Come and Listen, let me tell you what He has done for Me!. Psalm 66:16 - Nsoko, Swaziland

Update November 2009

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Just a short note to update you on our progress and to express my thanks to you for your love and support of the Nsoko Children's Village.

The girls and I are ready to go but Tula's passport was denied. We are in the process of deciding if fixing it here or in Africa is the best option. It is cheaper and quicker to fix it in Africa but there is a risk that she could be denied re-entry to the US.

We have had the pleasure of spending the last two months at my parent's condominium in Clearwater Florida. So, sometimes being homeless isn't so bad! We are now well rested and ready for our journey to Africa. We have returned to Ohio and are staying with my parents. I feel very blessed to have had this time to devote to the girls. Being a mother to them is very rewarding!

The clinic is built and awaiting our arrival. I am looking froward to the day that we are there and able to supply the much needed medications and begin offering treatment for HIV/AIDs and TB.

The children who are now consistently receiving one meal a day. This summer they have met many new faces as AIM has brought to the village several short term mission teams.

Health assessment were preformed and with the help of the "Luke Commission" a group of doctors visited the village and offered free medical care.

The young men in the village have formed a soccer team and are playing really well. Pastor Gift has found away to mentor the hearts of these men through their love of soccer. Changing the hearts of the men in Swaziland is fundamental to putting a stop to the spread of the AIDS virus.

So yes we have hope filtering in but we still have the greatest needs unmet. Just this month a young mother, read her story, brought her three children to the village and tried to leave them there. She is dying and has no way to provide for them. The team there was able to scrap together enough food for her to feed her family for another month but then what?

Dudu this week lost her battle with AIDS leaving orphaned her surviving children. Dudu's death, one of many was difficult and painful for her and those who cared for her. Death is a part of life but it can also be dignified. We are in need of hospice care addressing one's physical and spiritual needs at the time of death. There is so much more we can do!

I feel tremendously blessed and privileged to be a part of what God is doing in Nsoko. Thank you for the prayers, support and encouragement.

Much Love,

Tami

What Shape Are You In?

Fri, 3 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I am a runner. I refuse to say I was a runner but the truth is that ever since I adopted the girls running has been impossible. But recently I dusted off my shoes and have begun running again.

This first run was about a month ago. I headed out on the road slow and steady. I was about a mile into my run when I was drawn to the pain in my quadriceps. Here this large leg muscle made just for running was screaming out in complaint. I wasn't using them as they were designed and they had become deconditioned for their job.

The Lord took me to this scripture;

1 Corinthians 12:12-13 (The Message)

You can easily enough see how this kind of thing works by looking no further than your own body. Your body has many parts-limbs, organs, cells-but no matter how many parts you can name, you're still one body.

It's exactly the same with Christ. By means of his one Spirit, we all said good-bye to our partial and piecemeal lives. We each used to independently call our own shots, but then we entered into a large and integrated life in which he has the final say in everything.

He then said My church is like your body, many of it's parts have become deconditioned just like your quadriceps.

The next three miles of my run opened an entire dialogue about how we as the church have been designed and called to a certain function. Inactivity has set in and we too are screaming out in pain and complaining. Many of us have become deconditioned from what we were called to do. Or we are operating in a function that we are not designed for, but then complain that life is painful.

I asked the Lord to show me areas in my life were I had become deconditioned or ineffective in the church. He said I haven't asked you to stop sending. He was right on! Ever since I made the decision to go to Africa I stopped financially supporting others who are serving in ministry. He didn't ask me to stop this function. My part of this great body of Christ is to support others ministries. So the checks will go out this week. Sorry friends.

So let me ask, what is you function in this body?

Are you exercising it?

Raising the Dead

Wed, 1 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Over the last two years the Lord has given me the opportunity to witness miraculous healing by himself the Great Physician. I am excited to share these with you. I have withheld the names of the patients for their privacy. Some of you may recognize your story.

I was on call on this particular weekend and was at church on a Saturday night when I got paged to the ICU. The nurse explained that it was a 16 year old patient of another physician that we were covering. This particular patient had had a massive head injury following an automobile accident. The nurse explained that they had just returned from taking him to the CAT scanner for x-rays of his brain when they noticed that both of his pupils became fixed and dilated. In layman's terms this means brain death.

