The Spirit of Adoption

A very opinionated post…so, if you don’t like opinions…. I suggest you stop reading. Right now.

Not only am I a bit enraged that Pat Robertson is speaking such nonsense on international television but I feel like I have somewhat of a response for the woman who called posing this question to the 700 Club.

If you don’t know what I am talking about…let me catch you up.

“In a recent broadcast of The 700 Club, a woman sent in a question about a man who wouldn’t marry her because she has children who were adopted internationally. If they were her “own” biological children, he would have no problem, she said. But because they were adopted, he saw too much risk. Host Pat Robertson’s female co-host bristled and said he was acting like a “dog.” Robertson disagreed.

He said the man “didn’t want to take on a United Nations,” and that, after all, you never know about adopted children; they might have brain damage and “grow up weird.”

I feel like this is an area of life that I can be opinionated in… due to the situation that I find myself in. I am a single mother to a 3-year-old little girl who I am in the process of adopting from Haiti. I have many times thought about this situation for myself. Will I ever marry? Who will want to marry me with an internationally adopted child? Will it be more difficult to find my helpmate due to my current situation? All valid questions to ask. Do I know the answers to any of these questions? – Negative. So a part of me is tracking with this lady posing her question to the 700 club.

The one thing I am sure of is that whomever the Lord has for my helpmate is going to be a very special man… and he is going to have to win my daughter’s heart as well as mine. Although I do have a lot of questions, I’m not sure the right question to ask is about the guy’s spiritual standing. – If he doesn’t feel like he could raise internationally adopted children (which does come with it’s own challenges) then LET HIM WALK ON. HE IS NOT FOR YOU!

True and undefiled religion is the care for orphans…and it is God of the Universe who has put the spirit of adoption into our souls! This is eternal and important work. It is holy work. 

So, sweet lady, please do not let this guy discourage you! The Lord has equipped you to raise these beautiful people and in His sweet and perfect timing He will provide your helpmate. And He will have just as much of a calling on your husband’s heart to raise them as He has put on yours!

As far as truth to counteract the nonsense, Russell Moore said it best! “I say to my non-Christian friends and neighbors, if you want to see the gospel of Christ, the gospel that has energized this church for two thousand years, turn off the television. The grinning cartoon characters who claim to speak for Christ don’t speak for him. Find the followers who do what Jesus did. Find the people who risk their lives to carry a beaten stranger to safety. Find the houses opened to unwed mothers and their babies in crisis. Find the men who are man enough to be a father to troubled children of multiple ethnicity and backgrounds.”

May we continue to walk boldly, confidently, and faithfully on the path that the Lord has set before us.

I am absolutely in love with this precious gift from God… and I cannot wait to meet her earthly father :) Trusting that His timing is perfect and that the Lord is preparing her father even now.

Phoebe-Kate

Until then… if you don’t want to parent an internationally adopted child, don’t waste your time here… I won’t be calling Pat Robertson for any advice :)

Read Russell Moore's full post

Kanez Medical Clinic

Yesterday was a full day of our medical clinic in Kanez. Kanez is a small fishing village just outside of Croix de Bouquets and borders Lake Azuei. Lake Azuei is full of tilapia and this is the way they survive on their little piece of earth. They are a precious group of people who have stolen my heart since my first visit to them back in the beginning of June. It was fun to use my medical training to help them and they were so appreciative! 

Our goal was to see all 55 families, check all of the children and adults, and get them the vitamins and medications that they need. Most families had 4-6 children... we saw everyone there....so you do the math :) 

Fabiola and her mother at triage

Wideline - another one of my biggest fans yesterday! 

Dr Monique 

Moise - super cute little guy who fell in love with me :)

This little guy had a horrible skin infection all over his face, arms, neck. 

Juliana and her son Timothy

My sweet girl was such a trooper! So glad I am able to take her with me when I am working and ministering to her people! 

Rosemitha and her daughter Deborah. 

