John Murray - AN AWESOME UPDATE!

I am super excited to share with everyone an update on John Murray.  If you read my blog or met with us this past summer then you know who he is!  We have grown to LOVE this kid so much over the past year or so.  Let me back track just a bit....

We first met John Murray last year outside our house.  I now know that this was one of those "God meetings".  After meeting with him, getting to know him a bit & praying for him, God provided a sponsor for John Murray to be able to go to school last year. (see old blog post for that awesome story) We registered him for school & he worked very hard last year.  He finished the year in the top % of his class.  We began to get closer to him & realized although he lived with a cousin he didn't eat often.  We made him promise to come eat with us everyday after school & we got to spend more time with him.  Anyone who came on a Missions trip last year got to meet him. He LOVED getting to meet everyone.  I was so excited when his school sponsor from last year said that their family had been praying & wanted to sponsor him for school again this year. YAY!!!!  What will surprise most is that John Murray is a teenage boy who works so hard & always does his best.  He always has his bible & is digging in the word & asking questions.  This year with John Murray I have gotten even more personal.  He has opened up to me & I asked him if I could share more of his story.  He smiled & told me I could....  When you meet this sweet kid you would never know that he never knew his dad.  He left when he was little.  Unfortunately here in Haiti culturally things are difficult on most kids whose mom re-marry.  John Murray was only 5 years old when this happened & he was put out of the house.  YES, you read that right. :(  When a mom gets re-married other children are often put out or become the help to keep from becoming street children.  I knew that John Murrays biological mom had lots of other kids & could not take care of him but I didn't know all of the other until this year.....BROKE THIS MOMMAS HEART!!!!  You know what though.....GOD KNEW!! God led him here & here is the rest of the story!!!! <3 Although he lived with a cousin near our house I hadn't been there until today. I have pictures to follow....  But here is the GOOD STUFF!!!

When we returned this year with a letter from John Murray's school sponsor I was shocked when he asked if he could go to a different school.  I was like WHAT?? You want to go to a "Harder" school??  I had to do a little more research to see about the school he wanted to go to so of course I went to our friends at The House of Moses.  They have lots of older kids that go to local Haitian schools & I knew Chrisit Barnes would know all about it.  With Edrils help Gordon went with John Murray & retrieved his school records & testing scores & went to an appointment at the new school.  The School CNDL is known here as the best Haitian school.  We prayed & everyone was so excited that he was accepted.  He knew right off that this meant he wouldn't have the extra few dollars he had had last year, the new extras for school to start because of the cost difference but he didn't care.  He wanted the BEST education he could get.  (I LOVE this about him) Thankfully we had an extra backpack from the Loxley United Methodist church.  We packed it with school supplies that were given to us from Searcy First Assembley of God in Searcy Arkansas. We added soap, deodorant, a new toothbrush & some extra snacks that so many of you helped us gather. He was proud....so were we.  He showed up his first day of school for a picture as promised. **if only it would upload now --but here are others...

                                                               School Registration!

Now you would think that THIS is the most exciting news....well, it is NOT!! For the past few weeks John & Christi Barnes have been talking with John Murray & praying!! You see the House of Moses is a leadership/discipleship home & they have an opening for 1 individual!!!! They have talked with us about the fact that we all believe John Murray displays the characteristics they are looking for.  This decision is not an easy one.  Yes you move in to their home & become part of the family but you sign a contract.  You agree to try your best to follow Jesus, to work in your community, to help others, to do your very best in school, to abstain from sex before marriage, to attend church together as a family as well as daily devotions/men & woman's bible study!  They are truly pouring all they have into these children who are going to make a difference in this world!!! THEY ACTUALLY ALREADY ARE....JUST SEE SOME OF OUR DAILY POSTS.  They serve at Hope Vision Childrens home, another local orphanage, they do prision ministry, street ministry & weekly bible study on Thursday nights at the House of Moses with many people from our community including us.  All of this while doing their chores & keeping up their grades!!! All of this to say.....JOHN MURRAY has been accepted.  He & I have had several good talks lately but when he came over to make sure I knew how much he loved us & wanted us to still be a part of his life I cried my eyes out!!!! I made him promise to let me go with him when he moved in & TODAY was moving day!!! I went with him & took pictures of where he lived in his cousins house & we walked to his new home....YES, I cried again!!! GOD HAS HUGE PLANS FOR THIS KID!!!!!!! Here are pictures of the old home where he slept by himself on the floor & his new house & family!!! <3 <3

His old house

bathroom & shower bucket

his bed

heading to his new home with all of is belongings!!

IF THESE NEXT PICTURES DON'T MAKE YOUR HEART DO A LEAP....SOMETHINGS WRONG WITH YOU!!!! :D

 

WE ARE HERE!!

HIS NEW HOME

HIS NEW BEDROOM & REAL BED!!

MOMMA CHRISTI

HIS NEW AWESOME ROOM MATES/BROTHERS!!! JOCELYN (T-Jo) & JAMES (T-James) *James is also in the same class as school!!! 

I LOVE LOVE THIS!!! John & Christi with John Murray....LOOK at HIS SMILE!!! 

