Hello again, friends! It has been another busy, wonderful, and even really difficult few weeks since I last spoke with you. So many things change from week to week here that its often hard for me to keep up! 

DoH hit a major milestone this spring (fall for all you in the northern hemisphere), and last Saturday we celebrated its 10 year anniversary! We had a wonderful night. Over 350 guests

 attended a formal dinner, complete with entertainment, worship, commemorative speeches and slideshow presentations. It 

was such an incredible time of blessing the Lord, giving thanks to Him for each and every miracle we’ve taken in over the last 10 years! 816 babies have found refuge and love at DoH since August 1999. Steph and I took our 3 1/2 month old twins to the event as the guests of honor. They charmed everyone in the room, and I had the best looking little infant date in the world! Haha! Our Aunties were all in attendance and and my Anna made an appearance on a huge banner! My eyes teared when I saw my beautiful baby girl staring at me from the wall. Then I had to laugh because the verse that accompanied my bald little beauty was “... and the very hairs on your head are numbered...” I thought “well no matter how few, my love, the Lord knows each one!” It was so funny. 

Steph returned a week ago tomorrow! I cannot tell you the breath of fresh air she has been to me. It is a relief to know she is here and that I am no longer carrying all the weight I was formerly carrying. It has been a long 6 weeks and while this past week was not an easier one, it was just nice to share the load. Poor thing, though... as soon as her plan landed, she was back in full force! Please pray for her as she picks up where she left off, catches up on all our new arrivals, and prepares for my long leave from the ministry. Once upon a time, it seemed like a great idea to spend 10 week back in America, and while I am so looking forward to spending some quality time with family and friends I cannot imagine being away from this ministry and my sweet babies for so long. Anyway, aside from sharing the load again, I am really thrilled to have my friend back in the country!

We had another scare this week. Our tiniest baby boy stopped breathing on us Tuesday. I had taken 3 of our babies to the pediatrician for routine blood work and was to meet Steph with three other babies there. She was about 20 minutes late and I had this horrible nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach. When I could no longer stand it, I gave her a call and found out that our little one had stopped breathing. He'd needed to be resuscitated a few times. Uncle Brise and Steph were thankfully there to perform CPR and the Lord kept our baby boy until he could be taken to hospital. He is there now, along with 3 other of our babies. Pneumonia has swept through our small babies department at Baby House 1, and our tiny ones are just not strong enough to fight it on their own. We have placed all the small babies on antibiotics and have taken three to hospital where they can receive oxygen as they recover. Please keep all these babies in your 

prayers- that we 

will stop the spread of sickness, and that these little ones in hospital will make a swift, full recovery. My baby girl with AIDS is unfortunately not doing very well. She had such a great week last week and then just as she was gaining strength, she was ht with a stomach bug and is battling again. She is no longer interacting with u and because of this and other abnormal behaviors we suspect the HIV is now affecting her brain. Again, healing comes in many ways, so I will pray for what I know is on its way, no matter the form it takes. Please pray with me for this sweet blessing- for  healing, for peace, and that in the meantime she can rest in our Lord’s loving arms.

In other departments, the babies are doing very well! We have had no  adoptions for two weeks and are not scheduled for another until the end of October. South Africa’s courts are taking leave during the month of October and while I respect their need for a break, I am really sad that our babies are having to wait to go home. Children’s homes continue to fill up with new arrivals and there are not enough adoptions to free up space! This is a BIG problem. I’ve already shared a bit about the small babies, and our big babies are just wonderful! Our two oldest little boys are so precious! They are peas in a pod, roaming the sitting/play room and getting into mischief! We’re dealing with eczema, runny tummies, and a scrawny little boy who doesn’t want to beef up for adoption, but otherwise every child is thriving! Smiles are turning to laughs, and laughs into chuckles... its precious.

Our starfish kids continue to make improvements! Our little girl with cerebral palsy continues to get stronger! She works hard during her exercises 3 times a day and even her physiotherapist cannot believe how far she has come! This baby is remarkable... I took another of these kids to have a final (hopefully) CT scan so that she can go for adoption in the next few months. She is a precious lamb, this girl. We left the house at 7, arrived in the X-ray dept. at 8, and sat waiting until 11! Our 2 children, who had not eaten anything since 10pm the night before, were so lovely and patient. After 4 and 5 tries getting their IVs placed, they gave both girls an oral medication to knock them out. I had to laugh... before it knocked her out, it made my 18 month old very silly. She was quite entertaining for a while and as soon as I saw her taking the long blinks, I cradled her in my arms and let her chew my necklace until she fell asleep. Please pray that these tests come back fine and she’ll receive a family soon!

Today was a public holiday so I got to spend the afternoon playing with my tots... I adore these children! I love all my babies, but these tots carry such a special place in my heart. My oldest little boy is my little sweetheart. Aside from a trip to the emergency room for stitches in his chin last weekend, he is doing very well! Like Auntie, like Inno... we have the exact same scar. Apparently the apple doesn’t fall far from the foster tree. My “S” is as sweet and sassy as ever. Her speech improves more and more every day and it looks as though she may finally be able to go for adoption! I’m a little heartbroken that it will probably happen while I am away, but am so thrilled that she is on her way home. We are now potty training two of our little guys and they are just so funny! They are actually both doing very well now. “T” who has been training for not yet 2 weeks is already using the potty almost exclusively, while “C” is still not very interested. He did tell me yesterday that he needed to wee and that was a huge breakthrough! 

“K”, who moved from our starfish program a few months ago is still adjusting to life with the big kids. He is doing well, but I think he is easily overwhelmed. I have been getting some major smiles from him lately though, and am making sure to give him lots of love as he settles. “N” took his first steps last week! He is too cute, this boy! So far he can only step with the left foot, so he does this a few times (spinning in a little half circle) and  then falls to the ground. Haha! Before long he’ll be toddling as quickly as “Y”! She is doing wonderfully, and is now so fast on those chubby little feet. I love to watch her go. This little girl has the brightest, beaming countenance! Everyone is just captivated by her sweet smile. 

Our “E” is coming along so well. She is our latest addition to the Toddler House. I told you last week that she came to us older, but with very weak legs. She is now Mowgli crawling everywhere and is so much stronger! She responds to her assumed name and is a very happy little girl. This is a huge answer to prayer as she was placed in the bin at over one year old... the Lord is so very good.

While staying super busy with Steph looking after this crew, I am also making

 preparations to come home in just a little over 2 weeks. It is astonishing, really, how quickly time flies! I cannot believe I have been here now just over 7 months. During my stay in the US, I will be spending some quality time with friends and family, refueling for the next year of service in this ministry, and raising the financial and prayer support to do so. I'm making plans to speak in some of the churches in Bryson City, and hope to spread the word about what the Lord is doing in the lives of these tiny blessings! I’d love to get together with you while I’m home! Shoot me an email to bethmaennle@gmail.com and lets make a plan! 

I could just go on forever about my sweet little ones, but I’d like to not scare all my readers away with these short novels! Thank you for reading, thank you for your prayers & and thank you for your love and support.

Love and blessings,

Auntie Beth