The Making  of Robin's Nest
by Marti Wolowicz

Mothering came naturally for Michelle, so it was no surprise that in addition to her own children, she found herself a foster mother as well. "I became a special needs foster home when I was licensed," she recalls, "which means that I had children with medical, physical or emotional handicaps. It was a challenging and sometimes difficult situation, but one I enjoyed. I still have contact with almost all of those children we've had in our home."

Michelle's influence as a foster home mother of special needs children has made a special impact on her daughter Wendy who says, "I do foster care for severely handicapped children and that helps me understand my mother's heart for children who need help."

Michelle gratefully acknowledges the wonderful relationship she has with all her children. "They are all married and as this is being written, my oldest daughter, Cindy, has two girls of her own. My second daughter, Wendy, also has two girls, and she does foster care for terminally ill children. My son, Tony, has two girls and two boys. My second-to-the-youngest daughter, Candy, is also a foster mother. She and her husband are adopting one of her current foster children, and may also adopt the twin foster children she has who were pretty much nutritionally denied when they came to her. My youngest, Lyndy, has three girls." It was Lyndy who talking of the many preparations God made in Michelle's life said, "I don't think God necessarily calls the equipped, but He equips the called, and He has certainly done that with my mother."

As a member of Project Increase, a non-profit organization ministering in Jamaica, Michelle had firsthand knowledge of the people's problems in this third world country. The needs were staggering, and once she had come in contact with those sad, pleading eyes of the street boy, she knew God was doing something in her heart. "I couldn't get his eyes out of my mind -- they were there when I went to sleep and there when I woke up. On a particular Sunday during that time, when opening my Bible at church, it fell open to Isaiah 6, as God asks, 'Who should I send?' and Isaiah answers, 'Lord, send me.' The words jumped off the page at me and I said, 'O.K. if that's what you want, God, I'll go.'"

About that time a team from Project Increase was in Montego Bay, Jamaica, and discovered a former bed and breakfast house complete with 12 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, 3 porches, huge yard, pool and storage area. It had been vacant for several years, and it turned out to be just the right place for Michelle's home for children.

What was next? Without hesitation, Michelle sold her home in the States, and from that time on she experienced miracle upon miracle. Though she did very little networking for funds, word spread and soon her yard and garage began to fill up with furniture, clothing, utensils and an abundance of things that could be transported and put to good use for her new children in Jamaica. So many goods in fact that they filled two semi trailers full, ready for shipment.

The cost of shipping the first trailer was accomplished as Michelle stepped out in faith for another miracle. Donations came in for a down payment on a 40 ft. trailer, and the remainder was to be paid at time of shipping. "O.K. God, you know what we need," Michelle prayed, and although she didn't know what the balance was, she trusted. The first to admit she doesn't have a head for figures, Michelle was caught off guard when a woman approached her after a speaking engagement and offered to donate the balance of the shipping charge. But, as Michelle didn't know what the amount was, she just gave the first figure to come into her mind, "$3,650." And, that turned out to be the exact amount owed. When the check came into Project Increases office, the woman had kindly written her check for $4,000 which covered not only the balance of first shipment, but covered the down payment on the 2nd semi as well!

"A paint store gave me about 80 gallons of paint. Knox donated a swing set they had on display. We received refrigerators and freezers, and Gillette Company gave us 30 cases each of shampoo, cream rinse and deodorant. God just takes care of every detail," relates Michelle.

She continued with a smile, "Another example of God's unfailing care happened a week or so before we were set to fly to Jamaica. A friend from Virginia called and told me she was taking a group of volunteers to our Jamaican house to help get it ready for us and wondered what I needed the most to be done. I responded with a chuckle that the only thing they could do without me would be to get the pool going because that was something I had put on the back burner for the future. To my surprise, she responded, 'We have a man who owns a pool company and he's going down with us!'" The pool is now one of the many unexpected blessings Michelle has encountered at Robin's Nest.

