No Santa?

So we were supposed to meet our sponsored kids this afternoon.  The anticipation is like Christmas morning.  We haven’t seen them in a year.  We have tons of clothes and gifts for them (thanks Jaime and Clown Peds girls).  Apparently there was a miscommunication between the staff, and our families didn’t get called!  We waited for 45 minutes while everyone else met their kids.  What a disappointment when they didn’t show!  It’s like Santa didn’t show up.

Luckily Gretchen saved the day!  She and her husband are the founders of Lifeline.  I’m sure she had better things to do, but she felt bad.  So, she loaded us in a truck and drove us to the house we built last year to visit the Faustin family.  Alyssa and I remembered where it was at and directed her where to go.  Some neighbors helped us find our way back to their house since there were at least 3 partially built homes in the way since last year!  Halfway there, Claire (the mom), had heard there were Blancs coming and came out to meet us.  She immediately recognized Alyssa and I and gave us huge hugs.  She sent for the kids, who were playing with the neighbors, and they all came running.  Federline, who was petrified of us the past two years, came and jumped into my arms!  The house looked great!  They made a tarp fence around the edges, had a covered “kitchen”, and even had chickens.  We gave them a ton of clothes, food, and a soccer ball.  Alyssa taught them how to play Uno, which they picked up really fast!  Then I set up the Jenga game we brought and proceeded to whoop the youngest 2 kids.  The highlight of the visit though was setting up the water filter that my father-in-law got us for Christmas!  Now they can have clean drinking water!  No more upset stomachs and diarrhea.

What a blessing.  They couldn’t be happier in a 2 room house with no running water or bathroom, 2 beds for 7 of them, and no vehicle.  Claire just kept asking us when my wife was coming back!  I told her soon I hope.  We will see them again next Friday, but hopefully they will come to church on Sunday as well.  They have been going to a different church, which is awesome because last year they weren’t going anywhere!  Hopefully they will come to our church this Sunday.  Keep praying that God will provide for this family-food, work, beds, and a close walk with the Lord!

In and For Him,

Jeremy, Alyssa, and Luke