It's Over for Now..

I have been struggling to write about our trip since we got home. You can say I have truly been in a period of morning.

I always get excited about going to Nicaragua but this trip I knew in my heart it would change the way I see and feel about this country.

We met on Monday with the new lawyer and he went to Mi Familia on our behalf. Not much came from the first meeting only a second one.

The lawyer pushed Mi Familia for answers and at the end the outcome was not favorable for us.

The girls have been put into this Love Program because there is a family member asking for Isamar. Since the bond between them is so strong they will not separate the girls, automatically giving the dad both girls.

We were told the decision has been made and there is no changing it. We can either adopt another child or take our paperwork back.

As harsh as that sounds that's how it is. It did not matter to them that we have had a 4 year relationship, it did not matter to them that Carmen is not this man's child. It did not matter that the girls love us and want to be with us and not him. Nothing matters. Only that the rules of the program are upheld.

I wished I could tell you that hearing "I'm sorry" matters, but right now it doesn't. My heart is broken and in a million pieces. I feel like I left Nicaragua and betrayed my girls even though I know I have done all I can do.

Additionally, we asked for another child from the House of Rose and was denied that also. No child can be asked for specifically by anyone. All the children in orphanages today will be evaluated and if there is a family member anywhere who will take them they will be given to that person. If no member is found they will be put on the adoption list for those awaiting a child.

At this point in this process we can only wait and call upon the Lord. Terry and I know these girls are ours and at some point they will be. We are not sure what God's plan is right now but both of us are certain we know they are to be with us one day. For now, we wait and pray for these decisions to be changed.

Nicaragua is known for making rules and changing them often. We ask that you pray that those making these decisions will be overturned.

The idea sounds like a good one at first but if you talk it through it is an impossible task for the government to uphold. This country is poor, if they had money to pay families to take kids they would be using it to feed the millions of starving families.

We ask that you pray with us in agreement for the following:

1. The girls will somehow know that we did not abandon them.
2. The girls will be protected when they leave. No harm will come against them.
3. The government will see that the rules they have put in place needs to be altered on a case by case basis.
4. Mi Familia will listen to the girls and their desires.
5. The dad will see the desires of the girls to be with us. Once he get them he can give them back to us.
6. Pray for the many families this affects. We are only one of many families who lost their chances for the children they felt God was leading them to have.
7. We are being told there are people within the government that oppose this program, pray they find a way to overturn it.

For now we wait and pray and try to stay strong. It's heartbreaking to say the least but we are confident that God is in control and we are trusting him to intervene.

I was ask this weekend if we are sure this is God's plan and I can tell you that if I have ever know His plan for sure, those girls are to be in our home. This is a fight against the enemy. The enemy is slowing this adoption down, not God.

Thanks for your moral support and prayers as we go through this process.

Angie & Terry

Our Saga continues...

My faithful friends,

I write to you this night as Terry and I prepare to leave in the morning (Sunday) to Nicaragua to meet with a new lawyer and the office of Mi Familia.

Since the last time I wrote the country has had many changes.

The First Lady of Nicaragua is implementing a process that will basically create a foster care program there and is suppose to help children who are in orphanages now get out and go home to a family member and it would keep kids from being placed in orphanages unless absolutely necessary. There are many good things here and many bad. Families have to want these kids first of all and if they wanted them to begin with they would not put them in the orphanage. Who is to tell? Our prayers for this is crucial.

As for our adoption we will be affected greatly if what we are being told is true. We have heard this week that in fact the father of Isamar is blood related to Carmen. He is suppose to be a cousin. If that is the case the new law gives him full rights to her and does not require him to meet any kind of requirements. I was told this by another lawyer who I asked to take my case. She refused because she says there is no case. We can't win.

Terry and I have felt many emotions this week. We are not sure what God's plan is at this point but what we do know is that He took us down this path and He will continue to direct our steps.

The outlook does not look in our favor but we are certain God told us to go down this road so for now we are going to go and find out what we can and trust God to show us what now.

Please pray for us as we go and meet with these people on Monday.

Pray for guidance, wisdom and peace.
Pray for discernment.
Pray for clear understanding of God's plan.
Pray for protection over my kids and Terry's mother as she takes care of our kids.
Pray for favor with Mi Familia and the lawyers.
Pray for the girls. We want to see them but are not sure if they will allow it.

This trip will be the turning point of this adoption. It could be the final meeting we have.

Thanks for you support and prayers through this process.

God Bless,

Angie and Terry

Update on Prayer Request

Well now that the smoke has cleared it appears that some changes are going to be made in Nicaragua but as of right now it does not look like it will affect us. PRAISE GOD...

Thanks to all of you who have been praying because I believe our prayers have calm the storm for now.

It was in fact true that the broadcast on TV took place but it seems their words were more of this is what we want to do than this is what we are going to do.