Faithful volunteers continue to offer their services, and there seems to be few, if any, denominational lines in all the support received. Funds have come from many churches. Says Michelle, "We have no prerequisites, except that those who want to be involved with us believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord."

Her children gave their support to Robin's Nest as well. At the time of her decision, she was still a foster mother to several children. Although she was able to find good foster homes for a few of them, she had grown quite attached to twin boys aged 11 and a young girl age 10. Reluctant to leave them, Michelle made plans and before leaving the US she had officially adopted them. They were all commissioned by her home church, Riverview Baptist in West St. Paul, Minnesota.

Though she knew she had the support of her grown children and her grandchildren, leaving them is the one real hardship she has had to make in following her mission to Jamaica. "But my children and grandchildren have been so supportive in every way and several of them have come to help out already."

Her son, Tony, confirms his support as he talks about his childhood. "People often say that growing up with only one parent is a disadvantage, but they don't know my mom. Life with her was always interesting and fun. She helped me grow in my relationship with Jesus by showing me that He was interesting and fun, not stuffy and unreachable."

In the US, we have learned how important 0-3 years of age are in a child's life. The effects of a lack of nurturing are evident in the world today. Michelle acknowledges the great need to love and nurture children, especially at this time in Jamaica and says, "I thought Robin's Nest would be an appropriate name for the snug, secluded 'nest' I wanted to give those babies and younger children in Jamaica who may otherwise be homeless or living in overcrowded, understaffed orphanages." She beams as she continues, "I want the children nurtured and rocked, bathed and baby-oiled, sung to and told Jesus loves them."

Because of the extremely high unemployment rate in Jamaica and the even higher rates of illegitimate children, there are a lot of children going through the existing orphanages and often when they are older, they repeat the process with their own babies. "For these reasons I want to give the children a different base and do what I can to stop that circle of events," Michelle determines.

"Another problem is that many people in Jamaica don't always see the value of a child that has a physical or mental handicap. The fact that these children are capable of doing something with their lives and adding to the community isn't always accepted easily by the people. Maybe our example at Robin's Nest will help to bring about more understanding in this area."

Michelle feels strongly that visiting a third world country is an experience that all people should have. "It will change your life forever and give you an understanding of what life is really like for many, many people."

Problems are expected when moving, especially when moving to a new country. The man hired to watch the house gradually brought in friends and by the time Michelle moved in there were 10 adults, 4 children, 10 dogs, a chicken and a rooster -- all living there. Michelle recalls that time, "We were ready to take possession of the property and these people wouldn't leave. I couldn't justify putting people on the street when my goal to come here was to help people (children) off the street. I gave them a lot of time to find places to live, but eventually I did have to have them evicted.

"Another problem we experienced is the lack of a notification system in Jamaica. We would have no water for several days, or the electricity would be off for no apparent reason. And I must tell one of the funniest things that happened. We had constant trouble with a washing machine. It was leaking all over the floor so someone from the woman's center up the street came to look at it and determined it was the pump. I took off the pump and there was no gasket in it, so we fixed it as we could and as soon as I was able I bought a new pump. Our helper wouldn't even bother to put the new pump in the washer because he said there were too many other things wrong with it and it would just be a waste of time. So several of us just laid hands on the washing machine and prayed, and it began to work!"

Early volunteers experienced bed bugs and an of assortment of other flying insects which came in through the screenless windows. So, several of the people took on the task of putting on new screen windows and others "debugged" the mattresses -- it was the beginning of normalcy at Robin's Nest.

Normalcy, that is, with the complication caused by the fact that the trailers with the supplies for Robin's Nest had arrived at the docks in Montego Bay, but were tied up in government red tape for days before finally being released. Still, Michelle's faith in God's goodness and in His plan enabled her to do the best she could in whatever circumstances, feeling as the Apostle Paul did when he wrote to the Philippians that he had learned how to be content in any situation.

