In a previous blog we mentioned that we were praying to go home on September 16th. As most of you know already, this will not be happening. As Kelsi mentioned in that blog, we believe that we should be specific in our prayers, but we are always praying for God's will and timing. We appreciate everyone who prayed alongside us for this date.
As an update on the adoption process, we have been summoned to go before the judge on September 21st at 8:00 AM (Monday morning). At this time, he will hear our case. After this, it will be up to him on how long it takes to approve (or disapprove) our petition. We are continuing to pray that God softens his heart for our case, and that our lawyer is wise in his dealings with the judge.
Something that we would like to ask is for all the churches, who are willing, to hold a prayer service at 8:00 PM on Sunday the 20th. This will be when will be going before the judge, in Missouri time. Kelsi and I really believe in the power of prayer, and it would be a great encouragement to us to know that you all are praying.
After the adoptions are approved (not sure on the time table), the plan is to go forward with applying at the U.S. Embassy for the girls Immigrant Visas. I have done a lot of research on it, and I think that it will be best to go ahead and just ask them what they think is the best route. Please pray that we find someone who is helpful and sympathetic towards our situation, as the U.S. Embassy is always a wild draw on who will handle your case.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support and prayer. We are excited to see how God is working all this out in His perfect way, and we patiently await the day when we can see you all in the States, again.
BecauseHeLives,
Micah.
September 9, 2015
September 1, 2015
Renewed Excitement for the Gospel
About a year or so ago, because of some circumstances that I will not get too deep into, Kelsi began doing Bible study with our tuk tuk driver's wife (Sinuin). We asked Boo Sovon (our tuk tuk driver) if he would be willing to do Bible study, and he always said that he needed to work, because they only had a year and a half left to pay off their house or it would be taken. So we kept on praying for him and his family and trying the best we could to help them towards this goal. When we got back from the States and gave him the moto, I told him that it was God providing for his family and asked if he would be willing to do Bible study, and he said yes.
Then one day, after he had already agreed to do Bible study, I asked him how paying off his house was going, and he said, "We lost the house already. We are living in a small house further away now." And my heart sank, but I realized that he already wanted to do Bible study, so I asked, "You lost your house, but you still trust in God? You still think that God is good?" To which he replied, "Yes. God is good. Bad things happen, but that does not mean that God is not good. When we go to heaven, then there will be no more bad things." And I was just in awe of his simple faith in this, because there are many Christians who struggle with this issue and it wrecks their faith, and here is a man who has just begun to follow Christ, and he already understands.
So we began our Bible study with the Ten Commandments, because I wanted to share with them the gospel message, and I think that the gospel begins with understanding how much we fall short of God's standard. We went through each in one sitting, and I explained each with the New Testament application when necessary.
The next week, I started by asking if they thought it was possible to keep all the Ten Commandments, and they said no. So I asked whether they thought they could just keep one commandment, which led into the story of Adam and Eve in the garden. This was important, because we needed to introduce them to the idea of sacrificial atonement, which was instituted in the garden of Eden when God slayed the animal to make Adam and Eve clothes. Sinuin had heard the story of Adam and Eve before, but a different version.
We jumped from this to the Roman road, which is a series of verses in Romans that explain our inability to follow God on our own, God's gift of grace to us, and how to make Christ Lord of our lives. Boo and his wife had already made the decision to follow Christ with their lives, but I wanted to make sure that they understood the cost and that it was every part of their lives, and also understand what it means to be a "Christian" which they understand better than most as "Following Christ."
Towards the end of our Bible study in Romans, I made a side comment about Jesus raising from the dead, and said, "Do you know that story?" and they both shook their heads "no" with a puzzled expression... So for the next two weeks, we watched the Jesus Film in Khmer with them, and it was a life changing experience for everyone involved.
In the beginning of the movie, it explains that Abraham was given a promise and it was fulfilled in Isaac, but then God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, and when Sinuin heard this, she put her hands to her mouth and was horrified. As Abraham picked up the knife and raised it in the air, she got tears in her eyes and even shrieked. When the angel appeared and the ram was revealed, you could feel the relief in the room. In that moment, I longed to have my memory wiped, so I could hear the stories of the Bible with new ears. The story of Abraham and Isaac is one that I could tell from memory with all the New Testament applications and explain all the pictures, but it would be so great to hear it like Sinuin did, with all the tension and fear, followed by the relief of God's faithfulness.
Later in the movie, Jesus brings a girl back from the dead. When He comes walking in the house, Boo and his wife turn to Kelsi and I and say, "She's dead?" and we say, "Yes." Boo says, "But Jesus will bring her back to life." He was sure of it. There was no doubt, and he had never even heard the story. And when she sat up, they went crazy with excitement.
And it wasn't just the miracles that excited them, when Jesus was teaching the multitude and speaking in parables, they talked back and forth with each other and shook their heads up and down in agreement. They actively listened to the new truths that were being taught, and you could see in their eyes that the Holy Spirit was at work.
