DOH Update

It is harder and harder to stay in touch with Door of Hope as the volunteers move on and I don't know any of them any more, but every once in awhile I still get news on what is happening. I also called the other day to speak to the Aunties and Uncles to wish them a Merry Christmas and so I could hear how things are from them which is nice.

Door of Hope has brought back more staff which is really great! For those of you that don't remember, DOH had fired almost all the staff to try and save money. they put only volunteers on the schedule. This meant a bigger staff/baby ratio (1:6 rather than 1:4) and that the volunteers were often over worked to try and cover all the shifts both day and night. They have since changed this rule, bringing local staff back on as night shift workers, freeing up some of the volunteers to help out during the day. Unfortunately this only changed due to a cot death (SIDS) of a little girl in the home. Thankfully it just happened to be a contract worker working the night this little girl passed away. That is when the director realized that maybe it was a better idea to have local adult, and experienced staff working during the night. It is not fun to lose a baby, but to lose a baby to SIDS is even worse. It is so sudden, so unexpected; so sad. Please continue to pray for the staff and for the health of the babies, one little boy had to be admitted on Christmas Eve and is still in hospital.

So along with hiring some of the staff back, DOH has also reopened baby house 3. Baby house 3 used to be our toddler house but it has now been opened for more babies. Our toddlers now resides downstairs at baby house 1 (where the starfish department used to be). It is helpful to have baby house 3 open to take in more babies. Adoptions are a lot slower than they used to be and so these kids stay a lot longer than they used to. I do think the time will come where DOH realizes just how much they need a toddler house and will eventually turn BH3 into the toddler house again.

So obviously since the toddlers are now downstairs, the starfish department is non existent. They still have some of the original "starfish" who are toddlers just waiting to be adopted (they have very minor special needs). I found out a few weeks ago though, that my babies with "severe" special needs have been moved to a special needs home. For my faithful followers; this means that the twins have been split up :( I honestly thought that while I was there, I had convinced them to just try and find the boys a family together. I thought it was something they would at least look into. I guess if I am not there to continually push it though, and with DOH wanting to shut down the starfish department, it was just easier to split the boys up. They are trying to find the "normal" twin a local family to adopt him so that they could visit his brother in the special needs home. I just don't get it. How on earth is this in the best interest of the child? When will we stop focusing on what seems impossible and trusting God for a miracle? I KNOW there are families that would've taken both boys, why is it so easy for those in leadership roles to just pass him on? Is this work about what is convenient for us? Or is it about actually loving these kids as our own, and fighting for them as our own, and trusting God to show up in a BIG way in their lives because we know He loves them more than we ever could!? (run on sentences, sorry :)) MY heart is broken. Despite the wonderful things that I hear about the home, and despite how exciting the staff at the new home are; I hate how easily we give up. The other little boy that is moving is the one I posted about below as well (the one that won't stay still in photos :)). Please pray. I know that God still holds these boys in the palm of His hand. I know that He is still in control and has a plan for their lives. I just hate being stuck in Canada, not able to do anything about it. I guess this is where faith comes in...

The good news though, is that since they are no longer up for adoption, I can now post photos! So check out these handsome little men that you have been praying for...