Robin's Nest
Children's Home
 

With Joy and Gratitude

   In March, I had the privilege of going down to Robin’s Nest and taking Michelle’s place for a few days before another volunteer arrived to fill in for the next 2 ½ months.  What an honor to serve with such a great staff and to see what Michelle does on a daily basis.  It was very humbling and made me appreciate Michelle and her dedication to the Nest even more.  Through daily interaction with the kids and the staff, I realized again how God has put Michelle in this strategic place “for such a time as this.”

   I would like to publicly thank Michelle for her vision for the Nest and her daily commitment to Christ to follow His will.  It is not always easy and definitely not always clear but there is a deep sense of following Christ in all that is done there.  Michelle is 10 years older than I and where she gets her energy is beyond me (from Christ, of course). 

   Thank you to Ausley, our business manager at the Nest.  WOW!!  He stays so positive and is so concerned about Miss Michelle and the Nest and does his best to keep everything in order in a challenging environment.  We are so blessed to have him and his lovely wife, Christine, on our staff.  They are the proud parents of a precious new baby girl so now they have a boy and a girl. They are not only wonderful parents to their own children, but they consistently show their love and concern to the children at the Nest.

   Robin’s Nest is fortunate to have such a faithful, dedicated staff.  I will never forget the day that Miss Joy, our cook, was unable to come in and was very sick with an infection in her mouth.  All the staff gathered around the cell phone and prayed in unity for her healing.  It was an awesome moment, one I will never forget.  Their love and concern for each other and the children is seen on a daily basis.  Each night I would have tea parties with the older children and they would sometimes invite a staff member to come in and they would tell them how much they appreciated them and pray for them.  The children definitely love the staff and know how to pray for them and each other.  There is such a family atmosphere there.  It was such a blessing to see how the children had grown and improved just since January when I was last there.

   They also know how to have fun.  After 7-8 hours of never stopping with laundry, cooking, cleaning, and chasing after children, we spent a few nights singing and dancing in the kitchen.  It was a great time of just “letting down our hair” and bonding together.  Then there were the special times of one on one with each staff member as we got to know each other better and prayed together. 

   Last but not least, there is you, the servants that support the ministry in prayer, time at the Nest, and financially. You are the foundation of this ministry and we as a board just stand in awe at times as to how God continues to provide for our expenses on a week-to-week basis.  Just when we think payroll won’t get met, the funds come in.  Just when we think, there’s not going to be any teams coming to the Nest, they show up.  There were 90 there in February.  Praise God!!  At our last board meeting, I will always remember how our vice-president, Sharon, was stuck for words to express her gratitude to God in prayer for all He has done these past 9 years to keep the Nest going.  An abundance of gratitude goes out to everyone who has a part in this ministry to the “least of these” on the tiny island of Jamaica.   

In Christ,
Paula Merkouris, board member

Greetings From Jamaica
Gayle Diggins, President of Robin’s Nest Board

Since arriving in Jamaica in March to relieve Michelle during her knee surgery, I have been blessed to see first-hand the daily struggles and victories at the “Nest.”  I am convinced that the Lord truly wants this project to thrive and grow and live long, and it is of the utmost importance that we, as a board, working with Michelle, continue to be good stewards of all HIS gifts, and be accountable for our actions.  It really takes a minimum of 3 months here to really begin to learn just some of the myriad of things needed to know to run this place.  Our staff here is awesome – I can not say enough good things about each and every one of them.  They are truly here for the “kids” and I witness that every day.  They have gone “over and above” the call of duty to help things flow more smoothly while Michelle has been gone.  I truly love and appreciate them all.  I feel we truly work together as a team on both sides of the ocean.  Thank you to the board and supporters of the “Nest” for your prayers during Michelle’s surgery and recovery.  Continue to remember us in prayer as chicken pox has now broken out at the “nest” and we continue to be in need of rain to maintain our water supply.