And then Jesus was crucified, and they cried. They put him in the grave, and there was just silence in the room. Finally a few minutes later, Jesus appears in the room with the disciples, and there again the excitement in their eyes was crazy! To them, the Resurrection was the most exciting moment in the film. You could see the puzzle pieces coming together for them, as they realized what it means to follow Christ as a risen Lord. You could see that what we had talked about in the weeks before about Jesus giving eternal life made much more sense in light of the fact that he defeated death!
What I really like about the Jesus Film is that, at the end of the movie, it explains why Jesus died and how the prophets said it would happen, and it uses flash backs in the movie to remind and wrap up the main point.
Although it seems backwards to have waited to watch the Jesus Film until after a few Bible studies, I think it was better, because they had a better understanding of grace and our need for Him to die. I am excited to continue to do Bible study with Boo Sovon and Sinuin. I like to see God working in their lives in such a mighty way.
We have just begun studying Philippians in our church home group, and this last week we studied the first chapter, in which Paul writes, "If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus."
I find myself attributing Paul's words to our situation. Kelsi and I would very much like to be back in the States with our family and friends, but we also long to stay and continue to disciple Boo and his family. We are hard pressed between the two. We are going to continue to be obedient in what God has told us to do: "make disciples." As long as we are here, this is our aim, and we pray that God is glorified in our lives.
Friends, thank you for your support of us in prayer and financially. We are always blessed by your obedience, and find ourselves being blown away by God's faithfulness to our family. We remember you all in our prayers, and thank God in every remembrance of you. Until next time...
BecauseHeLives,
Micah.
Then one day, after he had already agreed to do Bible study, I asked him how paying off his house was going, and he said, "We lost the house already. We are living in a small house further away now." And my heart sank, but I realized that he already wanted to do Bible study, so I asked, "You lost your house, but you still trust in God? You still think that God is good?" To which he replied, "Yes. God is good. Bad things happen, but that does not mean that God is not good. When we go to heaven, then there will be no more bad things." And I was just in awe of his simple faith in this, because there are many Christians who struggle with this issue and it wrecks their faith, and here is a man who has just begun to follow Christ, and he already understands.
So we began our Bible study with the Ten Commandments, because I wanted to share with them the gospel message, and I think that the gospel begins with understanding how much we fall short of God's standard. We went through each in one sitting, and I explained each with the New Testament application when necessary.
The next week, I started by asking if they thought it was possible to keep all the Ten Commandments, and they said no. So I asked whether they thought they could just keep one commandment, which led into the story of Adam and Eve in the garden. This was important, because we needed to introduce them to the idea of sacrificial atonement, which was instituted in the garden of Eden when God slayed the animal to make Adam and Eve clothes. Sinuin had heard the story of Adam and Eve before, but a different version.
We jumped from this to the Roman road, which is a series of verses in Romans that explain our inability to follow God on our own, God's gift of grace to us, and how to make Christ Lord of our lives. Boo and his wife had already made the decision to follow Christ with their lives, but I wanted to make sure that they understood the cost and that it was every part of their lives, and also understand what it means to be a "Christian" which they understand better than most as "Following Christ."
Towards the end of our Bible study in Romans, I made a side comment about Jesus raising from the dead, and said, "Do you know that story?" and they both shook their heads "no" with a puzzled expression... So for the next two weeks, we watched the Jesus Film in Khmer with them, and it was a life changing experience for everyone involved.
In the beginning of the movie, it explains that Abraham was given a promise and it was fulfilled in Isaac, but then God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, and when Sinuin heard this, she put her hands to her mouth and was horrified. As Abraham picked up the knife and raised it in the air, she got tears in her eyes and even shrieked. When the angel appeared and the ram was revealed, you could feel the relief in the room. In that moment, I longed to have my memory wiped, so I could hear the stories of the Bible with new ears. The story of Abraham and Isaac is one that I could tell from memory with all the New Testament applications and explain all the pictures, but it would be so great to hear it like Sinuin did, with all the tension and fear, followed by the relief of God's faithfulness.
Later in the movie, Jesus brings a girl back from the dead. When He comes walking in the house, Boo and his wife turn to Kelsi and I and say, "She's dead?" and we say, "Yes." Boo says, "But Jesus will bring her back to life." He was sure of it. There was no doubt, and he had never even heard the story. And when she sat up, they went crazy with excitement.
And it wasn't just the miracles that excited them, when Jesus was teaching the multitude and speaking in parables, they talked back and forth with each other and shook their heads up and down in agreement. They actively listened to the new truths that were being taught, and you could see in their eyes that the Holy Spirit was at work.
And then Jesus was crucified, and they cried. They put him in the grave, and there was just silence in the room. Finally a few minutes later, Jesus appears in the room with the disciples, and there again the excitement in their eyes was crazy! To them, the Resurrection was the most exciting moment in the film. You could see the puzzle pieces coming together for them, as they realized what it means to follow Christ as a risen Lord. You could see that what we had talked about in the weeks before about Jesus giving eternal life made much more sense in light of the fact that he defeated death!