The nurse and I covered just about everything we could think of to make a difference but all hope was lost. I sadly explained to the nurse that there was nothing else we could do and told her I would call her after church to arrange for a brain flow study to document the brain death and inform his parents of what had happened.

I returned to my my seat in church and sat down. The pastor was in the middle of his sermon and he just stopped. He said "I feel like I need to stop for a minute and have us all bow our heads and give thanks to the Lord for all he has done for us." I bowed my had and started my usual list of all that I am thankful for when I suddenly stopped and prayed Lord you have done so much for me! Please Lord heal this boy so that his parents won't loose him and they can give you thanks. Do this for them Lord!

Church ended and we were heading out with friends for dinner when I made the call to the nurse. This is what she said with great excitement. "About five minutes after I hung up with you he woke up! His pupils have returned to normal and he is trying to move." I told her that that was at the exact time I was praying and she said I was praying for him too.

I hung up the phone and sat in utter silence. Those with me broke the silence, worried that something was wrong. I opened my mouth an mouthed these words that I had been longing to say. The Lord saved that boy from death. He healed him!

I was feeling strange all night. That same night the 16 year old boy in the room next to him lost his life. I was praying hard. Why this boy Lord? Why not the other boy? What am I supposed to do with this? The Lord spoke and told me that He wanted me to tell his parents that He healed him. OK Lord but I don't even know them and he wasn't my patient.

The next morning, nervous, I found myself walking into his room. His parents were at his bedside. I introduced myself and told them that I was on call the night prior and what had happened. The skin then stood up all over me as I told them that the Lord had healed their son. His mother stood up with tears running down her face and said "I know, we were praying too."

I walked out of that room knowing something supernatural had just taken place. I thanked the Lord for using me then said but please don't make me do that again.

I understand from that boys physician that he not only made a quick and miraculous recovery but he has healed completely and was able to return to school in just 6 weeks. His doctor could only explain this recovery as nothing short of a miracle.

He Charges iPods!

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I was heading out for my run this morning when I realized I had left my
iPod on over night and the battery was dead. I enjoy running to worship songs and I'm one of those folks who needs music to keep going. I offered up a little prayer of complaint and said Lord I will run in silence if I must but you know I like my music. The iPod literally began playing. The battery bar showed no power but the music was flowing. I headed out with the knowledge that it wouldn't last long but the farther I ran the more battery life it showed. The Lord was charging my iPod

To some this will seem to be too much to believe, but the Lord loves to bless me in these simple and miraculous ways. I have story after story of the little blessings He brings to me. How He loves to surprise me with favor. Some call it luck or chance but I have come to recognize His hand in it all!

One of my favorites is how He provided me with new boots. I love shoes and I use to have a lifestyle that afforded me the ability to buy expensive shoes whenever I desired. Now that I have left my job to head to Africa I have been learning to live with less and be more responsible with the money He provides. But, I fell in love with this pair of Keen boots. On sale they were still $149.00! I just keep looking at them online but was remaining obedient by not buying them.

About a week later my mom and I went to the local thrift store to look for drapes for the girls room. Suddenly my eye catches sight of pair of the exact same boots I have been stalking on the Internet. There laid a pair of nearly new Keen boots in my size. Not only that, there were two pairs brown and black. I nearly danced out of the store! Thank you Lord for teaching me to rely on your provision and thank you Lord for my Keens they ROCK!

So why does He bless me so abundantly? Some believe it is because I was obedient in adopting the girls. Or that it is because I have Faith in all things no matter how small or silly they may seem. But the truth is, God just LOVES me that much! And since God does not show favoritism. Romans 2:11, that means He loves you that much too!

Keep Your Eyes on ME!

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Lately I have struggled finding joy. I have been walking around like a lifeless creature. A heavy sadness has over come me. It has taken me by surprise because this is not an emotion that I generally deal with.

I have struggled to put my finger on the cause of it. It could be one of many reasons; Francesco, my best friend and number one supporter has gone to Italy for 3 months and our communication has been little more than e-mails and an occasional phone call.  Or maybe it's the fact that I have given away almost everything I own in anticipation of our departure to Africa. We are now living out of 4 laundry baskets at my Mom and Dad's.  It could also be the daily struggle to raise the financial support needed for Africa.

