An Important Story

Friends,

Below is a story, you need to see. It's one of the ministries I get to be a part of at OBU. I'm so proud of all the people who volunteer each week at Harvest and the ways God is moving through this amazing group. OETA came out and filmed this story a few months ago and it just aired on TV. This story is also dear to my heart because one of the children featured goes to my church and I'm in a small group with her parents.

Jackie Wilks, the narrator of the story, and also the sweet lady who dreamed up this ministry is currently fighting cancer and I would appreciate your prayers so much for her.

You may want to get some tissues before watching.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvfC4uo1F4w

Update on Ronel

For those of you who are keeping up with the Parkers and their journey to bring Ronel home...

Debra has an update!

http://debraparker.typepad.com/just_one_girl/2010/01/happy-danceround-one.html

Help the Parkers bring Ronel home!

Haiti Adoption: Will You Help Us Today?

Jan 30, 2010

Friends,
I wanted to quickly share/update the story of Ernest & Debra Parker. They are a family who have adopted a young Haitian boy named Ronel but because of red tape and new restrictions, have yet to bring him home from Port-Au-Prince. Ernest is starting day 4 of sleeping on the floor of the US embassy in PAP with his son at his side. The US ambassador, his local congressman & the state dept. have been very little help at this point.

 I am asking that each of you read the story of Ronel below and take 20 minutes today to call/tweet/FB and email the govt contacts at the end of this email. We are hoping for 2k people to join us today in making these officials aware of the Parker's struggle and urge them to take action today. After calling, please RT, facebook message, email your address book & alert any media outlets you can of the Parker's.

This message is from another family who recently brought their Haitian son home to the US:

Ronel was abandoned at the Rescue Center  of Real Hope for Haiti , which is an amazing medical mission that takes in malnourished children and nurses them back to health. I am constantly amazed by the life-saving work these sisters do. When he was brought in, he weight 28 pounds . They were unsure of his age, but guessed him to be about 7 or 8 years old. Over a few months at the Rescue Center, his weight nearly doubled. Because his parents had died and no other family came to claim him, they searched for an adoptive family.


 The Parker family answered that call. I've never met Debra in person, but I feel like we're friends through this crazy blogging world. Debra saw the picture and knew. THIS WAS HER SON. She and her husband Ernest started the process to adopt Ronel. This was well over a year ago. Like many of us, they were in the wait to get him home when the earthquake happened. Like many of us, they moved into action to try to get their son home.

Ronel was supposed to come home 10 days ago. He was one of the kids who did not get approval, and got left behind. My heart was so heavy for Debra that night, as she rejoiced for those of us getting our kids home. But even worse was reading this visiting missionary's account of what that night was like for Ronel:

Tara told me today that the boys were flying to the US. One was going to his adoptive family in Houston Texas, the other to a family in Dallas. When I got back from my days work, the boys were all dressed in their very best to meet their new families. They were so excited. I was so excited for them. It was hard to watch them go. Later in the evening after dinner, the truck returned from the airport where 27 children were flying to meet their new parents. In the front seat of the truck was Ronel, the 6-7 year old that was staying in my room. I asked why he was still here and Tara told me it was because they needed one more paper for him. The other children got to go. She said she hoped they could get the needed paperwork tomorrow. I would never wish for you to see the disappointment on Ronel's face because it would crush your heart... it did mine. It was dark and the power was off. He went into our room, laid down on the bed, pulled the sheets up and sobbed. It was so sad. Tara came in and talked to him in Kreole... I'm not sure what she said but I know she was trying to comfort him. After a time she got up and left as I sat across the room. I could not leave him by himself. I went over and motioned for him to move over and I laid down next to him. The tears were pouring out of him. He was still in his new clothes as he fell asleep.

The embassy wanted one more paper to send Ronel home. He was supposed to go home the next day. That was a week ago.

Three days ago, Debra's husband flew down to try to get him out. From Debra: I did not know I would literally have to fight for him.

He [Ernest] just got word that the US is deciding to comply with a request from the Haitian government. That request is to approve of all children who leave the country after they have been cleared by the United States. France and Canada have not complied and are getting their waiting children home. Our US Ambassador has not cleared children and will not see the parents waiting/pleading. They were just told that the Ambassador has left for the day.

There are sick children and pregnant women sleeping on the floor in hopes to bring children home all the while nothing is being signed out. All documents are ready to go except for that approval.

...
Ernest has said that every time they call him to the window Ronel runs up to his side and says a phrase in kreyol with an expectant look on his face CAN WE GO? As in can we go home. As in can we go to THIS home. His home.

I will not lie and say that I am not fighting fear. I am. I am fearful of Ronel being hurt again. Being left again. It would break Ernest. I cannot imagine what it would do to Ronel. Would he understand that we would still fight for him? To think of it makes my stomach sick

Please pray, spend time contacting these officials and pass along to as many friends as possible to join the Parker's side.








