A must read:
Ari's orphanage trip
Click below to check out Ari's report after she coordinated an orphanage trip with the kids from a local school in Panama. The teacher's account of the impact it had on her students is amazing. This is one field trip these children will never forget, and hopefully will move them to action...
Ari's Orphanage Trip
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Greetings!
Check out the latest from Heart's Cry in Panama and the U.S.! Thank you all for your continued support, especially in the days ahead. God is leading HCCM in a few different directions, and these are exciting times to see what He is going to do. Thanks for continuing to intercede for these children. God is moving...
Sincerely,
Misty Hedspeth
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Finished at last
Law 61, Adoption Reform
The final, final, final touches were at last put on to the proposed law change. The revised adoption law and added foster law was officially submitted to the Legislature. Now, it is in their hands. It will take several months, but we are hopeful that the reformed law will be approved in its entirety. Please pray for God's hand to continue to be upon this law. That He would move the hearts of those in the Panamanian Legislature to approve these changes that will benefit the forgotten children in Panama.
Remember what this was about?
Less time that children spend in orphanages. As you may recall, the situation in Panama is such that children are growing up in institutions, as their case files are never worked through "the system." Many changes are included in this law that will lessen the time period for children to be declared adoptable. This in turn will allow children to be adopted at much earlier ages than previously possible. We are thrilled at what this can mean for hundreds to thousands of children! Due to the delicate nature of the law approval process, we are not currently able to give further details as to what changes are being recommended. Once we are free to do so, we will definitely send that on to you! Until then, please continue to pray for all these details and for these precious children to be freed!
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Current Focus
After the law change, it was evident that the Lord was beginning to shift our work in another direction: from every day government assistance to a more "as needed" basis, so as to free us up to do work with families desiring to adopt and groups wanting to get involved to help these children. Person after person in Panama began to call or contact us in order to receive assistance with their adoption. Without realizing it, we began to see that the work for Family Services had begun itself. Ari has been hard at work, trying to manage these cases and assist as much as able. We feel the Lord is moving us in that direction in the future - especially to assist lower income Panamanian families desiring to adopt but without the financial resources to hire expensive attorneys. Also, we have begun work on a website in Panama in Spanish, aimed at helping those girls who are pregnant and unable to make a decision regarding their child. We hope that these efforts will save many babies from abortion and also that it will help many orphans to be adopted into loving families. This new work has just begun and there are so many details to work through, so we ask for prayers during these beginning phases.
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In the good ol' US of A
Welcome Home!
Believe it or not, we made it to the U.S. with Peter. We enjoyed several weeks with family and friends, introducing our son to so many. It has been a wonderful blessing. There is nothing like a southern biscuit and sweet tea to make you feel right at home again, especially after all the crazy water shortages and other ordeals we underwent right before we left Panama!
We have had a ton of doctor's appointments and things to catch up on, as we were unable to come to the States since last year. What an amazing adventure! We are thankful for this time Please continue to pray for Peter's visa status to be finalized as soon as possible, which is a top priority. And please pray for direction for our family in the days ahead, especially as to where He desires for us to be.
Matt's new direction >>
Also, Matt has taken a job to help support our family and to help offset the Ministry expenses. We needed to obtain health insurance once Peter came into our family, which we had lived without for 3 years, as well as a multitude of other reasons has gone into this decision. So, a few months ago Matt took a sales job that allows him to be fairly mobile and work from almost anywhere, thus we are asking the Lord to show us where we are to live. While he will remain in his position as Vice President of the Board of Directors, and of course continue to speak and support the Ministry in a multitude of other ways, he has resigned from his position as Co-Director. I (Misty) will continue in my role as Director and the Ministry is continuing to function well.
What does this mean?
The Lord knows exactly where He wants us to live and for what time frame. The Lord is moving, we simply want to move with His Spirit and be content with not knowing all the answers. Just taking things one day at a time. But, regardless of where in the world we are located, we are thrilled at the work to help the orphans that God is continuing to lead in Panama. He has shown us that it is His work that He began. He doesn't need us to be there to do it, yet He is allowing us to continue to be a part of His great work for the kids of Panama.
The Lord is still using HCCM in Panama, particularly through the hard work of Ari Herrera, who is still a full-time employee of HCCM. We are so happy with her work and the way God is continuing to use her in Panama. Ari and I are in constant communication to see that the orphanage coordination work, the Family Services project, and the continued government assistance program is running smoothly and without a hitch. Even though Matt, Peter and I are not physically in Panama right now, rest assured that HCCM is hard at work in Panama! Skype and Vonage are amazing things that have come in very handy lately :) And of course we will take trips back when needed. We are also prayerfully considering hiring another employee to assist Ari on the ground in Panama. Regardless of what it looks like, for as long as the Lord desires to continue to use us, our team will be fighting to make a difference in the lives of these kids.
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