Here in the US when a child is taken from the parents they go to a foster home to stay until the parents get their act together or it is determined they can't and that child becomes adoptable.

In Nicaragua there is not such system so all children go directly to an orphanage and stay until the parents get their act together. Most get left in the orphanages because the parents are not willing to change their way of life. Sadly that causes problems for the children because they are not adoptable but they have to live in the orphanage.

It looks like they are going to change that process to stop that from happening.

There is still rumors of closing private ran orphanages but it is impossible for them to do that. Maybe they will only close those that are not being ran up to standards. Who knows at this point? The House of Rose where my girls are is private owned but it is one of the best in Nicaragua so I am no longer worried about it's future.

With all that said, it appears that our prayers are being heard and God is moving the hearts and minds of those in charge to make things better. It does not appear for now there is any more talk of closing the adoptions to foreigners. Let's just continue to pray that those who wanted that to happen are moved from office or completely get a heart change.

Thank you all so much for your consistent prayers. They are moving mountains.

Angie

URGENT URGENT Prayer Need

Just when I think that it can't get any worse I get news that it can.

Today I was told that this week the Nicaragua administration that governs the adoption process in Nicaragua announced on TV that they are planning on closing the option for foreign adoptions and will close all private ran orphanages. Instead, children will be put in foster homes all over the country.

This is serious guys. This is much bigger than dealing with Isamar's dad this is dealing with the Nicaraguan government.

There has been a lot of issues going on within the administration lately but no one knew exactly what.

How does this affect me and Terry? If they put this plan (that is not legal that we can tell) into place we will have lost any and every chance at getting the girls and the many many parents that are waiting on children will have lost their chances also.

As for them closing the private ran orphanages that means that 1,000's of children will be taken back to abusive homes, given to people who don't want them or even taken to over crowded government ran orphanages, who knows at this point but it will be a horrible situation for all of these innocent children.

This requires a great deal of prayer from everyone. We have to pray that God's will be done in these kids lives and not the will of man.

We are not fighting against flesh and blood here guys we are fighting against the enemy who would love for all the Christian families who are adopting to lose that opportunity.

Please I beg you all that are reading this to make this a top priority on your prayer list daily. Prayer can move mountains and it will take all of us petitioning the Lord to change what could possibly happen.

There was no exact date on when this would take place or how it would happen but exactly but if they went as far as telling it on national TV you can bet they are working on making it happen if at all possible.

Please, please pray for all the innocent children who will be affected by this decision.

Pray for wisdom for us. We just bought tickets yesterday to fly to Nic on Oct. 13th to hire a new lawyer to try and save our chances in getting the girls. We are not sure what we will need to do now.


Angie

Keeping your eyes on the Lord...

Around the same time we decided to adopt the girls last year one morning during my quite time God took me to the story of Peter walking on the water.

At the time we were going through a testing time and that story spoke to me greatly and I heard the Lord specifically tell me to remember that story as I go through the adoption for the girls.

Today talking with two of my friends God brought that story back to me as they were asking how I was doing.

My answer is this.

Right now I am in the middle of the Gulf Coast and Ike is 100 miles away from me.

Just like with Peter the water was all around him and the storm was fierce. That's how I feel these days. One day all is well and the next day a storm blows in.

Saturday the girls went with Isamar's dad and they will stay for 7 days. Pray for their safety.

I can allow that to cause me to sink in this storm or I can stay focused on the Lord and his promises. The enemy would like for me to start feeling that rain and wind on my body and he would love for me to just give up.

No matter how fierce this storm gets I refuse to take my eyes off God's promises. The rain might be pouring on our heads and the wind is pushing me to the left and the right but I will refuse to take me eyes off of the Lord.

How are you doing in your storm? Does the waves that hit you knock you down or just push you over?

Don't get me wrong this is a Category 5 storm we are going through and just like Peter some days my feet starts to sink but because of my friends who are praying for me and encouraging me and God's reminder of His word I immediately get my focus and the sinking stops.

I encourage you today if you are in the middle of a Category 5 storm to hold onto God's promises and remember that He makes EVERYTHING and HE has the POWER to stop the winds and the rain. It's up to you..

Please continue to pray for our family as we walk through this storm and wait patiently on the storm to pass and my girls to come home where they belong.

God Bless,

Angie

Your Prayers are needed..

I found out this week that Mi Familia has granted a 4 day visit for the dad with BOTH girls tomorrow.

He will pick them up at the orphanage and keep them next week.

I am still not allowed to talk to the girls but have been able to find out that they do know they are going but are refusing to go. I can only hope they keep the fight in them in hopes to show Mi Familia that they don't belong with this man.

This week the aunt of Carmen and Isamar went to Mi Familia and protested and asked for Carmen but was denied. She was even denied access to visit the girls. Their own flesh and blood is not being allowed to see them. There are some really screwed up decisions being made here.

