the sweet moments...

Junior was so sweet today...he didn't work...so he did dishes, laundry and now he is making dinner.... i love how we share the daily tasks of life...

but my favorite part today was when he sang this song, while i was making us some salsa...

God will make a way

Where there seems to be no way

He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me

He will be my guide

Hold me closely to His side

With love and strength

For each new day

He will make a way

He will make a way

By a roadway in the wilderness

He'll lead me

And rivers in the desert will I see

Heaven and earth will fade

But His Word will still remain

He will do something new today

Junior knew what a roller coaster of emotions i have been on today and how exhausted i am because of it all. i think he knew how much i needed to hear it. i think its the biggest smile i had all day, hearing him sang this song by Don Moen. What a good man God gave me....

in a funk...

So if you have read the previous post about the marketplace closing you might get why i am in a funk... click here read about it closing.

it's really draining all these different emotions raging throughout my spirit...going from, depressed, excited, full of visions for the possibilities ahead to confused, frustrated and a bit mad....

really feeling a lack of direction in all of it....as we believe God has plans for it and people have expressed interest in keeping it open...it seems everyday there is a new idea or plan for this place....and all my emotions are making me extremely exhausted.

i know Gods got this.... for He declares in Jer 29:11 the plans he has for me, not to harm but to prosper and give hope... He declares His goodness....working all things together for good to those that love Him... and OH how i LOVE Him!!!!

so i know good things are in store...but in being drained by all the emotions i often want to run away... specifically to Kansas City, where my family and closest of friends are...my home...my first home....don't get me wrong i love Georgia, i love Haiti, and i LOVE LOVE LOVE where ever i am and junior is there, but the idea of being in Kansas City makes me feel so safe and secure....but going there would not be going there out of obedience to God so I know its probably not the right idea...

as of right now the plan is for me to stay on MUCH staff as a missionary of course...doing things stateside somewhere in Georgia...

there will still be lots to do:

• communicating with all the donors that will still partner with much ministries
• fundraising and marketing the things that we will be doing (trade school, possible intern program and marketable products from Haiti)
• sending emails and updates on what's happening in the ministry
• keeping the website up to date (thanks to my webmaster- Jon)
• even moving forward with marketable Haiti good- delivery and relations with buyers/sellers of these products

however i will most likely need to start raising support to continue being a missionary for MUCH...not sure what this will look like, but we are pretty sure they will not be able to pay.

Granted we have been SUPER blessed and i have no doubt God will take care of this!

but not only is the market place going to be gone, but they will sell their property with their home, maybe rent it out...not really sure, but junior & i have been blessed to live their on the property in a SWEET cottage so we might have to find a new place to live...but all of it is up in the air...

the unknown, the transition, the in between... it is a hard place to be...

i do believe it is often where we learn and grow the most...but it is draining to be on a roller coaster ride... i have even felt a bit sick to my stomach at times...

but its a process and i pray that i am walking in grace...and the moments that i lack the grace to give, my Father in heaven has grace for me...and for that i am forever thankful... PRAISE THE LORD!

so there you have my heart and my funk... somehow it works together... and GOD will make it for the good... He's just that COOL!

Lots of changes ahead

Many things are about to change around here.... please keep us in your prayers....MUCH is about to restructure and change is so many ways, but has Kathy says..."God has a twinkle in her eyes"

here is a letter she has written to share with everyone that have walked this journey and been a part of it... i share it with you because you have walked with us as well.

Dear Friends,

We have been approaching this day for many years.

Over eight years ago we encountered the nation of Haiti and our hearts were taken captive by the Love of God for this place.

At that time we asked if we could sell everything we have and move. We thought we were ready. God clearly spoke to us and said, not now....in seven years. Seven years seemed like an eternity at that time ... but being a little bit seasoned in faith...we knew obedience even when we don't understand, is always smart!

What we did not know at that time was that GOd had much to do to prepare us , much to teach us, and many ways planned to s t r e t c h our faith. He has run a very good school! We are at a place now to believe Him for MUCh bigger things than ever before!

MUCH ministries was started to house this living community of comrades on this journey together: The Marketplace in Wayneville has been our base.

We began the Marketplace with a two-fold directive:

· Continue to support missions and raise awareness of the needs in Haiti

· and Use the Marketplace as a way to reach the community of Brantley County , and help those in need right here at home

What a B E A U T I F U L journey is has been. We wouldn't trade a single day !

