Originally posted by Betty Jo Harter
Thank you Lord, our children are settled in their cottages on the farm.
There is joy unspeakable in our hearts and mouths. The children made up a song as we were traveling from our home to their “new home”.
We are going to the house that Jesus “built”
We are going to the house that Jesus “built”
We are happy, happy, happy
We are happy, happy, happy
We are going to the house that Jesus “built”
Jesus burdened your hearts to help supply the money and to offer the prayer for their support. I am so humbled. The children are constantly reminded where the money came from; from the prayers of the saints.
I knew well ahead of time that the transition would be bittersweet for the children. They have been in our home since 2001. We have interacted as their parents nurturing them so they have dignity and know that they are a child of the King. They are so much more fragile than other children because of their abandonment; neglect and severe sickness. They have been dependent on us for everything.
Knowing all these things I tried to make sure the cottages were ready. We prepared the little ones so that their clothes, toys, books, music, everything was in place in their home before we actually moved them. And so… with all that accomplished we got in the van, singing our little song and opened the front cottage door and they excitedly scurried around looking at everything.
We have now physically moved the children to their permanent home in Puan on a 2 ½ hectares; ducks, pigs, farming, and church. Everything one could want for theses precious children. It has been very emotional for all of us. The staff, the little ones I have cared for since infancy as my own, and for me.
I tried to make the move with as little stress as possible for the little ones, I have observed them closely watching how the change from my care to another home with their same daily caregivers would affect them. I tried mentally to make the transition in their little hearts just “one step at a time”. We take them to the construction site and “show them their house”. Let them “run in the grass” and be so happy for them that would be just able to “walk to church” across the grass instead of such a long drive from our house in Buhangin to Puan every Sunday.
THE DAY arrived and I tried so hard to hold back the tears until I walked out the door without them to get in the car and return home alone (alone? With the thirteen adopted children).
Every once in awhile while familiarizing them with the cottage; their clothes, their beds set up a tear would fall down my cheeks and a little one would notice it and run to me and ask “Mama, are we happy?” And I would reply “Oh, yes we are happy”. Then we would sing our little song again. We are going to the house that Jesus built. You see everything material was there, and their caregiver would remain, however, something was going to be missing, their MAMA.
Oh, how I long to adopt them all and take them to the States with me, but I cannot. Gus keeps reminding me that we built this place for them. We did and it is wonderful. The beautiful house, the church, the farm with pigs, ducks, fruit trees and vegetables. It is just that until these past problems physically, I thought I would forever be there with them. That was my plan but not the Lords. It has been 3 weeks now and everybody is more resigned than before, including me. I love all the children so… I had them in my bed to care for them when they were dying and love them as if I had birthed them.
Having said all that I want you to know that I long to see my birth children, grandchildren and great grandchildren that I have never seen. I long to be a part of America again. I long to visit our churches again and to labor and hear the song of Zion in English. I long to be somewhere other than the four walls of a guarded house and smell the fresh air and be able to safely ride in the country. I long for our adopted children to be with others of like faith and to be friends and to worship together.
And so…I am very thankful the vision of what compelled me to be here seven years ago is fulfilled. The Lord wants us home in America to live. I am very sure of that now. With your continued prayers and support the work here will continue. The churches will prosper, the children’s needs will be taken care of and we will continue to visit and keep assurance daily that everything is the same. More children to help, more churches to plant, more blessings everywhere in the Philippines.
Thank you dear friends,
Mom Betty
Photos of Vision A Reality!!!
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