He made it right in time for Dinner & Devotions!!! This Blesses me so much because I KNOW he will not go hungry again!!!!

I am going to bed tonight with a Heart overflowing!! Over & over tonight I kept hearing in my spirit / feeling Jeremiah 29:11..... For I know the plans I have for you, "declares the LORD,"plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

John Murray will need sponsors at The House of Moses! They have prayed & know God will provide. If you are interested in being a sponsor for this awesome young man please check out the following link & email information!! To find out more about The House of Moses also - Please check out their website -http://www.houseofmoses.tv
You can also find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/theHouseOfMoses


LIFE IS GOOD!!!! <3
So Thankful God is allowing us to be a part of this young mans life!!

Basking in HIS Presence

This week here in Haiti has been full of Blessings & Joy!! It truly has been a GREAT week!! I will get right to the point & say it hasn't really been an eventful week but I feel blessed & joyful.  As I type this & try to find the right words to use.....I realize that I have just been "Basking in His presence!!"

I am truly enjoying teaching 7th grade!! We have set our routine for the year & we start every day with a few songs.  I LOVE LOVE that these 7th graders love Praise & Worship as I do!! I let them take turns picking the songs.  These kids have such beautiful voices & it is a great way to start the day!! I then read them a daily devotion & at times go deeper when needed.  We also Pray together as a class every morning.  The first day of school I asked for prayer request & NO ONE raised their hand.  By day three I had a few request.....I am so thankful that as the end of this week approached the kids have really opened up & have prayer requests daily.  They ask for prayers for their family, unsaved loved ones, people they know who are sick & friends who need Jesus!! I also put a private prayer box in the back of the room for those who have something personal they might need me to pray about & I promised them I would keep it secret between me & the student only!! I have had 2 "Special" prayer requests & I ask that you help me to lift these up!!! You don't have to know ...... God does! I am excited that they are eager to learn & are opening up to me.  It truly makes my heart overflow with Joy!!! We had lots of work to do this week, quizzes, Homework, & Tests!!!! We have jumped right in!! We also celebrated Birthdays this week!! My sweet SarahBeth made cupcakes for my class & we had a special snack.  This week alone I had 2 kids with a Birthday & realized one student had his birthday the day school started!! YIKES......How did I miss that?? :D - So we celebrated ALL Birthdays from August & September....this brought lots of smiles and fun! I am glad they felt special on their "special" day!! After all - God made us all special.  He formed us all in our mothers wombs & set a special plan for each of us!! He knows the number of hairs on our head & loves us So.  I truly hope these kids realized how much God loves them & that they ARE special!!

Sunday we started off the week with a Great Church service & Sunday school class.  Most people that know me well know that I have a passion for youth & all that they go through as they try to serve Jesus.  All the pressure from their peers & the outside world!! This year I am super excited to be teaching High School Sunday School at Sonlight church.  We had a GREAT first class and I am looking forward to this year with those kids!! Erich & Hannah Hebner arrived this week in Haiti!! I have known them for years.....they grew up in our home church! Neither of them have been to Haiti & really had no idea what to expect.  I have laughed several times since they arrived just 5 days ago.  Why laugh??? Well, because I hear the same thing from EVERYONE who visits Haiti!! Most of the time we hear phrases something like these......."WOW, Haiti is Nothing like I thought it would be! The people are so nice.  I love the simple way of life here.  Haiti is so Beautiful. Haiti is not scary like others say it is.....why do people say that?"  - I truly just smile & say...."I have NO idea?"  Most everyone who says things like that are not going off of personal experience at all.  Most have never been to Haiti, especially Port-de-Paix & just have a fear of the unknown ....I truly do understand that.  Don't get me wrong.  Haiti is very poor & this alone is super hard to deal with & so sad, but it is not a scary place.  At least where we live is not & for that I am thankful.  I am even more thankful though that I walk in Freedom......FREEDOM IN JESUS that is! <3 I am so thankful that I do not have that spirit of fear!

We visited the kiddos at Hope Vision the day after Erich & Hannah arrived.  They really enjoyed it!! Mr. Ron gave Erich a tour & showed him lots of things as Hannah & I played with the kids!! IT was GREAT!!  We all enjoyed Thursday night Community Bible Study at The House of Moses too!! We have received several sweet encouraging emails this week!! THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SEND US A MESSAGE!! We love it!!! Thank you to those that are praying for our special prayer request that went out via email earlier in the week.. We feel the prayers & know God is going to do GREAT things!!!!
Hope you all had a fantastic week as well!!! Here are a few pictures for you to enjoy!!
Much Love from the Lipscomb crew!!!

                           No Captions needed.......Life ABUNDANT comes to mind though!!! 

AUGUST & SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS!! Fedline, Rhode, Reginald, Dimitri, Baldine, Trecy!!

 Community Bible Study at The House of Moses!! Come as you are....Worshipping Jesus together in Kreyol & English in their courtyard.....I truly Love it and Love our Community! Can't wait until next Thursday!!

*If you would like to join our email update list please let us know!! Message us on Facebook or send us an email - lipscombsinhaiti@gmail.com