Love has been painted all over the building, into every piece of plumbing, dry wall, air vent and concrete floor. We invested all that we are and have reaped a great reward..we have seen the King of glory walk through the doors and love the broken, hold the mourning, feed the hungry, supply the needs of the needy, listen to the lonely , teach the teachable, dance , sing , paint and strategize for nations! We have entertained some angels for certain and some angels have entertained us !

Now is the day. It is time for MUCH ministries to become a Haiti focused mission. It is time for Beaver and Kathy ( and Rebecca of course ! ) to make our home in Haiti. (the boys will join us at times as well! ) MUCH already has three missionaries serving in Gonaives, with more to follow this fall. And one, Casey Nichols, headed to Africa this summer. We will continue to operate as MUCH ministries with Natasha Jovin remaining here to run operations and continue to minister locally.

What this means for the Marketplace in Waynesville is that it is time for it to change hands. We feel like God has a new plan for this space that has been so carefully crafted in His presence. The actual building and land (2 acres) is up for sale...(our landlord has had it for sale pretty much the entire time we have been leasing from him ) but he has recently dropped the price significantly. So we are thinking GOd has something in the works to get the next right thing into this space.

We , along with our Board, our friends, our staff count it a privilege to have occupied this space and planted ( literally) so very many seeds here. So many good seeds have been planted INTO us as well.

Our plans as of right now are to take the month of May to wind down the Marketplace. We will remain open usual business hours through May 15^th and then we will post our OPEN hours as it becomes clear what they need to be.

June – August we will be gearing up to make our move to Haiti.

Thank you for the role you have played in our lives …friends! We will greatly appreciate your prayers as we walk out this next step in the journey. May GOd richly bless you !!!

Grace and Peace!

Beaver and Kathy Brooks

FYI

I realized something today and i feel like i must apologize...

i seriously take no care of the grammar i put forth on this blog....see i treat it like my journal....i don't do that as much as i used to now that our world is so full of this machine called a computer....

i started journaling in the 6th grade...lets think...that means for 17 years i have journaled, here is the thing....i never focused on spelling, grammar or punctuation...i just write...it may not make sense to anyone except me...but i am OK with that....its really just good for me to write it out.... helps me process the things God is doing through the seasons of my life....

so yes reading my blogs must be hilarious at times as words are misspelled and .... is a regular period, but it is what it is...i figure not many read it so it doesn't matter all that much anyway.... this blog really is for me... since my paper journals are mainly for taking notes in church, time i spend with the Father and of course doodling.....

thanks for your grace it often shows how Gods grace is forever abundant...

Natalie

This girls got it... full of the kingdom... watch this....



what a challenge to live by... may my acts be extraordinary...

i am constantly reminded how honored i am to be one of the many people standing with the invisible children. what a blessing to get to be one of the anonymous extraordinaries behind the scene fighting the battle to end Kony's war...

i am so excited to see what God does from the 25 event- speak out without speaking- for more on this event click here...

1 step closer

Junior & i went to Orlando to renew his passport at the Haitian consulate there...the ladies that worked there were so wonderful...we somehow got into our story with them and they were so amazed....started speaking creole with me, laughing and such....granted i still missed a lot when they started talking over each other as Haitians are known to do...but it was a good experience and they were very helpful.

junior's passport will arrive in 7-10 days!!!

it was also a blessing because junior was able to see an old friend that now lives in Orlando. his friend, Robenson, from the neighborhood where he grew up...they both couldn't remember the last time they saw each other... it was a sweet reunion, so beautiful to see junior in that moment...

and he took me out for sushi....and he doesn't even like sushi...he's such a sport, so good to me!

so we are 1 step closer to Haiti... PTL (praise the LORD)

25-speak out with out speaking

As many of you know I try to always take the opportunity to be an activist when i can...especially with things that pull on my hearts strings... slavery in our world today is something that continually pulls on my heart and i continue to be broken over this injustice in our world....it is completely unacceptable that children are forced into being wifes, sex slaves, soldiers, you name it... no one should be forced and held against their own will...

many of you have heard of the invisible children (www.invisiblechildren.com)... they are a group that has started a movement and i am honored to say i have been able to be a part of it in many ways....