Phoebe and her new friend, Holly. Holly helped me with Phoebe so that I could triage :) 

this is how they pay in Kanez :)

My friends' humble homes

Lake Azuei

Luna and her sweet brother. 

One of the girls from our last team left money for us to hire a Haitian Doctor, purchase medicines & vitamins, and buy gas for us to do a clinic in Kanez. What a blessing it was to their people! We are looking forward to working with this sweet community more as a cistern is placed for them, a school is built, and hopefully a church so that Kanez and their sister community will have access to these basic needs. 

Please join me in praying for Kanez and her people!

Humble Realizations

I had a harsh realization today. My pride was shot to the ground (as it has been a lot here lately) as I realized some of the closest people to me have suggested that I make this need known publicly prior to my own realization...and I told them it wasn’t necessary. Ever want to just laugh at yourself?  This is that moment for me.  

So here I am… months later, humbly making this need known. It is very difficult to admit that the present situation I find myself in (and I believe that God has lead me here) does not allow me to provide financially for my little girl and myself. Coming from a full time nursing position in the U.S. to not having a consistent income has been quite the challenge for me. I made the need known before I left in March and from that God has given me sweet, sweet individuals who have been faithful in helping Phoebe and I live and serve here in Haiti. People have also been so generous in giving towards Phoebe’s adoption (which on my own I cannot afford either). I could not be more thankful for the generous people who are still actively supporting us…

These people have stuck with Phoebe and I through thick and thin. I expected to loose some support after leaving Respire Haiti… and I knew it would make people question whether or not they should support us or not. I totally get that. I’m sure I would have to really think about it again after something like that happening to someone I was supporting overseas. But these folks who are consistently supporting Phoebe and I… they didn’t expect an explanation… they didn’t ask me to prove anything… they continued to give and support us in so many ways.

Yesterday I was looking at our funds for the month of August and September and I thought, “how are we going to do this?”. I immediately had to begin evaluating activities that we were planning and wanting to be involved in due to our financial situation. Ministry opportunities, visiting with friends, food selection… the list goes on. None of which are completely necessary to sustain life… but for the most part it keeps us in survival mode. And if I’ve learned anything by living and working in Haiti is that you cannot LIVE in survival mode all the time.  

Humbly I ask some of you to consider joining my ministry team so that I can stay here in Haiti, care for my daughter until her adoption is complete, and serve the Haitian people in a holistic manner.

Currently it costs Phoebe and I around $700 a month to be able to pay our rent, food, gas, and any other miscellaneous expenses that come up (which happens much more here in Haiti than it ever happened to me in the U.S.). – We have around $450 a month coming in. If anyone feels lead to join us, we will most definitely see it as God’s provision for us.

Even though I am working with World Orphans as an intern, they are not handling my finances at this time. If you would like to make a one-time donation or would like give monthly, please contact me at jessicarenaewilliamson@gmail.com

Trusting that as God continues to guide us here in Haiti that He will provide for what He has brought us here to do…. Especially now that my pride is out of the way :) 

Day by Day

Phoebe & Callie

 I am enjoying day by day with sweet Phoebe-Kate. She is learning, growing, and everything is so FUN for her right now. I wouldn't trade these days for anything. When I think about how things would be if she would have been released to me in the U.S. immediately... I am immediately thankful beyond words because I would not have this sweet time with her. Most likely I would be forced to go back to work after 6 weeks and she would be with a sitter due to the need to provide financially and me being a single mom. But because we are in Haiti (and I don't have the luxury of a paying job) I get to spend ALL of my days with my girl. And even when we are working with World Orphans... Phoebe is able to come with me! Perfect, right?? :)

We had a fun weekend and spent some time with new friends:

This is Phoebe's new friend Callie. Callie has lived in Haiti most of her life while her parents are on staff at Operation Blessing. We try to go out to the Lotz's house for pizze every weekend and over the last few weeks Phoebe and Callie have become buddies. I took Phoebe over early to the Lotz's house on Friday for a play date... they had so much fun!