Pray that God intervenes and changes the decisions of those in charge.

Pray for protection of the girls as they go into a much different world than the orphanage. Pray against any sickness. They will have to drink and eat different food and water and that can always cause them to get a parasite easily.

Most importantly pray for their peace. They will be scared and they will not know what is going to happen.

I am not 100% sure of what they know about what is going on so until they do know the truth pray they don't feel rejected by us.

I'll keep you posted as I know more.

God Bless,

Angie

Pray, Pray, Pray

Thanks to all who are praying and I ask for continued prayer.

We have just learned that the man who showed up at the 11th hour and who is officially the dad of my 9 year old has decided to take both girls.

He does not and has not ever had any relationship with his own daughter much less her older sister.

Sadly, at this time it appears that MF is the one who convenience him to do this. It's real fussy right now but it appears that they are pushing this effort and have refused any contact between us and the girls.

At this time I don't think the girls know anything and I am sure they are confused since we have not spoken to them in two weeks. We have talked with them for the past 2 years every Sunday. An entire year before we decided to adopt them.

Pray for them. They are the ones that will be hurt in all this. They will be scared, and confused because based on the past history they will not be told until they are taken out of the orphanage.

Pray for God's will in their lives. They are everything to us and we want what is best for them and believe with all my heart and soul they are ours.

God is in the miracle making business and I know he can change this around. Continue to pray for the girls they will need God's loving arms around them if we can't get this stopped in time.

Our lawyers are trying to get all the details so they can figure out if we have any ground to stand on. Pray for favor with the person who made this decision. Pray our lawyers can get to them soon and find out exactly what is going on.

Thanks, Angie

What's Going On...

Well a week has gone by and I know no more today about the adoption than I did the last time I wrote.

My lawyer went to Mi Familia and spoke to someone there but got little to no new information.

It appears that the person who told me the adoption was off may not have known what she was talking about. Since Mi Familia has not told us anything we are going to believe the old saying, No news is Good news..

The person that told the director of the orphanage may have just be shooting off the mouth and had no facts to back what she was saying or the director miss understood. I am not sure which is true but right now no one has officially told us the adoption is off.

I still can't contact the girls. The reason why is a crazy one but it just boils down to the fact they want me to follow their procedures and go and get a written request. My lawyer went on Friday but was not able to see the person making this a requirement. He will try again on Monday.

This has truly been the hardest week of my life. Not knowing anything can cause your mind to think of everything that could go wrong.

Until I am told by God we are not to adopt the girls I am going to fight. Don't mess with a mama bears cubs...

Please continue to pray for us as this is an unexplainable, crazy process that makes no since to anyone. Pray for favor. Right now I am not sure what Mi Familia thinks about me and I need them on my side.

I'll update you as I have something to tell you. Every time I get ready to post something, something new changes.

Please put our family on your churches pray list. We need favor in Mi Familia's eyes and we need for them to get going on the study of the dad. Right now that is the biggest hurdle we need to get past.

Thanks again for your prayers and support.

Angie

Urgent Prayer Request for my girls

In the last 7 days I have been told so many things from people in Nicaragua it would make your head spin.

First, I was told by my daughters father that he was on his way to Mi Familia to sign her over to us. He never went.

Second, I was told by my case worker that MF called him and told him to come in because they had decided to give us the girls because it was the best for them and they needed to meet with him to take care of the paperwork. He never showed to their meeting either.

Third, On Friday I was told that at 8:00am he was on his way to sign. He did finally go.

Fourth, by 10:00pm Friday night I was told that he changed his mind and in fact was told by the delegate at MF that he should never give up his child and they would help him build a relationship with her. (After 9 years of no contact)

Fifth, I called the girls as I normally do every Sunday to be told I am not allowed to talk to them any more.

Because I am afraid that something I might say about MF will get repeated I will chose my words wisely and say that "rumor" has it that there is a chance my girls will never be mine now because they feel building that relationship with "DAD" is more important than giving both girls a life so if I can't get one I cant' get both. The oldest will be forced to stay in Nicaragua.

My attorney is going to visit the delegate tomorrow to get the facts and fight for my rights. I have been a part of their lives for 4 years. I have spent 9 weeks with them this year alone. They know no other mommy and daddy.

I can honestly say my flesh is weak but my spirit is strong and the God I serve is greater and bigger than any person at MF and he can change the hearts and minds of all of them in the blink of an eye.

Please join with me in agreement that GOD's will be done for my girls and that MF will get their act together on my case. It is so messed up because there are two offices trying to figure out who is boss and who is making the decisions.

Pray for favor and that "No weapon formed against me shall prosper" No even MF.

Pray for my flesh as this roller coaster ride has just make me sick and I want to get off...

P.U.S.H. - Pray until something happens.

Please pray for us over and over again.

