Looking Back...

And Praising God!

Tonight as I was sitting unpacking boxes

full of clothes that just arrived on the sea

container, I couldn't help but think where

we were at this point last year.

Last year, about this time, we just got

our 3rd placement and our first little girl.

We had a few things for her clothes wise,

but I remember the day after I got her going

into town to try and find some clothes for her.

This was a challenge because the clothes could

be found, but the clothes within my budget (what

I would liked to have spent) were cheaply made. 

I was fearful to buy those because I knew they

would not hold up being washed regularly. On the

other hand there were good quality (carter or other

brands I knew) clothes too, but I couldn't justify

spending $15 for one of those onesies.

And now just one year later, we have been so blessed

by peoples generosity (Praise Jesus for clearance racks!)

and we now have tubs full of a variety of sizes, and 

styles for each gender.

Its such a blessing being able to welcome littles

in, knowing we have everything we need

to properly care for their physical needs. 

Meet Little A

Yesterday around noon I got a call asking if we could

take in a 1 month old for a few weeks. I told them

we would love to, and then I was informed she was

at court now but I would get a call when court was

over. I tried to get as much ready, without making

it obvious to Neiah when she would get home from

school just in case the baby didn't come I didn't want

her to be disappointed.

At 4:30 I still hadn't gotten a call so 

I called CDA again to check in and see if

we for sure would be getting a baby that night, or

if plans had changed. I was told they had not and

at 5 we were called to come collect Little A from 

the CDA office.

Neiah was BEYOND excited that Jesus had

sent us a baby to care for. She ran right into CDA 

and I thought she was going to take the baby right

out of the social workers hands :)

 Neiah once more smoothly transitioned into the role

of big sister, holding, reading to, and singing to Little A

Little A arrived with a nasty chest cold, but Praise

Jesus thanks to the help of oils, and a humidifier,

she had a peaceful night sleep.

 Brita didn't know what to think of Little A. She

just continued to walk circles around her and every

once in a while would bark at her. :)

 We had Little A less then 24 hours, but Neiah

soaked in every possible min. she could loving on her.

So Thankful for a few hours to love on this little girl.

An added blessing to getting to love on Little A. Was when we

picked her up at CDA last night we got her from Mrs Henry (the head of

the CDA office in MV). She was the one who also picked her

up today to take her to Kingston. When she came (Along with

Ms Lyons who is now working with the kids in the court system and knows

 when kids get removed and are in need of placement.) both her and Ms

Lyons were able to go through En Gedi for the first time and were

so excited to see the new place, and how we are now better

able to accommodate babies. And also Mrs Henry could not believe

how much better (sick wise) Little A looked and sounded in just 

a short time with us.

Praise God for his healing over little A, and for continually providing 

steps forward for us.

Please be praying for Little A as she transitions into her

long term placement.

Thanks.

Little Things

We were blessed by a donation from some local 

Jamaicans who have heard about En Gedi. They 

have some boys who are older now. As they 

were cleaning out, and getting rid of things they no

longer needed they thought of us, and blessed us

with some boxes of baby things.

So thankful for peoples continual kindness to

us here at En Gedi.

This past week, Friday actually, we were finally

able to get someone from CDA over to En Gedi.

She asked to come early afternoon, but then got called

out of the office for the rest of the day. She told me, when she 

called me at 5 that night, (they close at 4:30 on Fridays, I think)

that she had originally called to cancel the visit, but if I was 

okay with it, she would be willing to come then and keep

her scheduled visit to En Gedi. We gladly welcomed her

(Neiah of course is open to any visitors we can get to come)

and she spent the next hour plus talking through things with us.

What a blessing that she was willing to give up part of her Friday

night visiting with us here at En Gedi instead of simply going

home after what I am sure was already a full week.

I am so thankful for these continual little things that

keep up focused and remind us that God is still

right here running along side us.

Blessings

God's Goodness.

Yesterday I was at one of those points. I didn't know

what to do, should I call CDA again? Go in and talk

to the head of the office about En Gedi again? Be still

and do nothing? Trust God to work as only He can?

