Emeline's Foster Family

Korina shows us how Emeline likes to sleep.

Me, Emeline and Korina

Our Foster family at the end of our visit trip after being reunited with Emeline.

Maria, Emeline's foster sister, holding the other little baby the family is fostering.

Another picture of the Foster family with Emeline at the end of our visit trip.

Flora, our oldest foster sister, holding Emeline in October.

Korina holding Emeline in October..Emeline around 8 months old.

When we tell people about Emeline, they always want to know who has been taking care of her all this time. Emeline has been with a wonderful Christian foster family since she was 6 hours old. Emeline’s foster mother’s name is Korina. Korina is the proud mother of 5. She has a daughter, Flora, who is 21 years old and in college. She sometimes sends us emails--which has been so wonderful. I think she is one of the first in her family to go to college. There is another daughter, Maria Jose, who is is fifteen. There is another daughter named Fernanda who is eleven. Then, their youngest son, Jefferson, is around 8 years old. I see his sweet hand sometimes in pictures I get of Emeline. I think Emeline really likes him! The oldest son was Jose Luiz, who was named after our Foster Dad, Jose, died at 17 of cancer a couple of years ago. We were told that he was an amazing young man, who was telling others about the Lord in the hospital until he passed away. The family is very proud of him and even showed us pictures and talked about how he loved music. Our foster family has been fostering a baby boy along with Emeline who they were able to name, and they gave him the name of their son, Jose Luiz. Jose, the Foster Dad, drives a bus in Guatemala City. So, now you know a bit about our amazing foster family!

Even though we are working through a Christian adoption agency, there is no guarantee that your foster family is a Christian family. We were thrilled to find out that they were taking our baby girl to church every Sunday, and that they wanted permission to dedicate her in their church. They have also mentioned that Emeline really loves Praise Music. (She might be a little disappointed with the more subdued Music at the Church we attend in Germany!!)

Once when we got to see video of Emeline, she was crying because she could not see her foster brother. She was also diving between the foster sisters and Korina! In that same moment, Korina, says that now Emeline refuses to sleep in her crib. So, I guess Chris will be sleeping with 2 Musselman ladies here in a month or so!!!

On many a day I have cried out to God about why we have not yet been able to bring our baby home, and on many occasions God has reminded me of how He put Emeline into this loving, Christian family to take care of her until it was time to bring her home. I could not have picked a better foster family, and we will always keep in touch with them and send them pictures of our girl. I know they are so excited that we will soon be reunited with Emeline, but I am sure there hearts are breaking thinking of saying goodbye.

Please pray that we will be able to arrange a translator and have a time of celebration with our foster family when we pick up Emeline in Guatemala. We can never thank them for doing all that we could not do for our daughter as we waited, and for doing it in love. Thank you, Lord, for this good gift!!!