Thanks,

Angie

News on the Adoption

During this trip to Nicaragua, Terry and I had the opportunity to go to Mi Familia and complain about the confusing information we are getting.

The office in Managua is in charge of our adoption case, the office in Chinandega is in charge of the future of our girls. The two of them are not working together and we are getting conflicting information from them. One office tells us the other should be working on things and then that office tells us the opposite.

We were very direct with them this trip and at this point it appears God's favor was upon us.

Both offices told us we needed to talk with Isamar's dad. This is unheard of in Nicaragua. Typically Mi Familia would never want us talking with him because of the possibility of paying him off. God's favor was there for us. We have earned their respect and they are on our side so we called the dad and made arrangements to talk with him.

On Monday of last week we met with him and for about 1 hour 1/2 he went on and on about how he felt it was God's plan for Isamar to be with us. He kept telling us that he had always seen her in his visions with him. He kept telling us his desires were to preach and to have his wife by his side. He never even mentioned having Isamar there. I was very discouraged for that hour but something kept telling me to be patient. I had gone there with the intentions of asking him to give us Isamar but as he kept talking I soon realized that just maybe God had answered our prayers.

He started asking us very personal questions about our family. He wanted to know all about us and what we do. We told him everything he wanted to know and assured him that Isamar would always be his but we wanted to give her a better life with her sister.

He finally told us that even though he felt that God had always shown him that he was to have Isamar that maybe it was God's plan for us to have her but to keep her in his life.

Yes, that's right. He agreed to give her to us. He said that if in fact Mi Familia told him Isamar didn't want to live with him and she truly felt that way that he would sign his rights to us.

Notice you don't hear me screaming through this website. I don't know him and I don't know how much I can trust him. I am choosing to guard my heart because I don't think I could take that kind of let down if he changes his mind.

He promised he would go to Mi Familia on Friday (two days ago) or tomorrow and talk with them, however, on Tuesday of this past week Mi Familia called him on their own and told him to come in.

They told me that they called him and said that they needed to get this adoption finalized and that the delegate felt that it was in the girls best interest to be with us and now they need to sit down and discuss what needed to be done next. (They are not aware we talked with the dad and he is willing).

Trust me that was God. This way he does not have a long time to change his mind and they are pushing for him to sign.

This is great news for us but until I know he actually signed I am not jumping for joy. I am praying he will do what he says and do it fast.

Please be in prayer with me that his heart stays true to what he has said already. He seems to truly want what is best for Isamar. Pray for him. His name is Francisco. This has to be hard for him. Isamar is his child.

What happens next..

If he signs her over I will have to go there and attend a court session where the judge will ask him in open court if he wants to give me Isamar. He will have to say YES in front of Isamar. The judge will discuss this with Francisco and with Isamar. Once the judge is comfortable with his answers, he signs the decree and Isamar is OURS, right that minute.

She will have to go back to the orphanage and stay until we get Carmen’s abandonment taken care of. Pray with me the lawyers at Mi Familia can get the same judge to view that case and sign her abandonment at the same time. OMG.. that would be the most amazing answer to prayer.

Pray with me that all of this works together this way. Families are waiting years for just a paper to be signed by a judge. I don’t want to wait years.

I know lots of you are praying for my family already but I am asking you to PLEASE put this at the top of your lists and don't just pray once and forget, continue to pray. Together lets watch what God is going to do in this case.

Please tell me how I can be praying for your family, together we can move mountains.

Rejoicing in the Lord,

Angie

The Latest on Isamar

If you recall Isamar was scheduled to go to her dad's house on a trail basis over her school break starting on Friday.

I can honestly say that this was the saddest 4th of July I have ever had. I sit wondering all day if she was going to be ok on the 4 - 5 hour bus ride to Managua and was she going to have water (that girl drinks water like crazy), was she going to have a seat or would she have to sit in her dad's lap? Many thoughts went through my head that day.

I called her the night before and encouraged her to be a good girl and obey her dad and enjoy herself but honestly the entire time I wanted to say, "Just don't go, Isamar!!!" but I didn't I was really nice.

Today I called to check on Carmen since she is the one that seems to be hurt the most by all of this and I got a very chattery Carmen. She could not stop talking, on and on she went to my translator and within minutes I soon realized she was telling me that Isamar didn't go.

You can not imagine the excitement that went through me.

Apparently when Isamar's dad tried to leave Carmen and Isamar pitched a fit. Isamar cried the entire way to the bus stop and even while she was on the bus. They traveled about 1 1/2 hours to Chenandega and turned around, got on another bus and traveled back to Somotillo, Isamar still crying.

Isamar just could not leave her sister. She told her dad she did not want to go and did not want to leave her sister. He told the workers at the orphanage that he could not get her under control so he brought her back.

I am sad that Isamar and Carmen had to go through this but I won't lie, I am glad the experience was not the opposite for Isamar. Hopefully this experience will show the dad how important the girls are to each other. Just maybe, this will be what it takes to show him the girls need to stay together.

