Foster Care Need (Passports) [UPDATED: 9/1/2014]

In the waiting game currently with foster care. I called the Ministry of Social Affairs today and they said that our paper work was still in the Admins office (they look over it and make sure we have everything and the correct forms). Our contact at the ministry said that she would call me when it was all finished. Whilst in the waiting game, our directors got news that it might be easier, if you know a relative of the child, to get the passport before you achieve foster care. So on Monday, hopefully, Abby and Lily will be going in with their aunt to apply for passports. This should take about a week. Kelsi and I have been secretly praying and hoping (ok maybe not so secretly) that we will get to travel with the girls to the States, and our biggest hope would be to come back from November through January (three months is the longest visa we have heard of coming from the U.S. Embassy with travel papers and foster care). Obviously, these are our plans, and God has His own, but we have been praying that this might happen, ever since we heard that we might be able to get travel visas to the U.S. with foster care. We also found out that if we waited to apply for passports until after foster care was completed, our passport application could take up to six months. This seems like nice timing that our directors got this information, and we have decided to go with it, but we need help. First of all, foster care all together, after it is completed is going to be $400. The passport fee which we will need to pay soon (like maybe at the end of next week), will cost us $600 for both girls. So, we are looking at possibly an extra $1,000 this month--that we do not have. We are confident that God will take care of this, and we are just asking everyone to pray about whether He wants to use you to accomplish it. I know it is a lot of money, but I also know that my God is trustworthy, and I am not worried about it. Again, please pray about this, and be obedient to what God is telling you to do (even if it is to do nothing). Thank you to everyone who has been fasting with us for foster care, and also for the countless hours spent in prayer for us. We feel so blessed to be here, and we miss all of you so much.
BecauseHeLives,
The Bergens.

UPDATE:
We had the $1000 come in, because our God is a provider and because our friends and church family at Open Door are awesome! We were unable to get passports, because the girls' original birth certificates are at the Ministry of Social Affairs, but our contact there said that, even after foster care, the aunt can take them in and get them a passport, and it won't be any more difficult. At the moment we are still in the waiting game. Our foster care could be approved or declined any day now. We have been told that it will be at least a month, which is tomorrow... We are still praying and fasting for it to be completed. As soon as it is approved, we will be going in to get passports for the girls and applying for travel permits and visas. The time is beginning to slip away for us to be home for Christmas, but I know that God can still accomplish this, if it is according to His will. Sometimes we pray really hard for things, and God says no. Why? I don't know, but I know that I trust in Him. He knows my whole days and sees my whole life continuously before His all knowing eyes. He knows what is best, and if I truly believe that, then when things don't go my way, I am certainly not going to throw a tantrum about it. Keep praying and we really appreciate all the support from everyone and especially the prayers!
BecauseHeLives,
Micah.

UPDATE:
On the 1st of September, we received a call from the ministry, and our foster care was approved. Read about it in the post entitled "Foster Care: God Provides"

School of the Nations: Translation and Worship

Every Tuesday night, we have what we call Small Group. Everyone in Bykota House comes to the center, and we worship together in song and have a devotion in God's Word. Our praise has been primarily in English, but the staff and some of the lower level children have been struggling to enter into worship, because of the language gap. I have been trying to learn to sing the songs in Khmer, but it is a slow process. Mark had the idea to have the songs on the slides in English and Khmer, so that even if I am singing in English, they could follow in Khmer (if it is a familiar song) or at least know what we are singing and meditate on the lyrics. The idea came to mind, what if the older boys translated the lyrics? That way it is practice in their translating and also in their Khmer typing skills. So, after two days, we now have six songs in Khmer and English, and I am excited to worship this Tuesday and hear the response from the kids and staff. Here are some pictures of the boys working on the songs. They are using youtube, and also just a dictionary and the original song (that is work right there!)

Just another reason we are blessed to have sponsors. These computers were donated by Liberty church even before Kelsi and I came. There is also a projector. Our Tuesday nights benefit so much from these tools, and I thank God everyday that we have them, and also that we have such bright, godly, young men here at Bykota House.

BecauseHeLives,

The Bergens. 

