The Heatons in the New York Times!!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/us/26orphans.html?scp=1&sq=heaton&st=cse

They are HOME!

Finally, they are truly home. The Heaton family, now including Dieunette and Bettania, flew into the Omaha airport last evening at 6:00. There to meet them were many friends, family and media. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
http://journalstar.com/news/local/article_abf03052-07c6-11df-839b-001cc4c03286.html

Finally together!

The latest from Pittsburgh is that Bettania and Dieunette are now with Scott and Kristin finally!!!! They were able to take them to their hotel last night. It is amazing to see has God has worked in this whole situation. Kristin is so thankful for their outcome but she continues to be burdened for all the oprhans who did not have a rescue this week. She is getting many speaking opportunities to speak about the orphans, not just in Haiti but around the world. This disaster in Haiti has certainly shown a bright light on the orphan crisis in our world and Kristin is boldly speaking out each time God gives her an opportunity. God ways are higher than our ways. It has been a long journey for the Heaton family to get to this point but they are being used mightily by God!

A note from Scott:

Morning arrives once again in Pittsburgh PA. Kristin and Nathaniel are being rushed off in a limo to be on the Today Show this morning. Kristin is determined to take every opportunity with the press to plead for the plight of the Orphan. Several reporters told her she was better than some of them. I think God is using her in amazing ways. A person that normally wouldn't even want to be in a large crowd now holds a press conference with the Red Cross and goes live on the TodayShow. Nathaniel is her partner in this journey, as he has never struggled to perform. He stands by her side, encouraging, holding her up, and furthering the mission.
Victoria, Grant and I, all stay behind at the hospital hoping for a moment to see the girls, or hear word of the paperwork progress. We now even have a copier supplied by the hospital in order to allow us to make copies of the same documents that have been mailed, and emailed so many times I have lost count.

Unfortunately Victoria and Grant headed for Lincoln at 5am this morning. School calls, and we have no idea how long this process may take. Victoria was the person that started this process for the family, and she really wanted to be a part of the ending, when the girls finally finish their journey and make it home.

Yesterday we were allowed, and I emphasize allowed, to see our children for 10 minutes. It was a supervised visit, no cameras allowed. Hard to comprehend why workers that have probably never completed a home study, or been fingerprinted by the Dept. of Homeland Security, are able to be with our children the entire day, and we get 10 minutes.

The Girls look good, and other than minor ailments with Dieunette, are in good spirits.

We are so grateful that they are out of the ravages of Haiti, and safe in the US, but heart breaking for Kristin to hold them for a few minutes and be required to leave. These kids have been left all their lives, the last thing they need is the struggle to understand why we are here in the hospital, but not with them.

God Willing Today is our day.
Psalm 82:3 "defend the cause of the weak and fatherless"

Thanks for being a part of this journey,
The Heaton's


subject: Link to CBS early show clip
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6119198n&tag=cbsnewsVideoArea.0

Kristin is the parent spokesperson in Pittsburgh

Here's another great Pittsburgh website with updated information about what is happening there with the Haitian children who arrived yesterday including the Heaton girls. Kristin (and Nathaniel)are members of the panel on the video titled "Officials update status of orphans." kdka.com

1:00 pm Tuesday afternoon 1/19/10 Scott and Kristin flew to Pittsuburgh last night to be there when the plane arrived from Haiti with the orphans. A local Pittsburgh TV station has picked up the story and is providing good up-to-date coverage. There are several videos on their website already about the Haitian orphans and the Heaton family was interviewed.
http://www.wpxi.com/video/22272209/ (copy and paste to your browser)

The latest word is that Scott and Kristin have not been able to have much time yet with Bettannia or Dieunette. The girls are at the hospital going through the medical evalution.

The governor from Pennsylvania who made the trip yesterday is scheduled to be on Fox News at 3:00 central time today to discuss the experience.

WELCOME HOME BETTANIA AND DIEUNETTE!

