On May 13, 2008, we found out from Jim Ramstad's office that our case had been denied. They were unable to find out the reason. That will be revealed in the "official" denial letter that they are mailing. We have not received it yet.
Please pray with us as we decide what we should do moving forward and our next steps.
Naomi, Nana, and Martin
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Where's our case?
Just a quick update - our case has been "taken off the shelf" and is being "worked" (words in quotes were used by Margaret in Jim Ramstad's office). Margaret also told us that since it was "found" on March 10, it would take about 30 days to process. She said "check back the week of April 7." I ask that everyone be praying between now and then that our appeal is granted and Nana can come back. We are planning to leave for Ghana on April 14. What a miracle it would be to have an answer before we leave. We will be returning on May 15. Join us in praying!!
Naomi, Martin and Nana
Naomi, Martin and Nana
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Bring Nana Home!
God is good and his mercies are new every morning! Since I last wrote on the blog, Nana (Freddy) was able to meet with Sandra Davis, MDA's CEO. They had a great time eating dinner together in Accra, Ghana while she was there on a vision trip for a non-profit she's affiliated with. That was a tremendous encouragement to both of us.
Since then, she made a phone call to Jim Ramstad's office in Minnesota. He is a legislator for MN. His caseworker, Margaret, started working on the case when I followed up. I sent her a release of information, and she started making phone calls to Washington DC, where our case resides in the Admin Appeals office.
Margaret was able to find out that our case had been "on a shelf" and was now being looked into. This new is huge in light of the fact that we haven't been able to find out case status since 2006. We are now praying that our appeal is passed through and approved. This would allow Nana's status to be changed so that he can return to the U.S.
Not only that, Martin is potty training!! He has had two days of wearing his Spiderman underwear. Praise God! :)
That's why I started with the verse - God's mercies are new every morning. What a journey we are on. My friends and I have dubbed 2008 our "Year of Hope." God is not done. I don't know what the decision will be but I know that God is just beginning a work in and through us.
We are planning a four-week trip to Ghana in April. Let's pray that we find out a decision before then.
Since then, she made a phone call to Jim Ramstad's office in Minnesota. He is a legislator for MN. His caseworker, Margaret, started working on the case when I followed up. I sent her a release of information, and she started making phone calls to Washington DC, where our case resides in the Admin Appeals office.
Margaret was able to find out that our case had been "on a shelf" and was now being looked into. This new is huge in light of the fact that we haven't been able to find out case status since 2006. We are now praying that our appeal is passed through and approved. This would allow Nana's status to be changed so that he can return to the U.S.
Not only that, Martin is potty training!! He has had two days of wearing his Spiderman underwear. Praise God! :)
That's why I started with the verse - God's mercies are new every morning. What a journey we are on. My friends and I have dubbed 2008 our "Year of Hope." God is not done. I don't know what the decision will be but I know that God is just beginning a work in and through us.
We are planning a four-week trip to Ghana in April. Let's pray that we find out a decision before then.
Monday, December 3, 2007
The CEO Goes to Ghana
I work for a consulting firm (http://www.mdaleadership.com/). We provide leadership consulting for companies around a variety of issues. Our CEO is Sandra Davis. A few months ago she came to me and said "I'm going to Ghana."
I had shared our story with Sandra...how my husband was stuck in Ghana with an immigration issue that had already taken him away for two years while we wait for it to be resolved. She was empathetic and a good listener. However, she was about to take it to another level.
We had coffee and she talked about her trip. She told me about how she serves on the board for a non-profit organization that works in third world countries, and provides macro loans mostly to women to start businesses. She was going to tour some of the work that was being done in Ghana. Of all the countries - they work in many countries and areas of the world. It just happened to be in Ghana. I don't believe in "happenstance" - I knew this was "providence."
She offered that she had a bit of time and could meet with Nana, my husband, while in Ghana. I was apprehensive. Would it work out? Were we worthy of the visit of someone who was so well-connected? Someone who was regarded as a thought-leader in our industry? Someone who was hard to get time on her calendar?
But God was in control - and He had a plan for this meeting. I helped coordinate their schedules and they met on Saturday, December 1st at her hotel. My husband assured me that he was right on time. :) He took her to a very nice restaurant where they ate local fare. Thinking he'd get maybe an hour, they spent almost 3 hours together talking.
I know that God sent Sandra Davis to Ghana to view the work being done by her non-profit, but we were blessed tremendously by her willingness to bless us in this way with her time. I have been praising God for such a gift. My experience at MDA has really been a divinely appointed job as I transitioned from Nana here to him being away for the past two years.