This is were running is so good for me.  I was nearing the last mile and notice I had a goofy grin on my face. I had been struggling to smile for weeks and here I was running looking like the Joker. I realized that I had been dialoguing with our Father and was overflowing with joy.  He gently spoke "keep your eyes on me, you have been focused on the world and I haven't asked you to do that." He went on to say;
   " I know that you miss him but keep your eyes on me."
   " I didn't ask you to worry about where you will live, I have a place for you just keep your eyes on me."
   " I have asked you to go and I will provide so just keep your eyes on me!"

Here I was allowing the weight of the circumstances of the world suck the joy from me. I had taken my eyes off of Him!

In Him is where real life and joy is found! Thank you Jesus for bringing this message back home to me! Thank you Jesus for that joy that overflows into joker like grins!

Nate's Story

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Nathan Ryan Kesling born April 8, 1984 is my oldest son. He lives and resides in Dayton, Ohio and will act as our USA home base. Nate has adopted the family dog Louie and a large majority of the old home furnishing.

Nate has served with me in Jamaica. He assisted in building a house for a family in Port Maria and playing with the local children. He also returned to Jamaica with us for Shane's final adoption. He quickly learned Kingston Jamaica is not one of his favorite places!

Nate loves his two little sisters and they call him Bubba. The girls love their big brother and look forward to his visits. As soon as they hear his truck pull into the driveway you hear them squeal "Bubba's here". Nate looks after the girls and I. He comes running to fix a clogged toilet or to helping me out when I've left my keys in the car and need a jump. He is always there with a smile on his face and a warm "I love you mom". I am so proud of who he has become. Nate is a great man!

Nate is not thrilled with our decision to move to Africa but supports it. I pray that some day he decides to join us. He is gifted with compassion, kind heartedness, carpentry skills and he is a hunter. All assets to Africa. But most of all It would thrill me to live and serve with all my children.

Nate is not currently walking with the Lord. He tells me that he knows that God is real and believes in Jesus but is not ready to go crazy, like his mom and brother. I tell him that I am not worried about him or his salvation at all. I remind him that when the Lord asked me to adopt Shane' He said "I have taken care of you and your children, now you take care of mine.". This is a promise from God. He has already taken care of him. He can run as long as he wants the time will come just as the Lord promised. He has my children already covered!

I love you Nate!

Shane' Story "Jamaica"

Sun, 7 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Meet Shane' "Shaw nea" Grace McGarry and hear her story of how God changed her life. Once considered undesirable she is now loved, accepted and flourishing. Shane' story is a long and convoluted one and some parts of it are hard to tell. But what I would like to share here is how what was considered an impossible situation, with God became possible.

In February 2005, I was invited to join a short term mission trip to Mandeville, Jamaica to serve the orphans there. I had the pleasure of bringing my mother on this trip. She and I were apart of a team of 13 women which included five sets of mother's and daughters.

One the third day there we were scheduled to work in the baby orphanage New Hope Children's Home. They prepared us the night before that this was a difficult place to serve because of the conditions there. Determined to make it through the day I had my iPod on playing worship music and I headed in to do what was needed. I walked in the door and sitting on the floor in the middle of the room was a sea of twenty one babies. In the middle of the group was a little one who appeared to be about 9 months old and she was soaked in urine.

I picked her up and asked where I could change her. The next thing I knew she flipped backwards and I had her by her ankles. You couldn't hold on to her. The director saw my predicament and said "Put her down and take care of one of the desirable children."

That's all it took for me! That little one became my entire focus. I inquired about her and found out that she was actually 4 1/2 years old and had been there since she was six weeks old. She was brought to the orphanage along with her 12 year old mother. They called her an incest baby and had labeled her undesirable. This meant she was undeserving of love and attention. She weighted just 19 lbs and could not walk, talk, and appeared to be blind and unable to hear. She was so sensory deprived that when you tried to hold her she would flip out of your hands because the touch was so unfamiliar.

I spent all my energies on her over the next three days, getting nowhere. She seemed to be completely detached. On the the last day she broke. She could hear the music coming through my iPod and for the first time laid her head on my chest to listen to it. Her little body relaxed and she laid there and we swung on the swing together. I found myself singing a song one of the older orphans had taught me, Get Jesus on the telephone, tell me what to do, tell me what to do right now. That song had become my prayer. Lord please tell me what to do to help her.

We were told that it was impossible to adopt from Jamaica! But I couldn't leave her there. On her fifth birthday they had plans to put her into an institution. That would be the end for her. The orphanage director approached me and asked me if I wanted her. The missionary leading or trip saw what was unfolding and intervened. He cautioned me about making a rash decision and told me that it is nearly impossible for a non Jamaican to adopt and it takes years. He told me I had to seek the Lord and give it at least two weeks before reacting to my decision.