I feel like its such a fine line down here of hurry up 

and wait...., but also, I know that the squeaky wheel

gets the attention so if I am not 'making enough noise' 

I will be forgotten. Its so hard to know when to push, 

and when to simply be still.

For a few days I had been going back and forth debating

if I should try contacting CDA again, and if so what I would

say or do.

Then God moved, as only He can. So perfectly, and

again I just stand in awe of Him and His goodness

to me. Yesterday morning I got a call from one of my

contacts at CDA checking in (that is something that almost

never happens) to see if anyone has come to do the home

visit for En Gedi yet (they haven't), and when I told her no,

she then asked me to write out a letter, she told me specifically

what to put in the letter, and also who to write the letter to 

(giving me another contact at CDA).

So, in a matter of a few minutes I went from feeling convicted

to do something, but having no idea what.... to, having 

specific instructions on what to do, and who to send it to.

What a GOOD GOOD FATHER we serve! 

The letter was written, and emailed out today.

Another door was open, another step was taken, and now

again we wait to see how God moves.

To God be the Glory!

Meet Brita

One of the things I was excited about when we moved was

being able to get a dog. Down here in Jamaica dogs 

are not pets. Dogs are something to be feared, and Neiah

has always had a serious fear of dogs. She wanted to like

them, tried to like them, but would get so overwhelmed that

each experience she had with dogs ended badly for her.

I didn't want her to grow up with a fear of dogs, and so I have

been looking for puppy for En Gedi. And this month we 

were able to bring home a German Shepard. 

 I am so thankful to say that Neiah has done GREAT with

Brita (her name means strength in German... or at least thats 

what the internet said:). I was hoping that if we got a new puppy

then she could be able to get used to the dog and as it grew and 

still be okay with it.

 Its been a few weeks now and almost all of her free time is still

spent outside playing with Brita and 'training' her.

So thankful for this opportunity to add a new member to En Gedi.

To God Be The Glory.

This past weekend we were blessed to welcome friends and family

to En Gedi as we dedicated the house to God.

 With the Joc here on the island we thought it was the perfect 

opportunity to ask the construction workers who renovated En Gedi,

and all those who have helped us through this process, together

to Thank God for all the ways He has run ahead and blessed us 

with this property.

 We were able to all come together and share a meal.

 Scriptures were read

 Prayers of dedication over the house were said,

 As well as prayers over Neiah and I.

After the service we had a sweet time of fellowship.

 Neiah liked the "Thank You Jesus" cake, and having her friend

Matthew over to the house to play :)

We were blessed with a beautiful day, and are so Thankful for

all those who came to celebrate with us.

Continued prayers, as we continue to step as God leads are appreciated.

Thanks

Once Again...

During our time in the states we were once more blessed 

 by random strangers hearing about what we are doing and sending

us box full of wonderful things to bless the ministry.

And Sunday schools collecting donations during their vbs, that

we were able to pack up, and get ready for the sea container coming

down next month.

Thanks to all who continually bless us with their prayers, support,

and donations.

Erin Vs. The Yard

For months I have been slowly trying to clean up the yard. 

Sadly after months of construction on the house, the yard is 

now a landmine of uneven terrain, rocks, concrete blocks, chunks of concrete, rebar 

parts, screws, nails, chunks of wood. ect.

Neiah and I have made multiple trips around the yard collecting 

and throwing away things we find hidden. 

Sadly we are still finding things...

Or shall I say some of them the lawn mower blade is finding for us :(

This mower blade lasted 2 months.

Thankfully another blade was sent so I was

able to simple change it, and keep mowing.

The next day, with the new blade on, I was

just about finished. I only had one more strip to

mow, when I looked down

And realized a nut had fallen off the mower, I was

now mowing with only half the handle in tact.

Whoops.

Thankfully I was able to finish mowing and will

simply be able to replace the bolt that is now

also lost in the landmine that is our yard.:)

I also called in some guys to clear out the 'bush'

part of En Gedi's yard.

Over the span of 2 days (a few hours each day)

a couple of guys from KP CCCD came to cut

down the overgrowth for the cows.

They were able to get a couple of truck loads of

food for the cows.

And I can once more see our neighbors, now that the bush area 

has been cleared!