I finally got to talk to Isamar about her experience and she was very quite until I told her I loved her and I was sad she had to go through it but if she didn’t really want to be with her dad I was happy. Within seconds my shy little girl was excited and talking all about coming to live with us.

Please, please pray for Mi Familia (the DSS people) as they now have to make a decision about Isamar’s future. We are not sure what this means now but I can only hope it’s a point for our side.

God Bless to all,

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.

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

The Results are Finally Here

It's with great sadness that I report that the DNA test is Positive.

I can't put words into how I feel right now.

I have said all along that I want the best for Isamar and I really do but it still hurts, it still feels like someone stuck a knife through my heart. Pray for Terry and I as we wait to hear what will happens now.

The dad will go through a home study to determine if he meets the requirements. Basically, if he has a house at all, a job at all and is walking and talking he will qualify. Poverty does not play a role in this decision and the best situation for Isamar doesn't count either.

I know that God loves Isamar more than I do and He wants the best for her. He sees the big picture and knows all. No matter how my heart feels and what my head tells me I am trusting in Him.

If Isamar is to be in my home she will be. Nothing will stop that.

Please pray for Isamar and Carmen. They plan on telling her soon and I know they will be devastated. Breaking them apart will be very difficult for both the girls. They will need a lot of love and counseling. Most important they will need our prayers.

I was reminded tonight as my heart broke into a thousand pieces that the pain I felt, as bad as it was, was nothing compared to the pain God must have had when He gave His son to die for us.

Jesus died so that we would have life. Everlasting Life. A future, Hope, Dreams, Desires, A family, A never ending love. He died for Isamar's future also. I must trust in that.

There are no words to describe how I feel tonight, so I rest in Gods word that My Joy comes to me in the Morning.

Thanks for all your prayers. The battle is not over. Don't stop praying, pray harder.

God Bless,

Angie

More Praises and Prayers...

First the prayer needs...

It has now been 37 days since Isamar's DNA test. The longer this takes the farther out our stay in Nicaragua will be causing us to go into our businesses fall season which makes things very complicated.

The council that meets to vote on us has not met in several months; however, they are meeting this Friday and possibly next. If we could get the test results in now it is "POSSIBLE" to get on that council schedule for next Friday.

God knows the plans for this adoption and I am not concerned about our business but the bible says, "Ask Not, Receive Not" so I'm living by that motto and asking you guys to be in agreement with me and ask God to intervene in the delivery of the test results.

If the results are positive it changes this process completely and will hold this process up again.

P.U.S.H. - Pray Until Something Happens.. That’s what I'm going to do.

Time for Praises...

Remember my soccer team in Somotillo I wrote about? Remember I told you about having a connection to the Charlotte Eagles? You're not going to believe how God showed off this time.

Yesterday I received a call from Jim and Renee Hughes who also have a sports ministry and are currently working directly with the Charlotte Eagles. Ms. Hughes informed me that she is working with a group of teens who are going to Nicaragua in July and they have raised additional funds that need to be spent. What better place to spend that money but to bless a group of teens in Somotillo?

That's right, they are going to provide the much needed cleats to my soccer buddies, and not just cleats but the kind that the Eagles wear. They are also going to provide balls and shin guards. The coolest thing is they are going to give them the "Gospel Soccer Balls" to use in their ministry. Those balls look like the gospel bracelets and you use them to share the story of Christ.

Can you believe this? God took total strangers and together we are going to bless a soccer team with items they are believing by faith for. Just imagine how this will build their individual faith.

Give God Praise for the little things and watch Him give you BIG things..

Thanks for your prayers and for the praises.

Angie

No News Is Good News?

Oh how I wished that saying was ALWAYS true.

Well the long awaited month has come and gone for the DNA results.

My attorney went yesterday and was told they have not received them as of yesterday, THAT THEY KNEW OF. The right hand does not know what the left hand is doing there so for all we know the results are laying on some lawyers desk.

The case worker told my attorney she would go to the lawyers and ask and report back on Friday. Even that is crazy. It's not like this building is 20 stories high and she has to go to 10 people. The Lawyers, all 3 of them, sit in the next room. It would not take 2 seconds to open the door and say, "Hey, anybody have the DNA tests for Isamar Umana"?

Can you tell I'm running out of patience?

I figure I have two options here;

1. I can worry and be unsettled and cry all day with grief and God will take his time as He teaches me to trust Him or;
2. I can rest in God's peace and He will see that I am trusting Him and just maybe He will hurry this process up for me and I will pass this test.

I am choosing Option 2 but I can tell you it's the hardest thing I have ever done and it's a day to day process for me. For weeks it's been easy but now it's every morning when I wake up I have to give myself a serious pep talk and decide that minute that I will not walk in doubt today...