What I really like about the Jesus Film is that, at the end of the movie, it explains why Jesus died and how the prophets said it would happen, and it uses flash backs in the movie to remind and wrap up the main point.
Although it seems backwards to have waited to watch the Jesus Film until after a few Bible studies, I think it was better, because they had a better understanding of grace and our need for Him to die. I am excited to continue to do Bible study with Boo Sovon and Sinuin. I like to see God working in their lives in such a mighty way.
We have just begun studying Philippians in our church home group, and this last week we studied the first chapter, in which Paul writes, "If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus."
I find myself attributing Paul's words to our situation. Kelsi and I would very much like to be back in the States with our family and friends, but we also long to stay and continue to disciple Boo and his family. We are hard pressed between the two. We are going to continue to be obedient in what God has told us to do: "make disciples." As long as we are here, this is our aim, and we pray that God is glorified in our lives.
Friends, thank you for your support of us in prayer and financially. We are always blessed by your obedience, and find ourselves being blown away by God's faithfulness to our family. We remember you all in our prayers, and thank God in every remembrance of you. Until next time...
BecauseHeLives,
Micah.
July 7, 2015
Can I get an Amen, Hallelujah, Praise the Lord!!!
"PRAISE-A-LUJAH!"
...as my dear missionary friend George Rivera would say. He has gone to be with the Lord but I will always cherish the time I spent with him and Rebecca in Galeana and I will always remember him when I use this catch phrase.
Our God is good! Since my last post He has provided enough to cover both Micah's medical bills and our lawyer fees! AND we have some left over to put toward our visas and plane tickets!!! I can't tell you how excited and in awe I am! God always provides and this time He has provided above and beyond what we ever expected. Thank you all who prayed for us and those of you who gave specially this month! We are beyond blessed by you!
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Because I believe we should be specific in our prayers I am praying for September 16th. That is the 3rd anniversary of getting the girls and it is ten weeks away. September has been stuck in my head for a while, every time I pray about our adoptions and going home September comes to my mind. I don't know why, maybe it is the Lord telling me something or maybe it is just my wishful thinking, but my God is big and can make big things happen and His timing is impeccable! So I am praying to fly out of Cambodia on September 16th. Micah thinks I'm crazy :p we ultimately pray for God's will and timing but why not ask specifically?
Last year we prayed and fasted for foster care, this year I want to fast again. You can choose to fast however you want. Last year we each picked something to fast from (chocolate, Mountain Dew, pop...) you can choose to do that again or you can pick a day each week to fast and pray. Whatever you choose, fasting or not fasting, the important thing is that you pray with us! :)
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Adoption Update:
To fill you in... since June 15th we have gotten our visas extended and all of our paperwork turned in to our lawyer. Yesterday we thumb printed our petition and it was turned into the courts. Now we will wait on a Judge to hear our case. This could take anywhere from a couple days to a couple weeks. It is very important that we pray for a good judge. Some judges have a heart for adoptions and will be able to help us while some others don't really care. We have no say on which judge we get so be praying for favor! After that we are unsure, it may take a few weeks again to hear if our adoptions are approved or not. Once our adoptions are approved (which we are choosing to believe that they will be) we will work on our paperwork to bring the girls back to America for good.
June 27, 2015
The Raw Truth
When Micah and I were engaged we decided to take a Dave
Ramsey: Financial Peace course. We had
heard that a lot of marital spats stemmed from finances so we wanted to start
as strong as possible, especially knowing (well thinking anyway) we would be
living on teacher salaries our whole lives.
Little did we know we would actually be living on donor support as
missionaries for three years and counting.
We have tried our best to follow our Financial Peace plan, envelopes and
all. We have tried to save up an
emergency fund. We have tried to be good stewards of what God has blessed us
with. But to be honest, it is really really hard. Yes, I could write for hours about the ways
God has provided for us but even so it is still difficult to live month to
month hoping and praying your supporters don't forget about you. Making every decision hoping you don't offend
a supporter. Only slightly more
difficult is asking for the support in the first place. The thought always runs through my head,
"Who am I to be asking anyone for money.
It was our choice to adopt, not theirs, and now I am asking them to pay
for it?" In America when we needed
more money we would just work more for it.
Micah would take on extra hours at the golf course, I would do different
jobs at school. But here, that is not an
option, although I did try to sell my cakes for a while… I sold three. Here we have to ask our family and friends
when we need extra funds and that is hard! So hard and humbling.
It seems like every time we have some money saved up (the
money that family and friends have so generously given to us) and we are in a
comfortable situation, something happens and we need more for this reason or
that. So, once again I face my pride and
ask. I write my blog about why we need
money this time and think "When are they going to get tired of
me?" But I bite the bullet and do
it anyway, and I pray. I pray that God
will bless my writing, I pray that He would call someone to give, I pray that
someone will be obedient to His calling just one more time. And He always comes through! In our three years in Cambodia we have not
ever missed a meal, yes, there has been a few weeks that we lived on eggs and
Mama Mei (Ramen Noodles) but God always provides for us.
