Meet the HCO Staff - Kris

His Cherished Ones International Ministry is able to operate because of the great team we have. It takes the whole group to make things function. I wanted to take some time to introduce you to the rest of HCO, so each Monday we will do "Meet the HCO Staff" so that you can get to know them.


So....Here's Kris!! :-)

Kris is the Director of Stateside Operations for His Cherished Ones, Inc. She is also the Secretary of our Board of Directors. I am starting with Kris because she is the one who has been there from the inception of HCO and makes it possible for the rest of us to all be a part of the ministry. I could NOT be here without her! 


Kris is a Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer at Texas Sports Medicine Center in Tomball, TX. In addition to her full time job, she puts in many hours a week tending to the business and finances of the ministry. As I am here spending money on the ground, Kris is always behind me to make sure it is well accounted for, used properly and in line with the IRS guidelines. She is the one who keeps us on track! She does a fabulous job of keeping up with all the details of the business side of things and keeps our finances in order. Kris is actively involved in the daily operations of what goes on here in Kenya as we talk at least several times a week. She is truly my backbone and support here!


AND...in addition to her full time job and putting in the hours for the ministry, she is also busy planning her wedding. She is a busy girl! So, after October 16th, 2010, she will become Mrs. Barry Heslop and we will welcome Barry into the HCO family as well! (He's actually already part of the family!)


Thank you, Kris, for all you do for us! You ARE appreciated and we couldn't do it without you!

Friday Favorites

My favorite internet purchase ever....wall stickers!

I bought these wall stickers at Fun Decor for Kids.com. They are awesome! They stick well, but are also movable. They have totally transformed our playroom, dining room, the babies' rooms and Julia's room. So much fun!

Baby Update - Jeremiah

Jeremiah's first day at Haven of Hope

Jeremiah Now

Jeremiah was one of our very first babies at Haven of Hope. We were told when we picked him up in August 2009 that he was 6 months old. He was wearing 3 month clothes. As it turns out, he was almost 10 months at the time. For his full story, you can read his bio on the HCO website (Meet the Babies page) - Jeremiah's Page

Today Jeremiah is a happy, healthy little man. He is no longer a "baby;" he is all boy! Though he does have a very sweet side, loving to hug and take care of the little babies.....

He is also a true rough-and-tumble boy who gets into everything.

He loves to run off and explore the compound while the babies play outside. Such a fun little guy! 

He has a smile that touches your soul, and when he says, "I love you," it will absolutely melt your heart!

We are so blessed to have Jeremiah at Haven of Hope. Seeing him grow is a joy and a privilege and we thank God for allowing us to be a part of that!

How can you pray for Jeremiah? 
You can pray....
* that he continues to remain strong and healthy, 
* that he grows in the truth and knowledge of Jesus,
* for his future and the family he will one day be with,
* for him to learn to communicate without screaming/tantrums (although this is typical toddler behavior and a stage most babies go through, he has been dealing with a number of specific detachment issues since we got him),
* and currently: potty training time! Always a fun time. ;-/

Wordless Wednesday - With a few Words

Well, I kinda want to reinstate Wordless Wednesdays - but with a twist. Just curious to know what some of you might think....and if you're even out there. :-)


We know that "a picture is worth a thousand words," but rather than me writing those words, I will leave that to you. You can just think them, or I invite you to share them. I think it would be fun to see what you see in some of the pictures I encounter in this life. 


So, if you are really out there and would like to share, comment on the Wordless Wednesday pics and give a caption, a thought or a story to go along with the picture.

Starting today......

Fun with Friends

Our friends, the Omondi's, stopped by to visit us on their way through Nakuru on their vacation. It was so great to see them! Anjela and Julia are quite a pair! They are so very much alike. I get an uncanny glimpse into what Julia might very well be like in another year or so. They are just over a year apart.

While they were here, we took some time to go to Thomson Falls near Nyahururu. I have heard about them and wanted to go for some time. Absolutely beautiful. 

It was so great to have some relaxed down time to talk to Allison. They have been in the process of adopting Dennis's niece for 2 years, and they were finally legally recognized as Anjela's parents just a few months ago. Allison has been a great inspiration to me as I have begun processing this whole adoptive mom thing. Though our circumstances are different, there is a lot of common ground. Though neither of us when out looking for a Kenyan daughter to take as our own, God placed both of these girls right where He wanted them to be. And we are grateful mamas. 

Mamas and their girls.... 

The girls had a fun time playing together. The mamas had lots of great talk time. And Dennis hooked up my Wii and enjoyed some down time of his own. Thanks for coming, Omondi's! Julia is looking forward to seeing her friend "Anja" again in Nairobi!  

p.s. - I am sure the Omondi's would appreciate your prayers as they go to the US Embassy on Thursday for their visa appointment. They are applying for Anjela's first visa so she can make her first trip to America in September.

