My Friend Oscar

In July during my visit to Nicaragua, Dr. Anderson told us about a little boy that was really sick who lived down the street. He had been born with a bad kidney and was losing the other one.

His mother Francisca brought little Oscar to see us. It was an immediate bond between his mother and I and little Oscar didn't mind the attention at all.

Each trip I have gone since July I have visited them and taken him clothes, food, toys and even a new bike for his birthday. It was so great to see him smile.

God did amazing things to Oscar after we left in July. Within months a fragile, sick little boy was a vibrant, energetic, growing boy. Even Dr. Anderson told me in October that Oscar had received a miracle from God. There were no explanations for his healing but God.

In December I returned to find that his mother and father had been arrested and place in jail. Immediately I had great concern for Oscar. His mother kept him clean and feed. She gave him better care than most children get here in the US. What was to happen to Oscar now? That's all I could think about during my trip in December. By March, when I saw him again he still looked really good but was covered in dirt from head to toe. I warned his aunt that Dr. Anderson said he needed to stay clean at all times.

Now in June Oscar lays in a hospital bed in Managua hanging on for his every breathe. I am so blessed that I was there last week. He had been asking for me and wondering when I was going to come and see him. I went to the hospital to find him weak, un-talkative and not at all the healthy little boy I say two months ago.

On Thursday of last week Oscar had dialysis done on his only kidney. The doctors said it was a miracle he lived through it. His system is very weak and fragile and on top of everything else the medicines he needs can only be bought in the US.

Oscar's favorite characters are Power Rangers and although I don't allow my kids to play with them I had to give in to Oscar. We looked everywhere in Managua until I found a nice Red one for him. We took him some fruit and of course candy. The doctors there said he could have anything he wanted. That's not a good sign.

Please pray for Oscar daily. He is only 6 years old. He has the rest of his life to live for the Lord. God is a healer and can do all things. Agree with me that Oscar will receive the care he needs to get better. They are going to test his mother and father to see if they are a match. At the speed they go in Nicaragua it could be too late so pray for a speedy process.

Click here to view pictures of my visit with Oscar.

God Bless,



Angie

Many Prayer Requests

I have a lot going on in my life right now as you already know but there are some specific needs I have that I would ask you to be in agreement with me on.

1. I need a job. During the summer months our work is very low and the increase of gas and food caused our spring months to be lower than normal. We don't have enough money to carry us through the summer months and be able to minister in Nicaragua as we feel called to do. I have lots of computer skills, clerical skills, just about anything in an office I have experience doing. I can wait tables, answer phones, you name it I'll do it. I only need a temporary position. I can work from now until July 27th with the exception of July 11, 12 & 19.

2. I need to find a contact with Budget, Avis, or Hertz. To rent a truck in Nicaragua is about $80 a day. It's the most expensive part of my trips. If I had a contact there that could give me an employee discount it would help tremendously.

3. Is your husband/brother/cousin in the National Guard or the Army? I need a contact with a military group here in Charlotte that might be able to help me with getting the small shovels that fold to Nicaragua. In August I want to start helping Coffadia plant a garden. There soil there is hard as a rock and without tools it’s impossible. I am researching to find out how much it will cost to buy the needed materials there but that requires more money to raise.

4. Do you know of a wonderful Christian college student that will still be home from August 4 - 12th? I have a wonderful friend and his wife that takes care of my kids while I am gone but I do not want to wear them out. I am looking for someone who loves kids and loves missions. By watching my kids they are allowing me to do the work God has for me. I just know there are young adult ladies out there that would love to help us out. Please think about your friends and see if you know of someone who would like to serve the Lord through babysitting for a week.

I know it seems like I am asking for a lot so I'll share a testimony of how God is already working this out.

In the airport in Atlanta the agent announced our flight was over sold and they needed volunteers to give up their seat for a $400 ticket and a hotel voucher. Terry and I decided hey this is a way for us to get a ticket back to Nicaragua so we volunteered. While I was at the desk telling them we would take the offer I mentioned we were adopting and another agent starting asking questions. I told her my story and she smiled and say, "Hang on a minute I think I have something you can use". Within a few minutes she handed me a note that said she would be happy to give me two buddy passes to use when ever I wanted. She looked up the flight and told me it would be $80 to fly to Nicaragua and back. $80, can you believe that. A total stranger offering me her tickets to use. She then went on to say that if for some reason she could not help me she knew many others that could. God is working on my behalf. He is opening the doors He wants me to walk through. Sadly, I didn't get the other two tickets after all.

Now, let him use you to help me get answers to my prayers listed above.