-In Christ, Gayle

Getting To Know You…
Ausley & Christine, Robin’s Nest Staff

In this newsletter, we’d like to introduce you to 2 of our staff at the “Nest.”  Ausley is our business manager there and his wife, Christine, has been of great help to us in many areas from teaching to record keeping and caring for the children.  Ausley was born in Guyana, South America and came to Jamaica in 1995 to attend Bible school at Christ for the Nations where he met, Christine, who had grown up in an orphanage in Jamaica.  After finishing Bible school, Ausley went to work at the private school where Miss Michelle first enrolled her children.  She mentioned the need of a handy man to Ausley and he began at the “Nest” around 1998.  He was gone for a couple years but returned with his wife to work at the “Nest” in 2002.  He still is very “handy” but now in many areas. 

Ausley and Christine have been blessed with 2 children of their own, son Chrishaun, born October 9, 2004 and daughter Chrisia, born April 7, 2006.  Ausley feels strongly that God has called him to work at the “Nest” and he truly believes that Robin’s Nest is contributing a lot to Jamaica and he’s happy to be part of it.  Having been raised in an orphanage, Christine knows first-hand what the children feel and is able to identify with them and empathize with them. 

Click photo to enlarge.

Trip Report from Andy Chapeau
and Laura Stutelberg 

   Greetings! We are students from Augustana College and the University of Sioux Falls.  We had the opportunity and privilege to spend our spring break at Robin’s Nest, which we both have visited several times.  We love the Nest, each of the children, and the staff, and it is a blessing to be able to return and watch the children as they grow up. 

   With each trip, we are amazed by God’s faithfulness as He shapes each child into the person He has planned.  Their smiles and energy radiate through each room of the new home God has provided them.  No matter how many times we return, we are always awestruck by the patience and love of the staff.  They work diligently at every task from cooking to bathing to praying with the children.  They always take us in as their own and teach us the daily routines.

    Over spring break we were most impressed by the improvements two sisters and their brother have made since our last trip in August when they had just arrived at the Nest from an abusive family situation. One of them had deep cuts, which Andy was able to help clean.  Naturally, the children were scared of their new home and family.  Yet, in only a few months, they have adjusted beautifully to their new surroundings.  The boy has a contagious smile and loves to do headstands.  The little girl’s wounds have healed, her hair is growing, and her speaking has improved.  She loves to play with the other girls and get in trouble.  The youngest one now sleeps through the night, loves to make faces, and beams when the faces are returned. 

   The improvements in these children are a testament to the love and dedication of the staff and teams who have showered Christ’s love on them.  All of the children have come from difficult circumstances, and the same love and compassion is given to all.  Thank you to the staff and all who have visited, supported, and/or prayed for the Nest.  Thank you for doing God’s work, and shaping the lives of all who enter the door of Robin’s Nest Children’s Home.

Are you ready for a Kingdom Assignment?
By Central Lutheran Church Mission Team of Elk River

From a 15 year old boy in the group-

   “This was the question asked by my Pastor one Sunday and I felt the Holy Spirit tug at my heart to do something for others.  I started to think about how I could help kids, not just any kids, but those without families.  As I prayed about this kingdom assignment, my church suggested a mission trip to Robin’s Nest and I signed up right away.  I just know the Holy Spirit called me, a 15 year old boy; along with my parents, four other teenagers and 11 adults to help ‘Make Jesus Known!’”   

  This was our first visit to Robin’s Nest and a first time mission trip for almost all of us.  We were very excited about putting our faith into action, we wanted to involve our church family and serve the children of the Nest in a way that would fulfill our vision of “Making Jesus Known.”   Our church school children were asked to collect “Pennies for Peanut Butter” and their enthusiasm for this project was overwhelming.  They took great pride in bringing pennies for their new friends at the Nest.  A pyramid of peanut butter jars worth $416.60 brought a lot of smiles!

   In addition to caring for the children and helping the staff with daily chores; our goal as a team was to help improve their water system.  Our church family was amazing as they opened their giving hearts in support of this mission trip.  The project list was endless with windows and grates to wash, screens to fix, kitchen cupboards to clean, storage room to organize, laundry, dishes, socks to match, paint the boy’s porch, drain pipes & toilets to fix, and the WATER SYSTEM.

