Urgent prayer request

We were in the country about 2 weeks when the girls & I walked down to the golf club to meet the pro (Tim) and organise lessons. After knowing Tim only 3 days, he invited us not only to their church but also into their home. Tim & Felicity went out of their way to make us feel at home in Zimbabwe. Felicity organised horse riding, beading and ballet outings for the girls as a way for them to meet other children. Tim had the utmost patience with us women in learning the game of golf & never allows the girls to feel as if they won't be able to master the technique. They also prayed with us during our adoption and loved Samuel to bits right from the first moment they met him.

Today we learned that the pain Tim had put down to a rib injury in December, is in fact a tumor in his abdomen. At this stage doctors want to operate as soon as possible and scheduled surgery for Friday, to be done here in Harare. However another doctor suggested Tim rather go down South to Johannesburg, as facilities are more advanced and medical supplies readily available. The second scenario will leave Tim away from his wife & daughter, Natani, as well as his spiritual family for an undetermined time.

As both Tim & Felicity strongly believe that only God can lead in a situation like this, I ask tonight that we pray that God will clearly reveal to them the plans He has for them at this stage.

Lord, tonight I bring Tim, Felicity & Natani to the foot of the cross

and place them in Your loving care.

Lord, please fill their hearts & home with Your peace & presence

in the time leading up to the surgery.

Lord, we trust You for an outcome that will

glorify Your Name.

Thank you Lord that they are a family who love

and trust You.

6 months.....

Samuel has now been home 6 months and we cannot imagine what our lives would be like without him. It just feels as if he had always been part of our family. Samuel now weighs just over 10.5 kg and stands about 76cm tall - he thinks its funny when we try to measure his height, constantly wriggling. And since he has discovered walking, he is busy,busy,busy.......

Us girls started organising his 2nd birthday party this weekend (yes, I know way to early if its only 4 Febr, but this is Zimbabwe) and in the process I looked back at photos taken last year this time and was just blown away by the plans God had for this little man.

I sent this photo to Kelly almost a year ago when Samuel managed to sit on his own in the bath. We were so happy for the progress made in just 2 short weeks.

Now..... the little man tries to get out by himself when he has had enough - which doesn't happen often. He loves water!!! :)

This is a photo Mariette sent me when he had his first haircut & the thought that I was not his forever Mommy, almost broke my heart - thank you Lord that You knew.

This is our little man after his "grown up" haircut today. Innocent (the barber) thought it was time for a change in style. I love it & Samuel knows how to use it!! :)

These past 2 weeks the "parents-in-waiting" have been in my heart constantly. Many prayers have been said for paperwork, court dates, passports, visas & travel mercies not only for the children in Ghana, but also for those in Haiti and other countries waiting to go home. I ask that we continue to pray for each child-in-waiting; each family-in-waiting; each child waiting.......

As a friend's blog states:

"Sometimes I would like to ask God why He allows poverty, orphans,

& all of the injustices in the world when He could do something about it ...

BUT I'm afraid He might ask me the same thing ..."

Tackling the new year with baby steps.

We started this year on a rather hectic, disorganised note.

We spent the last 2 days of 2009 travelling back from Cape Town to Pretoria (about 1400km) and then the 3rd & 4th of January travelling from Pretoria to Harare (another 1100km) - hair raising stuff on the last leg! Suffice to say, we have had enough of road trips for now - Samuel even resists getting into his car seat to do school runs.

Yvonne & Samuel enjoying a break during the trip down to Cape Town - yes, we did have a little tantrum when we had to get back into the car :(
Yvonne was so great with him at all the play areas!

However having said the above, we loved seeing our family and spending time in Cape Town. Samuel loved the beach; the girls were "snap happy" as they tried to capture each family moment on "film" and spend as much time as possible with family. For some of the family it was the first time meeting Samuel - Samuel handled it so well and they all loved him to bits.

Samuel meeting Toerien in Kimberley - one of his cousins

Assisting on the guitar during a "Band Hero" session at my brother's house

We were also blessed to meet up with the Paul family, Samuel's foster family from Ghana

On Christmas Day, I really wanted to believe that this was Samuel's first steps, but is really only was a stumble and then an attempt helped along by my brother, Theo

And then ..... amidst the craziness of unpacking, first school day and rotten flu for both Ellen & me, Samuel blessed us with his first steps on 6 January 2010!!!:) Praise God!!!!

Marina scarcely had time to capture this image of him getting up on his own and then 2 seconds later he walked 2 steps!!!

There were so many tears of joy!! I remember clearly sharing with my friend Anne my concerns regarding our new foster baby when we collected him almost a year ago. He had very little muscle control and could not even keep his head up - in short, he was like a newborn and this about 3 weeks before his 1st birthday. This holiday he was also able to communicate through baby sign - more & please was a sign often used when Ouma sat down with something nice to eat.