Bible Study Corner: All Ages

Elementary:
In the elementary, we have been going through the whole Bible telling every story that comes up. We just finished Moses meets with God on Mount Sinai, and the Israelites build the tabernacle. We are moving into Leviticus, which begins with Aaron's two sons dying because they did not obey God, and God instituting the Levites as the chosen group to maintain the Tabernacle. I have been enjoying teaching through the Bible in this way. The kids love it. We start our day every day with a story from the Bible and how it applies to us. With the building of the Tabernacle it was that God had given certain people talents and they were able to use them, and everyone else joyfully gave to the work. In the same way, God gives us each of us talents too and calls us to work for His Kingdom. On Mount Sinai we talked about the fact that God showed Moses and the Israelites how to live, and He does the same for us today with His word. It has been fun telling those stories that are normally skimmed over, and just flipping through my Bible every day to see what story comes next.

Middle School:
In the middle school, we have begun a study through the book of Mark. I asked the kids if they wanted to be treated like the older boys, cause they have been asking to switch to the High School class. One morning, I said, "Who wants to be in the High School class?" and everyone raised their hand. So then I continued, "All right. This is the new High School class, but I expect you to act like it." From that moment on, we began a Bible study the way grown-ups study the Bible--verse by verse through a book. I chose Mark to start, and we have been working our way through Mark day by day. I love it, because we go around in the circle and everyone takes a turn reading a verse (Varee or Odom reads the Khmer) and then we discuss what it means and how it can change our lives and attitudes. Recently, we discussed how the Pharisees took God's law and expounded on it, and then began to follow and instruct their man made teachings as if they were God's law. We also talked about how Jesus was able to create bread and fish from just five loaves and two fishes, but then His disciples were frightened when their was a storm later that evening. Jesus is Master and Wonderful Lord, when you are on land and safe, and He is providing for your needs, but when you are on the raging sea, is He still the same Master and Lord? Can not the same Jesus who made bread multiply also make the sea calm?

Older Boys (High School):
The older boys and I have finished our study on James. It concludes with the idea of confessing your sins to one another and this concept of sin. We decided to go ahead and study 1 John to further this study on sin in our lives. We just finished discussing chapter three where John explains that those who "practice righteousness are righteous" This does not imply that we are perfectly holy, but it also does imply that we are to be practicing righteousness. We are like babes learning to walk, and every time we fall down, God picks us up with His grace and allows us to try again. We also discussed the work of the Holy Spirit inside of us, convicting us of our sin, so that we are unable to just continue walking in sin flippantly, but have sorrow and repentant hearts, when we have rebelled against our Lord.

So that is a wrap-up of what we have been talking about in our Bible studies at school. Kelsi, Abby, Lily, Melody, and I have been reading through the Bible together at night during our bed time routine, and we just finished reading Leviticus (and "Chronicles of Narnia: A Horse and His Boy" by C.S. Lewis, or "the horsey book" as Abby calls it). Please continue to pray for us, as we try to live out what we teach in every area. Pray that the Lord would open the kids minds to understand His word, and that we would all be changed by it, as we study it, and make it a part of our daily lives.

BecauseHeLives,
Micah.

Weddings in Cambodia and Update on Foster Care

I don't think that you have lived in Cambodia, until you have had a wedding party set up right outside your bedroom window. I saw it about three days ago. First they came in with the medal frames to make the big tent that stretches about fifty feet long and twenty feet wide. I knew exactly what it was as soon as I saw it. The tent roof could be reached from our bedroom window. The next morning, I noticed the trucks coming with all the tables and chairs. I thought it would happen that evening for sure, but it did not. God allowed us a night's rest for Sunday Church. But then, as we were leaving for church, I saw that the tables had table clothes and they had brought the generators. There was also a large beer delivery truck parked in front of our house. I knew that by the time we got back from church, the party would already be in progress... and it was. If you have never experienced a Cambodian Wedding party, there are two words to describe it. Loud. Really Loud. Kels and I have been to one before (our tuk tuk driver's daughter). And the music is so loud you can not even speak to the person sitting next to you. And then, as people leave, they leave the music playing at top volume... there could be one person sitting at a table, and the music would still be blaring. I think that is odd, but I am sure there are many things that I do that my Cambodian neighbors must think is crazy. It is currently ten o'clock. The party goes on outside our window. The bass guitar and shrill singing will probably continue late into the night. I think Kelsi says it best, whenever something happens and she is just thinking about how crazy something is she just throws her arms in the air and says, "Oh Cambodia..." There are a lot of things that I let bother me, but I have to say, I am not going to let this one get to me. I found myself praying for the newlywed couple, and feeling excited for them, even though I don't even know them! I think it is crazy when God changes an attitude in your heart like that. Kelsi has always said, "Choose joy." I have been working on rewriting hymns. One in particular that is in progress is called, "Joy in Sorrow." I have added a refrain to it that says, "You choose joy, when you choose to trust in the One who overcomes." I think we Christians get silly sometimes over the things that we allow to ruin our attitudes. Joy is not some emotional high or happiness as some would suggest, but instead is knowing that through every circumstance, my faith is firmly planted on the One who overcomes in the end, and has already won the victory. So I can be sour about this, or I can choose to just throw my hands in the air and say, "Oh Cambodia..." I might not sleep tonight, but the Bible says to rejoice with those who are rejoicing. There is a huge party going on outside. Celebrating the marriage of two people. I know nothing about them, but I think God likes parties, and I am gonna use this opportunity to pray for something that we have been fasting over for almost twenty days now.

