Meeting the Family!

Friends, Family…our Partners in Christ,

Thank you for your prayers! We have some great news to share! Last week I took Janely (pronounced Juh-nail-ee) to her doctors appointment at the Pediatrician’s office where Janely’s family was supposed to meet us to see how she was doing and hear the reality of her condition straight from her doctor as they had not been showing an acceptance or understanding of the severity of her needs. After an hour wait I headed back home, thinking the family was not able to make it in to Quito. Three hours later we got a call from her doctor. They had finally been able to make it in and were able to hear every detail about her condition and possibilities for the future…like we don’t know if Janely will ever walk, we don’t know how long the valve will work before another surgery or intervention of some sort is needed, we don’t think she has much vision at all, and in a nutshell she will need a lot of care. Janely’s family, consisting of her grandmother, aunt and uncle, honestly shared with the doc that depending on her disabilities they really don’t know if they will be able to care for her.

Shortly after the call we were able to meet at a local restaurant of sorts. I sort of think GOD really wanted my husband to be there so he could really express our hearts and connect with them (something I personally think he is very good at : ). Her aunt translated Spanish to Quechua (an indigenous tribe and dialect of Ecuador) so that Janely’s grandma could understand everything.

GOD really answered our and your prayers!! They were such sweet, humble, very thankful people. Bless their hearts they had come on a bus since around maybe 8am that morning and had to get back on the bus that night to travel home and it was already after 7pm when they left. As soon as they saw the scars on the back of her head they were broken, Janely’s grandmother especially could barely look up and kept wiping her tears on the inside of her jacket. When I would rub her back or her arm she would just cry more. Juan Manuel tried to comfort her as well and we explained despite how bad it looks she is doing okay. We tried to express to them what a blessing she is to us and the little progress we’ve seen.

They asked us how we are able to handle all of this and asked me specifically how, and if I can handle to keep on doing this for several more months…perfect open door. So with Juan Manuel’s help we were able to tell them why…and how…because of Jesus, what He did for us and so we want to share that love and GOD has placed that love in our hearts for baby Janely. I was also able to say briefly in my limited Spanish how GOD gives me the hope and the strength. GOD did help us connect!

Psalms 68:5 “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.”

Even though it was very heartbreaking for them to face the reality of her condition, I do feel GOD helped them see and accept it, which is necessary. I also feel they were able to see our hearts in this and there was no weirdness at all. It was very special for me to see Janely’s family there…holding her, loving her, and knowing they miss her and wish they could take her back home. Most importantly, though brief, we did get to share about Jesus and why we are doing this. We will keep trying, praying that their hearts will be open to Jesus

and that GOD will use this circumstance to change their lives for Him.

We have an invitation to where they live in the amazon region and they plan to send us gifts (even though we would like to say no because we know how poor they are, that would be offensive…so we told them how much we would love some fruits and one piece of clothing or jewelry of theirs that Janely could have to wear as a little piece of her family here). They also showed us pictures of Janely’s mom…and that was special. You can already see how Janely has her dimples, smile and eyes. We will definitely plan a trip to visit them when that is possible for us and Janely. We also learned that she is not 7 months but actually 9 ½ months (explains her size a little better : ).

Sorry to go long – every detail is just so sweet to me and GOD really moved…thank you GOD! Janely’s is a story of GOD’s love and redemption. Until I feel confirmation from the Lord to share more I cannot…but just know it is a miracle Janely is alive…and now here she is getting care from great doctors, donations to help “Casa De Fe” (an orphanage in the Amazon region) pay her medical bills from people all over the world, prayers from all over the world and a home with us as long as GOD calls.

Acts 20:35 “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

Hope you enjoy the pictures and thank you for caring for our sweet little one and supporting us as we do what we feel GOD has asked us to!!