It was time to go so I laid her in her crib. She rolled over and looked up at me with this trust in her eyes. This is a little one who appeared to be blind because she never visually engaged you. She was now looking at me. She had this trust that I would come back for her. We had allowed are hearts to engage and there was no turning back.

The rest of the trip was spent at the boys home Bosco and then off to the beach for a day of debriefing. That night in the hotel room I turned on the TV to catch the end of a sermon being delivered by Joel Osteen and all I remember him saying was, sometimes the Lord expects us to leap out in faith before He steps in. I turned off the TV and the lights and for the first time in my life I heard the Lord speak. He said " I have taken care of you and your children now you take care of mine!"

This was just 6 months after I gave him my life with a promise that He could do what ever He wanted with the rest of it. I new that moment that I would do what ever I had to do to rescue Shane' from her current situation. I returned home and waited the two weeks as I was told to. On the 14th day I called them up and began the process.

I did my research and found out that if they approve you to adopt it can take up to two years before you an actually get an adoption hearing. She didn't have 2 years. Her health was poor. Severely malnourished, she was being feed was a few bottles of porridge from a bottle a day. I was also told that she was having continual seizures. I decided to attempt to gain custody of her and bring her to the US on an emergency medical visa. To do this I had to prove to the USA government that the medical treatment she needed could only be supplied here in the USA and I had to show proof of financial funds to pay for it all.

The Lord supplied me with a doctor in Cincinnati who works with International adoption cases. She helped draft a letter to explain Shane's current condition and urgent medical needs. I flew to Jamaica with my son Nick and hand delivered it to the social worker in charge of Shane's case. I was unaware that there was an investigation going on by the Jamaican government to improve the quality of the care that the orphans were getting. This letter though truthful brought unwanted attention to the conditions at New Hope Children's home. The next morning the director of the home called me and said that someone had wrote a bad letter about her and she could be shut down. I had to tell her it was me. She wanted me to retract it but I told her that the letter had nothing to say about the home it only stated the facts of the medical condition Shane' was in and it was truthful. I offered to help her change the conditions at the home so no other child would have to suffer. The truth is Shane' had been denied food, medicine and the most basic of care. This undesirable one has now brought Island wide attention to the care of all the orphans there.

We needed a Jamaican doctor to agree with the US doctor so we took her to the pediatrician there. She asked me if Shane' was taking the seizure medicine that was prescribed 4 years ago. When she found out that the home wasn't even willing to give her medication to control her continuous seizure activity she signed the papers for her to go. The doctors tell me that if they had given Shane' her medicine, food and love she would have developed normally.

Shane' had no birth certificate and this process kept us in Jamaica another 3 months. The Lord choose to use this 3 months to save Nick, see Nick's story. But on September 10, 2005 Shane' just shy of her fifth birthday was on a plane heading home.

Shane' was admitted to Cincinnati Children's Hospital shortly after we arrived home. She was severely malnourished, had some kidney failure and was full of parasites. She was also having about six seizures per hour.

She is a survivor. Every doctor who would come to see her would commit on how they couldn't understand how she was alive. She cheerfully and without complaint went through ever study and procedure asked of her. She thrived! We called her the amazing growing baby. She went from wearing size 12 months when she came home to size 3 in just 3 months. She struggled mostly with eating. She was unable to chew or swallow since she had only taken a bottle for 5years. She would always try to lay down and eat. Once the seizures were controlled she began walking then running. She started preschool that winter and adjusted well to life here. Every day she learns something new!

The next summer we returned to Jamaica for an adoption hearing. She cried when we got to the airport in Jamaica and was terrified the whole trip. I think she thought we were going to return her. Our day in court went well but we were unable to get a visa to come home. The US embassy suggested that I leave her at the orphanage and come back for her when they could get us an appointment. This could take 6-9 months. NO WAY! But the Lord worked a big miracle that week and we where heading home! I will write this story soon because it is truly amazing.

We were here only on a visitor visa and new we would have to return for our appointment at the embassy for Shane' to immigrate as a US citizen. What they said would be 6-9 months was really more like 12 months. It was now almost 3 years into this process and we were finally heading back to finish things. If she hadn't come home on the medical visa she would not have made it. The story of how the Lord worked this last trip out is also miraculous. One day I will add the details of how the Lord changed the heart of one embassy official through this whole process.