HERE ARE THE OFFICIALS TO CONTACT, IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE TO THE PARKER'S CASE.

SOME TALKING POINTS:Be specific about the Parkers, the adoption is already finalized but red tape is delaying their release, sleeping on the floor in PAP at the US embassy, please do all you can to help, etc..

**contacting Congressman Poe by all means below is encouraged

U.S Congressman Ted Poe
Washington office - 202-225-6565
Kingwood,Tx office - 281-446-0242
Facebook: Ted Poe
Twitter: JudgeTedPoe

Raymond Joseph
Haitian Ambassador to US
embassy@haiti.org
p 202-332-4090
f 202-745-7215

Kenneth H Merten
US Ambassador to Haiti
Tabarre 41, Blvd 15 Octobre
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Haiti-earthquake@state.gov
P 509 22 29 8000
F 509 22 29 8028

Hilary Clinton/Dept of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Main Switchboard:
202-647-4000

Holidays, Birthday, East Asia and Oklahoma!

Well Friends,

I'm back from East Asia and it was amazing! I'm so thankful that I got to go and experience it with girls from OBU. The Lord moved powerfully and it was really inspiring to see. I want to share about my White Christmas at home in Texas, my BIG birthday, East Asia and how I'm hitting the ground running today in Oklahoma!

I also got a new camera for my BIG 30!!!! Birthday!!! , so I'm excited to post those pictures. I took over a 1000 pictures while in East Asia. There were so many great things to remember about e. asia and all the amazing people I met there.

My Oh My, where has the time gone...

Hmm, there seems to be a reoccurring theme here. I have BIG plans to update the ol' blog and then my plans get derailed.

So, I'll do my best to at least come up with something FUN! I don't think I'll ever look back on this time and think to myself, "boy, I wish I had something to do!" My life is so crazy and busy and fun. Oh, And tiring! But that's okay.

I've been on the go constantly and that's what I will continue to do for the months of December and January. 

Plans have finally come together and I won't be traveling to South Asia as I previously thought, but I am going to East Asia and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm sure the country I'm visiting has changed alot since I was previously there, so I can't wait to be there and experience it all. I'll be traveling with 3 college students, so I'm pretty confident the experience will be an adventure.

Thanksgiving was ablsolutely delightful and I need to go run about 26 miles to burn off what I consumed over the holiday festivities. I had two Thanksgivings, so that means I consumed countless calories. I started Couch to 10k last week, so i need to be vigilant in following through with the plan to run the OKC Memorial half marathon in April. My friend Allison are going to run this one together, so I've got accountability.

I've got so many pictures to post of all of these wonderful things that consume my life. Along with a few friends I hosted a Sip 'n' See for my dear friend Lindsey and sweet little Ainsley last weekend. While we were in town, A and I spent some time with some of our favorite babies and their parents. One day, we went to the park to play and found ourselves reminiscing about all the old playground tricks we knew and decided to attempt them. Jumping, Flipping and Swinging ensued and thankfully none of us ended up in the E.R.

At least not on that day.

Merry Christmas Ya'll! Don't get consumed by all the Stuff and focus on what Christmas is truly about.

Neil's on The Pioneer Woman's website!

Breaking News!

My precious nephew Neil and his mommy, my bff Anna, went last night to a book signing in OKC with The Pioneer Woman. You won't believe who is featured on Pioneer Woman's blog today? ..........Yep, it's Neil and he is just too cute for words.

Anna made a super cute onesie for him to wear, along with his cowboy boots and cowboy hat and he is just darling.

I CAN NOT wait to see that precious boy tomorrow. We're going to do a little Halloween Carnival-ing and of course stare at Neil and take a million pictures of him.

It should be a fun event. Pictures to follow. Of Course.

Happy Fall Ya'll!

Compassion International

Catalyst 2009 Compassion Moment from Catalyst on Vimeo.

Check out this Compassion Video. It totally sums up why giving $ 38.00 is SO WORTH IT! My Mom and I are both Compassion Sponsors of little girls in India. I can't explain what a blessing it is for me to sponsor, my little girl Salomi.

You can literally CHANGE a LIFE by sponsoring a child! Break the cycle of POVERTY!

Exciting Days Ahead!

My friend Allison and I started a business! We've had so much fun getting together to make things for our friends and we've come to realize we should put ourselves out there! Along with the things we have already made, we are also available for custom orders too. I've personally had 7 friends who have given birth to babies in the past 6 months. Which makes for lots of baby gifts and lots of money spent. Hmm, how do I make these two things work for one another? Simple, put my creativity to work and make awesome baby gifts!

Work at my 60 hour a week office, has been crazy but it's finally starting to level off. I'm so thankful for that, I couldn't keep going at that pace.

I have lots of great pictures to share! So many fun events have happened lately. I'll try to share them really soon.

Here is the link to my business with Allison, check it out www.alacartedesigngirls.blogspot.com