Little Projects

Note To Self:

 The next time a local farmer tells you the bananas are

ready... Go cut them down. Don't wait a week.

 Or at that point most of them have fallen off the tree, and are now

spoiling on the ground.

 Thankfully I was able to harvest a few.

 And that night we had bananas for supper,

and lots of banana bread was made, and shared

with our friends.

Other little projects happening:

 A box was built and stained to go over the gas tank

in the kitchen.

 The porch chair also go sanded down and was stained.

 A picnic table that was left here has started to be

sanded down, and repainted

 Some interior side tables were repainted to match

their new dwellings.

Some yard work has been done,

And this was pulled out of a box that we 'refound' when moving,

after sitting up on a shelf for about 5 years.

When it arrived it was no longer able to be used for its original

purpose so I was instructed to 'hold onto' it. 

Now En Gedi gets to benefit from it :)

 Thanks to Blake and Todd from Harvest Call, En Gedi now
has a more official look with our new letter head, envelopes,
note cards, and business cards!

Settling In

We have now been at En Gedi for about 3 weeks.

We are continuesly settling in as we daily try to tackle

the little 'jobs' that pop up. 

We are learning that being 'homeowners' is a lot 

different then living in an apt. on a compound.

There are daily things that come up, that now

require our attention that before we didn't have

to think about. But its also nice to have a little

more privacy, and Neiah is loving her new

found independance as she can go in and out

and I don't have to worry about her bothering people

working around us, or taxi cars coming in and out. 

It was also a blessing to have the sea container

arrive the same week that we planned on moving.

On the sea container came some treasures, that have

made En Gedi more 'homey' for me.

 This coat rack was built by my Grandpa Davis and 

could be older then I am. I feel like for a time

 almost everything he made had hearts carved into it, 

and this is something that I have grown up seeing 

hanging around their old house, and my parents.

Now this one I get to proudly hang at En Gedi :)

This table was a gift too that came down on the 

sea container. This is the table that I grew up on.

It was my parents kitchen table for 30+ years, and

when they decided to get something new this past year

I was blessed with the gift of it to use at En Gedi.

So many memories are had around that table. I am 

excited to see how many more are added while its

here at En Gedi.

We are thankful for the past few weeks, and the smooth

transition that it has been so far. Neiah misses the constant

social of being up at KP, and is always ready to go for a visit,

but we are doing well here at for that I Praise God.

CDA has been contacted to come do an updated home visit

and I have informed them we are now equipped to better

able care for the littles. "Soon Come' was their reply a few weeks

ago and they have yet to come. This is Typical and not suprising

at all. We will see how God moves from here.

Prayers appriciated as we now have been instructed to add

another electrical post on our property (20ft in from our

other one). This LORD WILLING will help us pass

the electrical inspection we keep failing (because we

have not bribed them). Thankfully they are totally fine

with us living on the property before the inspection passes :)

Thanks!

En Gedi Before and After

 En Gedi, in all its glory when we bought it.

 

En Gedi, 8 months later. 

The garage was added on, and so there is no 'before' picture of 

this part of the house.

 Before: En Gedi's front door and garage.

After: A new front porch, separating the garage from the house

front door.

 Before: Entering through the front door into the living room

After: Coming in the front door.

 

Before: Another view of the living room

 After: similar view of the living room above.

 Before: View looking from the kitchen 

After: view looking in from the kitchen

 Before: Dinning Room.

After: Dinning Room.

 

 Before: Kitchen

After: Kitchen

 

 

 Before: Guest Room

After: Guest Room

 

 Before:  Nursery

 After: Nursery

 Before: End of the hall

 After: End of the hall

 Before: Main Bath

After: Main Bathroom

 

 Before: Master Bedroom

After: Master Bedroom

  

 Before: Master Bath

After: Master Bath

 

 Before: Neiah's Room

After: Neiah's Room

 Before: Laundry Room & Back porch

After: Laundry Room

After: Back porch, torn down and rebuilt.

Praise Be to God! For all the work He has done on this property

from the beginning. We are so thankful to be moved in now, and 

are excited to see how God will use this property for His Glory.

Continued Prayers Appreciated. Thanks!