What about you? How do handle God's tests? You do know that if you fail the test today He will give it to you again tomorrow right?

I have failed so many tests before this one that I think I have finally figured out how to pass God's test.

Are you in the middle of a test? Are you passing it or failing it? Evaluate your attitude and you will soon know the answer.

Please pray for the people involved in this adoption and the people of Nicaragua.

There is a transportation strike there now and many people are struggling because all the buses and taxis have stopped. Things are not very stable right now which could cause even a longer delay in getting these results.

Thank you for walking this journey with me.

Oh what a glorious day it will be when they come home.

God Bless,

Angie

Remember the Girls..

I have no new information at this point. Still waiting on the DNA test results.

Please continue praying for the girls.

I can't imagine what is going through their little heads. The stress I am sure is more than any child should have to endure.

Pray with me that the results come back faster than a month. It's only been 2 weeks and it seems like forever.

Thanks so much,

Angie and Terry

Isamar's DNA Test

Isamar rode the 3 1/2 hour bus ride to and from Managua yesterday and completed the test.

Sadly, we are now being told it will take a MONTH to get the results back. This causes a lot of problems for us. We have to live there for 6 - 10 weeks and since our business is slow during the summer months we were planning around that time but with this pushing things out a month that makes things very difficult. We are now looking at bringing the girls home in September or October which is just not good for our business.

Please pray for favor. We need that test result back much sooner.

The dad also caused a scene yesterday because Isamar rejected him. He tried to talk to her and hug on her and she refused. Now he is saying that we caused this. We have brain washed her into believing he is bad for her. This is just not the truth. I have said nothing to her about her dad.

He is making things difficult for us. Pray that his heart sees that we are not trying to change how Isamar feels.

Pray for her sister Carmen. She cried all night on Sunday thinking she would not see Isamar again. Yesterday when she finally arrived back home Carmen hugged her for 10 minutes saying "I thought I would not every see you again". How difficult that was for Carmen to endure.

Thank for your prayers. You are truly helping me stay sane..

I'm trusting God to handle this, I know he won't let me down.

Angie

What's God's Plan for Isamar?

I made it home safely, Praise God but not with the happiest of news.

On Thursday once I got back into Managua we contacted Isamar's dad to arrange meeting him. He was not reachable until 7:30 at night. He had changed his mind and decided he was not going to see me.

He told my translator that he knows that we could give her a better life and all the things he could not but she was his blood and in his eyes that being with him was the best thing for her. He was not nice about his words and made sure he stated it in a very direct way.

He went on to say that if he is not her dad he will file adoption papers for her.

Luckily, there is not way in the world he could adopt her because he does not meet the requirements.

My attorney is meeting with Mi Familia on Monday to discuss what the process is. Will they just hand her over? Will they investigate him? Will Isamar have a say in all this? As of now I am being told they just hand her over. I find that hard to understand but the laws in Nicaragua are different and they just passed a new law that states they can not take kids away or not give them back due to poverty.

This has truly been a difficult week for me. It's hard to stay positive when you have no control over things but I am learning more and more about trusting God. He is in control of Isamar's life, he knew her future before she was created and he can see the future I can not. Who knows it might be that Isamar grows up to change the lives of other children in orphanages there.

My flesh says well of course we are best for her but my heart says that's up to God.

So for now we wait and trust.

My prayer is that God knows the plan for Isamar's life and if it is to be with us he will change the dad's heart. If not and Isamar is to live with him he will change my heart.

Carmen’s life will still be with us. Her family will not protest this and she will be declared abandoned. It will be extremely difficult for her to leave her sister and furthermore I have great concern for Isamar’s mental stability. She will be the one the most hurt in all this. She will be left behind, lose access to her sister and be forced to live with a family she does not even know and does not want to be with.

Please pray with me in agreement that God's plan for these girls will be done. As much as I want to pray they will both be here I know in my heart this is not a time to be selfish but to be in tune with God's will. Not my will Lord but yours... This is extremely hard for me... pray for me.

I am trying hard to see the Good in all this. IF Isamar's dad takes her at least she will not be in the walls of the orphanage any more. Her father’s mother told us yesterday that I am welcome in her life any time I want. Two days before that she told my translator that I was not welcomed in her home so God is obviously working. God is the only one who can change the outcome of all this.

The DNA test is Monday at 10:00. The results take about a week. I hope to hear something by Friday of next week.

Thanks for your prayers, support and encouraging words you emailed me. I needed them so bad.

I'll update you as soon as I have something.

God Bless,

Angie

Update on my trip

I´m sorry I have not been in touch. There´s been no electricity here so access to the internet has been limited.

A lot has happen since I last wrote so I will try to make sure I don´t leave out anything.

On Saturday I was told that there was a problem with the adoption and so we had to go to Mi Familia Monday morning to visit the Delegate (the boss). She informed us that the dad has been approved to have his DNA test done which is scheduled for the 14th. He told them if it is positive which it will be because they look just alike that he will take Isamar. They told us if it is positive she will be given to him, no questions asked.