Shane' adoption was finished on June 6, 2009. Four years after we begun.

Shane' is a very special little girl. She has what they call sensory integration disorder. This is from the lack of physical touch when she was young. Shane' is also non verbal "mute". She is learning to communicate by sign language. She has been attending school and just finished the first grade. She is loving, affectionate, sneaky and always on the go.

Our goal for her is to help her develop life skills and independence. She is very, very smart but hasn't quite figured it all out yet. I tell her all the time that the Lord has healed her! She just needs to walk in it! One day that girl will speak and she will tell her own story.

As for Jamaica, New Hope Children's Home has gotten a new home. The condition of all the orphanages have improved. And things have changed some to make it easier for others to adopt. It's funny how the Lord will use the least of us to change the world. He has used that little undesirable girl by Jamaica standards to change the hearts of many including me.

People after hearing Shane's story always comment on how I saved her life. But the truth is, She saved mine!

Tula's Story "Swaziland"

Sun, 7 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Meet Nokuthula Rose McGarry, aka Tula!

Tula was born in Pigg's Peak Swaziland on June 25th, 2006 and this is her adoption story.

Tula's now big brother Nick was serving with AIM as a First Year Missionary. He was working in South Africa and Swaziland. During their trip they kept a group blog and posted pictures on the AIM web site. About 6 weeks into their trip this picture was posted on the AIM site. (below)

I remember every detail of the day I first saw this picture. From where I was at, to who else was in the room. That day is forever seared in my mind. That little baby in my son's arms reminded me of love we feel in Jesus' arms. I printed the picture off and hung it on my refrigerator. I was so proud of my son and I prayed for that abandoned baby.

The story that we are told is Tula was found as a newborn. She was naked and with her umbilical cord still attached. She was laying along the side of a highway in Pigg's Peak. She was discovered by some local children. They took her to the police and they in turn took her to Mbabane Government hospital. This is where Nick and his team met up with her and the picture was taken. She had become a permanent resident of the abandoned baby ward.

One day I asked Nick about the baby and he said "mom don't get attached. There are so many of them and you can't adopt them, and most of them die." I quickly said " If no one wants them and they are going to let them die I'll take her."

About 4 months later I was in Jamaica finishing up with Shane's visa and working with a group in Port Maria when I received an email from my son to call him. I called him up and his exact words were. "mom they want to give you that baby." I had forgotten what I said and replied "what baby!" He answered "the one in the picture, we went to visit her and she is still there." He went on to tell me that the social worker wanted me in her office that Friday to discuss things. Now you have to remember I am in Jamaica and in the middle of the tangled mess of Jamaican adoption and immigration. So I had to say NO!

He asked if I would at least call and talk to her on the phone. I did that Friday and she explained to me the adoption process and the need to stay in the country for one year before being able to leave with the child. I explained to her that that would be impossible with my commitments to Jamaica and my job at home. She then explained to me that they would consider Nick's 9 months in country as part of the year and we could potentially leave with her in 3 months.

That Friday my then 20 y/o son left his team in South Africa, rented a car and headed to Swaziland to claim his now sister. He was allowed to take her out of the hospital. He stayed with missionaries Gary and Lisa Black at their home in Manzini. Fellow missionary Julie Anderson out fitted him with a car seat, crib and clothes. My son became foster mom to this little one. They quickly realized that she was sick with pneumonia and possible TB and was in need of medical attention. Also during this time my son was recovering from Malaria that he picked up on a trip to Uganda and Kenya over Christmas break. He had taken on a lot on.

So, I found my self on a plane to Swaziland 10 days later. It didn't hit me until I was taking off that I was actually going to Africa all by myself to become a mother yet again. I arrived safely and was met at the Manzini airport by my son. In the back seat of his rental car was my sleeping daughter Tula! I had to laugh because he had the car seat in backwards. She was beautiful! I couldn't wait to get her out of the car seat and hold her. I held her close for what seemed like the longest time and I have been her mommy ever since!

We returned to the house and I was in awe of my son. He had been taking care of this little one all on his own. Feeding her, changing her and giving her all of the medications to treat her pneumonia. He even had a bedtime routine down. That night after he rocked her to sleep he looked at me and said "mom did you ever sleep when I was a baby? I find myself waking up all night just to check and see if she is breathing." Wow!