After the initial steps on the 6th, Samuel decided that the only person who warrants his efforts, is Yvonne. Mommy begs & pleads, but he only smiles, turns his back on me and starts crawling away. Then his sisters come home from school and its a whole different ballgame - literally....

George & the girls were hitting a few golf balls on our front lawn, when Samuel decided that he preferred cricket. He used a miniature bat that Oupa gave him , got up and stood the way Gretch taught him on the last day of our holiday! All on his own!! :)

And today Samuel went on his 1st bicycle ride around the garden with his Daddy.
Yes, again a small tantrum as he did not want to get off. He is definitely getting close too the age of 2!!!

For us the most amazing thing is watching Samuel try and try again until he is able to stand up on his own; master the steps in the house or build a tower toy. He listens attentively when we explain how to do it and shouts of joy & praises himself with a "well done" sign when he is able to do it. He trusts us unconditionally. He teaches all of us to listen, learn, not to give up and take joy in even the smallest achievement.

Thank you Lord,

- for the ongoing amazing healing process in Samuel's life;

- for our extended family that love him unconditionally and take

pleasure in each of his milestones;

- for an amazing Daddy & sisters that just poured love & attention into him this holiday.

Help us Lord,

- in this new year to be more like little children in listening, learning & trusting You;

- to take joy in all the baby steps / milestones in our lives that You enable us to achieve;

- to be obedient to You in all aspects of our lives.

Special Times

When our holiday started on 8 December, I had every intention of blogging daily - posting loads of photos, downloading new backgrounds in line with the season, etc. Then it just seemed as if there wasn't enough time in the day to get to everything. I just loved watching George and the girls interact with Samuel and the impact of their "full time" stimulation & attention.

Samuel loves the beach and the water no matter what the weather!!!! The girls are so good with him, building sandcastles, digging water trenches and just enjoying him enjoying the water.

The girls go for early morning runs with their nephew, who being in the British Armed Forces, is a hard taskmaster. Samuel just loves the wind and being on the beach.

This being Samuel's first Christmas at home, we really had to work hard at not spoiling him too much! It has been so long since we had a little one in our home for Christmas, that we spent hours in toy shops just "window shopping"! Just when the girls & I had our spending under control, the bug bit George who wanted to buy & buy! In the end I would like to think that we spent wisely, that his first Christmas home was about the Right Gift and that he would remember it as a time when he was loved to bits.

In this photo Samuel is with my brother and his son. Samuel loved his new t-shirt - an amazing gift from the two buddies at his side.

Late afternoon we went for a walk on the beach - yes, the wind was blowing more than normal and the water icy, but we loved being outside. The girls got cameras for Christmas so I will post some of their photos tomorrow. In the meantime, George took this photo at Gordons Bay - so awesome and amazing.......Only the Master can produce a picture this perfect.

Thinking back to last Christmas, we never in our wildest dreams could think that our lives this Christmas would be so different, so blessed - absolutely beyond what we deserve!

Thank you Lord for ......

- The greatest, most precious gift of all , Your Son;

- The gift of our son, Samuel;

- Our 3 daughters, who during this year had to adjust to a new country, school, new way of life and stood strong in You throughout a very difficult time at school;

- For our family, loved ones and friends.

How can you not.......

After last weekend's very "lavish" Father Daughter banquet and all that went with it, this weekend was quite the opposite.

On Saturday George's work had an outreach to pre-schools and orphanages in and around Harare. The outreach comprised of general cleaning up around the facilities and then handing out some donated items. George took these photos of the creche where they sanitized toilets, cleaned windows, etc. The photo above is of the children, that attend the creche, doing a "dance of joy" at the end of the morning to say thank you.

The toilets are a hole in the ground with a shelter around it for privacy.

How can this not stir our hearts?

The afternoon brought about a Christmas party at St Joseph's House for Boys, a house in Harare that have about 75 boys of various ages - some are orphans, others just "unwanted" in their society. The message of the service prior to the festivities was all about hope and being special. The Pastor from Zimbabwe for Jesus explained to the children that they were precious; fearfully & wonderfully made and that God has a future planned for each of them - God created them for a reason and they are an important part of God's plan for this country.

Then it was time for gifts and snacks! I was touched beyond words at the pride & joy of a little boy when he found his own tube of toothpaste as part of the gift package! So simple..... yet life changing for him. The package also included other toiletries, a new t-shirt, a new schoolbag & school items.


I was unable to take any photos, only because it was too emotional for me. Each child there reminded me of all the others out there that had no shelter, no food, no love. Each child there also reminded me of those waiting for forever families and those who had found their way home.


After a day like that, how can you not be touched by the plight of the children of this world - the estimated 147,000,000 that need love above all.........

