I have been debating with myself for the last couple of weeks as to whether or not I should share all that has been happening here with you. I never hear things like this on other people’s web sites. But, when I wrote to my brother telling him all about it, he was blown away and told me that he would pray overtime for me! So, I thought that maybe I could get everyone to do that by sharing what has happened here. Praying overtime is what is needed for sure.

I guess it started to get exciting around here when Hannah’s father had that terrible fight with his older daughter. Travis reported that he not only was throwing machetes at her, but he hit her in the face so hard that she flew clear across the room and landed on her back. The next morning, the two older girls and the mother left, and they have not come back. They will not live in the same village as the father. The bad part about that is that the 18 year old daughter was doing so well here, she was studying the bible every day, and learning Christian songs. She has a beautiful singing voice and is very sweet. She wanted to live with me and learn English and bible. But, since the father refused to leave, she cannot come back.

After his family left, the father started hanging out at my house. Every time he would come, Hannah would get really upset. I had started to teach her not to throw temper tantrums, but the father would make a big fuss over her if she tried it…throwing a fit was very rewarding as long as her father was here! Since kids do not naturally want to be disciplined, she preferred to be with her dad over me. This was really hard since he would not actually take her away, but I could not get anywhere with her either. The father seemed to be extremely satisfied with these conditions, but they were killing me. The climax came on a Sabbath when Hannah was sick. She had a high fever, and was really tired, so I was trying to put her to sleep in my bedroom. (everyone else was at church…that is except that father) She started to cry when I tried to get her to sleep. She cried for about 2 minutes, and then she settled down and closed her eyes and was almost asleep when the father rushed in. He came into my room and sat down. He told me Hannah was too hot. Hannah heard his voice and started screaming again. I told him that yes, she is hot, she has a fever, but I will lay her down so that she can cool off as soon as she goes to sleep. He said that she must need a drink….I told him that she just had a drink and was just tired! This went on for about 20 minutes, when he grabbed Hannah away from me and left the house. They did not come back until late in the afternoon. Hannah was so exhausted that she went to sleep within a minute of me taking her. She had a terrible bite mark on her arm, and thorns all through her feet. I found out from the boys that he had not watched her, but had turned her over to the village gang for the day. ( the gang is mostly 4 year olds with a few a little older, and some younger) I was furious, and was ready to pack up all her things and tell that man to get out of here with her right now! The only thing stopping me was that I could not do that to Hannah. She would not be safe with this man. When the caretaker came in to see me, I told him in no uncertain terms that Hannah’s father either had to take her and leave, or he had to just leave by himself, he could not live here at the training center. The caretaker then told us that he was afraid of the man and that he might get killed if he told him that. Come to think of it, this man is an enemy soldier and they are trained to kill, rape and torture people! Well, that did put a kink in things. About that time, Ben called me. I told him all about what was going on, and he was hopping mad also! He was visiting with the president of the Burma Mission at that time, and so this man also heard the whole story. To make a long story short, the caretaker got an earful from the president, which really shook him up a bit! So, the next morning the caretaker came to me and said that the father had work and would not be here during the day anymore. I was happy, but not satisfied since I would still have to deal with him every evening.

But, the week did go better. I made a lot of progress with Hannah, and she became much more attached me to. The major problem that I was having then was that every time I would try to train her, someone would show up to stop me. They did not like it when she cried. I could not accomplish much at all with that going on. It came to a climax one evening after English class. Hannah was wound up and did not want to go to bed on time. So, as I was holding her, she was kicking and screaming and throwing herself around. I decided to put her in bed and let her settle down a bit, and had just done so, when I saw four flashlights coming down the path. (with Hannah screaming like crazy in the bedroom!) They ran into my house asking what was wrong, is Hannah sick??? I told them that she was fine, and I went about trying to do my parenting job. They all stood there and watched me while I went over to the bedroom and asked her if she were ready to be held and go to sleep. She held out her little arms, and snuggled right down in my arms and went to sleep while they all sat in my living room and discussed these latest developments. (not with me, but among themselves) I could tell that they did not trust me with her, and that they did not approve of how I am raising her. I was so discouraged that I was ready to just give up and go home.