Praise God for His Goodness!
I had shared our story with Sandra...how my husband was stuck in Ghana with an immigration issue that had already taken him away for two years while we wait for it to be resolved. She was empathetic and a good listener. However, she was about to take it to another level.
We had coffee and she talked about her trip. She told me about how she serves on the board for a non-profit organization that works in third world countries, and provides macro loans mostly to women to start businesses. She was going to tour some of the work that was being done in Ghana. Of all the countries - they work in many countries and areas of the world. It just happened to be in Ghana. I don't believe in "happenstance" - I knew this was "providence."
She offered that she had a bit of time and could meet with Nana, my husband, while in Ghana. I was apprehensive. Would it work out? Were we worthy of the visit of someone who was so well-connected? Someone who was regarded as a thought-leader in our industry? Someone who was hard to get time on her calendar?
But God was in control - and He had a plan for this meeting. I helped coordinate their schedules and they met on Saturday, December 1st at her hotel. My husband assured me that he was right on time. :) He took her to a very nice restaurant where they ate local fare. Thinking he'd get maybe an hour, they spent almost 3 hours together talking.
I know that God sent Sandra Davis to Ghana to view the work being done by her non-profit, but we were blessed tremendously by her willingness to bless us in this way with her time. I have been praising God for such a gift. My experience at MDA has really been a divinely appointed job as I transitioned from Nana here to him being away for the past two years.
Praise God for His Goodness!
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Spiritual Cosmetic Surgery
I'd love to have cosmetic surgery. A big cut here, a little cut there. And voile - the new and improved Naomi. However, I've watched a couple of shows where surgery happens - and the participants come out looking like they were on the wrong side of Mike Tyson's fist. They're moaning and in great pain...and I change my mind and say - I'm ok with all of this. :)
But there's another type of surgery - surgery at the steady hand of the Great Surgeon. 2007 has been my year of surgery. At the beginning of the year, I was pulled forward to the altar at Sanctuary (http://www.sanctuarycovenant.org/). Pastor Efrem Smith was preaching about how God "cuts" us - and though it's painful, in the end, it's needed. I went forward and said "God cut things out of my life that are dysfunctional. Make me into a godly woman. Teach me how to work through hard things rather than working around them."
I didn't know what I was saying at the time. Since then, God showed me that there is a great need to push through conflict rather than retreating from it. He's shown me that He is taking care of me. I don't have control over things - but I don't need to. He will show me the path He has for me - in my family, with my husband returning from Ghana, as a mother, as a sister, as a colleague at work. But the passage through 2007 was the most painful I have ever seen. Hours of tears, Bible reading, focus on working through conflict...it seemed that I would recover from one thing, and another issue would be headed my way.
I haven't arrived - I'm still a work in progress. But I can slowly see how God is shaping my story - he's cutting me and it's really painful. But in the end, it will be beautiful. It's just getting through the recovery period - and not giving up on it. It's waiting on God and allowing him to remove the bandages slowly. Sometimes the healing isn't done so the bandages are placed lovingly back on.
My healing isn't done - my bandages still exist. But God is working in and through me to create a more beautiful me - on the inside.
But there's another type of surgery - surgery at the steady hand of the Great Surgeon. 2007 has been my year of surgery. At the beginning of the year, I was pulled forward to the altar at Sanctuary (http://www.sanctuarycovenant.org/). Pastor Efrem Smith was preaching about how God "cuts" us - and though it's painful, in the end, it's needed. I went forward and said "God cut things out of my life that are dysfunctional. Make me into a godly woman. Teach me how to work through hard things rather than working around them."
I didn't know what I was saying at the time. Since then, God showed me that there is a great need to push through conflict rather than retreating from it. He's shown me that He is taking care of me. I don't have control over things - but I don't need to. He will show me the path He has for me - in my family, with my husband returning from Ghana, as a mother, as a sister, as a colleague at work. But the passage through 2007 was the most painful I have ever seen. Hours of tears, Bible reading, focus on working through conflict...it seemed that I would recover from one thing, and another issue would be headed my way.
I haven't arrived - I'm still a work in progress. But I can slowly see how God is shaping my story - he's cutting me and it's really painful. But in the end, it will be beautiful. It's just getting through the recovery period - and not giving up on it. It's waiting on God and allowing him to remove the bandages slowly. Sometimes the healing isn't done so the bandages are placed lovingly back on.
My healing isn't done - my bandages still exist. But God is working in and through me to create a more beautiful me - on the inside.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Baby Talk
Ada! Aba! I heard these sounds over and over from Martin. In the past, he's enjoyed pretending to be a baby for fun or playtime. However, this was getting annoying!