I know adoption is not for everyone, for a long time we didn't think it was for us either. However it was a decision that has changed each of us in the family forever, for the better.
I don't think its ever to late to change a life or make a difference.


How can we make a difference:
- We can pray for God to open our eyes, to see the need;
- We can pray for paperwork / court dates / passports for those waiting to go home;
- We can pray for forever families for those still waiting;
- We can contribute to / support / sponsor an adoption;
- We can give our time to help at a place of need;
- We can love unconditionally..........

Father Daughter Banquet

Last week was hectic crazy, yet great!

First there was the fundraising Golf day with a Gala dinner - we raised U$ 9055!! Early morning saw only about 60 people for dinner, which made that we almost cancelled - a final head count during the evening: 130 people!! Due to the economic circumstances in Zimbabwe, fundraising is never easy - we know that we would never have achieved this on our own and thank the Lord for the success of the entire day.

Then there was the preparation for the Father Daughter banquet on Saturday. Monday morning saw me in "downtown"/"cow's guts", similar to Makola market in Ghana, buying fabric for the twins' dresses. Sheree worked wonders during the week and we had the final fitting on Friday - all still well on track for the next day. All the decorating issues were taken care of; despite rain and plenty of errands that needed to be run during the afternoon, Friday night promised to be spent doing nails, etc. prior to doing the airport run to collect George coming back from South Africa.

Then the phone rang .........

George's flight was cancelled due to the fact that Harare airport was not clear for the night landing, landing lights not sufficient as we had lots of rain. A mild panic attack and then waiting for news of possible flights the next morning. After further delays the next morning, they eventually landed at 9:40am. Rushing home to drop off; to venue to help decorate in need; back home to collect girls for hair appointments (had a great hour with other moms & girls as we shared many coffee variations!!); back home to drop off & do special flowers for dads to give the girls as they arrive at venue; back to venue to drop off and then back home to help dress. CRAZY!!

Then it happened..........

As we zipped Ellen up, the zip was no longer!!! Marina panicked, Ellen was to shocked to say anything and my brain went into overdrive!! There was only 10min to fix this wardrobe malfunction, thus out with needle & thread. I started sewing Ellen into her dress, whilst Marina finished up. I must say Ellen handled "the crises" in such a mature manner. In the end you couldn't even tell there was a problem. They both looked stunning and to me far to grown up. They eventually left at 6:45pm, arrived in time for 7pm and had a great time.

Thank you Lord for this opportunity for George, Ellen & Marina and the other fathers & daughters.

George, Ellen & Marina thoroughly enjoying this very special evening.

Ellen, Hannah, Marina

After George & the twins left, I admit to falling apart. And into this gap stepped Yvonne.

She had been absolutely amazing the entire day. As she is so close to the twins, she felt very left out on this occasion and there had been some tears (prior to the day and earlier on the day itself). Yet, she was the one who drove with me in the pouring rain to collect first the dresses and then George. As we got stuck in traffic, she prayed that God would take control of our chaotic morning and help us to get everything done on time. She helped me do the special arrangements that the girls received at the venue; played mother to Samuel most of the day and then picked up the pieces after they left. She made pancakes for us while I fed & bathed Samuel, delicious! When Samuel was in bed, we could cuddle up and watch a "chick flick". Sunday morning after church, George took her for her favourite: waffles!!

Thank you Lord for Yvonne and the place she has in our family.

21 Nov.... 2 special birthdays

Today was the birthday of 2 special ladies that have enriched our lives beyond belief and they're both on the above photo taken in May 2008.The first is George's sister, Lizzie (on the left) and the other is the sweet little on the right (purple headband).

Well, what can I say about Lizzie: she came to stay with George and the girls when I went to Ghana to bring Samuel home. This despite the fact that her own daughter from Johannesburg was visiting them in Mozambique, where they live! There is very little, maybe nothing(?), that Lizzie hasn't tried her hand at - give her a glue gun, staple gun, needle & thread and she can fix anything! She has a heart for other people; is always ready to help in need and has broad shoulders if you need one to cry on. When I arrived back from Ghana, she had left enough food in the freezer for a month, which gave me lots of bonding time without having to worry about the routine of everyday life.

Happy birthday Lizzie, may God bless you with many more. Thank you for the special person that you are. Love you lots!

And then there is "Girlfriend" as her Mommy called her when we first met them in Ghana. She is 2 years old today and is one of the many little ones that were a part of our adoption journey. Together with her parents and sister, this little girl will always be in our hearts and prayers. Her parents taught us what it is to love and wait at the same time. A painful journey at times, but so rewarding when the little ones come home.

Happy birthday "Girlfriend", 2 today!! Mommy & Daddy, we know how much she means to you and for this new year we pray for continued blessings. May her days be filled with love and laughter as she continues to blossom in her family.