PRAISE GOD - PRAISE GOD!!!! THIS MOMENT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT HIM!! WE GIVE YOU ALL THE GLORY!!


12 midnight Monday nite/Tues morn Not sure where to begin! Scott, Kristin, Nathaniel, and Victoria just landed in Pittsburgh, Pa. They will be heading to girls any minute. They left Lincoln at 12am via private plane. Again, thank you God for allowing them to take off. We are experiencing very dense fog and ice.


CNN reported only 28 children allowed on plane that was taken down by Gov. Rendell of PA and congressman Altmire. This was well wrong as in some past postings and reporting from CNN. This is the one time I personally am thankful they were wrong. Scott and Kristin at this point had heard nothing and did not know if girls were on plane or not. PA news parties kept reporting plane had not left and all 61 orphans were on board. Third party confirmation came in stating they were on the plane and it had left already for US with stop in Miami and on to Pittsburgh. They headed to airport here in Lincoln and that is where we are now.


I will update you all with more information once I receive it from them. No time tables yet on their return as we have no idea what glorious paperwork awaits them or if weather back home will permit a homecoming.


Which brings me to my next idea! I could use any and all help with this- making a homecoming for them. Which includes Welcome Home signs, decorate house, balloons etc. Please email if you are in Lincoln and would like to help out in any way.


Again the family feels so incredibly blessed and eternally grateful for all of you in their lives. Thank you for your prayers along this journey.


Again it cannot be stated enough PRAISE GOD!! HE WAS IN COMPLETE CONTROL THE WHOLE TIME!! What an amazing plan He had.


Thankfully serving a living God,

Please pray for these girls in Haiti and also for their family here in Nebraska. This has been a very difficult time but their faith is strong and they continue to be encouraged by your prayers. They need prayers for safety. They have been unable to live in the orphanage and so they have been spending their days and nights outside of their house. This is not a secure place to be caring for children. They have also been without food and water at times. The situation they are in is very difficult but there was some very good news this evening. Five of the children from the Bresma orphanage were allowed to leave Haiti this afternoon on a miliatry plane and they arrived in the US to meet their adoptive families. The Heaton girls were not in that small group but we are fervently praying that they will also be able to come home very soon. And just shortly this final prayer request for tonight from Scott and Kristin Heaton. Please pray Bettania and Dieunette can come home together. As stated before, their paperwork is not at the same stage of completion. This could present a challenge which would cause the two sisters to travel separately home. Pray someone will see it in their hearts to just get them home to the same loving parents. Bettania is very aware of the fact that Dieunette is her sister. This could potentially be very traumatic for her to have to leave Dieunette in Haiti if they are not together.

Feeling very blessed and grateful to serve a merciful God,

Heaton siblings

The Heatons pictured here are Bettania and Dieunette with their big brother and big sister. This picture was taken when the family was all together in Haiti in July 2009. What a journey this family has been on. Those of you who know them will know that they have been trying to adopt two beautiful girls from Haiti. Bettania is nearly eight years old and they have been trying to adopt her since she was four. The youngest one, Dieunette, actually came to the US for six months when she was an infant needing brain surgery. The Heatons were her host family and fell in love with her but then had to return her to Haiti. Shortly after they returned her, she became available for adoption and they started the paperwork to adopt her also. They thought they were very close to getting the girls home but then the earthquake hit in Haiti on 1/12/10. The girls were living in an orphange that was damaged but they were unharmed. Two sisters from Pittsburg run the orphanage where the girls were living. These two women, Jamie and Ali have been caring for the girls and the other orphans since the quake. The Heatons are exhausting every effort to try and get the girls home. It has been a very long week for them. The story of this orphanage and their desperate attempts to save the children has been featured on CNN. Please see link below. (Scroll down to video called "Orphanage Falls, Children Ok"

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/world/2010/01/15/tuchman.haiti.orphan