Update:
We have found out that the Ministry is accepting applications for foster care, but they are not processing them. I contacted Channa, our contact and fellow servant in Christ, and he said he will help us turn our paper work in, even though they are not processing at the moment (just to get our stuff in the door), but he has been very busy because he is the director of an NGO, and summer months are always when we have the most volunteers. Our prayers lately have been that God will give him a free moment so we can get our paper work into the ministry. And then we can pray for a miracle that they will decide to process it. I will be calling Channa again in the morning to see how this week looks for him. I realize that many of you have been coming alongside us in our fast for foster care, and I have to say, I have been praying pretty hard lately, because I keep seeing pop left and right and thinking how badly I want a pop. Thank you for all of you who have decided to do this with us, and I hope to give you good news in the recent future! Keep up the praying!

UPDATE: 7/17/2014
We have turned our paper work into the ministry, and now we are just waiting to see if we are going to be approved or not. At this point, we just pray like crazy. Now more than ever, it is in God's hands. Please pray for favor with the minister and a quick response. Thank you for your prayers.

BecauseHeLives,
Micah.

June Wrap-Up and Special Request

The month of June has flown by. Most of you are in the loop as far as what has been going on, but just in case you were out of it, let me give you a wrap up.

Beginning of June:
As we were preparing for one of our busiest months of ministry with the largest amount of short term volunteers I have ever seen, our directors received a call from the states with devastating news. This sparked a mad dash to get plane tickets and transfer responsibilities to Kels and I. Within a three day period, they trained Kelsi and I on the tasks that they normally handle, and left for the states. Because Sarah and SJ are in the process of adoption (just like Abby and Lily), they are unable to travel, so they stayed with Kelsi and I. Half of the volunteers for the month showed up--a world race team of ten girls, with the addition of one more in a couple days.

Middle of June:
We spent a week with the world race team being awesome, as they usually are. We had another team of five arrive, and another single person, bringing our total volunteers up to eighteen. That is a lot of volunteers! The team of five people came from Liberty Church, who sponsored our computers at school, before I came to Bykota House. They were great! We went on field trips with the kids, and they did a special sewing and business class. They also took Kelsi and I out to eat on several occasions--the world race team baby sat on some of (most of) those nights, so Kels and I could have a meal in peace and quiet... sigh. We had another volunteer come towards the end of the Liberty trip.

End of June:
The Liberty team left (they'll be back... I can always tell), and two days later, the world race team left--leaving us with the two volunteers that came separately and by themselves. They have been holding down the fort at Mark and Rhonda's house and taking care of baby Leah. One of them is also doing preschool this week. The Benz's will be coming home tonight, and the month will be over--the month that only God could have worked together. We could not have made it through the month without the abundance of help that we had. Looking back on the team meetings that we had leading up to June, I remember thinking about how many volunteers were coming and wondering what we were going to do with all of them, but God knew all along, and He worked everything out in the end. I just look back in awe and give Him the worship and glory that He deserves.

