Finally Pictures of Makai!!!

After a four month delay we finally got the termination and placement from the courts!  Which means we are moving on in the adoption process and we get to show pictures of our baby!  So here is one BIG blog of pictures.  Finally introducing...

Makai Samuel Lee
Born February 16, 2020
6lbs7oz 

Makai is the Ateso name in Uganda in 1 Kings 22 for the prophet Micaiah. 
The prophet who speak truth when 450 prophets spoke lies.
Samuel is because we asked the Lord for him (1 Samuel 1:27).
Lee after his Grandpa Beute.

We met Makai and took him home Feb. 19.

The first time Makai looked at us he just quietly and intently studied us.  It was precious.  He still does it today.  Each new person he meets he studies them before he smiles at them.

First look at Makai!

In love with our new baby brother!

Makai is 3 months old!

Makai and his cousin Josie

There is a snap shot of almost six months of Makai's life - he'll be six months the end of this week!  We thank God for him everyday!  He is a sweet, content, loving baby.  We all adore him!  He fills our lives with joy.  Sometimes when I am holding him I tear up thinking of the miracle he is and how precious he is to me.  

Makai loves touch and to touch us.  He holds our finger while he has his bottle or touches our face.  By the way he loves his bottle!  He wants to eat our food when we eat - especially the cone of our ice cream cone!  He rolls, sits, plays with toys and best of all is his laugh.  He is funny because he often grunts and growls when he talks.  He can be very serious but once he knows you he is very smilely.  He loves his sisters and brother.  I am thankful for all the help I have taking care of Makai!  He is a good baby.  He sleeps all night - most nights.  He has been many places now and takes lots of walks with us.  He loves being in the carrier.  Overall he is an easy going baby which is perfect for the last born.  He has grown and changed so fast so we are trying to take it all in and treasure each day with him.

Thank you for celebrating Makai with us!  We are privileged to be chosen to be Makai's family.  We hope to finalize the adoption in the next month or two, then we can get his birth certificate and then work on getting him a passport.  For now we are just loving our sweet baby!  Thanks for all your prayers in the adoption process.

Discouraged

We continue to need your prayers as we are feeling attacked and discouraged.  

This week started by losing Lydia's driving permit the day she was supposed to start her segment 2 of drivers ed and take her driver's test.  We only keep the permit in two places and Josh takes very careful care of the permit.  We looked everywhere.  Sectary of State is so backed up we can't get an appointment til the end of July to get a new permit.  Then Josh and Lydia got to the class (to explain and see what could be done) and the class was canceled without notifying anyone or telling them why.  Needless to say, we were a bit stressed by it all and felt very bad for Lydia.

Then Tuesday we got an email saying our court date for Makai was canceled.  Two weeks ago we finally got a court date, June 19, after waiting an extra two and a half months because courts were closed.  We were very excited to get the termination letter, share pictures of Makai, go out of state, and move forward in the process.  And now it is back to waiting.  The hard part is it is all because of a mistake by the court.  They put it on the wrong judge's schedule.  Now we have are rescheduled for July 22.  

And then Wednesday came and Josh had to preach for an online service on Sunday night and when he finished recording his legs began to ache terribly.  He wasn't up to par all week but by Wednesday night we thought he was getting sick.  He was never down in bed but slept a lot more, ached and began to cough a little.  Thursday was our 21st anniversary so we grilled a nice meal and ate on the porch together.  That night Josh had a fever so we decided we needed to get him checked out on Friday.  He was supposed to preach Sunday morning (in person) so he needed to know that it was not Covid.

Saturday we were getting ready to go camping for a week and the kids were SUPER excited.  We checked for the test results one more time before we left and it was positive for the Corona virus.  We were shocked - in a bad way.  He only had a low grade fever, a dry cough that sounds like his allergies, and he was improving a little each day.  Our kids cried when they heard the news and knew we couldn't go camping - worse yet we'd have to be quarantined for two weeks.  Josh cried with them.  It was not a good moment, again.  

It just feels like everything keeps getting taken away from us.  Anytime something good comes it is takes away.  And more isolation given in return.  We feel very attacked by the enemy to discourage us.  It just stinks, hurts, makes you mad...it is too much sometimes. 

I know God is with us and for us, I just hurt right now.  I know we have victory in Christ, but it is a choice to believe it right now.  I am thankful Josh is ok and we are all well, it can just be lonely in the hard times.  I don't know really what to say.  I just need to know people know and are praying for us. 