they focus on ending Africa's longest running war, the Lords Resistance Army, a rebel group made up of 90% children that have been abducted and taken away from their families, forced to kill or be killed.... it is horrindous and invisible children has been working the last 8 years to fight for peace and an end to this war of 25 years and i believe they wont stop until they do.

in 2005 they had the global night communte, in 2006 they had the dispace me event, in 2009 they had the rescue me and this year they are going to have 25....this event is 25 hours of silence to speak out against 25 years of war.... i know sounds confussing...how can you speak out with out speaking.... but this is how...you buy a kit which has a t-shirt and a neclance with 50 cards to carry explaining why you arent speaking...you also get to letters to write to your senaters and government officials to encourage them to end the war. then you make a fundraising page...this is where YOU come in.... click here to see my fundraising page & donate a few bucks to help end this war!

they are asking each participate to raise $25 dollars to help fund the protection plan. click here to see more on the protection plan.

here are a few videos to give you more of an idea about this war and about who invisible children are....

who we are video

global night communte: i got soul video

rescue me aftermath video

25 event details video

thanks for reading this and thanks for the ways in which you might participate to be an activist yourself!

God Bless you!
Natasha Jovin

ps-feel free to pass this on!

Greencard Appointment

It will be 7 weeks tomorrow since when we did our green card appointment up in Atlanta, a 5 hour drive from where we are in Georgia. We were blessed to be able to stay with Beaver's parents right outside of Atlanta in Marietta. They were so sweet to us, showing us their beautiful land full of life...plants flowers, projects...reminded me much of Beaver & Kathy now. His parents have been married over 50 years with a beautiful story that we were blessed to hear!

We left Monday after I closed the shop a bit early and headed to Marietta, spent the night there and the next morning traveled to the immigration office...i know there is a much fancier word for this building, but i cannot remember. we took with us a huge portable file folder thing filled with stuff we had been working on with our lawyer since August- 6 months worth and that's actually making really good time. it was funny junior was a bit nervous, even though he wouldn't admit it...i didn't feel nervous, but as i realized during the earthquake apparently i am a nervous pooper- lol-sorry for the TMI, but its simply the truth....so i didn't feel nervous, but i did feel like i had to go to the bathroom, even though i knew i really didn't.

oh and here is the side story you must know... our lawyer was not going to come with us, would be an extra $500 for us to do that and it was too much for our budget but the week before when we met with him to finalize things to make sure we were prepared...he said "oh by the way i have to be in Atlanta for another case so if you would like me to come i will be available, and it will only cost you a little over $100" we talked it over and figured it was probably a God thing....praise the Lord!

so back to the story...nervous pooper and man in denial enter the building excited and so ready to see God at work...we believe in the FAVOR He has placed upon this....

finally after waiting a bit- we go in with our lawyer.... who has told us it could take anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours depending on how your interviewer feels and probably how his day has gone so far.... however ours only took 10 minutes....

and YES we were APPROVED!!!! Holy Holy Holy!!!

it was great having our lawyer because i seriously have never had somebody ask so many questions, turn pages so fast, and check things off so fast in my life....by the time i found what he asked he had already asked 4 more questions and i was flustered...in fact at one point i corrected him on my birthday and said the wrong date...junior then corrected me with the right date and then our lawyer said..."way to know your wife's birthday junior" it was hilarious.... but having our lawyer there seriously was a blessing because the guy would ask a question and then our lawyer would say its on page such and such of the packet we sent you...so HUGE.....

Anyway we were able to share with the interviewer about much ministries and Haiti and a tiny bit of our heart...when we where leaving Junior encouraged the guy to go to our website and get involved...the guy asked why junior felt lead to do so...junior said well you had compassion on us, you seem like a man that would want to help those around him struggling and that he seemed like a generous and caring man... the man said he REALLY appreciated that....

we left feeling blessed and full of favor and honored to maybe give that interviewer a moment of peace and rest and vulnerability and positivity...as he may often be lied to and experience a lot of negativity....

it was good....

HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS.....TODAY....

WE RECEIVED THE GREEN CARD IN HAND! HOLY HOLY HOLY.....we are totally done for now....

in DEC. 2012 we will reconnect with our lawyer and start the process to get the 10year green card...this one expires in 2013....

