Raphaella and Wana…oh how my heart longs for you

You truly have a couple of wonderful little girls. The nannies tell me that their personalities develop more and more all the time. They definitely let their caregivers know when they need something but when they are happy and contented they have the best smiles! (original caption from GLA)

Here is a current little visual of myself: Whenever I bring myself to write about these two little angels from God I have a box of tissues to my right and the pile of snotty tear soaked tissues stack to my left.

What triggers me to turn into this cry baby?

It's kind of like the timing of a monthly period.  You know about when it's going to hit but you never know the exact day.  We are told to expect the updates at the end or very beginning of every month.  With one glance at my email during this "expected time frame," everything going on in my mind and scheduled for the day comes to a shattering halt if the "Raphaella and Wana Update for MCKINLEY" shows up in my inbox.  The mood changes.  The flood of joy and sorrow attacks every fiber of my being at the same time.  I'm pretty much useless for the rest of the day. 

Today, was one of these days.  Emotions and tissues!!  On November 9^th they will turn 8 months old.  Have you ever wanted something so badly and at the same time intensely dreaded getting it?  That is how I feel about these monthly updates.  I need to know my babies are thriving and growing and happy and being loved, but I how can I explain the pain of another month flying by and topped off with not seeing any progress in our adoption Haiti side. 

The separation remains. 

It’s a like a knife piercing my heart. 

Jesus. 

It’s the Name I call out to. 

I can remember like it was yesterday when I was so blessed to hold my two precious babies at Pastor Nahum’s home when they were 3 months old.  I stroked their soft baby fine hair, cradled them in my arms…my tears fell on them as I could not keep from crying.  It was not a dream.  God placed me in Haiti with Papa and allowed me to look into the faces of the very orphans who God chose to place in my family.  Words cannot describe this.  I do not deserve to be a part of something this beautiful in Gods Kingdom…this, my friends is a picture of God’s grace.  The time was too short but the memory burned forever in my mind was the last of my tears falling on their arms and legs...I raised them up and laid my face on their tummies and to each one of them I spoke the very words of Jesus over them… “I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you.”   

Hello tissues!!!

So here we are almost 5 months later.  What a miracle to see my beautiful babies growing and happy.  I am forever thankful to the nannies at GLA that God is using to show our babies love while they are apart from us.  God is the Father of the fatherless and close to the brokenhearted.  All glory to God for sustaining them.   

Whether my heart is joyful or sad, I will never stop trusting my Lord Jesus.  I go to the feet of my Jesus and tell him of the pain I’m feeling.  As my tears fall on His feet, I know He knows exactly how I feel.  He lifts my face to His and reminds me it was not my words, but His words that I left with Raphaella and Wana.  “I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you.” 

So…this is not easy but I welcome this suffering because it is in this very suffering where I understand the love of the Father more deeply.  Our Heavenly Father sees our brokenness.  He sees the orphan state we are in.  Apart from His mercy and grace we are left with no Father…left to die as orphans.  Thank you Jesus for Your blood shed on the cross.  My sins are forgiven and I am called a child of God.  I am adopted into God’s family.   There is nothing more important in this life than to be sure of who your Daddy is.        

Who's your Daddy?

Below is some of the update we got from GLA: (The pictures are posted with the original captions from GLA)

October Greetings from GLA, Trey and Rochelle!

This month I thought you would enjoy seeing the children in their natural setting.  The children’s nannies are the ones who take care of all their basic cares and ensure that the children are healthy and loved each and every day! These are the ladies that they build their attachments to so that when they come home to you they are able to attach to you as their parents. The nannies work very hard and I can tell that they love the children in their care as much as they would love their own. The nannies also shared a little about what they love about your child. I hope you enjoy having photos of the people your children are with day in and day out. :D!

The specific information about Raphaëlla and Wana is noted below each of the photos. Please be sure to scroll down in the email to see and read information from the people in Haiti who care for them each day.

Raphaëlla is healthy and growing:

Height: 64 cm

Weight: 14.3 lbs.

Wana is healthy and growing:

Height: 64.5cm

Weight: 15 lbs.

Blessings, 

Susie Schuelke
GLA Update Coordinator

Raphaëlla and Wana have had a very good month here at GLA. They are such happy little girls and the volunteers that spend time with them say that they absolutely LOVE working with them. This is a picture I took one day when they were laying together in the nursery. I love how Raphaëlla is looking at Wana. 

Wana right before bedtime. The girls cribs are right next to each other and it is very common for me to go into the nursery and one will be sleeping and the other will not. 

This is the GIANT smile that Raphaëlla will give when she is in good mood. She has become very good at rolling over in her crib and lying in her belly like this. When she is on her belly she is constantly kicking her little legs.

Jocelyn and Ginette are two of Raphaëlla and Wana's primary nannies in the NICU. They feed, bath, cloth, burp, rock, and love your precious twins every day. Each of the nannies told me what they love about each of your girls. This is what Ginette had to say: “Raphaëlla is a very beautiful little girl. She loves to smile. She eats a lot and drinks a little. I love her a lot.” and “Wana loves to smile. She likes a lot of affection. She eats and drinks well. She loves me a lot and I love her."

Exumene is Raphaëlla and Wana's third nanny. She is a wonderful nanny who loves each of the babies in her care very much. She is very patient and loving. Here is what she had to say about Raphaëlla and Wana: “Raphaëlla loves to smile. I love her a lot. Every time she looks at me she smiles!” and “Wana loves me a lot and I love her to. I love her because she drinks well for me.”

Here is one of my favorite photos of Wana during an afternoon nap. She is improving at sitting up so much. When she is on her tummy she loves to keep her head up and look all around. She is also becoming very vocal and will just babble and babble all afternoon.

One of the night nurses, Roseline, gets Raphaëlla ready for bed in the NICU. The nannies here are truly amazing. Raphaëlla is doing quite well. She is becoming more active. She will roll over on her stomach and then scoot around like that.

Jesus, fill the void in our hearts as we long for our babies to come home.  We love Your ways and know they are perfect.  You are in control and we will praise you Name!  We wait in expectation to see Your mighty hand move to bring our adoption to completion and most of all we wait with expectation to finally be with our Daddy in our Heavenly home....no longer orphans but living face to face with You as Your children.   Thank you, Jesus.