Nick and I settle in a bed and breakfast in Manzini awaiting the adoption results. The news wasn't good. The magistrate who had agreed to the adoption had stepped down and the new magistrate said NO to the adoption. The social worker suggested that we hire an attorney, her husband, and settle in for fight.

We meet with him the following morning and he quickly explained to us that he was not a Christian, doesn't care about these kids and how much are we willing to pay him. We settled on a price and he directed us to the money machine so we could withdrawal the money. He said he would try and get us a court date for next week.

The week went fast and we found ourselves in court. Well I was in the court room for 2 minutes before being kicked out for being there. Something about me being a female and bringing the baby with me. We waited out side for what seem like eternity but was only 20 minutes and out comes the attorney with the good news the adoption was final. Now we just have the one year in country hurdle to tackle.

Nick and I knew I couldn't stay because of Shane' needing me at home so we planned on taking care of everything I could and then I would leave her their with Nick until they gave us permission to take her home. They explained the steps needed starting with filing for a birth certificate. We did this and they said we could pick it up in the morning. I had just one more day in Swaziland and I had a lot to accomplish.

That night before going to bed I was feeling anxious about leaving Nick and Tula behind and excited about getting home to Nate and Shane. So, I prayed a simple prayer, Lord let me have all my children under the same roof. That night the Lord showed me in a dream that I needed to take authority over the situation. Up to this point I had worn a long skirt each day which is not how I would have dressed at home. He said be yourself and I will equip you! I awoke refreshed put on a pair of khakis and my tennis shoes and headed out for a day of battle.

Nick and I were on are way to Mbabane in the rental car, singing out loud The enemy has been defeated, death couldn't hold you down, when we received a text message from Steve Knisley which read, we are praying for you and wanted to tell you that the enemy has been defeated and you will have victory today! What a great confirmation!

The building were you pick up the birth certificate is packed even with the help of the social worker we are there for hours and nothing is happening. I decided while I was praying to claim her as my own and to take authority over her and all her documents. I reminded the enemy that he was done and that she was ours and she was going home with us. Immediately the birth certificate appears! Thank you Jesus!

I, knowing I have to leave in a few hours decided to inquire on the process of getting her a passport. It is now 11 am and the lady said if I could fill out the paper work and take it and get is stamped and paid for before 12 pm when she breaks for lunch she could have it done by 2 pm. Now this is were the pants come into play! If I had that log skit on I couldn't have done this. I filled out the papers and then you need a official stamp from the police which was up the hill from where we were at. So I took off running not once but twice up this steep hill, and yes I got them. It was now 11:45 am and I just needed to pay the fee at another office and get back there in time. I arrive at the office to see a line of over 50 Swazis and it wasn't moving. I prayed hard. I was so close. I didn't want to push ahead of everyone like an impatient American. Lord help me! Was it over had I run out of time. Suddenly the door next to us opens and it is the social worker. She was shocked to see me and when I explained what I was trying to do she dragged me to the front of the line to discover that the ladies had all gone to lunch. She calls them up and one of them agrees to come to the window and take my money. I make it back to the office right at noon.

Nick and I new that Jesus was up to miracle we just didn't know how big. We waited impatiently until 2 pm, and yes she had it, an international passport in just 3 hours for our Tula! What a miracle. We are rejoicing until she says but it needs to be signed off by the Minister of Health and he is waiting for you in his office. I wasn't prepared for this! As we are led up the stairs and down a long hall were I take a seat next to others waiting. My name is called and I enter into this room. He is sitting behind the desk with the passport. He looks up at me and smiles and says "thank you for taking care of our children" he signed it and handed it to me.

We were asked to wait for the social worker to say our good byes. When she walked in I couldn't wait to tell her about the passport and show it to her. She looked at it and with a puzzled look on her face asked me where I had gotten it. I explained the story to her and she looked at me and said "you are free to go" I didn't understand I thought we have to wait a year. She explained that you wait a year then meet the Minister of Health then file for the passport. What takes a year the Lord accomplished in just 3 hours! She said this has never happened before, and asked us to show this to her husband, our attorney.

We left there and headed to his office. He examined it and looked up at me and said "who are you?" Without thinking I heard myself say to him, it's not who I am, it is the Lord Jesus that has done this today! I feel the Lord planted a seed in that man's heart that day and he will be an interval part in helping the kids in the near future.

