DANA'S STORY

Dana served as a student in India this past summer. She attends one of our supporting churches, where Matt has been speaking and recruiting students for many years. We want to share Dana’s story with you.

“We took a rickshaw ride through the Redlight District of New Dehli. There are tons of fake storefronts. But inside the “stores,” you can see the staircases leading up to hidden rooms. You can’t see the rooms and you can’t see behind the walls. But when you saw a man with a little girl, you just knew. It broke my heart. 

I have a heart to see sex trafficking ended. I remember those children and women who have, and are going through it. I want to be a part of bringing hope for their future. I am currently studying Bible and Psychology at Bethel University. If God should so lead, I am interested in serving internationally in a safe home for those recovering from the sex trade. Going on Royal Servants was definitely one of the MOST LIFE CHANGING things I have ever done. After going, I KNOW for a fact that overseas missions is what I was meant for. I love it so much.” 

It is because of students like Dana that we are committed to serving with Royal Servants. God is at work transforming and calling students into ministry around the world.

Royal Servants 2012 mission teams will serve in: China, Costa Rica, England, Ethiopia, Europe, India, Ireland, Israel, and Sierra Leone. Our work throughout the calendar year is also very intentional to empower the whole of all the teams. We are committed to see each of the 300+ students grow, in Christ and in sharing Christ. Matt will be leading one of the Africa teams in 2012.

You are a vital part of our ability to follow His calling to serve. We continue to be grateful for your partnership in bringing the message of hope all over the world!

WALKING AS JESUS WALKED

“Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” 1 John 2:6

I (Matt) just returned from an exciting three day ministry training in Chicago. This is the fourth time in a year and a half that I have joined this small group of youth ministry professionals. Why? Simply to study the life of Jesus and to learn how to create disciple making movements as He did. The ministry training is called, LIVE 2:6 (from 1 John 2:6).

What is a LIVE 2:6 group?
LIVE 2:6 groups are learning communities of 3-12 ministry leaders who study, train, and evaluate the life of Christ using a strategy developed by SONLIFE. Over 40 organizations globally (including Reign Ministries) and 750,000 ministry leaders have been through ministry training by SONLIFE.

I have loved being challenged and encouraged by my LIVE 2:6 group as I have learned to “walk as Jesus walked.” My ministry skills have been sharpened and I know that will translate to more students coming to know the Savior!

Thank you for your commitment to our ministry and the walk Jesus has called us to!

RACHEL ROSE, HOME FOREVER! (ADOPTION TIMELINE)

May 11 – We accept the referral for our daughter.

July 19 – We meet Rachel Rose at the foster home in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

July 20 – We admit her to the hospital in Ethiopia where she is diagnosed with failure to thrive, severe pneumonia and severe malnutrition. She is given a feeding tube, IV antibiotics and nasal Oxygen. Rachel is in critical medical condition. We send emails and facebook messages around the world asking for prayer for Rachel Rose to recover. We are on our knees in prayer often.

July 22 – We pass Ethiopian adoption court

July 23 – Rachel Rose turns a corner medically and starts to clearly recover. PRAISE GOD!

July 30 – Rachel Rose is discharged from the hospital. She still needs nasal oxygen supplementation. We rent an oxygen tank and administer it to her ourselves from the guesthouse.

August 3 – The US Embassy in Ethiopia approves our adoption.

August 6 - We fly standby and arrive home to MN. Rachel Rose meets her new forever family.

GOD KNOWS HER NAME

In the first two days we were with our daughter we noticed her Ethiopian name spelled four different ways on different types of paperwork. Above her bed, on her hospital papers, her adoption paperwork, at the clinic – everyone had a slightly different spelling. We saw her Ethiopian name spelled Nebet, Nabat, Nebadie and Nebat. I was struck by how despite the fact that there were kindhearted people in her life who wanted good things for her, no one really knew her name. I kept thinking, “She just needs someone who knows her name.” She just needed someone to make sure she ate enough, that she got medical care and medicine as needed. Simple reasonable things. How many children out there don’t have anyone who knows their name? In the Bible God talks about knowing us by name (Exodus 33:17), and how our names are written in the book of life. We are so thankful to be able to give our beautiful daughter her new name, Rachel Rose Halseth.

MIRACLES ALONG THE WAY

God rescues Rachel Rose by allowing us to arrive in time to admit her to a missionary hospital in the country. We are told by several medical and orphanage staff that she may not have been able to make it much longer. Prior to meeting her, we had no idea she was even ill.

After five days, Rachel Rose responds to the medical care and makes a turn around. Praise God for the faithful Korean Missionaries who went to Ethiopia and built this Mission Hospital in 2002!

The beurocratic adoption process is expedited due to medical reasons and we bring Rachel Rose home in 3 weeks. The typical timing would have been 2-5 months.

Numerous missionaries living in Ethiopia reach out to us. Our Ethiopian friends we have known for 10 years reach out to us. We have nothing to offer them, but they generously serve us, pray with us and offer hospitality to us.

