’s parents were due to come and meet me there later that day.  We did some crafts with the kids…painting, beaded necklaces, and beaded fish.  Gaelle really enjoys doing crafts.  She takes her time and she gives it her very best.  I was able to bring home one of her paintings.

I knew I would likely be meeting Gaelle’s parents and this thought made me very nervous.  What was their situation?  All I knew was that they were divorced.  Did they still care about Gaelle and want to be apart of her life?  Did they desire for her to have better opportunities in America?  Were they believers?  Did they want to care for their daughter but just were not able to because of their living conditions?  I called Trey the night before and we did a lot of praying for God to show us direction and guidance in this process.  I knew God was going to bring clarity through this meeting.  I would have our adoption coordinator, Markes with me translating, so that provided  me some relief but I was still very nervous.  Tiffany, one of the other mothers adopting had such a beautiful experience earlier in the day as she met the father of her daughter.  He took his daughter's hand and placed it in Tiffany’s hand and blessed them.  He displayed such strength and great selfless and sacrificial love for his daughter and clearly wanted the very best for her.  It was incredibly touching and it ministered to my soul.  Here is a picture of Tiffany with the little girl she is adopting.  So sweet!

Sometime around 2 or 3 pm Gaelle and I were out in front of the orphanage.  All of the sudden Gaelle grabs my hand and begins walking toward the road where a man and woman are headed in our direction.  I knew this was Gaelle’s parents.  I turned back to the orphanage and started calling for Markes…he was my security and frankly without him there was no conversation taking place being that he was my translator.  As soon as I turned back toward the road, Gaelle’s parents were standing right in front of me.  Thankfully at that same moment, Markes came up beside me.  From the very beginning I knew the beautiful story Tiffany had experienced was not going to be my story.  The mother never made eye contact with me.  The father was distant at the beginning but he did come around a little towards the end.  Gaelle didn’t go to either of her parents.  She was climbing all over me and was wearing my sunglasses the entire time.  As we exchanged words I poured out my heart to them.  Markes just kept telling me that they were afraid they would never see Gaelle again until she was 18.  My heart broke for them but I didn't know how to make things better.  They finally did say they would agree to the adoption proceedings, but I left that meeting with an uneasy spirit.  Their body language did not match with their words.

I took Gaelle to the tent revival that night and it was so awesome.  Words do not express how wonderful it is to praise the Lord with song and dance along side the Haitian people.  As I was holding Gaelle and worshiping the Lord, she lasted about two minutes of my swaying with her in my arms before she became dead weight and was fast asleep.  I carried her back to bed and then went back down to the revival to finish out day 3 in Haiti.  Many uncertainties about the adoption swirled in my mind at this point but somehow there was peace.  Something deep down has been slowly building from the moment I said yes to the Lord regarding adoption.  I don't know what the future holds but I know that step by step, I feel His deep love for me and I am loving and trusting in Him more than ever before.  He is always good!  Thank you my Lord!