Frustrated, I told him, "Martin, you're a big boy! Stop talking babytalk!" He just looked at me like I had lost my mind. After about a week of it, and my frustration with his new "babytalking," a lightbulb came on in my head. He's not babytalking. He's learning a language!
As we had set things up with our new babysitter, I made sure that she would teach Martin my husband's language, Twi. She speaks that language and a few other tribal languages, but she said that she would be sure to do that. (Theresa is from Ghana!)
As I spoke to my husband and imitated the sounds Martin was making, he immediately knew he was learning Twi! By the time we're reunited with Nana in Ghana, Martin will be able to have some "babytalk" conversations with his daddy.
What a blessing that we have a Ghanaian babysitter for Martin so he can keep the contact with Nana indirectly.
- Naomi
Frustrated, I told him, "Martin, you're a big boy! Stop talking babytalk!" He just looked at me like I had lost my mind. After about a week of it, and my frustration with his new "babytalking," a lightbulb came on in my head. He's not babytalking. He's learning a language!
As we had set things up with our new babysitter, I made sure that she would teach Martin my husband's language, Twi. She speaks that language and a few other tribal languages, but she said that she would be sure to do that. (Theresa is from Ghana!)
As I spoke to my husband and imitated the sounds Martin was making, he immediately knew he was learning Twi! By the time we're reunited with Nana in Ghana, Martin will be able to have some "babytalk" conversations with his daddy.
What a blessing that we have a Ghanaian babysitter for Martin so he can keep the contact with Nana indirectly.
- Naomi
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
London? Or Minneapolis?
The weather has been grey for days, maybe weeks. Where did the sun go? I feel like I was transported to London and didn't know it. I wish that would happen - I'd much rather be touring London. ;)
Have you ever tried to shop with a toddler? Last night Martin and I tried the endeavor of shopping. We hit Fleet Farm, Gap, Old Navy...thank God I got myself a depth charge (a regular coffee with two shots of espresso - for the hard core drinkers). Our mission: to find a coat and snowpants for a 2-year-old under the price of $50. Do you realize just how hard that is?
With toddler in tow, I hit Fleet Farm (it's like a big farm store with clothes). No coats there under $50 - so we leave and the buzzer sounds. The security woman comes over to check things out. I desperately hope the toddler didn't take anything. No, it's my work badge. Thank God. As I'm talking to the woman, my toddler runs to the big green lawnmower. I hope that he doesn't run out of the store. Whew - I look and he's still there. I'm flustered and dragging him out, while he screams to go back on the big, green lawnmower. We have a talk in the car about good behavior. He smiles sweetly and says "Sorry Mama." Uh huh.
We hit Old Navy and finally Gap. Still nothing under $50. Martin wets his pants. I pull my hair out waiting to check out (we found shoes though!) with the woman in front of me who decides not to use the coupon after her $150 purchase. I march over to adult Gap. Martin runs and hides, giggling. I drag him back, check out with the "Poor you" looks of the checkout girls, get to the car, change him to the new pants from soaked pants, and sit there for a minute.
The moral of the story: Don't shop with your 2-year-old after work. :)
Have you ever tried to shop with a toddler? Last night Martin and I tried the endeavor of shopping. We hit Fleet Farm, Gap, Old Navy...thank God I got myself a depth charge (a regular coffee with two shots of espresso - for the hard core drinkers). Our mission: to find a coat and snowpants for a 2-year-old under the price of $50. Do you realize just how hard that is?
With toddler in tow, I hit Fleet Farm (it's like a big farm store with clothes). No coats there under $50 - so we leave and the buzzer sounds. The security woman comes over to check things out. I desperately hope the toddler didn't take anything. No, it's my work badge. Thank God. As I'm talking to the woman, my toddler runs to the big green lawnmower. I hope that he doesn't run out of the store. Whew - I look and he's still there. I'm flustered and dragging him out, while he screams to go back on the big, green lawnmower. We have a talk in the car about good behavior. He smiles sweetly and says "Sorry Mama." Uh huh.
We hit Old Navy and finally Gap. Still nothing under $50. Martin wets his pants. I pull my hair out waiting to check out (we found shoes though!) with the woman in front of me who decides not to use the coupon after her $150 purchase. I march over to adult Gap. Martin runs and hides, giggling. I drag him back, check out with the "Poor you" looks of the checkout girls, get to the car, change him to the new pants from soaked pants, and sit there for a minute.
The moral of the story: Don't shop with your 2-year-old after work. :)
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