Can't wait to see what he does with these requests.

God Bless,

Angie

Changing People's Lives

Each trip I travel to Nicaragua I can see the changes that are happening in the area I visit.

Somotillo is a town of 20,000 people (very poor people) and it is right on the border of Honduras. Over the past 4 years I have seen the travel time from Managua change drastically. Before this April it would take 1 hour+ to get to the next major town and now it takes about 30 - 45 minutes. The USA actually paid to fix the road and man it's really made a difference. Progress is coming to this little community one day at a time.

When I visit a village I can only hope I am making progress one smile at a time.

This trip we were able to visit the orphanage a lot and we ministered in two new villages that had not ever had a group come to love on them. Progress in the making..

We blessed 146 families with beans, rice, corn, sugar and oil. New flip-flops, toothbrushes, toothpaste and toys. It was so sweet to see the little boys playing with their little cars on the church floor making car sounds as if they were driving them. Memories I won't ever forget.

The most moving event for me this trip was giving the baseball team their uniforms and the soccer team their new cleats. Words can not describe their emotions. They were more than happy. As I mentioned before the baseball team gave me their trophy. It was so nice of them to want to give up their very hard earned trophy. I convenience them to keep it and remember what God had done for them.

The soccer team all met at church on Saturday and at the end of the service all came up front and presented me with their trophy. I really didn't know what to do. I didn't want to take it but I didn't want to reject it so I made them a deal that the Pastor needed to keep it in the church so that it would be a reminder to them also. It was so sweet but I did not want them to give me credit for something God did. I felt so happy for them.

Overall, however, the biggest event of the week was in the village called Coffadia. I had bought that morning a soccer ball for that village hoping that some teenagers would be there and sure enough 12 boys showed up. I sent them off with my friend Mario and the Pastor to play while we were playing with the smaller kids.

About 10 minutes’ later people are yelling for me to come. I was busy so I just said, Hang on a minute. That didn't work. “Hurry, Hurry”, they said. Pastor Jorge informed me that he had shared the gospel with these boys and all 12 had accepted Christ. I encouraged them by sharing my testimony with them and reminding them that their decision was going to change that entire village. Progress in the making.

We had a great experience with the 2nd village but the 1st one we visited was a little more reserve with us. We will need to work on them a little more.

Thank you for all your prayers while we were gone. 12 souls are going to heaven because of them. You may have not gone on this trip with me physically but you were there in spirit and God will honor your prayers and they’ll be crowns in heaven for you.

We are planning another trip in August because of the situation with Isamar. We have been told if you want things done you better come back soon so we will try to go before school starts. Pray the Lord provides.

I had a great team this trip. Bonnie and Thomas are starting the process to adopt Loriana. It was amazing to see God bond them together. It is truly meant to be. Please pray for them as they are just beginning this roller coaster ride I’m on.

I will be putting pictures on the site of all this as soon as I can get my wonderful husband to prepare them for the website. Stay tuned for some great photos.

Last but not least I want to challenge each of you to look at the people around you and ask are you changing people's lives? It doesn't take a mission trip, or a position at Billy Graham's ministry or something big. All it takes is a willing effort to make a change for the better for someone who can not. Maybe it's a neighbor who's lawn mover is broke or a friend's mom who is sick and needs a meal. It can be very small or very large but in God's eyes it's changing His people's lives..

God Bless,

Angie

Bitter Sweet Feelings

We are home from Nicaragua finally. We didn't get in until 11:00 last night and we were at the airport in Managua at 6:00am which is two hours behind so it felt like 1:00am to us by the time we got home.

A lot happen while we were there so coming home was bitter sweet. We can't wait to see our kids here and hate leaving our girls there. It's really hard on my emotions.

Here's what we found out.

Mi Familia decided to give Isamar to her dad for a visit from July 4 - 21st to see how they will do with each other. I can only hope this back fires on him and Isamar does not turn out to be what he wants and he decides to give her to us.

Ismar's dad does not have 6 other children. He does however live in a horrible neighborhood. She will not have a yard to play in or anything like she has today.

Isamar was interviewed yesterday and still professes that she wants to live with us not with her dad. She was asked if she could have any thing in the world what would it be and she told them to live with us. I can only hope and pray they listen to her.

Please continue to pray that God's will be done in her life. The dad told us that we could have Isamar if she wanted to come when she gets older and make her own decisions which makes no since to me. If he is going to give her up, give her now, not after she has spent years with him. There is no way he can do that if he truly loves her. He is doing this because he wants her to know him and know what kind of person he really is never did he say it was because he loves her and wants to give her a life with him.