Then on Sunday, the aunts of the girls visited the Director of the Orphanage and told her that if the dad takes Isamar they will take Carmen. Needless to say I feel like I´m on a roller coaster.

After we went to Mi Familia on Monday we went to the house of one of the aunts. I talked with her and explained our love for the girls and by the end she agreed that it was best for the girls to be with us and they would not protest it. Praise God...

Today, Isamar´s dad was granted a visit to see her. He asked her if she wanted to live with us or him and she told him us. He told her that he would not allow her to live with us she was his daughter and he was going to be responsible for her. After he left the orphanage, the director spoke with him and explained everything. She told me that he actually said he did want the best for Isamar and if I could give it and he could still talk with her that maybe that would be ok. He wants to meet me so we are planning to talk on Thursday. Please pray that he sees the best for her and is not just doing this because he can. He has not visited her but a handful of times in her whole life and he lives a .5o cent bus ride away.

So for now I am excited that the mothers side of the family agree with the adoption and at least I get to talk to the dad. I´m trusting God and proclaiming His power.

Thank you so much for your prayers. I have stayed strong so far but I can tell you I have shed a lot of tears. I know God´s perfect plan will happen and I´m just trying to focus on that.

I´ll be home on Friday and will update you on my visit with the dad.

Angie

Pray for Favor and Direction

Well I made it to Somotillo.

Things there are not going so well.

Today I received word that there is a problem with the abandonment of the girls.

I will try to explain in as little words as I can.

My girls have different dads. The father of Isamar lives in Managua and has contacted her over the phone several times. He was told by authorities here that he needed to take a DNA test but for years he has not. Of course, until now. He is scheduled to take it on the 14th. The day before our approval. If he is found positive everything changes. If not hopefully things will continue. It is very possible he is the her dad because she looks just like him.

He has had 9 years to get this test but only now does he decided to. How difficult this must be now for Isamar.

Additionally, the aunt of the girls who lives 3 blocks away and has not visited the girls but twice in 5 years went to Mi Familia and requested a visit. She came last week and told the girls that they need to tell the judge they don´t want to live with us. She told them that people here kill little girls and cut thier heads off and cut out thier hearts. She told them that I was lieing to them and it would be horrible in the US. She was trying to brian wash them with lies.

Today I went to see the girls. They did not act like they were afraid of me bu they were a little hesitate with me.

How confusing it must be to be told so many things from adults.

I have a meeting Monday morning with the authorites here to discuss what is going on with the dad and the other family members to see what is going to happen now.

We have come so far. I truly want God´s will for my girls and I know in my heart that they are to be with us. I am very sad for them. I refuse to allow the enemy to discourage me. God is on my side and the families that are showing up now do not have him on thier side.

Please pray that truly God´s will is done here. It´s very heartbreaking I won´t lie so pray for my strength as I am here without Terry to pick me up.

There is so much going on that I am not sure what will happen next.

Cover us with your prayers. Believe with me that God´s favor and HIS direction will be, not man´s, not mine and not the families involved.

God Bless,

Angie

Update on My Paperwork

We received word today that in fact the meeting with our orphanage director and the lady at Mi Familia that is refusing to turn our paperwork over did in fact take place.

The woman has confirmed the paperwork is completed and she will deliver it to Mi Familia in Managua before I arrive on Thursday evening.

This is huge if it really happens. I don't mean to sound like I am not optimistic about this but this lady has lied to us 3 times already. It's hard to put faith in that.

Since my faith is in God and not in her I am going to trust that all things work together for those who love the Lord so that means ME...

Thank you guys for praying with me and trusting God for favor. He is faithful, its man that is not.

As I spent time in prayer this morning I found an old bible I use to use and in it was a list of scriptures that I had written down about 10 or more years ago. I truly believe it was for that moment this morning I wrote them. All of them pertained to this situation. All of them told me exactly what God wanted me to know this morning.

I find that absolutely amazing. Just think about it. I wrote those scriptures over 10 years ago and today they were exactly what I needed. God is so amazing. He knows all. He knew then I would need them today.

Do you write down scriptures that encourage you? Try it; see if one day God brings those across your path again just when you need them. It will do wonders for your faith.

Keep praying as I leave on Thursday afternoon. I will be going to meet with the lawyers of Mi Familia to ensure that all documents are ready for us to be voted on April 15th.

In addition to that God took care of the backdrop I needed. The place I am staying, Just so happens to have a screen and a sound system waiting on me. I can't wait to see what happens with showing the story of Jesus in color. It will change lives.

I'll keep you posted so you can be praying.

God Bless,

Angie

Nicbound again..

In 2004 I had to set up a Hotmail account. In a hurry I just typed "Nicbound" I was going on my first Nicaragua mission trip that summer and that's what came to mind.