Special Request:
During the month of June, because I had four pre-schoolers to transport in the morning, we had to take tuk tuks every day to school. I worked out with Boo Sovon to pay him at the end of the month for the tuk tuks, so that I wouldn't have to make sure to have the money every day. Boo is amazing. When I was gone to the states in January, he gave Kelsi tuk tuks for free the whole three weeks I was gone. I know that he is in the process of paying off a home loan, and he could use a blessing, and I thought I would throw it out to all of you. We can gather the money to pay him the normal amount for this month, and do the math, but I would rather bless him and his family with extra. I will tell you that the normal cost would be about $120. Like I said, we can pay him that, or we could double or triple it! He has been an amazing blessing to our family, and I would love to bless him back. If you would like to give towards this, please go to our "Support Us" tab, and go through the online process, and then email us at micah.kelsi@gmail.com to let us know how much you gave and that it is for Boo.

BecauseHeLives,
Micah.

 

Fasting for Foster Care [UPDATED 9/1/2014]

If you have been following our blog for the last few months you will know that we are in the process of getting foster care for the girls.  We have finally finished gathering all the paper work and now all that is left is the waiting game.  First we are waiting for our friend to take the papers to the ministry, he is waiting for the ministry to tell him he can come, then we will wait for approval.  We really feel like this is the track God has us on and we have done our best to seek His will all the way.  We don't want to just sit back and wait.  We are tired of just waiting!  So we have decided to take action the only way we can...prayer and fasting.  We are asking you to consider praying and fasting with us.  How it will work is, we will choose something to fast from until we have foster care for the girls.  I, Kelsi, am choosing to fast from chocolate.  This doesn't mean I am just not going to eat chocolate until it is done, it means every time I think about or want to eat chocolate I will pray for our foster care to be finished.  So you have to option to fast from Facebook, chocolate, pop, or something else of your choice.  Let us know if you want to join by sending us your name and what you are fasting from in our email (micah.kelsi@gmail.com)  so we can keep you updated on the process and specific prayer request regarding our foster care.

UPDATE:
On the 1st of September, we received a call from the ministry, and our foster care was approved. Read about it in the post entitled "Foster Care: God Provides"

Volunteers and The Mission Mindset

Working on the field, we have many short term volunteers come to Bykota House. I have noticed that, just as the body of Christ is vastly different, we too have different types of teams and volunteers. Overall, there are two types of teams that come to work with us. There are the teams that come alongside and lift the burden off your back for a time, so you can take a breather, and also teams that come alongside and till the field with you, so you can accomplish five times more work. Both are great. I enjoy when we have teams that come and take over the school, so I can have an afternoon off, or that babysit, so Kels and I can have a date night. I also am so glad that we have those that come and give us the opportunity to take the kids on field trips or plan big, elaborate activities for the kids to do, with my supervision and help. Some people think that if you prefer one, that the other must not be good, but I disagree--every team is a blessing. Within the teams, there are also different kinds of volunteers. Some people come and want to do, do, do. They just want you to put them to a task and work them to death on something. To that I say, "Awesome! Here are some things that need to be built/organized/painted." While other volunteers want to be relational and hang out with the kids and get to know them, and to that I say, "Great! I have some amazing kids that would love your attention!" There are even those who come just wanting to do whatever is needed, and I am not going to lie, I think that this is a fantastic attitude, and I appreciate flexibility, so to them I say, "You are my favorite..." Not really, but you get the idea that we have all kinds of volunteers, and they are always such a blessing, but there is one thing I notice has almost ceased to exist in missions. When we come to a ministry, our attitude is always, "What can I do." We want to be useful. We must have a purpose. I do not think that this is a bad attitude to have. We want to be as helpful as possible, during the time we have set apart, but I also think that this attitude sometimes stems from pride. We must have something to do, so that we have validation for coming. We want the pat on the back that comes from a job well done. I understand that most people spend thousands of dollars for the plane ticket alone, so I know why they want their time to be productive, and I agree, but there is a form of missions that I think we have forgotten about, and that is the missions of encouragement. Do we remember that Paul sent people with his letters? In most every case, those carrying the letters came to the churches in those cities and just encouraged the believers there. They weren't there to build a wall or teach in a school. They didn't need a purpose for being there, except that there were believers who needed encouragement living in that city. We mostly think that we should be encouraging, while we are doing other things. Could you ever imagine going on a missions trip just to encourage the believers in that area? To come to a ministry and simply make it your aim to pray with the missionaries on site everyday and live life with them. To speak words that would build them up and have a meal with them. Yes, and be willing to help in anyway. Being on the receiving end of short term missions trips, I have to be honest it is difficult to find things to do sometimes, but I am always encouraged when I am able to sit down and talk to people about what God is doing in their lives, and just have time to talk with other believers: doesn't that always build you up? The reason we do not consider this missions is most likely because we can't take a picture of it, but if you want my opinion, we could use a lot more short term encouragers--who make it their aim to be helpful in any way necessary, but also will just spend time in genuine fellowship with other believers--those that understand this to be missions work just as much as anything else that we could be doing. We have had many encouragers on the teams that have come through, and I am always energized by their presence and able to keep on with God's work, with new life, because of it. So, my encouragement: build your wall, teach English, love on kids, paint some rooms, but remember that being busy is not the goal of a short term missions trip. Spend some time with the people you are serving alongside and be an encourager, and you will bring a blessing to them in a way you could have never imagined.
BecauseHeLives,
Micah.  

