January 2010 - a month I will always remember!

Our children were excited, not sure how to feel, wanted to meet him - when could he come here?? After days home I had decided to travel back to Haiti Jan. 11-15 to work at the Mission and be with Matthew. However, as we often learn we are not in control of our lives - God is and my plans were not his plans.

On New Years Eve I was not feeling well so I canceled our annual gathering at our home, and went to bed. Friday seemed like I was worsening, Saturday a.m. I surrendered and had my oldest take me to see the doctor. By mid afternoon we knew that a virus was attacking my liver - yes, I was diagnosed with Hepatitis A. During my December stay in Haiti I had contracted Hep A. We will never know for sure where I got it from and it does not matter - it is just part of my Matthew's World story. I stayed in the local hospital for 3 days getting fluids and lots of rest. Not much more you can do for Hep A!! Late Monday afternoon we thought, remember this word, thought I had reached my peak and went home. Tuesday the vomitting continued and many body aches. Dell brought me back to E.R. for some fluids Tuesday evening, only to find out my liver functions had gotten ALOT worse. I was readmitted.

During this time Dell had been conversing with Bob, the couple we had traveled to Haiti with, he stated that his wife, Sharon, had not been feeling well. Dell suggested he take her in and tell the doctors what was going on with me. Hours later we found out she too was diagnosed with Hep A. One out of every 1000 patients that are diagnosed with Hep A turns into acute Hep A - well Sharon and I were 2 out of 2000!!!! Our Hep A had turned into acute.

On Thursday morning my liver functions got into a dangerous area in which my doctor and the doctors in Sioux Falls were not comfortable taking care of me. I was air lifted to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN that evening. While Sharon was taken to the University of Kansas hospital in Kansas City. I was having to put my favorite scripture to work again "Trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding but in all my ways I needed to acknowledge Him and he would direct my path." I was frightened, my family was frightened - my liver functions showed hours from a transplant.

We got to the Mayo clinic safely through a winter snow storm and was introduced to the transplant doctors and team on Friday morning. They were preparing me for a transplant. Tests were run and we waited - we waited to see what the numbers were going to do. Prayers were being sent from all over - Friday afternoon friends came to the clinic and prayed over me and for Sharon - asking for our numbers to stop rising and that a transplant would not be needed. We had both contacted family and friends to pray for the same thing. We were boldly asking God for miracles.

Saturday morning the doctors came in along with the transplant doctor and these were her direct words "I am confident that you will not be needing my services!!" My liver function numbers had quit rising - I was not going to need a transplant! I told her "it was nice to have met you but I hope I never have to see you again!" We all smiled and we were in need of some smiles and laughter. Later that morning - Bob phoned Dell and the same thing was going on with Sharon. There was no real medical reason except that our prayers had been answered. Sharon and I knew we had alot in common but as we have watched all of this unfold - WOW - our stories are so similar it is quite scarey. We call each other the Hep Sisters!!

Needless to say I did not get to go on my flight to Haiti Monday morning - but as the week continued my family realized that it was best that I was not in Haiti - the earthquake hit that Tuesday afternoon. We cried with sadness and fear as we watched the reports come in. We immediately got ahold of Bob and he informed us that evening that MOH was safe, the children were all safe - Matthew was safe. We can not describe all the feelings that have come since that night and over the weeks to come except that God is good, he is faithful and he will see that nation through - he will pull countries together and maybe, just maybe Haiti will recover like never before.

Sharon and I are recovering and our liver functions are back to normal. My doctor said I was normal - my sisters laughed!!! We are all planning on returning to Haiti March 9-17 to be at the Mission and of course, love on Matthew. I will be bringing my family along to meet him and baptize him in the church. To be a faithful servant of God can be difficult at times - we question him - we try to control things - the sooner we learn to Trust Him and to let Him control our lives the better off we will all be. He continues to direct my path.

Getting Him Settled

On Monday morning we knew we had our work cut out for us. Dell and I were scheduled to return to Iowa on Wednesday morning. We arranged a meeting with the founders, who had traveled with us, and Marc Lubin, the gentleman that heads up the finances at MOH. At this point we wanted to sponsor Matthew and keep him at the mission. The problem was - the orphanage was full!!


We watched Matthew change right in front of our very eyes. Saturday he could not hold his head up, Sunday we got him food and antibiotics and fed him every couple hours. On Monday, he was holding his head up and crying when he wanted something. He wanted to stay at the Mission of Hope!!!!


Our meeting went very well - they all knew God wanted us to take care of this child. We sent Rachel - who runs the orphanage - into Port Au Prince to find a bed, and other supplies. We sent someone to the other orphanage where we removed Matthew from and asked the madame to allow us to keep Matthew at the orphanage. She knew he was sick and needed attention - she sent someone into the mountains to find the mother and bring her to MOH. On Tuesday Madame and the mother came to the MOH and signed forms to allow us to keep him there. We had rescued Matthew - the God we serve is so good!!

While all this was taking place we were spending the days with Matthew. Falling in love with this adorable little human being that for some reason God put into our path!! What was he thinking and what would the three children that we have at home think?? They had spent a week in Haiti with us in June and their lives had forever been changed along with ours.

Wednesday morning came, the picture above shows how strong he was by that a.m. - 3 days on food and being loved!!! Our bags were packed and we needed to head home - we knew Matthew would be safe and taken care of - but to say goodbye. We handed him to Rachel and prayed over him that God would protect him and watch over him. That he would provide love and food for him and keep him healthy. All of Matthew's test have come back that he is a healthy boy. He is growing and being loved upon by the mommies, the other children at the orphanage and volunteers that come to MOH to be God's hands and feet every day.

We are thanking God everyday for using us to rescue him and waiting to see what he has in store for our family and Matthew's life.