3
2
1
4
ISSUE NINE
JUNE/JULY 2009
ISSUE NINE
JUNE/JULY 2009
ISSUE NINE
JUNE/JULY 2009
ISSUE NINE
JUNE/JULY 2009
did not carry quite the sting they can sometimes inflict now that I am the official "future mother" to this child. When I hear those words now, there is a momentary ache in my heart, and I wonder if this will ever be "home." While this could cause discouragement, I use it for good. I take this as an opportunity to talk about his family and how we need to pray for them so that one day they will be a part of our eternal family.
What have been some recent challenges/victories that God has walked you through?
A few weeks ago I experienced an event that was both an intense challenge and a glorious victory – the relinquishment of Justin's mother's parental rights. I went to court fully expecting the termination of her parental rights based on abandonment. Justin and I have had no contact with his mother since August 2008. Several months ago she made the decision to turn her rights over to the State of Montana, but failed to follow through with the mandatory counseling sessions. This led the State to file termination papers. At court that Wednesday morning, nobody expected to see Justin’s mother. It was simply going to be an easy in/easy out hearing where her rights were permanently terminated. But she showed up that day.
When I saw her in the waiting area my heart skipped a few beats. In my mind, her presence could mean only one thing: she was going to fight for "my" child. By this time, he is fully mine in my heart and the thought of losing him was unbearable. This was not the case. Justin's mom came to the decision to relinquish her rights. For me, this was supposed to be the best news of my life! By relinquishing her rights, she forfeited any chance of ever fighting to get him back. After the hearing it would be a permanent, irreversible decision. While most adoptive parents would be rejoicing, I found myself weeping. I sat in court, watching a mother agree to give up her child so that she could maintain a life of slavery to sin and death. It was heartbreaking.
But I was reminded that we serve a mighty and gracious God! He quickly rushed in to remind me of a precious word- HOPE! We always have HOPE! I left that courtroom telling our social worker that there is HOPE! I say that fully expecting that God will radically alter lives through this experience. As I drove home, He repeatedly spoke to my heart, "This is not the end Jolene. I am beginning something beautiful. Just hang on with great expectation." With those words on my heart, I felt the victory that has already been won! Lives have been claimed for His purpose and glory and I must "hang on with great expectation." And that is what I am doing, one day at a time!
What are you most excited about looking forward?
I am honestly looking forward to a house full of dysfunctional kiddos! That is my heart's desire and I cannot wait for that day to become a reality. God has recently challenged my heart with the number 50. I believe with all of my heart and soul that our God will allow me to foster and/or adopt 50 kids in my lifetime.
While my dream is to have many kids right now God has entrusted me with one- the most precious lil' man God could have blessed me with. I am so looking forward to watching God break down walls, heal hurts, and begin to mold Justin into a mighty warrior-poet who defends His name and fights for His honor. While we have a long way to go from hurt and broken child to fierce and mighty warrior poet, I fully expect that one day Justin will be a world changer. I hope that God instills in him the same passion I have for reaching out to the lost and hurting children in the foster care system. Despite this, whatever way God chooses to use him, he will one day have an impact on this world that will forever change lives. *
At Christmastime, we moved all of our boys into one house (they were split up before....little boys home and big boys home), so we have 42 boys living in one home, ages 3-17!
Recently, we broke ground for our children's hospital which will be a great blessing to the children of Haiti. Most children die because of illnesses that are treatable and preventable, but they lack money for a $3 prescription. We believe that The Hospital of Hope will not only heal bodies, but souls.
What have been some recent challenge/victories that God has walked you through?
To be honest, it can be a real challenge being single! I am continuing to learn how to be content and I do trust Him with my whole heart. I'm SO grateful God has kept me single because I've learned how to depend on Him for everything, but that doesn't mean I don't desire marriage more than I ever have. I see couples together and I'm sincerely happy for them, but I wonder when my turn will come. There are lonely moments and lonely nights. The Bible says in Proverbs 13:12, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." I have learned that giving other people hope and relieving their suffering keeps my mind focused on what I have rather than what I don't have yet.
What are you most excited about looking forward?