Pray for Carmen as she is very sad that her sister might not come with us. This trip she was very clingy with Terry. She would not let him go the whole time we were there. She just keep holding his hand or hugging me. She was very affectionate with both of us much more than normal. They both cried a lot when we left. It was a very emotional visit.

Thanks for your prayers. I will have pictures soon.

Angie

Update on our trip

Wow we have had a busy time. This is the first time that I have had to write.

I really need some prayers lifted up.

1. My friend Oscar, the little boy that had kidney problems is in very bad shape. He is in the hospital and we have been told he is dieing. God has healed him already but since his parents were put in jail in December he has not been taken good care of and is now very sick. He is asking for me so I am going to see him on Wednesday.

2. We had a meeting with Mi Familia on Friday and they told us that Isamar´s dad came to visit her. He told Isamar that there is no way he will allow her to come with us. He told Carmen she was the lucky one that she gets to come. That to me is the most crueliest thing you can do. They told us that they are really in a bind because the dad can sue them if they don´t give Isamar to him IF he meets the conditions. Let´s pray he does not. The director of the orphanage is doing a report on how the dad is treating Isamar and Carmen. Hopefully they will see his manipulation.

3. Pray for me, I have lost my voice and my throat is swollen. We still have a village to go to tomorrow and time with the girls. It´s hard not to talk here.

We handed out the soccer equipment and the baseball stuff and it was amazing. They wanted me to have their trophy but I made them keep it to remember what God has done for them.

It has been a very successful trip so far but my heart is hurting thinking that I am not going to see Isamar again after this week. I am doing good but its painful. I trust the Lord and I know that he will do the best for Isamar.

Please pray...

Angie

I will update you more as I can but for now we are all doing.

Headed to Nicaragua

I'm 5 days away from heading to Nicaragua and 6 days from seeing my beautiful girls.

I am taking so much stuff that I don't have enough room for everything and it's quite discouraging. I so wish I had my own plane. I would not have this problem any more.

Please pray for Terry and I as we leave our children home again. Although they will be well taken care of there are still many things to consider when Mom and Dad are gone.

Pray for our team members that are going. Bonnie & Thomas, Chris and Lauren, and Jennifer are all coming with us. All three of these families are praying about adopting from Nicaragua as well and are leaving family behind.

Pray for our safety, health, unity and most important for the people we will touch while we are there.

I am taking baseball uniforms and equipment for one team and soccer equipment for another. This is going to rock their world. Pray it raises their faith to a whole new level.

Pray for additional finances that are needed to accomplish this task. I had to purchase new baseball pants for the team that was unexpected and going to my aunts and to her funeral cost me almost $300 in gas that was not planned for so money is very tight for this trip.

I am trusting God to supply all my needs. Pray that people who understand the needs of missions will rise up and help as God leads them to.

I have also ran out of room in my bags. I will have to leave toys or hygiene products home. Its hard for me to make that decision. One is needed and the other is desired. An extra bag is another $100 that I just don't have to spare right now so pray that God will send that money as well if they are to go.

We will be at the orphanage a lot this trip but on Monday and Tuesday morning we will be ministering in two villages that have never had a team of Americans visit them. Pray our showing of love will open doors to share God's love with them and lead them to a personal relationship with him.

Thanks for your support and your prayers.

Angie

Forgive & Forget?

I traveled home to my aunts funeral Thursday thinking the entire time, "What will it be like seeing my mom?" Will she act different than the last time? Will I act different than before?

Well we both did actually. When I arrived she wasn't there but shortly after I saw her outside. I could have just stayed inside and avoided her but I figured I might as well get it over with. Out the door I went and the first person I saw was my brother. Since we is the biggest reason my mom and I don't get along I figured I would fight fire with love and hug him first. I went over and hugged my mom as if everything was just fine. Let me remind you the last time I saw or spoke to her she was yelling at me telling me what a horrible daughter I was. Needless to say there was some reservations about that hug.

My aunt looked so beautiful. She would be so happy about the outfit her daughters picked out. She made us all feel like she was at peace. Those of us that had been around her were all smiling and bragging on her looks as those who had not come when she needed them most just cried. Don't wait until someone is dead to show them your love, DO IT NOW. Trust me..

If the death of my aunt was to show my mom that life is too short I am glad God took her but more importantly I hope it showed my entire family that those of us who have Jesus smiled at Dorothy as she lay in her coffin, we didn't cry with regret, we cried with joy knowing she was in the presence of the Lord.

