Welcome to the Gastronomique !

Our Family Fun Night yesterday was a special treat for our 3 older children.  It all started this past Christmas when we got a card from my mom with some cash taped to the inside and a note that said the cash was for Kami and I to go out to eat, just the two of us!  This was a very special treat since we do not go out to eat at all here on St. Barths....the prices are way too expensive and there are no fast food places here.  Kami and I went out on Thursday and had one of the greatest evenings together.   Thanks Mom! (oh, by the way, the cash is all gone for that one meal!)

Kami and I wanted to do something special for the kids since they didn't get to experience "going out to eat".  So we created a restaurant in our living room last night for our Family Fun Night!  We called it : "The Gastronomique"....this is actually a good term for food in French, it means "High or Fancy Cuisine".  Sounds horrible in English!

The kids were welcomed in and given their menu's.   Our server spoke French as he explained the menu and greeted them at their table! (The server also introduced then to their very attractive waitress!) 

We promptly served them their salads and fresh bread with honey butter.  Josh had said last week that he was craving O'Charley's Restaurant's hot rolls and their honey butter!  So Kami made fresh rolls and we mixed up some butter and honey.

For an appetizer, the kids had to choose from either Cavier drizzled with raw eggs or Mussels sauteed in garlic and butter with St. Barths Pepper sauce.  (No we didn't really have any Caviar but we put really gross things on the menu to 'steer' the kids in the right direction to choose what we really did have!)

Then they had to choose an entree from either "Liver & Onions", "St. Barths Sea Snails", or "Seared Garlic and Butter Beef Tips".  Needless to say, they each chose the Beef Tips (basically we grilled beef stew meet and they tasted amazing!)  They were served with Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans.

During the entree, they got to watch an old 1939 western we found on the internet...we love old westerns where the good guys always won!

For dessert, there were 3 choices : Morsels of Frozen Sushi topped with fresh compote,  Hand Selected Coffee Beans dipped in Chocolate and drizzled with African Wasabi sauce, or Mint Icecream infused with bits of chocolate.  They all chose the Mint Chocolate chip icecream!

Each of the kids laughed, giggled and smiled the whole night.  As mom and dad, we had so much fun serving them!  Each thanked us over & over and Joshua said this was the best meal he ever had...I think he hasn't been out to eat in a long time!

Great Bible studies for ladies...

If you read our family website/blog, you probably have read or seen Kami's blog as well.  Once a week, she is writing a small devotion for ladies on the topic called "Matters of the Heart".  This is a short devotional concerning the heart of ladies, mothers and wives.   She normally posts a new devotional on Wednesdays and she has received some very good support and comments on her study.  You can find her blog and devotional at http://www.adayinthelifeofamissionarywife.blogspot.com/   (Yes, I know it is a long name!)  At the bottom of the devotional, you will find a label titled "Heart of the Matter".  Click on this label and you will be taken to all of the short devotionals she has written.  They will not take but just a minute (or two) to read them, and I know they will speak to your heart...

More government "loop-holes"!

Well, from our last post, we learned that Kami has to travel to St. Martin for her "government obligatory physical exam". (Which is supposed to include x-rays, eye exam, blood work, mental exam, etc.) 

Yesterday, I went to the Prefecture to ask some questions about this appointment and whether or not I had to accompany her to this "government physical".  Well, I found out that after the medical exam to see if she has any contaigous diseases or is a threat to society mentally, she has to have another appointment in St. Martin as well.

 This next appointment is for an "indoctrination class"....a class to learn about France and how to "live in France".  She will meet a government official to sign the "Contract of Welcome" with the State of France, which I guess is a statement that she will abide by the laws and complete all of the requirements necessary to get her VISA validated.  This includes a 1/2 day of courses that she will have to take about France and living in France. 

Once these courses are completed, she will then be given another date to return to St. Martin to take a test of "competency" and a decision will be made as to whether she is competent in the French language and in French history......only when she passes can the next step be taken.