Foster Care in the Works

Well, as most of you know, Kelsi and I have been working on obtaining foster care through the Ministry of Social Affairs. Previously, we had a Family Based Care Agreement with Bykota House, which basically was foster care through our children's home ministry. Foster care through the Ministry of Social Affairs is much stronger. I began putting paper work together, after Kelsi left for her month in the states--thought I might have some extra time on my hands, and I did. Just an update on what we have been up to, this is the list of things that we need to apply for foster care--with the things marked out that we have already obtained.

For the Foster Parent:

    1.    Letter of Request to the Minister of Social Affairs

    2.    Supporting letter from the Center where the child resides written to the Minister.

    3.    Affidavit from the US Embassy 

    4.    Medical certificate

    5.    Marriage certificate

    6.    Birth certificates

    7.    Psychological report

    8.    Family Based Care Agreement

    9.    House lease agreement

   10. Certificate of residence

   11. Financial statement

   12. Certificate of employment

   13. Copies of passports

   14. Copies of visas

   15. Criminal Background Check

      For the foster child:

   16. Birth certificates

   17. Documents of admission to the Center or orphanage

   18. CV (history) of the child prepared by the Center

   19. Supporting letter from the Center

   20. Documents on Abigail’s eye

   21. Visa picture for the girls

***Translated copies of all documents originally written in English***

The Affidavit should be done tomorrow afternoon. The Medical certificate will be done as soon as our doctor knows what she is supposed to be checking for. The Psychological report is done, but we are waiting on the original copies to arrive from Batombong. Still looking into the Criminal Background check... online it says that we have to send everything by mail, so we will probably prepare all the materials and have them brought over to Kelsi's mom in the states, but then it says that it will take at least 25 days to process, and then we will have to get the report back to Cambodia some how--the mail is not reliable here. After that we have some forms in Khmer that a friend is going to help us with, and we can apply at the Ministry of Social Affairs for foster care. No it is not an adoption. A friend of ours, however, who has this has been able to get a travel visa for her son and take a trip to the States. This legal tie is a big step towards adoptions, too. If you are Khmer and have foster care through the Ministry, after six months, they encourage you to adopt. Things seem to be moving at the US Embassy too. Today, when they rejected our Affidavit, they gave us an example form that was for when an American needs to apply for a Cambodian Adoption and needs an Affidavit stating that they have informed the US Embassy. It is a slow process, but it is exciting to see movement towards something tangible. Please keep praying for us, and pray specifically for all of this paper work to come together and for us to have favor with the Ministry of Social Affairs. God has plans greater than ours, and we are trusting Him, as we walk on this path in Cambodia. Thanks for your support and prayer!

BecauseHeLives,

Micah.

UPDATE!:
We got the Affidavit signed today! WOOT! May 29th, 2014

UPDATE!:
We received the Psychological Evaluation today from Batombang! Yeah!!!! Only two more things! May 31st, 2014

UPDATE!:
We found out that the medical check ups did not need to be for us, but for the girls, so we had some worked up by our doctor--basically saying that we have been taking the girls in for check ups and have taken care of their shots. DONE! June 1st, 2014

UPDATE!:
We found out that our background checks did not need to be professional FBI backgrounds. Kelsi's grandpa, Wendell, was able to get us what we needed through his Kamp Kersey connections. We have them now, and that concludes all the things that we were supposed to get together for foster care!
June 9th, 2014

UPDATE!:
I spoke with Channa today (Channa is helping us get our stuff together to apply), and we have one more piece of paper work (a Khmer application) and then we can apply. Currently, we have been told that foster care applications are on hold, due to something in the government, or because someone did something bad--that is usually how it works. We will apply as soon as possible. We are meeting with Channa tomorrow to sign the Khmer Application. 