It is now 4 pm and Nick and I are loaded in the car with Tula in the back seat. It's only been 10 days since I arrived and there we were on are way to Johannesburg and home with Tula to the USA!

God has a big plan for our little Tula a plan that has us all returning to Swaziland. I often wonder why her? Why did he pick her? Why did he pick me? Did her mother pray for her when she left her? These questions I will just have to wait on and someday I'll know!

Nick's Story

Sun, 7 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This is my brief version of Nick's story as I know it. His whole testimony is amazing and he will have to write down some day to share.

Nicholas Shane Kesling is my second born son. He is 23 and is married to his beautiful wife Katie. They both live in Kodiak Alaska and work for the Kodiak Baptist Mission. Nick and Katie met while both serving as First Year Missionaries with AIM in South Africa and Swaziland.

Nick, some where between his parents divorcing and high school developed a problem with alcohol. This problem escalated and Nick found himself arrested and in jail at age 18. He and a friend had to much to drink and broke into a pentecostal church and took some of their musical instruments. When the police arrived Nick tried to leave in his truck so they arrested him and charged him with felony breaking and entering and drunk driving. This was all just two weeks before he was supposed to leave for his freshman year at college.

I was to say at the least beside myself. I had just started going to this christian church and new of a God but was not yet saved. I was scared to death. I knew if I allowed him to go off to college with this problem we would loose him. I also knew that if he was convicted he could spend up to a year in prison. My saving grace was that I was in my first ever bible study and I turned to my group for prayer and support. I knew Nick wasn't a criminal but an alcoholic who needed help!

The night before his court appearance the ladies met with me and prayed. They prayed that the judge would see that it was the alcohol that caused Nick to commit the crime and that he needed help not a conviction. Nick did not know the Lord at the time but I called him up and told him that we were praying and I didn't know if he believed in prayer or not but asked him to say the same prayer.

We arrived at court the next morning to find out that the attorney hired to represent Nick was a christian. He looked at us and said, "I was up last night and I felt compelled to pray that the judge will see that Nick has a problem with alcohol and offer him treatment in lieu of conviction." Wow I was stunned. And yes the judge ruled for treatment in lieu of conviction. He told Nick that he has never done this before but felt like he needed to offer him this chance.

For the first time in my life, God felt close to me. I was overwhelmed by his provision. I sat outside that court room that day and repented for wasting the first forty years of my life on selfish pursuits and I vowed to give him the next forty. I promised Him I would do what ever He asked.

I knew Nick needed help! So I surrendered him to God. He showed me that he needed more help than the courts would impose. So I told him he could remain in school and I would pay his tuition if he agreed to my plan. I told him that I would pick him up ever Friday and take him to Celebrating Recovery at church and then he had to go to church with me on Sunday morning before I would take him back to school. The first six weeks were hell. He wouldn't talk to me and usually made fun of the way christians acted. We kept at it though I struggled to see any change.

Then the following summer I needed to travel back to Jamaica to make arrangements for Shane' to come to the US on a medical visa. I needed for him to go. He commented "I don't want to go and take care of AIDS infested babies." But little did he know what the Lord had planned for him. I watched this spoiled insecure American brat of privilege go from not wanting to be there to on the third day giving his shoes to a boy that had none. He couldn't get enough I stayed a month and he stayed on two more. He returned on fire and in love with the Lord!

Nick asked me when he returned if he could take a year off school and go to Swaziland. He raised support and headed off to Gainesville, GA for training to be a missionary with AIM. This picture is the day we saw him off to Africa. Nick had a fire in his heart to care for the orphans of AIDS. One of those babies became his sister. See Tula's story.

I couldn't have been more excited for him. The night before he left I felt it was important for me to share with him my story. So I wrote him a letter explaining how I was saved outside the court room that day. It seems God had a plan for both of us through this unfortunate situation. One of Nick and I favorite verses is, 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 Jeremiah 29:11.

Nick is a new man. Nick is a great man. He is a God fearing man and now a adoring husband to Katie. People who meet him tell me how they wish there children could be like mine. They always assume for some reason that we have always had it together. I then get the chance to tell them how broken things were and how handing our Nick over to God restored him.

Nick's Swazi name is Sipo which means "gift". That he truly is! Nick I love you and I am so proud of who you are.

My love always,

Mom

Swaziland 2007