At each step of the process, we were told the word "obligatoire"....which means we have no choice in the matter and the cost for doing all of this falls upon us! (3 trips to St. Martin which runs right into traveling to Florida to have a baby! Yikes!)

My wife is a menace to society...well, we'll soon find out!

We are still going through the long and drawn-out process of getting Kami's VISA validated here on St. Barths.  We thought that once Kami received her VISA from the French Consulate in Miami, that we would just enter St. Barths, show it the Préfecture, say "We're here!" and that was it! 

What we didn't realize was the drawn-out process of government hoops that you must jump through in order to get the VISA official when you actually enter French soil.  After Kami arrived, we went to the Prefecture and we were told that we needed to bring in a list of things to register the VISA.  (translated birth certificates, copies of Passports, marriage license, proof of insurance from the U.S. and other items).  We were told that we would get a call back when the Carte de Sejour would be ready. (this is the actual card that she would carry to make her legal here.) 

We did get a call yesterday and the lady at the office said that she wanted Kami to come in this morning at 8:30 to talk with Kami about her "controled medical appointment" on St. Martin on Feb 29th.  We had no clue what she was talking about.  We went in this morning and sure enough, Kami has to go to St. Martin on Feb 29th to a government doctor for a complete physical. (includes bloodwork, x-rays, "personal" exam, shots if required, mental exam, eye exam, the works!)   Well, of course Kami is pregnant and can't have x-rays, "personal" exam, and shots, so we don't know how this is going to affect the medical certificate she needs to pass and receive to get the Carte de Sejour!  Not to mention, the cost of flying to St. Martin, staying in a hotel overnight, car rental, meals, and the such...yikes!  (The cost of flying to St. Martin alone will be $312!)  All this to prove that Kami is not a "menace to the French society"!  

My question is, after they drive you crazy jumping through their government hoops, do they really expect you to pass a mental exam? !!! (Like mother, like daughter!)

Satan is real and he hates what is happening here...

For the past few weeks, I have been preaching very detailed messages that incorporate a very clear plan of salvation.  We have witnessed and passed out Gospel tracts to folks here and our "hitch-hiker" ministry is doing well.  

(Picking up hitch-hikers here is very safe and it gives us a "captive" audience to witness to!  We pick up folks just about every week.   Just two weeks ago, I picked up a Math professor whose car was in the shop.  We had about a 15 minute ride together and he asked many questions such as : What is the Bible?  How do you know it is true?  Where did it come from? and about being a Christian in general.  I was able to share with him the entire plan of salvation and also invited him to our Sunday Bible study.)

Although our Sunday Bible study still runs between 3-4 (excluding our family) on any given Sunday, we have had the opportunity to share the Gospel with a number of folks.  Last Sunday, I preached on the topic, "What happens to a saved and lost person after they die?"  It was a great doctrinal message as well as a clear presentation of salvation.  This week's message is titled, "What is heaven and hell really like?"  (It still takes me about 4 days to put together a full message in French but it is getting easier.)

The one thing that we have noticed is a much more noticeable spiritual attack on not only our family, but also on our 3 ladies who faithfully attend the Bible studies each Sunday.  The more we preach clear Bible doctrine and the more we witness, the more we see a rise in the enemy's attacks.  Please continue to be in prayer for our family and ministry here on St. Barthelemy as Satan fights to keep control of the hearts and minds of the French people here.  His aim is to keep their eyes blinded to the very truth that can set them free.  We covet your prayers for us and for the power of God in our lives.

Still the basketball champ!!!

Josh has a basketball goal set up in our driveway and from time-to-time we have gone out an shot some hoops.  Both of us are very competitive and hate to lose (especially a Father to a son!).  When he was young, I would let him win a game every so often at whatever we played to encourage him and to see the joy on his face as he "beat" dad.  He would always run to mom while yelling, "I beat dad!"

Well, as he has gotten older and is now very good competition at whatever we are playing, I try not to let him win at anything.  (Call it my pride or just plain old competitive nature!)  Well, yesterday, he and I played hoops and when it was all done, I ran to mom yelling, "I beat Josh!...and he didn't even win one game!"