The gospel was shared twice so I know my family knows how to get to heaven. Obeying the instructions is another story.

What did I learn through all this? That in the worse of times God can make Good come out it.

Please let me speak to those of you that I know personally are struggling with family members. Life is way to short. We are not promised tomorrow. Those we love that don't love us are still God's children. We must find the Love of Christ for them. Regardless to what they have done to us they are His children and He loves them unconditionally.

Don't get me wrong, I am not ready to start a relationship with my mom. The pain is still there from all that has happen. My mother can't have a healthy relationship with me but I can have a Love of Christ relationship with her.

I encourage you to do the same.. If you can't talk to that family member, send them a card, a note, a picture of your kids. Something to say, "Hey I thought of you today". Then let God do the rest.

Please continue to pray that I can Forgive my mom and Forget the pain.

Angie

Update on my world

I'm been quite lately because I have been out of town.

I went to Virginia on Saturday to see my aunt and I returned today at 4:30. Sadly, she passed away at 6:30.

I learned a great deal about my aunt this week. After spending 23 hours a day with her for 3 days you get to know somebody. (Only got an hour a day of sleep, didn't want to waist my time when I knew she had very little left.)

I saw a side of her family I had not seen before. She has 3 daughters and 1 very spoiled son. All of them had come to peace that it was her time to go. All of them assured me in some way she would be going to heaven. That's all that mattered to me. Seeing her was important but making sure the she and her family knew Jesus on a personal basis was my priority.

I will be returning home on Thursday and I am sure I will see my mother. Let's pray it’s a much better time than the last.

I called her today to make sure she had gotten the news; it was almost creepy for me. She keeps talking to me as if everything was just fine between us. Family members tell me to let the past stay in the past and move on as if it never happen. BUT it did happen. What do you think? Just let it stay or deal with it? I haven't decided yet. The easy way of course is to just let it go but what happens when it comes back one day?

On a better note, I have not heard much about Isamar except that the dad had a discussion with Mi Familia and told them he DID NOT want Isamar. He was only pursuing this because his mother (she's 85 we believe) wants him to. The lawyers told us today that if she wants her she will have to come forward and say so. Let's hope she doesn't.

I hope to find out more tomorrow as this week the Director of Mi Familia quit and 3 people on the council walked away. I can't imagine how much delay this will now cause.

I am leaving next Thursday to go and see my girls. At least I know Isamar will be there this time.

Continue to pray for us. My entire family as we lay Dorothy to rest, my immediate family as we wait patiently on the Lord and for our trip to Nicaragua next week. We will be ministering to many families who have it a lot worse than we do.

God Bless,

Angie

Prayers for My Aunt

My mother and I have not talked but once in 3 years. Needless to say when I saw the caller id today and it was from her my heart just sunk. So many horrible thoughts went through my head. Was she sick? Had she died? Was it my brother? It's really sad that it takes tragedy in ones family to get people talking again.

My mom's sister has taken ill. Her name is Dorothy and she is the first person in my life that I can say believed in me. Her children and I are very close. Actually out of 29 grandchildren and 30 great grandchildren of my grandmother, Aunt Dorothy's kids are the only ones I stay in contact with.

My mom did not call me when my uncle got sick last November so this time she thought she should call. She knows how important Aunt Dorothy is to me, she says. Her anger must be starting to fade away or she would have never called me today.

Over the past three years my mom has been very mad at me for something I didn't even do. She has been ugly to me more than once and during my uncles’ funeral in November she would not even let me stay at her house.

It’s been very hard going through this adoption without parents. My mom just can’t be a Mom and my Dad does not exist in my life. I think this helps me understand how Carmen and Isamar feel.

I haven't talked to my mom over the 3 years instead I just sent her pictures, cards, a Mother's Day gift and each time reminded her that I was praying for her and I loved her. It appears it has softened the blow. She talked to me today as if we talked just yesterday. Things are not fixed with us but this is a huge start. The fact that she actually called is AMAZING.

My aunt is 78 years old and is on her death bed. She is in great pain and Hospice is there so you know what that means. As far as I know she has accepted Christ but she has never been to church. She has missed the joy of fellowshipping with others and being in His presence of one accord but soon she will be in the God’s presence. Isn't that thought wonderful?

Please pray for our family as Aunt Dorothy is a pillar to the rest of us. She has held our family together for many years. It was just 5 years ago that she buried her husband. I am sure her children would appreciate your prayers for God to move quickly so she will suffer no more.

Additionally, we have no updates on Isamar at this time. Keep praying that God will intervene if it is His plan for her life to be with us.

God Bless,

Angie