Looking forward, I'm most excited about getting to know the Lord in a deeper way, letting His desires become my desires. I'm excited about living a set-apart life and encouraging others to do the same. I'm excited that soon we will have a children's hospital in Ouanaminthe, Haiti, that will save lives and souls! I'm excited about the opportunities to share Christ with people and I'm looking forward to being back in Haiti.......there's no place like home.*
What has God been doing in your life lately?
God has been shaking things up lately! He has been testing my faith and challenging me the past few months. He has led me down a path where I really must answer the question, "Is He enough?"
During the past few months I have become one step closer to adopting my son, Justin. It was also during this time that my school district informed me that my teaching contract for next year would not be renewed because of inadequate funding within the district. The timing of these two events can only be viewed as God-ordained. During this period of time God is working to purify me and burn away the chaff. He desires to mold me into a woman who stands firm during trials. This is a characteristic that I must have in order to truly be effective in my role as a mother to the many, many needy children God has in store for my future. I'm thankful that He loves me enough to prepare me for His work ahead of time! Through these events I have truly found the answer, "Yes, He is MORE than enough!"
How has your role as a foster parent changed since we last heard from you?
When I view my role as a foster parent I always view it as the most rewarding calling I can imagine God placing on my life. And this is said with a mouthy, moody, and somewhat challenging 13-year old living under my roof! While it is very rewarding, I must be honest in saying it is also the most challenging role God has asked me to play. Mothering a child that has full knowledge of his biological family, while attempting to integrate him into my family, and make him fully mine – this is not easy! And I have found that my role has become more complicated since last writing about my life. Since I last wrote, I have become one step closer to becoming officially "Justin’s mom". When Justin first moved in it was easy to feel as though I was simply a caretaker entrusted with someone else's child. Since then, it has become official that I am the future mother to this wonderful, delightful, and amazing child.
This changes everything in both roles as "mother" and "son". I believe the biggest changes take place for Justin. While I went into foster care with the full intention of adopting every child that becomes legally free while in my care, Justin never entered into foster care with the full intention of being adopted. His whole view was that he would one day "go home." This is something that still comes out of him from time to time, especially during frustrating moments. When Justin is sad or angry, the dreaded words "I want to go home" seem to pop up. As simply the foster parent, these words
age 27 | Deer Lodge, MT | set-apart sister | mother
age 29 | Haiti | set-apart sister | giving her life to orphans
What has God been doing in your life and ministry lately?
God has been challenging me to develop a closer, deeper relationship with Him, and to depend upon His faithfulness like never before.
Last September, one of the girls in our orphanage, Rose Carline, passed away after being ill for several months. Four days after her funeral, our oldest boy, Robenson, almost died from leptospirosis, a disease common in 3rd world countries. One night, he had a high fever (106) and the nearest hospital where he could receive good medical care was three hours away in Santiago. We took him across the border and Danita, thankfully, was in Santiago that day, so she waited for him at the hospital. When he arrived, he had NO blood pressure and we were told he might not live. He was transferred to another hospital by ambulance and his blood pressure was 40/20. Immediately, I began to pray from the depths of my soul to the point where I knew the enemy’s plan was to take his life. I woke up all of the other boys in the orphanage to pray and made several calls throughout the night to alert people of the situation. One of the calls I made was to another orphanage in our village who knew Robenson. As I updated them throughout the night, I could hear in the background the orphans crying out to God in prayer on behalf of Robenson. Four days prior, we had just buried one of our precious girls, and now we were all fighting in prayer for the life of Robenson. Well, God heard the prayers of His people and Robenson made a miraculous recovery! I am fully convinced that the reason he is alive today is because of the prayers of people all around the world.
Situations like these have made me even more determined to live a life set-apart for God and set an example for others to follow. Jackie Pullinger said, "I'm here on behalf of a world that is perishing.” Whether we are here to fight on behalf of a “Robenson” or an “unsaved soul”, may we all discover the true meaning of Christianity.
How has your work changed since we last heard from you?
This year, we are celebrating the 10 year anniversary of Danita's Children/Hope for Haiti Children's Center! I have had the privilege of working with Danita since I moved to Haiti in September of 2002 and I have seen God's faithfulness in every aspect of the ministry. She is not only a woman of faith, but one that values a strong relationship with the Lord above all else.
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