It is hard to give updates when it isn’t quite complete!  But wanted to let you know the progress of things here so far, because I think we will be even MORE busy soon!  We already have our lead positions filled (social worker, lead caregiver, manager and accountant).  We are interviewing for the nurse.  We have hired 5 caregivers, still needing 3 more caregivers to complete our number of caregivers.  We are interviewing applicants tomorrow.  We are also in the process of hiring the cleaners and cooks.  Almost complete for our staff, so we can start training them all next week and/or the next.  Purchasing of the supplies and furniture is happening as I type here!  The process is not very easy.  I wish we could just pull into a super store and purchase it all, hope that they have price matching and hand in our receipt.  Yes…not that simple.  So we came up with our list of supplies that are needed and they are widdling it down to what we absolutely need now, based on our budget!  Kind of like a family budget!

Almost 200 families have applied to be in this program.  The need is so very great here, but only 40 slots are open.  We are being very conscious of helping those that truly need to be helped and not starting a welfare system of dependence.  Part of this process is after some screening, those families that seem to be a better fit have home visits from our staff.  Since this is an extension of Strong Hearts ministries, we would like to also continue to support the families that we already know and are assisting.  But we must be fair to all families that apply, so we will see who God has in mind for us, soon!

The supplies that are coming in or are already here are just so vital to us here.  I know it may seem like we have a large budget, or why can’t we buy this or that here, but the thing is, items here like clothing or dishes or bottles or even cloth diapers are hard to come by and when you do come by them, they are not great quality and so very expensive!  As we go through our lists, all I can think in my head is the ability for people to shop clearance at Kohls, Target, Old Navy—you name it and it is so easy!  So thank you all so much for saving us so much money and head ache here when you so generously fill up those pieces of luggage to get over here!  A special thank you to all of those “mule” friends of ours that haul it all over for us—some dear friends that we have known for a long while, and some are new generous friends that we have through adoption or missions!  This community of people we are all a part of, is so special and certainly God-orchestrated.  Thank you—and hope we can report soon about the grand opening!  We are a bit baby crazy here and can’t wait to help out!  And when I say all of us, I mean, everybody!  Ok, maybe not Mark, he will be happy to make our shelves and make a great website with family profiles!  But for the rest of us, I think the Sullivan children can probably man the center on their own!  Blessings to you all.