So, here I am again… asking God to bless this writing,
asking for Him to speak to your hearts, asking that someone be obedient to His
calling.
Last week Micah met with our adoption lawyer and settled on
a price ($4000), we were pretty excited because we were only a little short of
that in our savings account and we still had some supporters in America waiting
on the word to give their "Change for Adoptions." Then Saturday happened… Micah woke up with
appendicitis and needed emergency surgery (Blog Link). In going back and forth from home to the
clinic I had to dip into our savings to pay the tuktuks and to buy quick and
easy food because I just didn't have time or energy to cook the meals I had
planned for the week. And of course
today we got the bill for his surgery and hospital stay…$747 (still a lot
cheaper than America) and that leaves us needing help once again. At this point we still need $1300 for the
lawyer (this still doesn't cover visas and such but we will cross that bridge
after adoptions are final) and our doctor bill of $747. We know that everything happens in God's
perfect timing and that He will work everything out for His good but we also
know that in order to receive we have to ask.
So I am asking you, reader, family member, friend, whoever you
may be to ask God what He would have you do.
Is He asking you to give? Is He
asking you to pray for us? Is He asking
you to send an encouraging word?
Whatever your case may be all I ask is that you be obedient to God.
Thanks,
Kelsi
June 23, 2015
Micah Is Hospitalized
Some background here... About two week ago, a friend told me that she had some crazy stomach bug that was leaving her with horrible cramps in her stomach. A week ago, Kelsi had some stomach issues that cleared themselves up after a couple hours. So, on Saturday, when I woke up with horrible stomach pains, I assumed that it was that same bug. At five-thirty, I was uncomfortable, and it felt like someone was reaching inside of me and tearing at my stomach. I decided to tough it out, because I assumed it was the bacteria or a bug, but it was not. From five-thirty to ten, I lay in bed as my appendix was trying to burst. When I finally went to the hospital it turned out that I had abscessed appendicitis (google it).
When I arrived at the hospital, our doctor said, "Let me guess, you have horrible diarrhea." I answered, "Nope. I actually have not gone to the bathroom all day." Her face changed, and she reached over to my stomach and pressed down on my lower right side, and I cried. She turned to the nurse and said, "We have to get this boy an emergency ultra sound, now." So I was sent in a tuk tuk to the nearest ultra sound clinic (twenty minutes away). The tuk tuk ride was awful... I cried every bump of the way. When we got to the ultra sound clinic, they did not want to see me, because I did not have an appointment, but they decided to let me go ahead, when I laid down on their floor... I guess they got that it was serious. During the ultra sound, the doctor was curious why my whole abdomen was in pain, so I explained that I had waited all morning and had been clinching in pain so much, that everything hurt at this point. She soon found out, clearly, that it was my appendix, and I rode back to our normal clinic with the ultra sound pictures. When I got there, our doctor gave me pain killers... THANK YOU, GOD, FOR PAIN KILLERS! I was like a new person. Kelsi and I went on to the surgery clinic which was about thirty minutes away, and they began doing the prep for my surgery. This involved a heart test (healthy heart, check!) and blood pressure (good blood pressure, check!).
I have never had surgery. This one was not a "knock you out" surgery. They gave me a shot in my spine, and I slowly went numb from the chest down... and it was the. most. terrifying. experience of my life. I grew up with three brothers, and we used to wrestle. Whenever they would gang up on me and pin me to the floor, I would have a sudden burst of adrenaline and break free, because I hate being pinned and not being able to move. As I felt my legs going numb, I freaked out. Not just a little freak out... my arms went numb because I was hyperventilating, and the anesthesiologist asked me if I would rather be knocked out for the rest of surgery, which of course I said yes to, but alas it was too late. It is a horrifying feeling to slowly lose the ability to move your body. Suddenly, your toe itches, and you can't move against the others to scratch it. The surgery itself was only about forty minutes long, but the anesthesia lasted for seven hours. I laid in a bed not being able to move, and was told that I was not allowed to sit up for twenty-four hours, not that I could.
After the surgery, I slowly gained feeling as the night went on, and I found out the joy of catheters. Halfway through the night, I finally asked the nurse to just take it out, because I could not sleep, and it seemed to not be working. I was right, it was not working properly, and he pulled it out... I'm gonna go ahead and type that again real slow so you get the picture better... he ppppuuuuullllllleeeeedddddd it ooooooooouuuuuuuttttttt! And after the longest second of my life, I slept for the rest of the night soundly.
The next adventure came the next morning, as I was transferred back to my regular clinic for post op. The nurse came in, and Kelsi asked when we were going to transfer, as most of the staff could not speak English, and we were eager to get answers about recovery time and when I could eat (I had not eaten since Friday night). The nurse picked up the phone, and then hung up and said, "Ok. We go now. Get up." I had not stood up since my surgery the day before, and now I was walking down three flights of stairs to a taxi, while holding my IV in the air. We then road in a taxi to our normal clinic. Here's a picture:
Once we got to our normal clinic, things got a little more comfortable. The staff speak better English and it is just more familiar. What I then discovered is that our doctor believes in using as little pain medication as possible during post op--"so that the patient doesn't over do anything." And when you have had a catheter, you find yourself in a situation in which you weigh how much you have to go to the bathroom against how much it is going to burn. I waited as long as possible, and finally, when I could not hold it anymore, I went, and I screamed, and I bashed my fist against the concrete wall.
