We got a new little guy on Monday; he was 9 days old on that day. His mom brought him to the orphanage, carrying him like a package under her arm. She wanted to leave him with us, but she lied about where the dad is. Our intake processor said we couldn't take him unless his father knew where he was. She was leaving the orphanage, and said she would just kill him and throw him in the ravine next to the orphanage. She walked away, and our processor came inside to tell Pierre what she had said. The processor called the mom and told her to bring the baby back. I met them all outside, and found the mother standing there, holding this very small baby with such disinterest. Fifi started filling out the paperwork, and the mom sat down and just flopped the baby in her lap. I wanted to ask if his name was Samson, but I didn't. I just had to know the little guy's name, and when I asked, the mom just shrugged her shoulders. I blurted out, "Can we call him Samson?" The mom nodded yes. I said, "Are you sure?" Everyone thought that was just fine. I cannot believe I named a little person. I'm still in shock over this one. I’ve known what names I have for my own children for so long, and Samson is not on that list. Something inside me told me his name is Samson. So Samson it is. I read about Samson in the Bible on Monday night. He was kind of a big mess, and he made some dumb decisions, but God loved him, and kept blessing him through all of it. I guess that's a little like all of us.

It seemed as if each day this week caused my to-do list to grow longer. As one thing would be completed, three more would be added to the list. Some days I was unable to accomplish any of the things on my list, simply because “this is Haiti” or so everyone so eagerly announces when things do not go the way you need them to go.

On Wednesday, Dr. Missy Windsor arrived to work with some our special needs kiddos. She is an OT who works with Worldwide Orphans Foundation and Dr. Jane Aronson.  She worked specifically with four of our children, and over the course of 2 days, totally transformed the lives of these children. She taught the nannies new positioning techniques, and new ways to move and manipulate the children’s muscles and joints for better health and movement. It was such a blessing to watch her work with a little one who has been lying flat for most of her 7 ½ years. She suffers from severe mental retardation and possibly cerebral palsy, though we are not sure. After working with Dr. Missy for a little while, the sweet girl was so alert, and was responding to her name! It was absolutely beautiful. Dr. Missy made a video of the children she worked with, and then trained the nannies using it. A training video, starring these sweet ladies! So awesome!

While all this awesomeness was happening, I developed a migraine. The kind where any light or sound makes you terrified you will be sick at that very moment. So I was in bed by 6 on Wednesday night, slept for 12 hours, and then back at everything on Thursday. I felt great, but then was plagued by the headache again on Friday, and it attempted to return on Saturday. Excedrin has become my new best friend. If I can just keep the headache from starting, it’s not so bad. And yes, I am drinking plenty of water.

So yesterday wound up being a crazy kind of day at the orphanage, but aren’t some days just like that? I got to chat with my momma for her birthday, and was able to talk to some others as well. I sang a new song to her so she didn’t have to listen to the one on her voice mail from 3 years ago…

Today was a day of rest. I slept later than usual (ok, I laid in bed later than usual), ate a late breakfast, swam, read a book (while wearing the very stylish hat my almost 5 year old friend Evan picked out for me before I left), took a snooze with a fan blowing on me, woke up drenched in sweat despite the breeze, tried to order Domino’s pizza (I am having the craziest craving for it lately…this does not usually happen to me!) but found out it collapsed in the EQ, made spaghetti in the hot pot because the propane-powered stove leaks a tremendous amount of gas out, and I was terrified to light a match around it, and am finally blogging as I’ve been putting it off for a few days. Whew.

And in all this, God continues to be gracious to me. To pour His Spirit out on me in new and powerful ways that I’ve not experienced before. I pray every day that He would fill me with so much of His love that it is overflowing out of me to those around me. That the power of His Spirit would be the power that propels me through the day.  He blesses me with people who pray with me and for me, who encourage and challenge me, and show His mercy and grace through their words and actions.  I am blessed indeed.