The next morning during my worship time, God gave me clear direction to write down parenting principles from the bible and Spirit of Prophecy, and share it with them. He told me that they do not know how to raise godly children and they did not understand what I was doing. So I did, and it just seemed to come so easily. I had the whole thing written, with all the bible verses and quotes before Hannah even woke up. I then told Kinthegee that we were going to have a meeting that evening and that I expected everyone to be there. She spread the word, and I saw worried looks and furtive glances all day long! But, God gave me a boldness that I had not had before. That evening I presented to them my history of wanting to be a missionary, and that God had led me to stay at home and raise my boys for him instead. I told them about studying the bible and the Spirit of Prophecy to learn how to raise children for Jesus, and that now all four of my boys love Jesus and are serving him in the mission field. Then I told them that I was going to share with them what I am doing with Hannah so that they can cooperate with me and help me. I then presented three totally new and amazing ideas to them!

The first one is consistency. I told them that God is always the same and that his requirements do not change. I asked them how they would like it if one day God said that they could steal, but the next day it made him mad and he punished them for it? They said that they would not like that at all! I then explained to them how it related to Hannah and how if I am telling her one thing, and they are telling her something else, that it is confusing to her and only hurts her. Then I talked to them about parental control. I read them this quote:

“The Lord has a controversy with parents, because they have permitted their children to follow their own pernicious ways, by which the way of truth is evil spoken of. Education should be commanded in the home at the dawn of reason, and is to be carried forward in the fear and love of God. The reason that children do not become godly is because they are allowed too much freedom. Their will and inclination is indulged. Parental neglect in restraining children is the cause of so much evil in the world today. Oh, what sad things the judgment will reveal. Many prodigal sons become such because of indulgence in the home, because their parents have not been doers of the Word. The mind and purpose are to be sustained by firm, undeviating, sanctified principles. Consistency and affection are to be enforced by a lovely and consistent example.”  {11MR 40.3}

They were pretty shocked by this idea, since their kids are not watched at all, but are allowed to run all over the place by themselves most of the time. The third idea that I told them is that we are never to give a child that for which they cry.  And I read them this quote:

“One precious lesson which the mother will need to repeat again and again is that the child is not to rule; he is not the master, but her will and her wishes are to be supreme. Thus she is teaching them self-control. Give them nothing for which they cry, even if your tender heart desires ever so much to do this; for if they gain the victory once by crying they will expect to do it again. The second time the battle will be more vehement.  {CG 92.1}

Never Permit Display of Angry Passions.–Among the first tasks of the mother is the restraining of passion in her little ones. Children should not be allowed to manifest anger; they should not be permitted to throw themselves upon the floor, striking and crying because something has been denied them which was not for their best good. I have been distressed as I have seen how many parents indulge their children in the display of angry passions. Mothers seem to look upon these outbursts of anger as something that must be endured, and appear indifferent to the child’s behavior. But if an evil is permitted once, it will be repeated, and its repetition will result in habit, and so the child’s character will receive an evil mold.

When I finished, the caretaker made some supportive comments. I could tell that he was trying hard to digest this shocking revelation. They all left somewhat silently. I did not get any real approval from most of them, but somehow I felt at peace with what I had done. Since then, they are trying really hard to help me. They are shocked at how well Hannah is responding to my training. I can now teach English class in the evenings without her running away from me. She knows that she cannot go past the entranceway. She is learning to sit quietly for worship, even though the other kids are running around and talking, and she can fold her hands to pray! Pretty good for one week when she not only has to learn a new skill, but she has to do it in a strange language!

This week the father is not working again, and is in and out of my house all day long. Once again Ben has come to my rescue and called Pastor Phamor and told him the whole situation. Pastor Phamor was upset and said that he is sending Pastor Dang here today and that he will come down here himself as soon as he can. They want me to stay, and they want this situation taken care of as soon as possible. It is a rather volatile situation, and so I am still praying that the father will decide to leave on his own so that we don’t have to make him mad. I do not want Hannah to be hurt, and none of us really want to be hurt either! So, like I said before, overtime prayer is in order here!

As a side note, Ben left for the jungles today, so I will no longer have his help. Emily Adams is also going to be teaching at KAFA, so keep her in your prayers also. This will be a very long hard trip for her. They should reach the school in about 5 days if all goes well.