Pray for our kids. They are all worried about Josh and feel bad for him. Emalai already has lots of tummy aches from anxiety and even more today. She just wants to give daddy a hug. She said she feels better when she is close to me. It's the saddest thing to see them all give him his Father's Day cards while crying.  Grace said to me that she is going to stop looking forward to things because they all just get taken away anyways.  It's so sad that for the second time they can't see their grandparents, family, friends and do things they look forward to in Michigan.

After six days of quarantine and Josh trying to stay isolated from us in his office, we are all feeling well but a bit down too.  Having Covid and being quarantined is a funny feeling.  It sometimes feel surreal what we are going through.  I find myself processing what has happened.  It isn't nice to feel like you are contagious - like I am bad so stay away.  Isolation seems silly when we were together all last week.  Josh is suppose to stay in his office and we are suppose to set food by his door.  We are doing our best but we all need Daddy!  I find myself now questioning every little ache or pain wondering if it is symptom.  Last week I would have though nothing of the very same ache or pain but now it causes worry.  I really don't like how a virus has changed our world and us.  We use to just get sick, stay home, get better and go on with life.  I world of masks, distancing and fear is not living.  Just think how many ways the enemy has uses this pandemic.  Fear, isolation, sickness, death, division...these are not God's ways.  And then the evil one got every church in America to close!  (Not to mention abortion clinics could remain open and all party stores were essential.  Talk about a plan from the enemy!)  I know people will say yes but then there was church in very home.  It is just not the same.  We were made for community, unity.  It isn't right that so many of our church still have closed door.  We have lived in fear.  (Says the one with Covid in her house.)  I see the enemy at work.  Thanks be to God that His will will be done and He will receive the glory!

Like I said we need your prayer in our time of discouragement.  We came to Michigan for healing for our family and it seems all we get is more hardships.  Our hope and trust are in the Lord who is our Healer.

Trying to have fun quarantined.

Bought our own pool since we can't go to one right now.

Pictures from Michigan

Just a few pictures from the lockdown in Michigan.  I can't share many because we cannot yet post pictures of our precious baby Makai.  (Soon, I hope!)  When we aren't doing homeschool or playing family games, we try to get out and enjoy the beauty of Michigan.  It hasn't always been warm enough but we take advantage of the sunny days.  Keeps us sane in the midst of hard times.

Thanks to friends at church getting us bikes, we have enjoyed a few family bike rides. 

It is tulip time in Holland, MI. Since the festival is cancelled this year we can enjoy the attractions and beauty for free.

Wild flowers on a walk with cousins.

Using lots of imagination playing at home.  Luka and Emalai went hunting.

We've been to Lake Michigan a couple times to look for rocks and take a walk.

Day in the wood.

A couple snowy days back in April - Beautiful but Brrr!

Luka and his dad got a turkey in April!

The kids make a craft/art/play/sometimes school room downstairs.
Luka made the fort and the fish aquarium on the wall.

More tulips!

Cousins!

Our kids helped Grandpa spread mulch the other day.  It was their first time ever mulching and they thought it was great.  Lydia said, "Mom, take a picture of us African kids doing something so American!"  (Oops, I didn't even take that picture! :) )

How are we doing?

I am not sure how to begin this blog, but I have been asked if we are ok seeing I haven't written in a while.  I have been writing a blog in my head for the last few weeks.  I want to start by saying I am not trying to complain but need to be real and I desire to share.  And over all things, I do trust God and put my faith in Him.  He is in control. He is trustworthy and true. I desire His will above all for His glory.  I know this, I just have feelings to navigate too.  This is when faith needs to be an action. 

With that said, the last six weeks have been really hard.  We came to Michigan the end of January to get help and healing for our family.  Just over a month later the corona virus took away all the help we needed.  The loss we are experiencing is on top of months of hardship.  We are sad - grieving.  I want to scream, "It's not fair!"  We need school, family, friends, church, activities...for our healing.  Seems the enemy's arrows keep coming our way.  So thankful we are victorious children of God!  I feel the heaviness of months of hardship and it leaves me quite empty.

Being missionaries adds another level of loss.  Living in a village, we are used to being alone and having a quiet life, but we look forward to a change and special things when we are in Michigan.  It was all taken away.  There is no next year for our kids for school, Gems/Cadets, sports, friends, family, Spring Break and Easter here.  We are thankful to be in a very nice house for lockdown, but it is not our home, our things.  For some people this lockdown has slowed down their lives, I feel like ours got busier with homeschooling four children and taking care of a newborn.  I don't really do anything or go anywhere but school, baby, games, a walk outdoors IF the weather is nice and meals seem to fill each day.