A Cookie Baking Mommy

That's me. Kind of a weird realization, but it's great.


I had friends coming over for tea, so I made cookies while Julia was napping. I know cookies aren't a very healthy snack, but I couldn't resist giving her one when she woke up. It was the first time I have made chocolate chip cookies since we've been in our house. (Chocolate chips are a rare commodity so I rarely use them.) 

I made such a big deal about it. "Mommy made you cookies!" She was so excited and didn't even know what she was excited about. To my surprise, and relief, she wasn't crazy about them. 

She did, however, love the banana bread. I've made banana muffins many times but this was my first attempt at banana bread. It was YUMMY, if I do say so myself. 


What a domestic day I had! And it was fun. 

Good Job, Kenya!

As the voting is complete and the country awaits the official announcement of the result, there is a calmness and peace that seems to have settled over Kenya. Although there may the scattered or occasional conflict in isolated places, the overall feel of the country is quite positive. 


I am so proud of Kenyans for acting responsibly during this voting process. I know that many of them (and many others of us) were a bit apprehensive heading into this "Referendum Week." The outcome of the last trip to polls in Kenya was less than desirable, to say the very least. It seems that they have learned a lesson from the past. As my housekeeper said to me this morning, "We have really tried. We have learned this time." (The word "tried" in this culture is more commonly related to "done," or in this case, "done it.") 


As of now, the official results have not been announced, but the "Yes" camp appears to have a significant victory with 67% of the vote, according to Kenya's Daily Nation. The results are expected to be officially announced by the IIEC within the next day.


Across the country, lines were already formed by 5am with people ready to cast their vote. This was not just the early morning work crowd trying to get to the polls before heading to work. These were people who were enthusiastically exercising their right! Isn't that amazing?! One of our baby caretakers told me this morning that her father got up yesterday morning at 4am to make his way to the voting booth.

People stood in lines for hours waiting to vote. Our baby house housekeeper waited in line for almost 5 hours to cast her vote. How many people do you know who would have done that in America?  I don't know many. Honestly, I don't think I would have. We would just leave, going about our business and complaining about the unorganized process and the absurdity of the government for expecting us to spend our precious time standing in line. 

(All pictures taken from www.nation.co.ke)

Please continue to keep us in your prayers until the final results are posted and the reality of that settles in across the country. But, so far so good! 

Kenya Referendum

A Referendum will be held in Kenya on Wednesday, August 4th. Kenyan citizens will be voting on the proposed new Constitution. The country does not currently have a constitution so this is a step towards development in the country considered to be the hub of East Africa. 

Kenya's last trip to the polls threw the country into chaos with its 2007 Presidential election. Since a national peace accord was signed in 2008 things have been relatively stable, but this upcoming vote brings with it a sense of apprehension of potential unrest and instability.

 

Please pray with me that the process will be peaceful; the voting, the announcement of the final tally and the days following. 

For a simple overview and explanation of the referendum and its implications, you can read Why Kenya's Referendum is Important.

We are taking appropriate precautions, yet choosing not to live in fear of "what if's." The baby house and my house are in a safe area that did not see any violence in the post-election chaos of 2007-2008. The biggest threat to us is that we will not be able to get to the city center and goods will not make it to our neighborhood. Therefore, we are stocking up on the basics...food, water, phone & internet credit, etc. and trusting that we are safe in the Hands of our Lord. 

Julia Update

I have had some annoying internet issues lately so I have not been able to update on the prayer request I shared below. Sorry.

We went before the judge in his chambers just to be told that he cannot hear the case. Apparently there was a circular that went out (a new mandate) that all cases involving children traveling abroad with foreigners must now be heard in Nairobi. That was frustrating news because we first tried to pursue guardianship in Nairobi in April-May, but since we knew we were moving to Nakuru we were told we had to go through Nakuru courts. 

Our lawyer immediately went to Nairobi and was there Thursday morning to inquire and file the case. Long story/process short: we cannot obtain guardianship with permission to travel in enough time for Julia to go with me to Kris's wedding. 

Nairobi courts are much more tough and scrutinizing than Nakuru (or any other) courts. Their ultimate issue is child trafficking. I understand that, but it makes things very difficult. Also, courts go on break from this Wednesday, August 4th until September 15th, making it even more impossible to complete the task in time. We were aware of this, but in Nakuru we would file as a "case of urgency." In Nairobi that would be considered a red flag and would be like a strike against us. 

So...back to Square One. We will apply for plain guardianship, with no permission to travel, in Nakuru. Then we will go to Nairobi to pursue permission to travel with a child I already have guardianship of. 

What a roller-coaster ride! I was never a huge fan of roller-coasters, and I like them even less when they are metaphorical! 

Later post coming about the implications of all of this.