It is now Tuesday, and I have two more days of recovery in the clinic before I can go home. Kelsi and the girls have come to visit me everyday in the morning and then at dinner time. I am ready to go home, and get back to normal life, as this weekend was a very painful one. I guess I should give some kind of reflection on this.
A lot of people take 1 Corinthians 10:13 out of context. They say, "God will never give you more than you can bear." I want to clear up that this verse is firstly speaking on temptation. God does not allow us to be in a position in which we have no choice but to fall to temptation, but He gives us a way of escape. This verse is not speaking on pain and suffering. I had a discussion with a friend once and we decided that we believe that God gives us more than we can bear all the time, purposefully. If we were able to handle all the pain and struggles of this life, we would never come to Him. This weekend has been the most painful weekend of my life, and because of that I drew near to God. When I was scared in surgery, I sang my favorite worship songs, and it calmed me down. At night, when I couldn't sleep, I cried out to God to give me rest. As I have been missing my family and my house, I ask God to be my sufficiency.
When I arrived at the hospital, our doctor said, "Let me guess, you have horrible diarrhea." I answered, "Nope. I actually have not gone to the bathroom all day." Her face changed, and she reached over to my stomach and pressed down on my lower right side, and I cried. She turned to the nurse and said, "We have to get this boy an emergency ultra sound, now." So I was sent in a tuk tuk to the nearest ultra sound clinic (twenty minutes away). The tuk tuk ride was awful... I cried every bump of the way. When we got to the ultra sound clinic, they did not want to see me, because I did not have an appointment, but they decided to let me go ahead, when I laid down on their floor... I guess they got that it was serious. During the ultra sound, the doctor was curious why my whole abdomen was in pain, so I explained that I had waited all morning and had been clinching in pain so much, that everything hurt at this point. She soon found out, clearly, that it was my appendix, and I rode back to our normal clinic with the ultra sound pictures. When I got there, our doctor gave me pain killers... THANK YOU, GOD, FOR PAIN KILLERS! I was like a new person. Kelsi and I went on to the surgery clinic which was about thirty minutes away, and they began doing the prep for my surgery. This involved a heart test (healthy heart, check!) and blood pressure (good blood pressure, check!).
I have never had surgery. This one was not a "knock you out" surgery. They gave me a shot in my spine, and I slowly went numb from the chest down... and it was the. most. terrifying. experience of my life. I grew up with three brothers, and we used to wrestle. Whenever they would gang up on me and pin me to the floor, I would have a sudden burst of adrenaline and break free, because I hate being pinned and not being able to move. As I felt my legs going numb, I freaked out. Not just a little freak out... my arms went numb because I was hyperventilating, and the anesthesiologist asked me if I would rather be knocked out for the rest of surgery, which of course I said yes to, but alas it was too late. It is a horrifying feeling to slowly lose the ability to move your body. Suddenly, your toe itches, and you can't move against the others to scratch it. The surgery itself was only about forty minutes long, but the anesthesia lasted for seven hours. I laid in a bed not being able to move, and was told that I was not allowed to sit up for twenty-four hours, not that I could.
After the surgery, I slowly gained feeling as the night went on, and I found out the joy of catheters. Halfway through the night, I finally asked the nurse to just take it out, because I could not sleep, and it seemed to not be working. I was right, it was not working properly, and he pulled it out... I'm gonna go ahead and type that again real slow so you get the picture better... he ppppuuuuullllllleeeeedddddd it ooooooooouuuuuuuttttttt! And after the longest second of my life, I slept for the rest of the night soundly.
The next adventure came the next morning, as I was transferred back to my regular clinic for post op. The nurse came in, and Kelsi asked when we were going to transfer, as most of the staff could not speak English, and we were eager to get answers about recovery time and when I could eat (I had not eaten since Friday night). The nurse picked up the phone, and then hung up and said, "Ok. We go now. Get up." I had not stood up since my surgery the day before, and now I was walking down three flights of stairs to a taxi, while holding my IV in the air. We then road in a taxi to our normal clinic. Here's a picture:
Once we got to our normal clinic, things got a little more comfortable. The staff speak better English and it is just more familiar. What I then discovered is that our doctor believes in using as little pain medication as possible during post op--"so that the patient doesn't over do anything." And when you have had a catheter, you find yourself in a situation in which you weigh how much you have to go to the bathroom against how much it is going to burn. I waited as long as possible, and finally, when I could not hold it anymore, I went, and I screamed, and I bashed my fist against the concrete wall.