I never imagined at that time in my life that I would be "Nic" bound every time I turned around.

In the first three years that I started working in Nicaragua I could hardly come up with the money to buy my tickets. It always seemed to be a struggle. It's amazing to me that once I finally accepted the call on my life to work there on a regular basis that the struggle was no longer around.

I have gone to Nicaragua 5 times since July and had only gone 5 times prior to that. It is amazing to me. I remember in 2006 saying to someone in Nicaragua, "I pray that one day I can come as often as God needs me to come without it being a struggle every time". God has answered that prayer over and over again.

With that said, YES, I am headed to Nicaragua again.

Remember the lady that is holding up my paperwork? Well she lied again and did not turn it over. In addition to that my case worker's last day was Tuesday and now there is no clear answer to what is going to happen to my case and the mounts of paperwork I submitted. Two weeks ago 1 out of the only 3 case workers was fired and all of her cases are still sitting on her desk. Many of those were adoptions. So now, all my case workers cases are sitting on hers with no one to work them.

Once I realized that it was in our best interest for me to go again I started thinking about mission work that can be done while I am there. I am excited to say I already have some plans to visit a village that needs help and support. This will be the first village that I will be working outside of the ministry I use to support. I'm so excited to have the opportunity to branch out and do God’s will for my life.

I am also considering taking my projector and laptop and showing movies at night in the village I am staying in. Most have TV there because there’s electricity but they have never seen movies about Jesus. I'm considering the Jesus Film Project, the Nativity and maybe another one, in Spanish of course.

What a great opportunity to show them Jesus. Pray with me that this method will really hit home and show them Jesus like they have never seen him. I would love to show Passion of the Christ but most can't read the subtitles.

I only have a week to figure this out so pray God shows me a way to come up with a backdrop to show it on that is easy to take on a plane.

The enemy may be causing problems and trying to delay the adoption but in fact all he is doing is giving me the opportunity to minister more to the lost of Nicaragua.

I leave on Thursday 3rd and return on the 11th. During that time I hope to visit my girls for two days and minister to the village and then return back to Managua and deal with the people holding up the process.

Please pray for:

Safety as I will be traveling alone there and then meeting my translator Claudia.
Protection while I am driving, yes I have to drive in this crazy country this time.
Favor with the people who are holding this process up.
Open hearts to share the gospel of Jesus with.
A backdrop that is portable and easy to set up.
My husband and kids
Good health - no sickness from the food and water there

My attorney was suppose to meet with the highest lawyer at Mi Familia today to find out where in the process is my paperwork so I'll keep you posted if anything changes before I go.

God Bless you all and thanks for praying. I really need your faithful prayers as we walk down this journey together.

Angie

Mark Your Calendar for the 25th

Tuesday is a special day for Terry and I.

Not only is it our 19th Wedding Anniversary it’s the day our case worker at Mi Familia is suppose to receive the home study of our girls.

This can be a very difficult process to follow so I will try to explain it in a way that you can understand so you can start praying NOW...

The office we are dealing with in Managua has a smaller office that exists in the area our girls are living. That office was asked to do the home study of the girls. The home study is required in order to declare the girls abandoned.

The lady in this office who did the home study is being very difficult. It's hard to explain the reasons why right now, just know that she has the power to delay this adoption for as long as she chooses. She has had the home study done since early February and just last week lied and said it was not finished yet. She feels we are rushing things. It's been said that her opinion is it should take 3 - 4 years for an adoption to be finalized.

Our case worker in Managua sent a request for the home study on the 11th and requested it to be in her hands on the 14th. The lady in the other office refused the request and said, "I'll give it to you on the 25th".

The 25th is my case workers last day of employment. So, it is extremely important to this case that the home study gets turned in so my case worker can submit it to the proper person before she leaves. If this is not done it could be months before her replacement is hired and starts working on my case again.

I refuse to worry about this. The enemy would like for me to lose sleep or cry and get angry at this lady but instead I am praying that this week in Nicaragua which was called Holy Week impacted her life and she accepted Christ and is a new creation...

Isn't that all that really matters here. Yes, I want my girls to come home but God has that time worked out. If we are in His perfect Will all will come together. It's the lady we need to pray for.

She obviously does not have Jesus in her life or she would see the need to get my girls out of that orphanage. So it's her salvation and her heart we need to be praying for.

Today was a wonderful day for Christians but what about those who are not Christians? We sometimes get so caught up in what Jesus did for us that we don't stop and think about the person next door or the family member that is lost.

Let's agree today to not let another minute go by without lifting up the lost souls to God. Look around you now and see if you can't either actually see someone that needs Jesus or imagine someone’s face that does. Pray for them.

Pray for this lady who is holding up the future of my girls. Pray for her soul and watch God work everything out.

God Bless,

Angie