NOW WE CAN GO TO HAITI!!!!!! PRAISE GOD!!! i cannot begin to tell you how ready my husband is to see his family there...its been more than 3 years....

we are so so so so excited....thanks to our Lord who always takes care of us.

thanks also to those that prayed for this situation we are ever so grateful!!!

love the jovin's!

a rambling of ...

hey everybody...or mom, manda & sarah beth...i know i haven't written on here in forever...but as probably know...the brooks...aka beaver & kathy have been out of the country...which mean... my role steps up in the market place and its busy busy busy...and also...sometimes i don't exactly know how to write about the things that are going on...

hard things, but also beautiful things....

Poutchino went back to Haiti...still don't know how in the world to write about this... just keep telling myself...Gods plan is better than any plan i could ever make...HE is always good!

junior & i...had our green card appointment in ATL... i think i wrote about this but i cant even remember...but if i haven't i know i need too.... good stuff...

we finally have a countdown to Haiti...

we are trying to repair his moms house in Haiti...i definitely need to write about this too...okay...just rambling...

one day i will get on here... promise.

may is grace be evident all throughout your day... peace to you...

25 Hours

I know that i am not consistently active with invisible children as much these days with everything going on at the market place as i work with much ministries...but this is so my heart... a big piece of it anyway...

these children need a safe place, these families need peace...and this war must stop....justice is calling... lets spread the word.

i have been involved in every single one of their events

2006 i helped organize the global night communite in Kansas City
2007 i participated in displace me in Kansas City
2009 i organized with the help of many a group to communite to the Tallahassee Rescue Me with Much Ministries...it was amazing!

this year...i plan to participate as well. please watch the video and join me...stand up for those that need us...we are one human family!

25 Event Details from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

Georgia Times Union

Check out this article that the GTU newspaper did on Poutchino... he's actually had a few stories written in newspapers already, but i think this one is the best so far...they did a really great job!

click HERE to read the story online!

on bended knee

So if you follow my blog at all you know the story of sweet joyful Poutchino...the boy of many miracles...

the last post i wrote about him was that we desperately were working to find a family for him...realizing the time of his visa was coming to an end...

we have worked hard...many people, especially Nancy Brickell... people have been making flyers...connecting with newspapers telling churches and friends, but most of all praying praying praying....


in the process there have been several families that have showed interest, but for the most part they arent procactive...or it wasnt a right fit...all probably God ordained...but it has been rough at times, wanting so desperately to find him a home so he can stay stateside where he will recieve the attention he needs...there have been times of discouragement, tears...praying together, trusting in God and deep breaths...but also moments of MUCH joy and laughter in it all...

Dorothy's is a great place, but even before the earthquake and his medical visa to get here we prayed one day he would find a home...

today i write this to say God has answered our crys for him to have a home...

a family has come forward and decided that they want Poutchino to be a part of their family.

we know they are commited...

check out the following:

they have contacted the hospital to extend his free medical care and the hospital has agreed
they have applied for a home study, which you need before you can adopt a child--- home studies usually cost at least $1,500
they are meeting with Nancy tomorrow night to meet him and to gather all his paper work
they have an appointment with an international adoption lawyer on friday to review and move forward on what needs to be done

God telling us He's got this:

THEY LOVE THE LORD....
the mother has medical experience and isnt afraid of his siezure condition
her & her husband have 3 boys, all of helping age...i think about 11years old and up
she is a stay at home mom and does homeschool... good for poutchino...

the bonus miracle:

the familiy literally lives 5-10minutes away from Nancy in Jacksonville florida. how amazing is that?!!!!

WE STILL NEED TO BE IN PRAYER

God has answered our prayer for a family to come forward...but here is the thing....his visa ends on the 12th of March and this is very soon....

it may not be likely for the family to have a home study done by then or to have his medical visa extended...there is much paper work that needs to happen for everything to be set in place....but again nothing is impossible with God....

so please continue to be on bended knee with us in prayer

pray for all the details to get worked out...

pray for Nancy and the brickells as they will have to transition and adjust to live without Poutchino there on a daily basis

pray for this new family as they create space for a new memeber of their family...for the paper work to the intimate day to day things

pray for Dorothy and her ministry as i have no doubt they miss poutchino on a daily basis still and as they might need to open up their home again to caring for him...they will do their very best....i have no doubt....

pray for the adoption agency and lawyer that will be involved that all the intericate details would fall right into place...


ps: this Sunday we are celebrating POUTCHINO at the Market Place here in Waynesville.... it will be a lovely day....and all are welcome!