A friend of a friend connects us with their American friends living in Addis Ababa. She is a Pastor and her husband is the Ethiopia Director of USAID. They generously bring us meals, pray with us and take us to dinner. They have a diplomatic vehicle and driver which they let us use. We are given excellent transportation in a safe vehicle as we travel with Rachel from the guesthouse to the hospital, to the US Embassy, to medical appointments, etc. We feel cared for in a foreign land.

The day before Rachel Rose is discharged from the hospital, an American short-term missionary moves into the room next to us. Her name is Kristyn and she is a pediatric nurse. She generously offers her expertise to us as we care for Rachel the rest of our time in Ethiopia. Total blessing.

We are able to rent an oxygen tank in order to give Rachel Rose the nasal oxygen supplementation she needs while we stay in the guesthouse. On the oxygen she is able to eat and breathe normally. Off the oxygen her color is not good and she becomes too lethargic to be able to eat.

God leads us to fly home despite our ongoing concerns with Rachel’s oxygen issues. As they oxegynate the plane for pre-trip flight preparation, Rachel’s color improves dramatically. She has not had another oxygen concern since! Praise God!

We have to fly standby and all the flights are booked for a week. God miraculously gets us seats on a full flight, and we are the last three passengers onto the plane! We even got a seat with the infant bassinet!

Here in MN, we have taken Rachel to multiple Dr. appointments and she is declared healthy, healthy, healthy!

When we met Rachel on 7/19/11 she was 4 months old and 6.5 pounds, the same weight she was on 3/30/11. Now at 6.5 months of age, she weighs 14.5 lbs— a 130% increase!

Jenni’s 1st interest in adoption was at age 14 in a Haitian orphanage. While we were dating we discussed our mutual interest in adoption. 25 years later God gives us our precious adopted daughter. “A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul.” Proverbs 13:19

Join us in celebrating! We are confident and filled with hope because we know that the Lord has a plan for Rachel Rose’s life. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Isaiah 29:11

ADOPTION ANNOUNCEMENT

Dearest sweetest Rachel Rose,

For many years we prayed for you.  Would it be possible that some day the Lord would bring us a child to adopt into our forever family? Several times we almost started the adoption process, but sensed God asking us to wait.  And then during the actual adoption process there were tears over the numerous paperwork delays. Your big brothers and sister felt like they were waiting “forever” for a baby sister! 

And now as we hold you in our arms, we are so thankful for each and every single delay that happened.  Because of those delays - we were the family who got to be assigned to receive YOU.  YOU were the exact child God had picked out for our family.  Since before time began, it was in His plan that YOU, Rachel Rose, would be born in Ethiopia and then adopted into our Halseth family.  How did we get to be so blessed?  The word “thankful” hardly begins to describe the depth of our gratitude to have YOU as our daughter.

The Hebrew meaning of RACHEL is “God’s Gentle Little Lamb, Innocent before God.” Here is one verse associated the name Rachel:

“He tends his flock like a shepherd, He gathers the lambs in his arms, and carries them close to his heart; He gently leads those that have young.”   Isaiah 40:11

The last two letters of Rachel also have meaning. "EL" is another name used for God in the Bible, meaning "mighty, strong, prominent." A ROSE is seen as a symbol of love and beauty.  Rose is also the past tense of 'rise'.  When we met you, you were living in the city of Addis Ababa which means, “New Flower.” The Bible talks of the Rose of Sharon, and so you are also a namesake to your Grandma Sharon. 

Rachel, you are our sweet, gentle little lamb.  You are innocent before God.  You are definitely lovely and beautiful.  When we met you Rachel, you were in a critical medical condition.  God rescued you and breathed new life into you.  He has a plan and a purpose for your life. We know this full well. May your heart stay soft and tender before the God who loves us all, more than we can know or imagine. May He be mighty and prominent in your life as you arise in His strength.

 Love, Mommy and Daddy

PRAYING RACHEL ROSE HOME!

PRAISE GOD! We are SO thrilled to share our exciting news! Matt and Jenni fly to Ethiopia July 17th!!! Our future adopted daughter is 4 months old and her name will be Rachel Rose.

THE ADOPTION PROCESS
We need to pass two more levels before we can bring our Rachel Rose home to the USA:

Ethiopian Federal Court- pray we pass on 7/22/11.
US Embassy in Ethiopia - pray we pass by 8/15/11.

As soon as we pass ET Fed. court, we are able to take custody of Rachel within Ethiopia; while we await passing US Embassy. Matt returns 8/2. Jenni has an open-ended ticket and is going to try to stay in Ethiopia long enough to be able to bring Rachel home for good, without putting her back in the orphanage. Otherwise Jenni will need to make a second ET trip to bring Rachel home.

PLEASE PRAY
Passing through the adoption process quickly/smoothly.
Rachel to be healthy and loved-on in the orphanage; also for protection against malnutrition, parasites, etc.
Nathan, Abby and Joshua as we are separated from them.
Safety in our international and in-country transport and accommodations. Also protection for our health.
Praise God for provision for our adoption expenses.  

MINISTRY UPDATE
Matt loved leading the Barnabas team at training camp in June! We are excited about progress on the new training camp building project Matt is overseeing – the building shell is now complete! Pray for the 9 Royal Servants teams serving around the globe.