Schwalk Family Update

Hello all,

We just wanted to touch base with all of our friends and family and let you know the exciting adventures our family is involved in.  As most of you know, Kim and I have felt the calling from God to reach outside of our family and bring children into it.  We started the adoption process back in September of 2011 looking for which direction God was sending us.  We prayed over it a lot and the resounding answer we kept getting was a local adoption through CPS/Foster System. 

            We found an organization that really grabbed us in October called Arrow Child and Family Ministries, and began the process of joining with them on our search for the child/children that God has set aside for us.  After all the classes we had to attend and all the background checks, we are still waiting on the State Inspections so we can be ready to go when we find our children.  We thought we were going to be in a holding pattern until everything was completed, however God had better plans.

From April 1^st through April 4^th, we got the opportunity to help out a foster mom that needed to go out of town for work through something they call respite.  For those that have not heard of respite, it’s pretty much foster care for a short period of time.  We had the wonderful opportunity to watch two beautiful 3-month-old twins.  Even though we did not get much sleep during that time, we were able to be there for not only the kids, but were also able to let the foster mom go take care of her job responsibilities without having to worry about the kids she has had since they were 11 days old.

          
Even though we are being blessed by God for letting us do this for him, we kept feeling that he had bigger plans for us while we wait on his timing.  This is where the fun really has started lately.  On March 24^th, we were able to join with others in our church and around the area to help an organization called Feed One to package enough meals to feed over 270,000 children in Zambia in just a few hours.  It just blew us away seeing what a little over 1,000 people can accomplish with just giving up a little bit of their time.  This got our Adult Bible Fellowship (ABF) class thinking what more can we do.  The answer God has given us:  Go to Guatemala and help my children in need.

       
   Wow.  Guatemala? Are you sure there is nothing here that needs to be done? Hmm.  OK Lets go.  That is the conversation that went on in my head for about 30 seconds once I heard the calling.  However we don’t know how God will provide everything that we need to do his calling.  We have partnered with an Orphanage just outside of Guatemala City and will be heading down there to help add on to the existing structure from July 21^st through the 26^th.  This orphanage sadly has had to turn children away right now because they do not have the room to accommodate the need in the area.  The problem is that the orphanage does not have the money to complete the needed additions.  That’s where God has tasked our ABF group to help out as well.  We feel that God wants us to come up with the money we will need to complete his work.  The problem we have is its $20,000 plus the expense for all of us to get down there. 

 
         That’s were I hope you can help us out.  There is no way we can pull off Gods work for us without help.  My hope is that you will pray for us as we follow Gods calling, and also pray if God is calling you to help out in any way.  I know that we all have our daily vices that we spend money on.  It could be our morning coffee from Starbucks, our $10 we spend on lunch each day, or the Restaurant that we go to for dinner.  What I am asking you to do is ask God if he needs you go drink Folders Coffee for a while, bring a ham sandwich for lunch, or spend less on the dinner you have at night.  I know this can be hard and a little bit of an inconvenience, but if this is something that God is calling you to do, then think of what He can accomplish with it.  Any help that you can give will be greatly appreciated and put toward Gods calling in this area. Donations can be made straight to Kim and I, or you can make them out to First Baptist Church Burleson and earmark them for the trip to Guatemala if you would like a Tax Donation slip.  

I look forward to seeing how God will use all of us in this ministry and we will keep you updated as things unfold.

                                                                                                         
  God Bless,
 The Schwalk Family