Birth Date?

So, as many of you know, it is very difficult to pin down birthdays for children at a children's home. We have had some who did not even know their own birthday. When Abby and Lily came to us, we were told that Abby's birthday was February 14th. So adorable! She is a valentines baby! After we had learned a bit more Khmer, we checked again, and realized that it was not February 14th, but rather February 22nd. Well, Kelsi and I have been working on gathering the paper work to apply for foster care through the Ministry of Social affairs, and since my Khmer reading is a little bit better, I decided to look at the girl's paper work again, and Abby's birth certificate has her birthday as January 22nd! And even more than that, we though she was born in 2009, and her birth certificate says that she was born in 2010! Which would make her four years old NOT five! Kelsi is convinced that she could not be four years old. Our Khmer teacher helped me read the documents, and he is sure that it is accurate. I chose to believe that my daughter is the smartest four year old ever! Oh Cambodia! We are looking into the validity of the document, but most likely we will have to go with what it says, whether we think it is correct or not. That is just the way it works here sometimes: documents are wrong, and that is that. That is all. Just thought you would find this amusing. So with this change in Abby's birthday, our family has my birthday on December 31st, Lily's birthday on January 20th, Abby's birthday on January 22nd, Kelsi's birthday on January 23rd, and Melody's birthday on January 25th. What a birthday season! I see some group birthday blow-outs in our future!
BecauseHeLives,
Micah.


UPDATE:
We have verified that Abby was born on January 22nd, 2010, and she really is four years old. I spoke with the girl's aunt who is on staff at Bykota House, and after intense questioning on my part, she finally was perplexed when I asked, "How old would you say Abby is?" Her reply, "She is four..." Ok. So, that is settled, and my daughter is a genius.

School of the Nations Update

Our school is always fluctuating. Since I have been here, we have tried different types of teaching, different methods of groups, and every time you think you got it figured out, something new happens. This year, we had the fluctuation of Kelsi having Melody--she was teaching our elementary group. Put together a rotation schedule that divides my time between them and the older boys, and utilizes peer mentoring, and that hurdle is jumped. The elementary is a great group, and I really enjoy teaching them. A new hurdle is a system that I am in the process of creating (with Kelsi's help) called Pace Book Online. It is basically a bunch of interactive PDF documents that help the young kids become familiar with the words they see in their pace books. It is basically curriculum development. The middle school group had been working great. I spent a year working on a system to meet the needs of a group that ranges from no English at all (speaking, writing, reading, nothing) to practically high school level (speaking fluently, writing creatively, reading with ease). Finally had a group system worked out and it was going splendidly, and then we had a new student, so my groups were blown to pieces. Recently we lost a student. He went to be with his family who is now able to take care of him. Most of you know Timothy from the "What Is It!?" videos. He will be missed very much. I keep finding things that remind me that he is gone, and it is weird, because I am happy that he gets to be with his family, but also saddened that my time with him was cut short. He has made so much progress and he is a joy to be around. With his leaving, my groups for middle school were obliterated, and I basically had to start over. That is the reality in any school system. At the moment, I believe that our system is pretty awesome, with a rotation schedule that meets the needs of every student and also has time for speaking, writing, listening to, and reading English. I get to teach with a ratio of one to three, because of the rotations, and this ensures that the kids are getting the most attention. When we have teams, it is a one to one ratio, but I am confident that anyone could teach this class by themselves, after some training. I am in the process of creating a "School of the Nations Plan" that lays out how to run the school, because in the months of January and February, I was pretty well absent. This has been an amazing experience for me, and I have gained so much experience with curriculum development, classroom management, and even being a principal. If God ever allows/calls Kelsi and I back to the states, I will have a pretty great resume from my time as School Administrator at School of the Nations ;) Well, that is the update on how the school has been going. If you have any questions, please let me know. Also I am happy to share material.
BecauseHeLives,
Micah.