Ripe Mango Chronicles

Today was a great day. Most of you know that I have been a little overwhelmed by our teenagers, we have over 30 of them. Trust me it’s a lot of pimples, deodorant, hormones, bras and mood swings. When I came to the orphanage the kids were little and we were an amazing orphanage for little kids: one of the best in Haiti by far. Unfortunately, kids can’t stay little forever. The majority of our kids are now over the age of 12. They are growing up and the orphanage needs to grow with them. What worked for a 9 year old doesn’t work for a 14 year old. We have definitely experienced some growing pains this past year as we have been trying to figure how to grow with them. How to make it work and how to make it great. Over the past few months I have gone away twice by myself for a long weekend. I spent this time without electricity, alone, praying through the changes and seeking direction for the orphanage. Thankfully the Lord showed up on both of these trips and gave me clear vision of where

I saw a picture of Steevenson yesterday that took my breath away, it took a moment for it to register that it was even him. He didn’t look like the cubby cheeked toddler, or even a little guy who used to follow me around everywhere. He looked like a boy, a real BOY; the grown up kind! How did that happen??? It is amazing what can happen in five years. When I moved to Haiti Steevenson was just 2 years old. We bonded my very first day and he has been my little man ever since. I call him my shadow; he follows me everywhere, and has since he was two. He walks along side me and chatters away barely pausing to take a breath, asking a million questions about everything imaginable. It has been said that Steevenson has adopted some of my charter traits. I can see it sometimes when he’s talking, especially when he gets excited. Arms flailing, voice bouncing up and down, with sounds effects and lots of over exaggerated facial expression. I can’t help but laugh, he really is a mini Rachel in so m