It's true...and I told him I would post on my great victories to let the world (or at least the small portion who actually read our blog!) know that "dear-old dad" still has some juice left in the tank!  I won 4 games of "21", a game of 1-on-1, free throws, and a game of PIG! 

It felt great!.....now I need some Tylenol!

Upcoming plans for a new arrival...

I wanted to take the time to post the details concerning the upcoming arrival of our newest addition to our family this April.  Most of you should know by now that Kami is expecting our 6th child around April 17th and we will have to return to Florida to have the baby.

One of the requirements by the government here on St. Barthelemy is that all women who are expecting a baby must leave the island at least two weeks before the delivery date.  This is due to the fact that there is not a medical facility here on St. Barthelemy to be able to handle any complications or emergencies that may develop during the delivery or any life-threatening complications with a newborn. 

Normally, a woman here would travel 2 weeks prior to her delivery date to St. Martin (a neighboring island) and rent a place to live for that time.  Then she would deliver her baby at the hospital and return to St. Barthelemy about 2-3 days after the birth.  Staying on St. Barthelemy is not an option for us because if any complications would arise from us staying and having the baby here, we would be held liable for not obeying the regulations of having left the island for the birth.  Basically, if anything happened to Kami or the baby, we would be facing legal actions from the government.

Thus, we have made the decision to return to Florida for several reasons after much prayer:

1.  It would be way more cost effective for us to purchase tickets to return to Florida and stay with family for free versus trying to rent a place to live on St. Martin.  Also, all of our costs of living such as meals, vehicle, etc. would be considerably lower in Florida.

2. We have a mid-wife in Florida that Kami has already seen when she was in Florida to apply for her VISA and other paperwork at the French Consulate in Miami.  We have arranged to have a home-birth with this mid-wife as we have done with our other children.  On St. Martin, we would be forced to have the baby at the hospital.  Not all medical facilities around the world are like those in the U.S.

3.  It would be much easier to obtain an American birth certificate and passport and then to apply for French paperwork rather than the other way around.  There always seems to be problems with the French governement when applying for anything, and would take too long for us to get a birth certificate and passport.  There would be a lot less hassle having the baby born state-side.

So, we purchased tickets for Kami, Joshua, Silas and Callie to return to the states on March 19th (the last day of the third tri-mester, that doctors say is safe for pregnant mothers to fly).  Elisabeth, Brenna, and I will travel to Florida sometime in April.  After the baby is born, I will travel back with Joshua and the rest of the family will follow after we have received the baby's birth certificate and passport.   This opportunity will also allow 3 members of our family to get needed eye exams and eye glasses while in Florida.  We cannot have them here due to the fact that an eye exam and eye glasses would cost upwards of $400 per person!  (Last September, Brenna got an eye exam and two pairs of glasses for $150 while in Florida!)  Silas and callie are also needing their next checkups and shots and this would be covered for free by our insurance in Florida as well.  Since the situation of leaving is out of our control, we can at least take advantage of several things while Kami is waiting for the baby to be delivered in Florida.

So please be in prayer for us and for the birth of our newest addition to our family!

My girls aren't adopted...Yea!

As most of you know, we have had problems accomplishing the paperwork for registering our children into my French family book.  The chief of the French Consulate in Chicago has given us the hardest time with the registration of Elisabeth and Callie.  He basically refused to register them and stated that he believed their American birth certificates were false and that we actually adopted our girls.  He then required that we provide the medical records for each girl proving my wife's pregnancy and also a letter from the State of Missouri's Department of Health stating that our Beth and Brenna were not adopted but actually ours.  He stated that if he was not pleased with the paperwork we sent, he would send our file to a judge in France to decide the outcome.

We sent in all of the paperwork including copies of their ultrasound pictures!  Then we waiting and prayed.  Then I received an email from my mom that she had received the FedEx envelope from the Consulate with the registration of both girls and their French birth certificates!  Praise the Lord!  We can now apply for their French passports!  Now all we have left is Callie's registration which must be done in Quebec City, Canada.