It is now Tuesday, and I have two more days of recovery in the clinic before I can go home. Kelsi and the girls have come to visit me everyday in the morning and then at dinner time. I am ready to go home, and get back to normal life, as this weekend was a very painful one. I guess I should give some kind of reflection on this.
A lot of people take 1 Corinthians 10:13 out of context. They say, "God will never give you more than you can bear." I want to clear up that this verse is firstly speaking on temptation. God does not allow us to be in a position in which we have no choice but to fall to temptation, but He gives us a way of escape. This verse is not speaking on pain and suffering. I had a discussion with a friend once and we decided that we believe that God gives us more than we can bear all the time, purposefully. If we were able to handle all the pain and struggles of this life, we would never come to Him. This weekend has been the most painful weekend of my life, and because of that I drew near to God. When I was scared in surgery, I sang my favorite worship songs, and it calmed me down. At night, when I couldn't sleep, I cried out to God to give me rest. As I have been missing my family and my house, I ask God to be my sufficiency.
We all have a choice when faced with difficulties in life. We can choose to take them and say that God is either not good or not in control or we can take them and say, God can make good of this, and I trust that no matter how terrible things are, He is always in control and will one day set all things right. I am certain that there will not be appendicitis in Heaven, and I am certain that when God created Adam, He did not plan for him to have it, either. Disobedience and separation from God have caused these pains, and I long for the day when I will be free from my sin and reunited with God.
For now, please pray for my recovery, as I am still in quite a bit of pain, and I miss bedtime routine with my daughters and evenings with my wife.
BecauseHeLives,
Micah.
May 30, 2015
Boo's Moto
Before we left for the States, I went on a tuk tuk ride with our driver Boo Sovon (we just call him Boo). You may remember from earlier posts that Kelsi has been doing a Bible study with his wife, and we have been talking to him about the importance of going to church and getting involved to grow in his faith for his family. He has always said the same thing: that he would go when he was able to pay his house off which would be in about a year. But he has been saying that for about a year and a half, so we keep praying for him. When I was riding in the tuk tuk with him before we left, it sounded awful. We got out and I asked him about it, and he showed me that his engine was falling apart, and in general his moto was breaking down. I asked him how much it would cost to get a new moto, and he told me. He then explained to me that he used to be a bus driver, but his vision has been getting worse so he could not handle the long drive to Siem Reap. Basically during our discussion I learned that if his moto breaks down, he is sunk. So I told him that I would ask my friends in the States if they would ask God if they were supposed to help him with a new moto. While in the states we spoke to First Baptist in Schell City, Missouri about Boo, and they decided that they were the ones to sponsor his new moto. Here is the before and after:
It has more power than his other moto and since it is new it will last a long time. We have already heard people complimenting him on it. Kelsi mentioned that it would be great if he could use it as a witnessing tool. When people say something about it, he can tell them that God provided for it.
I decided to have my friend Seyha come and translate when I gave the moto to Boo. I told Boo that
God loved him. And when we trust in Jesus and seek His Kingdom, He provides for all our needs. I said that God told my friends in the States to give him this moto, because He cares about him and his family. He said "Thank you God for my moto!" I hope that this gesture has built Boo's faith. As we have been here and seen God provide for us, we know that it has made us trust in our God more and more, who always provides. Thank you First Baptist Schell City! Your generosity and obedience is a blessing to us and those with whom we minister here in Cambodia. Continue to pray for Boo and his family, as they grow in their faith and begin to follow Christ, not just because they work with foreigners who follow Christ, but of their own decision. We are blessed by Boo, and we are so grateful that we were able to bless him in this way. Again, thank you First Baptist Schell City!
BecauseHeLives,
Micah.
May 21, 2015
Waiting for June 15th (Adoption Update)
Thank you for the prayers about the meeting on Tuesday! When we met with the lawyer, we found out two things. One that the man's name in the family book is not Abby and Lily's father. It is the name of Ron's new husband. Secondly, the girls' father was never married to Ron legally. She explained that she had a village marriage, but nothing on paper, and he left her and said he didn't want his name on the girls' birth certificates... That means that we are good to go to court, and we do not need to include him at all. Huge answer to prayers! I answered a bonus question on Tuesday too. Abby and Lily's Khmer names are Sreyroath Roeun and Sreyniet Roeun, but Ron's last name is Pich... so I asked why they had a different last name, and the lawyer explained that, in Cambodia, when a child is born, you decide whether to give them the family name or the father of the family's first name. So, Pich is Ron's grandfather's first name, and Roeun is the name of Abby and Lily's grandfather and Ron's father.
So June 15th can not get here soon enough. On that day, I will go and get Kelsi and my's visas, which just happen to be the last thing on my list of things we need to go to court. After that, I will meet with the lawyer and hammer out price and get our paperwork together to petition the judge. After that, it is a waiting game for the court date, and after that, a waiting game for the decision.
Some of you may be wondering what the process of this looks like. You may have the questions, "If you get court adoptions, does that mean you can come home right away?" "What is the time frame on this whole thing?"
