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Friday, June 5, 2009

here's the story......

I am not sure where to start , so I'll begin telling you about the  
book CRAZY LOVE that I have been reading.  Some of you have read this  
book, and if you have not, I would encourage you to go buy it. (author  
is francis chan)  He does a great job of taking you out of your  
comfort zone and challenges you to figure out what it is that the Lord  
has made you "specifically" to do during your time here on earth.  In  
the end, he poses the question "are you doing what you want to be  
doing when Christ returns?"
All that said, I am going to try to make a REALLY long story
somewhat  
short.  You all know my crazy love for orphans.  There is nothing that  
makes my heart sing more than walking the journey of adoption with  
people.  I LOVE TO WATCH A CHILD WITH NO MOMMY be taken in and  
introduced to their FOREVER FAMILY.  IT is the LOVE of CHRIST right  
before my very eyes.  Perhaps that is what made my heart long to walk  
with Katie while she is in Uganda, because she LOVES those orphans so  
well. (kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com)
3 years ago a mother left her premature infant on the steps of a  
yucky african hospital.  I wish I knew her, so that I could ask "what  
could be so bad that you could drop her and walk away?"  i CANNOT  
imagine the feelings that she must have felt while walking to that  
hospital thinking that she would never see her again.  after leaving  
her, she had continuous reminders of her decision........recovery from  
delivery, milk coming in, who know what else?!?  a hospital nurse  
found the child, put her in the back room, named her Josephine, put a  
kerosene lamp in the bed with her (for warmth), and began feeding her  
mush out of a coffee mug, (there were no bottles because there was no  
childcare facility in this particular hospital)  FOR 10 MONTHS this  
sweet little angel lay in that bed, everyone around her expecting her  
to die.  She never did.  So, they sent her to a baby cottage in  
Jinja Uganda.  She had been there for 2 weeks, and in walks Katie for  
her very first mission trip to Africa.  She instantly fell in love  
with this wee one.  She has droopy eyes because the muscles of her  
eyelids do not work properly. 
While was Katie was there, Josephine got malaria and Katie spent the  
last week of her stay back at the hospital with her sleeping on the  
floor and praying over her without ceasing.  She survived and ended  
back at the baby's home.  At a year old, Josephine could do nothing but lay on  
her back and not bring her arms out past the perimeters of her body.   
She had missed MANY developmental milestones from being in the  
hospital bed for  the first year of her life.  When Katie returned to  
Uganda for her first year to live there, she spent many hours caring  
for Josephine because she was so severely malnutritioned.  She is 3  
years old now, and ON HER OWN  progressed to crawling, playing the  
xylophone, shaking morraccas, but  has limited speech.  Katie had told  
us all about her when we visited Uganda so we could not wait to go  
visit this little miracle on the day that we went to baby's home.  Josephine  
and Grace bonded instantly and I left there feeling like she had a  
"long way to go" to EVER having somewhat of a normal life.  My  
mother's intuition looked into that child and thought "she has come a  
LONG way, but has a LONG way to go" .  Katie has always been so  
hopeful for her and has always said that she believes that she is  
going to THRIVE one day.  I left very VERY doubtful.
Through MUCH MUCH prayer and coaxing from Grace......we have decided

to make Josephine a Mayernick and bring her to the US so that she can  
thrive.  Our first obstacle will be cosmetic surgery to lift her  
eyelids so that she can see properly.  After that, I have a  
significant plan of action.....OT, PT, and speech therapy.....here we  
come!!  I have  struggled with fear for several months.....special  
needs with 6 other children?!?  The Lord has given me peace time after  
time.  His words in my ears keep telling me that THIS is what I am  
called to do......and when HE returns I will be doing EXACTLY what I  
desire to be doing......raising children to love HIM wholeheartedly.   
I am not really the one who provides ANYTHING for them....HE is, and I  
will just stay in prayer KNOWING that we will NEVER leave us of  
FORSAKE us.  I have now transitioned from fear to excitement.    
Through my fear I have thought of all of the pros and cons.  And the  
pros far outweigh the cons.  Actually, most of the cons are my  
selfishness not wanting to give my life "away".
 We are hoping to have her home before Christmas.  Please  
join us in prayer for sweet lil Josie Love (as my kids have named  
her).  She is Joshua's age but smaller than Caleb (18 months).  I love  
you all and can't wait for you to meet her.

10 comments:

Erin said...

I have been SO BLESSED by watching this story unfold over the past few months, and really the past few years. Always praying!

Jenn in GA said...

YAY!!! i can tell that i need to read this francis chan book before i come in july.

can't wait to meet the rest of your brood, and to walk alongside you as you await josie love's homecoming.

Small Stones said...

My heart is SINGING right now! I just can't believe this!!!!!! It feels SO RIGHT! (I have been following Katie's blog for a long time and this one since you started it. I am just so full of joy! After the sorrow about Happy's passing, this news came at a wonderful time and seems so right.

Congratulations on your new daughter! You are such a wonderful family, and she will be in her FOREVER FAMILY with YOU!!!!!!!

Breclyn and Taiger
sixteensmallstones.blogspot.com
manygrandadventures.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

we may be writing to the converted here but anyway, please see the link >

http://about-orphans.blogspot.com

jamiecharles6 said...

I commend you for your courage and your willingness to step out in faith to do what God has called you to do. God often calls us to do some pretty scary things from our human perspective but if He calls us, He will also equip us with everything we need to fulfill that call. I can attest to this from personal experience - not through the adoption of a child (though I would love to do that!) but through ministering to multitudes of children through the child sponsorship program He created for us and has entrusted to us.

For those who would like to help a child in need but are not called to bring a little one into their home, please visit www.hishandsforafrica.org. Or you can visit our blogspot - http://hishandsforafrica.blogspot.com

Thank you so much for reading this and thank you Suzanne for your willingness to adopt one of God's special blessings - Josie Love.

For Him and for the children,
Jamie Charles
His Hands for Africa

findingourdaughter said...

Praise God and What a blessing!
Many prayers being lifted up for you, your family and little Josie Love.
God Bless,
Angie in FL

anna said...

Amen sister! You know I'll be here for you whenever you need..im just a call away...

love ya!

anna

Anonymous said...

I cannot wait for you to bring Josie Love home! Your seventh child will be there whenever you need her and is excited to see how the Lord will work with your family! I know Josie will be enetering a house of LOVE!

love ya!
maddery

Intentional Living Homestead said...

I cannot believe I just read your post only minutes after posting on my own blog. I am in complete awe...God has used you to minister to my heart this day...and I thank you very, very much.

Intentional Living Homestead said...

Sorry, I forgot to mention that I will be praying that Josie Love his home soon and "thriving" with her new family.

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suzanne
I am a lover of Jesus. I have the most fabulous husband that anyone woman could ask for. The Lord has blessed us with 7 beautiful children. I started this blog so that friends and family could follow our trip to Uganda to visit Katie Davis. I have decided to keep blogging to help bring orphan awareness to the world around me.
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