Greetings from a very rainy Costa Rica. Rainy season started with a dud, but is finishing with a vengeance. However, it does produce a very beautiful, tropical paradise.
As most of you know, we are quickly putting the finishing touches on the roof of the multipurpose building This will bring Phase I to a close. It is hard to put into words how excited we are to be closing a chapter, after almost 13 years. It has been quite the ride as we have been witnesses to God’s supernatural provision. For anyone who would like to come, we will be celebrating the inauguration of the new building on Nov. 28, 2015.
Finishing Phase I has now put us in a place where we can concentrate all of our efforts on developing Phase II. This new phase will include an additional four children’s homes, office space, a bridge, and new parking.
We have spent the majority of this year working on securing building permits. This has turned out to be a monumental task as it has required us to complete a series of studies and evaluations. This past week, we were able to submit the entire package of studies to the Environmental Agency for their approval. We are hoping and praying that we will have an answer from them in 4-6 weeks.
To have building permits in hand, we are looking at a pretty hefty sum of money. We still owe $8,000 to the architect and approximately another $5K-$10K to cover the costs charged by the different governmental agencies for the permits.
Please pray and ask if God would have you participate financially. We are confident that He will reveal exactly what you need to do. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us directly. Thank you for believing in what God has called us to do. We pray that He blesses your faithfulness to Him!
Extra! Extra! Read all about it!
We are so pleased to announce that Isaac, Roberto, Sharon, and Sol now have a new adoptive family! At the beginning of August, the case worker came out to share the good news with the kids. They were stunned to find out that there was a family for them from the States. Needless to say, the children were elated! During the following weeks, the case worker continued working with the children to prepare them for their adoption. The kids did great handling the news, despite their ages and possible concerns about leaving. Isaac mentioned one day that he was super happy about the news, but that he was also sad to leave the project, since this is where he had spent a good deal of his childhood. We were all grappling with mixed feelings! It’s what we’ve worked for. These siblings had been here the longest ...7 years, and very soon they would be leaving us. In September, the children finally met their new family. Milton and Lisa are super parents! They have 4 grown biological children, they have adopted 3 kids in the U.S., and are now adopting our four kids. The first encounter between the parents and children was sweet, as they huddled together and prayed over their new family. The kids spent several days getting to know Mom & Dad and on Monday, September 14th, they left the children’s home. The following weeks were spent creating memories and forming bonds with each other. October 2nd was the big day, the hearing with the judge, where the adoption was made legal and binding!
We wanted to share this testimony since so many of you have met the siblings personally or have known of their story. Everyone recognizes (even the Costa Rican government) that this adoption is special. For 2 pre-adolescent (the girls) and 2 adolescent (the boys) siblings to be adopted is nothing short of a miracle! We are so thankful to everyone who has prayed for these kids from the very beginning. Most importantly, we praise the Lord for taking care of them during this long journey and never letting go! His faithfulness is amazing! It is a reminder of His stubborn love and zeal for each and every person, no matter their situation.
