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Monday, March 28, 2011

I don't have a title for the very first time

For two days now I have been trying to decide how to write this.  Not an easy thing to write about.  But I will try, so here goes.
We came to Jamaica July 10,2010, we had a plan for the next year of our life.  But God had an entire diffferent plan for us.  We were so sure God wanted us to take care of two of the children from the orphanage and keep checking on all the other children.  Someone needed to be the childrens advocates.  We have done that, and have done it very well.  When leaving the orphanage, we had to find a place to live.  Some friends helped us and we were able to move right into a house very close to where we were living, which meant Anita and Felix were able to keep going to there same school.  The woman that owned the house rented it to us for a VERY good price, but it also meant we needed to ask for  support.  We knew in our hearts that we needed to keep doing what God was asking us to do, so we put the word out, and we were blessed with enough to stay there for a couple of months.  As time went on, we were feeling that we needed to be doing more then just soley taking care of the three kids and we were almost completely out of money.  We were offered the lodge up in McAlpine district with Jesus for Jamaica rent free.  What an answer to MANY prayers.  Even though we have rent taken care of, there is current, food, internet, phone, transportation, misc. stuff for doing our youth groups, and for the school.  And there are 6 people.  Thats a pretty big family to take care of.  We put the word out that we were in need for finacial help again and enough came in to get us another half of a month.  Well that half of a month has come and gone.  Being a missionary is hard work, and its 24 hours a day, 7 seven days a week.  You don't get days off, and you NEVER get alone time.  Then with a baby and two children I swear its double that.  LOL  It is the same as back home raising a family except you have an entire jamaican community of people that need us or want to just hang out, not to mention youth groups, and them wanting class every single night of the week.  And visitors ALOT.  It is just a completly different lifestyle from the mojority of the people reading this.  But Mark Jenni and I just LOVE it.  We LOVE it up here.  We feel we have been making an awesome impact on this community.  I know we have, because the people are telling us.  But without the support coming in, we can not stay here and continue.  As you know we are in the process of adopting Dontae, he is not ours legally as of yet, but if we were not here he would be in some home.  Felix is now living with his mother for the very first time.  We are sad that we are not taking him home with us, but we are just so excited that his mother has finally stepped up to the plate and Felix is sooooooooo happy.  Anita's adoption is going great, Anita and her new mom and dad are getting along wonderful, emailing back and forth and talking on the phone, so that is going in the right direction just how God planned it.  All the other kids are doing fantastic as well.  We just had Sabrina over for the last 5 nights.  Oh man she is  just beautiful and doing awesome.  But... we can't continue.  We don't feel comfortable anymore always having to say "its time again, we need money"  so a friend of our's here needs our help and in exchange we will get room and board.  We will NOT be doing mission work.  Her husband is terminally ill and she is so tired.  They own a bed and breakfast about an hour away from where we are now.  But this means we can not take Anita with us.  That was one of our major goals in all this.  She is becoming such a wonderful young lady, but we will no longer be in her school district.  So sad sad sad to say we will be saying goodbye for now to Miss Anita on thursday morning.  As we watch her get on the bus with her suitcases it is going to be extremly hard on all of us.  We fill like we have let her down.  So pray for us hard please, and please pray for Anita, that she can go into this new short chapter of her life and do just great, great until her new mother and father come and pick her up.  I am sad we will miss that day.  But we are sooo happy for Anita that she is getting a loving family that she has been waiting for her entire life.
So to all of you who have given to us finacially, Thank you so much, like we have said many many times, if it wasn't for you, there would be no way we could do what God called us to do.  We are still asking for your prayers while we go through the last three months of our year.  The next couple of days are going to be so hard for us.  Today was hard, and come thursday morning, it is going to bite!
So after these days go by, I will write about the next chapter in our journey.  Probably titled
"A man his wife a jamaican baby and Jenni"    LOLOLOL
Blessings

5 comments:

Miss Linda said...

You three people have made a great impact on the community of McAlpine. You have suffered for Him and that is what He expects from those who love Him. I can't thank you enough for all you have done for the community and for Jesus for Jamaica. You are exactly where God wants you for now. We will continue to pray for you and your family.

jen said...

I agree with Miss Linda. You guys are exactly where you're supposed to be, doing exactly what you've been called to do! God isn't letting you get comfortable in any one place for too long and He'll use you wherever you are! Everyone you've touched in Jamaica is blessed for having known you!
Let Anita know that the Rennerts are praying for her!

Anonymous said...

I am so thankful for Miss Linda & Jen letting the world know what a blessing the three of them have been. Mom M

Anonymous said...

Mark and Kim: My thoughts remain with you as you continue your journey. Can you provide more info re where Anita will be living for the time being and how she is reacting to the move?

Ron

Darius Aaron said...

That's exactly what I was going to ask. Where will Anita be staying and for how long? How far along is her adoption now, when will her new mom and dad see her again?