this is amos… Look at that face!!! Don’t you just love it!?! This is the adopted son of one of my dear friends, Jamie Ivey. Jamie and her husband Aaron have four childred. Two adopted two Haitian children, Story and Amos, one child through domestic adoption, Deacon, and then their biological son, Cayden - and yes, they are all this adorable. Amos is still living in Haiti (read more about how Amos is doing and their Haitian adoptions below).
Jamie and Aaron were on CNN this morning to tell their story (watch it here) and after watching their segment I just felt that I needed to try to spread the word about their efforts for Haiti. The Ivey’s are blessed with a wonderful family but give back so much more than they receive. Please read the rest of this post to find out how to support them and so many others in their quest to help Haiti. Words escape me as to how to express my heavy heart that goes out to the entire country and those who have loved ones that are connected to it. Have a great weekend, friends. We should all be both humbled and thankful for our many blessings.
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(How adorable is this family?? Just sayin’)
About their Haiti adoptions: Their precious daughter, Story, made the move from Haiti to Austin last October but Amos Ivey is still living in Haiti as his adoption process is taking much longer to complete. When the news of the earthquake hit the Ivey’s this week it was more than terrifying. They travel to see Amos every other month, talk to him daily, he is truly their son, just many miles away. Luckily the news came pretty quickly that Amos is safe and alive but they have many ties to Haiti - friends, staff, caretakers of Amos - and are constantly getting news about who has been found and in what condition. Today they found out that one of their staff had been pulled out from under the rubble and is still alive. I can’t imagine.
Aaron’s brother designed a t-shirt “Help for Haiti” to raise money for relief efforts and they have sold over 400 shirts in the past 24 hours and raised over $18,000. I would LOVE to help them sell 400 more. Please visit the link here to purchase a shirt. They are also participating in a Hope for Haiti concert on Monday and you can read about that here.
Another family that the Ivey’s love and support:
http://livesayhaiti.blogspot.com/
As well as http://www.worldwidevillage.org/
Heartline: http://heartlineministries.org/default.aspx····························································································································································································
from Jamie’s blog the night she found out about the Earthquake:
Earthquake hits Haiti
I have had a awful feeling in my stomach for the past few hours since I heard of the earthquake that hit Haiti today. I remember this feeling in 2008 when the hurricanes continued to go through there all summer long, and the final straw when the house where Amos lives (& story at the time) was completely surrounded by flood waters. People all around them lost houses and died and our son & daughter were right there in the middle of it. Tonight I’m feeling that same helpless feeling. There is NO WAY to explain this unless you too have a child in Haiti waiting to come home. You feel helpless. You feel out of control. You are then mad that they are there and not home with their families where there is no earthquake.
Tonight as I explained earthquakes to the kids and why I was crying so much over dinner while constantly on my computer, they looked sad, but their little minds couldn’t quite grasp what was happening so far away. They kept asking if Amos was okay and finally as I was going in to read them their bedtime bible story I got word that yes Amos was okay. I relayed that message to the boys and Cayden hugged me so tight and whispered in my ear, “I’m so happy mom.” Yeah that brought more tears. Then tonight as we were praying Deacon said these words, “God please give Amos strong muscles in case some walls fall on him so he can get out, and let him know that Jesus is with him no matter what, and help him to be respectful and please help his papers move.” OH more tears were flowing with that prayer. As I tucked Deacon in I reassured him that Amos was okay and probably wouldn’t be under any walls.
Cayden asked me why God would make an earthquake and let so many people die. I told him to ask his Daddy about that one tomorrow!
Seriously though, thanks to all of you that sent texts, emails and called to check on Amos. I have thanked God over and over tonight for technology. Although we don’t have cable I’m getting so many updates via twitter and facebook and can watch the news online.
Please pray for the entire country. There will be much more devastation found tomorrow when the sun comes up. Pray for the kids at the Rescue Center who are sleeping outside tonight. Pray for all the Compassion projects there and that all their kids and families will be accounted for tomorrow. My heart is heavy tonight for my kids birth families, home country and friends that we love dearly that live in Haiti.
The Ivey’s…in Austin
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Jamie and Aaron are beautiful people inside and out with HUGE hearts that are changing the world one step at a time. I admire them greatly for all they do through adoption and their faith.
Thank you for sharing this. I bought my shirt! Please, keep us updated on this family. Truly heart touching!
I saw them on the news last week in Austin! They seemed like such a sweet and lovely family, filled with love. Their story has really stayed with me - thanks for posting more about them and Haiti.