At last, the reason for Robin's Nest -- the babies --began arriving. The first resident was little Matthew, not quite a year old. Such a precious baby, yet when his mom brought him he was dying. He had asthma and was severely malnourished. "He had such a lifeless look in his eyes that I knew we would need to take special care of him. We worked and bathed him and put that little boy skin to skin with us, nurturing him and laboring over him."

Little Matthew flourished in his new surroundings. He was nestled in the "nest" and given those things he lacked -- and he grew and thrived. "He was a gift to us from God, just as the name Matthew means," says Michelle.

And, remember Robert, the street boy with those endearing eyes Michelle could not forget? He was taunted in the streets and called the mad boy of Montego Bay. He is now living at Robin's Nest, and even though people who have known of him tell Michelle that he will run away because he always has, Michelle knows that Robert is there to stay. "I keep telling Robert that he is not the mad boy. What I can't get people to understand is that just because children like Robert have problems, they are not second class citizens."

So the children's histories began at Robin's Nest. Matthew's history with Robin's Nest began with the nurturing and loving care, until his mother came several months later to take him. Shortly after that, he appeared at an orphanage down the hill called Blossom Gardens with only a diaper and the blanket wrapped around him with Robin's Nest embroidered on it. They found him at 6:00 in the morning on a day when it was 45 degrees and raining. "Because of the blanket," Michelle says, "they contacted me and after the court got involved and documented the situation, we got him back."

Another little baby, 6 weeks old, arrived at Robin's Nest by court order. The baby girl's parents were trying to leave the airport when 4 ounces of cocaine was discovered in the baby's diaper. The authorities put the baby in the hospital as she was quite sick, and even before she recuperated, the court asked Robin's Nest to take her. "We took her and she is great," says Michelle. "She's thriving more each day."

Children have come to make their home permanently or temporarily at Robin's Nest through many different circumstances and in many different stages of physical health. Some of the babies are children of Jamaican women who have worked at Robin's Nest, and others arrive from a nearby women's shelter, from orphanages or through direction of the courts.

Michelle tells of a two-month old, very ill baby she had for about a month when the mom who was mentally unbalanced came late at night and someone let her in. "When I came down stairs at 6:00 the next morning, the mom was laying on the porch with her baby on the cement next to her. It was difficult dealing with the problems of the mother, so eventually when the mother terminated her rights to the child, I was delighted to have him back in our nest."

The hospital referred one little baby girl to Robin's Nest who had contacted a parasite from being washed and bottle fed with contaminated river water. It was a temporary stay of a few months when the mother and grandmother came to get her. "But," Michelle remembers, "it was only 4 months later that the mother appeared with the baby who once again had parasites. The mother was pregnant again and felt the baby was not strong enough to live the life they were forced to live, so she gave her up to us. She is now a healthy, happy baby."

Because Michelle and the volunteers at Robin's Nest have rocked the babies, baby-oiled and sung to them, and told them of Jesus' love for them, true and lasting attachments have grown. The volunteers have been a real blessing to Michelle and the children at Robin's Nest. Not only have they been loving companions to the children, but they have also repaired, painted and worked on the house and grounds. Some of the volunteers also have other ministries they serve in the hills of Jamaica while at Robin's Nest.

The pace in Jamaica ranges from slow to slower and hours can be spent waiting in line to pay bills, waiting for repair people, or waiting for transportation when necessary -- which requires a substantial adjustment, as well as the adjustment to their system of roads. The island is only bout 50 miles wide and 150 miles long with streets Michelle describes as "one pothole connecting another."

"My three adopted children have made a wonderful adjustment here and do not even have a desire to be anywhere else. The slower pace in Jamaica is less pressure for them. They have prayer and the Bible in school, as do many schools here, and it isn't unusual to have conversations anywhere about accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord, which allows a flow of consistency for them in their home life, school life and living in general," says Michelle. "It was a blessing from the Lord to find that Robin's Nest was located only 3 blocks from the Christian-based school the children would be attending."