   Our team was ambitious, diverse and committed to providing a better water system for the Nest.  The guys were amazing; we purchased a pump and brought it from Minnesota.  The first couple days were spent investigating the situation, measuring for pipes, making a supply list and then reality set in when it was time to shop… no Home Depot, no Menards!  What an experience and they handled it with grace and a few adjustments here and there.  God is GOOD, the flow of water to the Nest now travels 250 ft up hill from the 300 gallon tank by the school to the 7,000 gallon holding tank on the back side of the house.  Bring on the RAIN!

   The children are simply adorable, full of giggles and mischief (just like kids should be).  We were impressed with the level of their reading skills, manners and their tenderness toward each other.  If you go to Robin’s Nest, make sure you check out the boy’s porch.  A couple of our artists expressed their talents in a mural on the wall ~ it’s truly awesome!  Surprising what you can create, when you start with nothing at all. 

With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we commit ourselves to serve the children of Robin’s Nest and we keep this verse in our hearts, “to love one another, even as I have loved you,” in fulfilling the vision of “Making Jesus Known.”

Educational Software
for Robin’s Nest School
or Software for Kids?

Robin’s Nest recently received a few computers in good working order for use at the on-site school. We are excited that the children will have this educational opportunity. To that end, we need some current educational software. We are looking for donations of educational programs from pre-kindergarten through 6th grade.  Programs such as “Math Blaster”, the "Grandma and Me" reading series, and other geography, math, and reading programs would be wonderful. Interactive programs for the younger children are needed as well. We are also looking for entire curriculum packages on CD for the teachers. You can be integral in the children's education by donating your "still current" programs, curriculums and CD's to Robin’s Nest.  To avoid duplication, please email Scott at scottsmemorabilia@yahoo.com with the items you have available for the Robins Nest School.

Opportunities to give to Robin’s Nest

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN UPDATE

     As many of you know, in August of 2005, the children of Robin's Nest Children's Home were able to move into a wonderful permanent home.  According to the contract of purchase, the sellers wanted one payment in 2005 and the rest in 2006.  God saw our needs, answered our prayers with a "Challenge Grant" in 2005 and we were able to make the first payment.  With great joy and gratitude, we are happy to once again announce that Robin's Nest has been blessed with a new "Challenge Grant" in order to pay off the remaining debt.  All funding in this “Challenge Grant" needs to be from donations above and beyond the current general giving that is needed on a weekly basis in order to feed the children, pay staff salaries and taxes, etc.  Although more information on this exciting "Challenge Grant" will be coming shortly, you many begin donating now by marking your check with the words "Challenge Grant" and send to:

Robin's Nest, P.O. Box122, Lake Elmo, MN  55042-0122.
     We praise and thank our heavenly Father for all of you, our faithful donors of Robin's Nest, and look forward to His continued blessings in this new adventure in faith.  If you have any questions about this “Challenge Grant,” please call our Director of the Capital Campaign, Marian Edelen, at 763-862-7252 and she will be happy to help you.

Vision statement:

To raise the standard and quality of childcare across the island of Jamaica; to improve the ratio of adults to children in childcare settings; to abolish the mindset that physically, mentally, and otherwise challenged children are second-class citizens.

Mission statement:

We pray that Robin's Nest will provide a nurturing, loving, safe, Christ-centered atmosphere in which all children will grow at their own speed --physically, mentally, and spiritually -- so they may develop their own individual gifts, talents and abilities and become the person who God intended.

If you would like more information on Robin's Nest or would like to send a donation (all money is wired directly to Jamaica via our bank here) please contact Kris Killian at the Robin's Nest U.S. office:  P.O. #122, Lake Elmo, MN 55042-0122   k.killian@att.net

(Robin's Nest is a 501(c)(3) organization, and all gifts are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law)