We are also concerned for our friends, church, ministry partners...our "family" in Uganda.  They have hard lives everyday and now with the lockdown, threats of the virus and locust plague they could seriously suffer.  We miss them and our home.  Just this week my friend and neighbor gave birth to twins - one dead and one alive.  I want to be there for them, with them.  It makes me feel very far away.  We are stuck in Michigan on many levels.  We are still healing, all boarders are closed with the pandemic, and courts are closed so the adoption finalization is on hold.  There are so many unknowns.

I realize that we are safe, healthy and even in a comfortable place and I am thankful for these blessings.  I acknowledge that our trials are not as big as the suffering some people are experiencing with the corona virus.  However, I have learned that though our suffering is smaller it is still real and it still hurts.

As I watch all that is happening with the virus and lockdown, I am hit with different thoughts.  I am thankful people have to slow down, be with their families, and depend on God.  But that is our lives every day on the mission field.  I don't say that in a prideful way.    I guess maybe people here can understand a little bit more how we feel as missionaries through this lockdown.  On the mission field you are isolated, don't have all the conveniences, there isn't really entertainment or extras, no, you can't be with your extended family, you miss out on things, lonely, homeschooling, uncertainties, learn to really depend on God when everything else is taken away, learn to trust God in new ways...  I also see how America sees safety and comfort as a right.  Having lived overseas and having traveled for almost 20 years now, I can tell you a lot of the world is not like that.  Much of the world is more familiar with suffering, hardships and survival.  Here in America we are want safety and to be comfortable at all costs.  Ok, we all do and it is human nature, but so many don't have that privilege.  I know there is wisdom in how our leaders and all of us reacted to the virus, but much was also motivated by fear.  

Let me end by answering some of your questions about Uganda.  There are 53 cases of covid 19 in Uganda (as of mid April).  The number of confirmed cases is so low because there is no way most of the population can be tested.  Most will just be sick, be misdiagnosed, or die from it and other sicknesses without knowing. The government put everyone on lockdown.  All borders are shut down so no one can come or go.  No movement of vehicles private or public.  They have now lifted the lockdown slightly.  A motorcycle can be on the road until 2:00 p.m.  No passengers allowed.  Ministry has also come to a halt for the most part.  Seems to be affecting everyone.  Unfortunately, many people view this as a disease foreigners have brought to Uganda so there has been incidents with mobs forming outside the homes of expats.  Things sound pretty tense there right now.

We are very concerned and praying for everyone we love in Uganda.  The medical care in Uganda is very poor so if this virus spreads, then there is no help or hope, except hope in God.  People there are already vulnerable and malnourished so it could mean death to many.  People live day to day there so if they are not allowed to work and get money they don't eat.  Things could get very serious and very desperate.  Prices have gone up and people aren't allowed to do daily market as usual.  People there live outside and in community everyday so the virus could spread rapidly.  The good thing is it is hot there, the population is mostly under 16, and Covid 19 doesn't seem to be affecting malaria areas as badly as it does other regions.    

It is difficult to understand how hard it would be to be in lockdown in Uganda.  Most of our friends live in a house the size of one of our rooms, made of mud bricks, dirt floors, and thatch or metal roof, and is shared by many people.  There are no extras, pleasures, or entertainment.  There are no refrigerators.  There is no stocking up.  You have to go to the bore hole to get water each day.  In some ways our friends are used to suffering each day, in other ways their suffering has just increased.  We know it is hard here with all that is happening, but life is always hard there and they have very few resources.   

The good news is that the FIC teachers were given permission to get and deliver soap to the prisons where they teach.  The government official in Soroti was so pleased he sent a letter telling the government what a good job FIC is doing.  The FIC radio teachers were also able to change from Saturday evening teaching to Sunday mornings so they can continue to teach.  

Please pray with us for our village, friends who are like family to us, for the church, Freedom in Christ teachers, the students of FIC, prisoners we work with, and missionaries there.  

Thank you for listening, caring and praying for our family at this time.

P.S.  Makai is doing great!  He is 10 weeks old now.  He is a very good baby!  We are sad we can't share him in pictures - because courts are closed and we haven't gotten the termination papers yet - or in person because of covid-19.  We have gotten a lot of wonderful bonding time with him.  He is showered with love daily by our family.  We are so thankful for our sweet baby boy!  More on Makai to come soon Lord willing...