One constant adjustment is understanding the government in Jamaica and how they view things. "When some of our early volunteers extended their passports and listed their reason for being in Jamaica as 'work,' the Jamaican Immigration 'went ballistic' says Michelle. "To them that word means that jobs and money are passing hands and somebody in Jamaica is missing out on work because of me. Well, after I explained that no volunteers work for pay, the government decided the word 'observe' would be better used." However, soon after that situation was solved, another situation arose which though horrendous, surprisingly yielded many blessings for Michelle.

Although Michelle had anticipated minor trials with plumbing and electrical repairs, and restoration of Robin's Nest, she never anticipated being arrested and incarcerated in a Jamaican jail.

To complete her paperwork, she had gone to the Work Permit Office in Jamaica several times, and was waiting for the remaining paper for finalization. Unexpectedly, one Friday afternoon thinking she was not following the requirements, the Immigration authorities arrested her and took her to jail.

Calling her lawyer was of no avail because there was no way to get bail on a Friday afternoon. The only woman in Montego Bay who handles bail was on vacation until Monday. "I couldn't believe God would allow me to be jailed," Michelle recalls, "but I knew He must have a purpose for it." That purpose was hard to even imagine as she was led into the dark, stifling hot cell containing 8 other women. "It must have been 110 degrees in that cell -- no electricity -- and no window, the only light filtering in from the cracks in the door. A hole in the floor served as the toilet, and the floor was covered with crawling things. Food was scarce, mostly bread ends and water, and I wasn't able to eat the food brought in a bucket because for awhile I had no container to scoop it out."

But, through it all, Michelle discovered, God had a plan. "The experience began as hell on earth, but when you begin to understand what God is really doing, the viewpoint is so different from what you see. With our natural eyes we just see the surrounding circumstances (for me, the filthy cell-- the bugs), but our spiritual eyes can see the higher purpose and calling."

Until the next day, Michelle's friends didn't know about her arrest, but as they learned of her situation, the prayers began in earnest and on Saturday, Michelle felt "as if I had a protective covering around me." Strengthened by the Lord and looking through her spiritual eyes, Michelle found a supernatural love for those women, and found the opportunity to minister to them. Several of them had a faith in Christ Jesus at one time, and a few even had Bibles with them, but there was a need for real revival in their lives.

"These were women who felt worthless, who felt they had goofed up their lives so much that they could never have a relationship with Jesus Christ," said Michelle recalling the experience. But God provided the message of reconciliation through His servant, Michelle. She talked with them, prayed with them, held hands and sang with them, and learned that, "What Satan tried to work for evil, God worked out for good."

Michelle's paperwork is now completed, and there is no longer any confusion that Robin's Nest volunteers are in Jamaica to "observe" and not to "work" for pay. "I assure all volunteers coming to help that they need not worry about running into difficulties such as I have had while getting Robin's Nest functioning," relates Michelle as she recalls the blessings she has received from each difficulty.

"As I make Robin's Nest my home, my goals are often expanded or refined. Our primary goal is still the same -- to nourish and love the little ones who come to us, and to teach them about Jesus. If we can get them started well and given a good footing those first few years, I believe that we could change a lot that's going on in Jamaica. Reaching the moms of the children produces healthy changes as well. We are often able to work with them and teach them how to nourish and care for their children, and at the same time give them a knowledge of the saving grace of Jesus Christ."

While serving the little ones brought to Robin's Nest, Michelle and her volunteers find other ministry areas to help with when possible. "We go up to the hills and help the 'bush' families as they are called. Often their babies are sick or diseased from using the contaminated river, and it's very archaic -- no running water, no toilets, no electricity, no phones, no anything. Sometimes we help out by taking their clothes back to Robin's Nest to wash for them. And, always, we share the love of Jesus," says Michelle.