Before God began to place COTP on our hearts, Rob and I were living in Orange City, IA with our four kiddos Gracie (7), Karys (6), Addyson (3), and Tobias (1). Rob had been working with Trinity Reformed Church and had served as the Director of Student Ministries for the past 6 years. I had most recently been employed at Northwestern College and was serving as the Nursing Laboratory Coordinator. I had also taught anatomy labs at Dordt College and worked as a nurse during the years we lived in Southern California in the Neonatal Intensive Care Nursery, Newborn Nursery and Postpartum Women's Care. Rob and I have been married for 11 years. We met when we were in high school and our home churches both went on the same RCA mission trip the summer of 97 to Philippi, West Virgina. Rob attended Dordt College and graduated with a degree in youth ministry, while my education has been a little more colorful and has included 2 years at Northwestern College, 2 years at Northwest Iowa Community College, and 3 years at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, Ca--leaving me with a Bachelors in Biology and an Associates degree in Nursing.
it is hard to abbreviate our journey that God has had us on to lead us to Children of the Promise. God has been so clear and so present in all the details! It began with feeling led to adopt. I had read a little boy's profile that a friend posted on her Facebook page, and felt very compelled to respond. We began the very earliest conversations about what it would like like for us to add this little one to our family. As we walked through that process, both sides realized that this was not a good idea. However, this is how God opened the door and our hearts to COTP. Two to Three weeks later I came across a posting on the COTP Facebook page "advertising" for a nurse and a property manager--I am a nurse, my hubby is NOT a property manager :) From here we entered into conversations with Jamie to "explore" the possibility of life for our family of 6 in Haiti. God then opened the door for us to travel down to visit Haiti in January of 2012 during a time where Jamie just happened to be visiting. During our time we were able to have many conversations about where and if we would fit at COTP. We talked through why we didn't think we were house parents and where we saw need at COTP that fit with our giftings and our passions. All the while not really realizing the deep passion that God was growing for COTP, the kiddos, and Haiti.
We are so excited to move our family down to Haiti in 6 days! We are also really looking forward to the new roles that await us. Rob refers to his role as being the "campus pastor". Rob's role above all else is to be about people; he will function as a facilitator for meetings and discussions and be intentional about connecting with each staff member on a weekly basis, and commit to praying for and encouraging people. As he learns more and more Creole Rob will also have a very similar role to play with the Haitian staff of COTP as well. I will be serving as a nurse alongside Sheila. My goal at first will be to learn, learn, learn from Sheila and grasp what baby health care at COTP looks like. Through this I hope to be able to find ways to take some of the weight off Sheila's shoulders and provide her with breathing room to not only do her job, but also to have personal time. Sheila is BRILLIANT and I am thrilled to be partnering with her to better love and care for the health of all the kiddos at COTP
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