Creation of the JOB Jar!

As life continues to throw curveballs and open door after door, we continue to stand amazed at what is happening to our family.  Here we were, just a few months ago, completely content with how things were going.  No intention of "stirring the pot" or "shaking things up"!  Life was good.
But like I said in my last post, God has different plans! God has put a little boy, Job, from Haiti in our lives and we are pursuing him with all we have.  His, and our future, is uncertain at this point but the farther we dive into this crazy process, the more we are realizing that relying on God is the only way we are going to survive this.
We are probably the last people that should even be considering such a life changing event.  I am sure most people say this when the Call comes in, but we really were not prepared.  Being a two teacher household and still recovering from past events our budget does not, in any way, allow for a process of this magnitude to even get off of the ground.  I don't tell you that to seek sympathy, simply to show you that this is not happening because of us!  It is happening in spite of us!
You see, one of our biggest worries has obviously been the financial side.  However, a close second to that has been how our own two boys, Isaiah and Mikah, would react.  Mikah is probably too young to realize what is happening but still shows excitement for it all because mom and dad are happy!  Isaiah, on the other hand is old enough, and at a point in his life where this could be a real hinderance to him.  Our fear was he would not want to be a part of it, and he would be completely justified had he said that.  We were prepared to honor his feelings also.  This was going to be an all or nothing deal.  We are a family first and will always be!
So while saying our bedtime prayers a few weeks ago I nonchalantly prayed for Neha, a little girl we sponsor in India.  I then proceeded very quickly to pray for Job and that if God wants him to join our family to please show us the way.  Prayer was done!  The seed was hopefully planted and I was going to bolt from his room as quickly as possible.  My hope was that he would have heard my prayer and just give it a brief thought and go to sleep. 
Yeah right!  Like almost everything with Isaiah there was a question, and another, and another!  I began to answer.... Yes, mom and dad are trying to decide if we are the right people to help this little boy named Job... Yes, he is from Haiti (Isaiah has always had the same heart for Haiti that we have)... Yes, it would probably mean some changes to our house and where people might sleep... Yes, he would have two little brothers... Yes, Job would not speak english right away but will catch on quickly... Yes, it will cost a lot to fly him here in an airplane someday.
And on and on and on!  His questions were real and his heart was starting to understand.  I could sense that he was really diving into this and trying to figure it out. 
So I asked him what he was thinking.  My turn for questions or just one question as it turned out.
He had already decided that Job could live with us, he had heard us talking about it before... Haiti is not a good place for kids without moms and dads... He could have Mikahs room and Mikah can move into the toy room downstairs... It's okay he doesn't speak english but we are sure going to have a lot of work to do. I (Isaiah) will teach him everything I know about talking and maybe we can find a special teacher to teach him the rest... and finally the biggest commitment I think he could make right now. 
He quickly grabbed his Lightning McQueen bank and opened it up.  There in the bottom was twelve dollars in cash and some loose change.  "Dad, I want to use this to fly Job here", he said.  And so it began.  The kid that money typically burns a hole in his pocket has the same broken heart we do!  I couldn't have been more proud.  He has actually worked very hard for that money planting flowers, digging up our old garden and helping Grandma and Grandpa Choo Choo with many jobs.  He has every right to go buy candy, pop and toys.  However, he has that same tugging happening in his heart right now that is saying we need to help!
So as this story progresses into the uncertain future we sit at a table with a newly created "JOB Jar" as the center piece.  A place where Isaiah has decided that money can go in but cannot come out.  I am not sure what he has put in this but it seems to be filling up.  He and Mikah worked for Miss Val last week and each made $5.  Straight into the JOB Jar, minus 50 cents each to buy a broken bouncy ball and a spice rack at our neighbors rummage. 
Yesterday when a letter came in the mail addressed to the Peters Family I knew it was for them to open.  Inside was a check for $110 from the Church of the Damascus Road.  The gentlemen that attend that church are all currently behind razor wire at Fort Dodge Correctional Facility.  When they heard about our efforts to help Job they decided on the spot that they wanted to give their church offerings to help.  A group of hardened men from all walks of life decided that their hourly wages of 6-35 cents an hour were supposed to help my family.  These men save up months to afford phone calls, envelopes and top ramen.  And yet they put together a massive amount of money, to them, to help a child that is less fortunate than they are.  God is good!  Straight into the JOB Jar!

Again, the only reason I am sharing these stories is because we are soo completely amazed at what God is doing in our lives right now!  We are not at all equipped for a journey of this magnitude but by simply following where we are being led the pieces are just falling into place.  We have great people in our lives that are investing in our future with Job right now.  We have never expected a dime from anyone, nor asked a soul for anything more than prayers!  But God in his amazing ways has started to open doors and hearts from places and people that we least expected.  From the four man cells of a prison to the man in a parking lot handing us $40.  We have been told from the start that by just being obedient and following God's gameplan this process will take shape and be an incredible journey.  With a little patience and trust I am starting to realize that this is more true that I ever imagined!

Will you please continue to pray for our family as we move forward with this process?!  Doctor visits have been completed and some very important phone calls and meetings are taking place this week to get a better grasp on where we are at with it all!  It's an exciting time and a very scary time.  Please join us in prayer for Job and that he may come home sooner than later!