This is the BEAUTIFUL view from our balcony in Delmas. 

I have recently discovered a love for capturing the little every happenings in life. Especially with Phoebe growing and changing so much EVERY DAY. I am finding that I don't want to miss out on one second! Here are some sweet moments from today :)

Sleeping Beauty :) 

Phoebe enjoying The Lion King on the DVD player Memaw Gladys sent for her! 

Popsicles make life a little bit better :)

Day by day I will continue to be faithful with what I have been given. Focusing on being a mommy to my precious girl and loving my neighbor. Thankful and honored to be here.

20 days in the U.S.

Let me start off by apologizing… it has been over a month AGAIN since my last blog update. I cannot believe it is already August 1! It feels like just the other day I was looking forward to July… and now it has come and gone.

I spent 20 days of July in the United States… it felt like a really long time to be away from Phoebe, but there was no way around it. I was able to get so much done during that time and really could not have done it with my trip being a day shorter. One of the things I was most excited about completing while at home was my home study for Phoebe’s adoption! My social worker, Ashley Davis, worked miracles for me! Everything that I had to be present for, she was able to squeeze in during my time at home.  I had no idea that this much would be accomplished in one visit, so THANK YOU, Ashley Davis :)

Some other things I was able to do while I was in the U.S.:

Family vacation to Gulf Shores, AL

I enjoyed spending time with my Mom, Dad, and Chad. Good food and sun :)

 

I was blessed to be a part of 2 of my good friends’ wedding… Rebecca and Daniel! It was such a sweet and perfect time of them joining together as husband and wife. Thank you guys for allowing me to be a part of your special day!

 

TONS of food, conversation, and encouragement from my 2 sisters and best friends! Christin and Mary Kate just fill my soul! So thankful to have them in my life…

I worked 42 hours in the ER at St Francis. To say that I am thankful to have been given the opportunity to work, keep up my skills, and make a little money is an UNDERSTATEMENT!

One Sunday was spent in Wisner, LA sharing about our ministry in Haiti. I was so blessed to be able to share at FBC Wisner and Holly Grove Baptist Church all in one day! I think my favorite part of that day was lunch at Jesse and Leslie Young's place. We had an amazing HOMEMADE chipoltle style lunch... fresh beef, Wisner corn, and garden fresh tomatoes, rice, cheese, sour cream, black beans and lettuce! The sweet fellowship with the Young's was a gift... and they even made us take a nap :) Talk about some good friends, huh?? (Sorry for the lack of pictures, we must have been too busy having a good time :) )

I had many lunches, dinners, suppers with family and friends! To name a few of the people who I caught up with while in Louisiana: The Handy's, the Berry's, Megan Strain, Sydney, Annie, Lexie & Beau Burton, Amanda Lilley...thank you all for your love, hospitality and encouragement to me on my journey! So thankful to know you! Thanks to Ms Susie I have pictures from my time with the Handy's and Berry's :)

A short trip was made to the east coast before transitioning back to life in Haiti. For such a short trip, we sure did A LOT! --- Georgia Aquarium, hike with my cousins in Black Mountain, NC, river exploring with my new friend Gabe, and a midwifery conference with Lisa Aman!

Georgia Aquarium's Beluga Whales

Ethan & Jonathan Kadau on Lookout Mtn 

Gabe at Pop's Secret 

Thank you to everyone who treated me to meals, took me out for fun, and just loved me! I was tired after my time in the U.S. but encouraged and ready to be back in Haiti. So I think my time away was overall a success apart from missing the heck out of this cute little munchkin … :)

A special thank you also goes out to the Barlow’s who kept my sweet girl for me while I had to be away. They did such a great job of making her feel loved and safe… and I couldn’t have asked for a more prepared family in this matter! Phoebe loves her Barlow's SO MUCH! And thanks for also making her bilingual :)

Emma, Rebecca, Phoebe, Ted, & Tynan
barlowfamily.squarespace.com

More to come SOON! My goal for August… to blog more frequently :)