To answer the first question simply... no. Court adoptions have nothing to do with the United States. It is all about how Cambodia sees us. However, once we have court adoptions, and Cambodia recognizes us as the legal parents of Abby and Lily, we can petition on their behalf for citizenship with a certain form. That is the uncertainty. We are not sure that this court adoption will be enough for that, but either way, we want as strong of a connection as possible with the girls. If the court adoption is enough, we already have the two years required of residency to apply. It will be a series of trips to the U.S. Embassy and a whole lot of paperwork, and a whole lot of waiting. To answer the second question, not sure. We don't know how long court adoptions will take, and we don't know how long the petition will take. Right now, we are here, and we are glad to be making progress.
Thank you for everyone who has been praying for us, and please continue to pray. Like I said, we have a little bit of a wait ahead of us--three weeks. And for most of you that time will fly by, but for me it will feel like ages. I think God likes to make us wait sometimes. I am excited to see how He works all this out in His timing, and in His perfect way.
Hope this answers some questions. If you still have some, please comment or send us an email :)
BecauseHeLives,
Micah.
May 19, 2015
Gardening Day
The girls are doing a project for school with Kelsi. They are growing Basil, Rosemary, Dill, Marigolds, and Lavender. These are all mosquito repelling plants, and also useful in other things, like cooking and being pretty, or that is what I am told ;) Hope you enjoy the video! Just a bit of our life here in Cambodia.
BecauseHeLives,
Micah.
May 2, 2015
Prayer Request: Adoption Update
Upon returning to Cambodia from the States, we are required to turn in a report to the Ministry of
Social Affairs. I decided to kill two trips with one tuk tuk and ask about adoptions. The meeting at the Ministry was not super eventful. I asked about the rumors of new laws in March and what happened with all that, she said the same thing I already heard, that the U.S. said they would not accept adoptions granted to families with foster care currently. She also said that foster care has been shut down, but it is not in lieu of granting adoptions to those with foster care. I asked if there was anyway that she could give us an adoption as if we were Cambodian, since we have had the girls as foster children through the Ministry for almost eight months now, and most Cambodian families are encouraged to adopt after only six. She said that it was not possible. I then asked if there was any way that the Minister could make an exception for our case, because of Abby's eye, and she said that the Minister does not want to give any exceptions right now, because he is afraid it will open the flood gates--which I completely understand. At this point, I asked Dina what she thought about us going ahead and looking into getting a local court adoption of the girls, so we have some way of fighting for the visas we want, and she said that she was not sure that we would get them, to which I said, "But we can try." She then gave me contact information for a lawyer, who I have a meeting with on Monday morning at 10:00 (Sunday evening at 10:00, Missouri time). I have some paperwork to gather, and a lot of praying to do. This route is going to cost money, and we want to be sure that this is what God wants us to do right now. Please pray for wisdom for us, as we begin this process. Pray that the lawyer's heart is softened to our case. Pray that the judge will have mercy and that we will have favor. Pray that we will guard our hearts well, and not get our hopes up too quickly. Pray for God's will to be done. Pray that this works, and we get adoptions, and even pray that after we get adoptions, they work for our visas. I will give an update on how the meeting went later. I just wanted to make sure everyone began to pray now.
There will also be an update about settling back into Cambodia, but right now, we are still settling, and exhausted! Thank you to everyone who encouraged us while we were in the States, and also for all the generosity from the churches that we spoke to. It was great seeing/meeting all of you!
BecauseHeLives,
The Bergens.
UPDATE 5/14/2015
I spoke with the lawyer, and he told me a few documents that I needed to collect. Things like a lease agreement, visas, ect... One thing he also noted was that he needed to have a counsel meeting with the mother of the girls. I have known this whole time that Srey Ron would help us with this, so I was not worried about it. Before the meeting with her, we needed to get her ID and the family book from the province. I got both of those things yesterday, and we are scheduled to meet with the lawyer on Tuesday at 9:30 AM, which is Monday evening the same time in Missouri (for all of you who would please pray for us). It is looking like just a couple more weeks and we will have everything to turn into the judge and await the trial, but the lawyer was concerned about the fact that the biological father's name is not on the birth certificate, but is in the family book. Please pray that this is cleared up and will not cause any trouble later. We filled out all the paper work for our lease agreement, and are just waiting for the sangkat to approve it--the sangkat is like the local office. Once that is in my hand, I will go and renew our visas (ten days, usually), and after that I can meet with the lawyer again to sign the final papers, which will include an agreement on the fee. That is up in the air right now, because everything is negotiable in Cambodia. He told me at first that they charge $3,000 per case. I thought, great, because Abby and Lily are sisters, that means one case, one judge, one set of paperwork. But then he back tracked and said, but we also charge $3,000 per child sometimes, so not sure. When I go into that negotiation meeting, I will get it as low as possible, and we will most likely have to pay a percentage of the cost up front. This is why I was wary to go the court adoption route--it gets expensive. Kelsi and I have enough savings from our time in the States (thank you!) to pay the initial part of the cost, but will need some help with the rest--all you people who have been saving change get ready! :) Thank you to everyone who has been praying and also for all the generosity toward our family. We are blessed with a great group of supporters. I will post an update on Tuesday, after the meeting, to let everyone know what the lawyer said about the family book and birth certificate situation.
