New News for a New Year

Hi friends! I can hardly believe that February is almost here! I pray that 2011 has begun well for each of you and your loved ones. I wanted to update you on some new things that February is going to be bringing me here at Door of Hope.

A few weeks ago I was approached by Kate Allen (DOH’s Director) to pray about and consider stepping into a new leadership role here at DOH beginning in February. Spurred on my the financial crisis that we found ourselves in at the end of last year, the Leadership Team began to pray about restructuring DOH to better prepare for growth and provide excellent care for our babies. That new structure is going to set up our three baby homes to be self sufficient with Staff, Aunties and Volunteers allowing each home to have individual care from the Leadership Team. At the head of each home will be a “Baby House Manager” who will oversee the home handling the babies from Admission to Adoption, overseeing and scheduling Staff and Volunteers, managing maintenance and supplies in the house as well as setting the flow and schedule of each day. The Baby House Manager will be on call 24/7 and responsible for the overall wellbeing of the children in the home handling day-to-day issues as they arise. Kate has asked me to be one of the Baby House Managers and even though I feel slightly under qualified and will require a ton of training, I have agreed!

Starting the second week of February I will be acting as the Baby House Manager for Baby House 1 in Berea. BH1 is our original Baby House and is the home that has the “hole in the wall” where babies can be dropped off at any time day or night! I will spend the next few months loving on the babies and Aunties at BH1 full time. Starting in March I will be responsible for setting the schedule and running the home as I see fit. As of right now we have 7 babies at BH1 but we were running below capacity because the house was missing a “house mom”. Two of our long time and trusted Aunties: Francinah and Lucy have moved in this past weekend to be house moms so I am guessing we will fill up to our 12 baby capacity in no time. Auntie Francinah will also be working as Baby House Assistant Manager, helping me to manage and care the home.

The plan as of right now is to begin training in March with Beth, the woman who has been acting as our Baby Care Manager to learn how to care for the babies from admission to adoption. As Baby House Manager I will get to process all of the new babies that come to home, oversee them as the grow and then be able to hand them over to their forever families. It is going to be more of a challenge and a joy then I can even wrap my mind and heart around! I know that I have TONS to learn and that I will only be able to be successful serving in the strength of our Jesus!

February will also bring some other fun and practical new things as well. The Lord has found a used car available for my purchase. The only scary news being that I have to learn how to drive a manual car proficiently on the wrong side of the road! Be praying for me and the brave soul who has to teach me! On February 5^th, Lisa (the international volunteer from Wisconsin) and I are going to be moving offsite. Kate has a flat on the second story of her home where Beth and Clair currently live. Lisa and I are going to be moving in the second bedroom of that flat! We are really excited to have our own living space, to sleep in real beds and be out of earshot from the babies. It will be nice to be able to spend some good time with Beth and Clair, they are fun girls who have years of making Jo-berg their home. Also because of my new role I will need to purchase a cell phone. It’s kind of been fun being un-tethered to a cell phone but I know it is pretty much a necessity to have a phone if I need to be on call!

So… that’s what’s new for me in this New Year thus far. Thank you so much for your faithful prayers and support & emails and letters. I am in desperate need of continued prayers as I begin this new stage of the adventure! Please pray for:

~ Wisdom, favor, courage and discernment as I step in to Leadership at BH1

~ Supernatural ability to drive a manual car (really, I’m nervous)

~ Favor and safety driving, working and navigating in downtown Jo-berg

~ Courage and steadfastness of mind and heart as I begin all these new roles

~ The time to cultivate and nurture community amongst the women I will be living with

~ Continued strength and purpose being so far from those I love

~ Wisdom and provision as I take on an increased rent and living expenses like gas and a cell phone

Thank you for loving me so well! Jesus is loving these babies through me with your faithful support! I will keep you up-to-date as all of our adventures continue to unfold. I’ve included a few new pics!

Much love and gratitude…

~ Nicole

Me and one of our big boys who went up for adoption this month!

A little black booty

Please be praying for baby "M" who is the hospital trying to get over a chest infection

My youngest little man, baby "N"

One of my littles, hands all folded sweet

Baby "N" on his first night with us at 9 days old

Jess, Monique, Me and Lisa at Prince Caspian

Introduced this little dude to this puppy "lovey" to help him self-soothe and now he can't get enough of it. He loves to cozy into it when he sleeps and holds it tight when he is fussy.

4 of my small babies are big, almost too big for their cots and they spend time with their little feet pressed up close to the plastic sides. So very cute!