Social Affairs. I decided to kill two trips with one tuk tuk and ask about adoptions. The meeting at the Ministry was not super eventful. I asked about the rumors of new laws in March and what happened with all that, she said the same thing I already heard, that the U.S. said they would not accept adoptions granted to families with foster care currently. She also said that foster care has been shut down, but it is not in lieu of granting adoptions to those with foster care. I asked if there was anyway that she could give us an adoption as if we were Cambodian, since we have had the girls as foster children through the Ministry for almost eight months now, and most Cambodian families are encouraged to adopt after only six. She said that it was not possible. I then asked if there was any way that the Minister could make an exception for our case, because of Abby's eye, and she said that the Minister does not want to give any exceptions right now, because he is afraid it will open the flood gates--which I completely understand. At this point, I asked Dina what she thought about us going ahead and looking into getting a local court adoption of the girls, so we have some way of fighting for the visas we want, and she said that she was not sure that we would get them, to which I said, "But we can try." She then gave me contact information for a lawyer, who I have a meeting with on Monday morning at 10:00 (Sunday evening at 10:00, Missouri time). I have some paperwork to gather, and a lot of praying to do. This route is going to cost money, and we want to be sure that this is what God wants us to do right now. Please pray for wisdom for us, as we begin this process. Pray that the lawyer's heart is softened to our case. Pray that the judge will have mercy and that we will have favor. Pray that we will guard our hearts well, and not get our hopes up too quickly. Pray for God's will to be done. Pray that this works, and we get adoptions, and even pray that after we get adoptions, they work for our visas. I will give an update on how the meeting went later. I just wanted to make sure everyone began to pray now.
There will also be an update about settling back into Cambodia, but right now, we are still settling, and exhausted! Thank you to everyone who encouraged us while we were in the States, and also for all the generosity from the churches that we spoke to. It was great seeing/meeting all of you!
BecauseHeLives,
The Bergens.
UPDATE 5/14/2015
I spoke with the lawyer, and he told me a few documents that I needed to collect. Things like a lease agreement, visas, ect... One thing he also noted was that he needed to have a counsel meeting with the mother of the girls. I have known this whole time that Srey Ron would help us with this, so I was not worried about it. Before the meeting with her, we needed to get her ID and the family book from the province. I got both of those things yesterday, and we are scheduled to meet with the lawyer on Tuesday at 9:30 AM, which is Monday evening the same time in Missouri (for all of you who would please pray for us). It is looking like just a couple more weeks and we will have everything to turn into the judge and await the trial, but the lawyer was concerned about the fact that the biological father's name is not on the birth certificate, but is in the family book. Please pray that this is cleared up and will not cause any trouble later. We filled out all the paper work for our lease agreement, and are just waiting for the sangkat to approve it--the sangkat is like the local office. Once that is in my hand, I will go and renew our visas (ten days, usually), and after that I can meet with the lawyer again to sign the final papers, which will include an agreement on the fee. That is up in the air right now, because everything is negotiable in Cambodia. He told me at first that they charge $3,000 per case. I thought, great, because Abby and Lily are sisters, that means one case, one judge, one set of paperwork. But then he back tracked and said, but we also charge $3,000 per child sometimes, so not sure. When I go into that negotiation meeting, I will get it as low as possible, and we will most likely have to pay a percentage of the cost up front. This is why I was wary to go the court adoption route--it gets expensive. Kelsi and I have enough savings from our time in the States (thank you!) to pay the initial part of the cost, but will need some help with the rest--all you people who have been saving change get ready! :) Thank you to everyone who has been praying and also for all the generosity toward our family. We are blessed with a great group of supporters. I will post an update on Tuesday, after the meeting, to let everyone know what the lawyer said about the family book and birth certificate situation.
March 4, 2015
Snow! Real, Packble SNOW!
Well, Missouri finally gave us some good snow :) Here are some pictures for you!
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| Lily loved the snow and was happy just walking around. |
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| Abby just wanted to build Olaf and have a snowball fight. |
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| We dragged the girls in a tube behind the Ranger. Abby loved it, and Lily hated it, of course. |
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| And we finally built a snowman! |
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| or two.... |
Remember to pray even for the small things! God loves when we come to Him like children and ask for things. He knows our needs before we even pray, but He allows us to ask, so that we can learn to rely and trust in Him. Our faith is made stronger, and we realize that God cares for us.
Speaking of praying, this came out recently, and I wanted to share it with everyone, so you could continue to pray about it: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/new-step-towards-adoptions
God is working on adoptions in Cambodia, and we are excited to see what He has planned.
It was such a blessing playing in the snow with my daughters! I am so thankful that we were able to come to the States, and that we were able to stay longer, so the girls could experience good, packable snow! Thank you to everyone who contributed to this winter furlough!
BecauseHeLives,
Micah.
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