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This Blog contains the journey of bringing our Ethiopian daughter home, as well as our thoughts on adoption.
God has blessed us and it is our turn, no, our privilege to share with you. We currently have some glitches on this
blog. Please forgive the "look" of this page while we try to resolve these problems.
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Wednesday, February 3, 2010
ONE MONTH CAN CHANGE LIVES....
 The gifts of God are extravagant...children, houses, food...these basic necessities we sink into every
day. We swing by a fast food restaurants where they know us by name (Ya, I know, embarrassing). Our children need a new pair
of shoes so we go to Target or Payless. Life goes on...oh, we have to tweak bills like everyone else, but we're able to...which
is unbelievably cool.
Yet somewhere across the world a nine year old sits, just like my little sweet Anna. She reaches
over and flicks a bug off of her little four year old brother, as he's curled up on a dirty mat. She's afraid to go out. She
knows what some of the men might do...things a nine year old shouldn't understand. Yet she's hungry, more importantly her
little brother is hungry. She lives so rurally that the "food programs" are a distant rumor. Her parents? Her father and mother
died within months of each other. She held her mother when she couldn't raise her head and dragged her body with her bare
nine year old arms. She is a parent now, at nine years old she must provide for her brother.
Fly across the world to
a corroded inn. Men with guns outside, big angry men. Inside a five year old boy waits, knows what expected of him, and wonders
when he will be sold to the next "customer". He feels so small and these men so big. He wonders if this is just how life is
supposed to be.
Her mother and father were killed in front of her. Her father was sliced open and her mother...her
mother....(tears fill her eyes). She told her to run and she ran...she abandoned her own parents and will always wonder what
would have happened if she fought harder.
These children may be fictional, but these events happen every day. These
events are not an exaggeration. There are children who are completely alone in this world and living on the streets. There
are little ones, the age of the children in your lives, that have buried their own parents. Children of war often see horrendous
acts. Children being used in twisted sexual solicitation is not uncommon in this world.
There are two things that
most of these children have in common. First, many of these children are orphans, and second and most importantly, these children
are gifts of our Heavenly Father.
These situations seem so distant though, don't they? They seem so far away. A world
away from trying to figure out how to make a car payment. A world away from a soccer game being rained out. A world away....
Now
picture stumbling over little cold bodies curled up on your doorstep. You would wrap them up and do whatever it takes to make
sure that they are taken care of, that they are not alone. It's easy to picture how quick our reaction would be if the children
were in front of us. If a child has no one, of course you're not going to put them out on the streets (that's unfathomable).
Yet,
across the world our choices are doing just that. Our statements of
"I can't"
"I won't"
"I couldn't do that."
"That's
crazy, I have three kids already."
"I have to save for the kids college and can't do it right now"
"It would be too
hard on my other kids."
"The timing just isn't right, maybe someday."
"I'm too old."
"That's your thing, not mine."
"I'm
saving for our vacation this summer and it's just not a good time."
These choices are leaving children huddling on
doorsteps, in streets, in horrid situations. Each time we ignore the need out there, we are shutting a door.
It sounds
hard and cruel to say that, but the fact is that there are more children out there than families that want them. There are
children in orphanages tonight that have seen their friends leave...yet they wait. Picture, please, your children with no
one. Stop reading for just a moment, close your eyes, and picture your child alone on the streets...this thought makes me
physically ill and breaks my heart.
Every time that we say "no" a child is left alone with no family, no one to be
"special" to, often no hope for the future beyond the streets.
Yes, we are all called to different forms of ministry.
Yet many refuse to ask, it's scary, but many refuse to totally surrender in this one aspect of their lives. We all do it.
We all have areas we struggle to surrender and we hold back.
What would happen if every Christian on the face of this
earth would pray, for just one month, and say..."Lord, what would you have me do? Is Adoption something that you want from
me?"
Flat out...what would happen? The words aren't hard to say, but are you ready for the answer God might give?
Yes,
we all may be called to different forms of ministry, but how do you know God doesn't have this blessing for you...unless you
ask.
The average adult in the U.S lives 936 months, consider giving at least one to this prayer.
Remember,
the gifts of God are extravagant...and this is one you don't want to miss.
A Story of Adoption, Tragedy, and God's Amazing Redemption (Haiti)
 I read this story on another blog (Take Your Vitamin Z) and agree that you need to read this. It's not a happily ever after....it
hurts my heart to read. It also helps me to realize what God has done for us all. _________________________________________ Adopted
for Life...and Death by Albert Mohler(The original story of this family was posted in The Times London on
Feb. 3rd)Arno was inseparable from Mr. Penguin. The little Haitian boy was almost three years old, and the plush
penguin with the word "love" inscribed upon it was his most treasured object. The orphan and his penguin were always seen
together. The boy has been given the penguin just after his birth. A Dutch couple was in the process of adopting him
almost from the start of his life -- they had been matched to him when he was only two months old. The penguin represented
a promise. The process of adoption took two years -- the length of time considered adequate to determine that no living
relatives might claim him. According to official estimates, there were over 50,000 parentless orphans in Haiti before the
earthquake came and orphaned many thousands more. Richard and Rowena Pet were the young Dutch couple who wanted so
badly to be Arno's mother and father. They has struggled with infertility for years before deciding to adopt. As they awaited
the adoption of Arno, Rowena became pregnant. Last August she gave birth to Jim, who was left in the care of relatives as
Richard and Rowena flew to Haiti in January to claim Arno and complete the adoption process. The story of Arno's adoption
is movingly told by reporter David Charter of The Times [London]. As he reported, "Arno was shy at first but within 30 minutes
of meeting his adoptive parents he reached for Rowena’s hand and took the Dutch couple on a tour of the orphanage in Port-au-Prince
where he had spent most of his short life. He began to call them Mummy and Daddy." Richard had shared their joy with
a friend in an e-mail: “We got to the orphanage feeling a bit strange. We went around a corner and immediately saw
Arno walking towards us. He was OK until he was about half a meter away, but then he panicked. The woman from the orphanage
helped out and half an hour later he took Rowena’s hand for the first time. I’m sorry but I can’t help crying at the moment
as I type this. Arno has been showing us everything in the orphanage. He showed us an old car they have for the children to
play on. He was holding a birthday card we sent for his second birthday.” According to Charter, adoptive parents often
stay at the Hotel Villa Therese in the Pétionville district of Port-au-Prince. That is where Richard and Rowena took Arno.
That is where they were when the earthquake came. And that is where they died together. David Charter tells the story,
with comments by Chris Spaansen, the friend to whom Richard had sent the e-mail: Dutch TV cameras were on hand during
the frantic search by an international rescue team with members from the Netherlands, Britain and Canada. . . . Lying there
amid the rubble was the unmistakable blue and yellow toy bird, Mr Penguin, marked with the word “Love”, that went everywhere
with Arno. “That toy helped them to make their first contact with the little boy. It had a really special place in the family.
It was a very emotional moment for all of us,” Spaansen says. Then this: What the cameras did not show were
the three bodies, found intertwined together, as if Rowena and Richard had tried to put protective arms around Arno as the
masonry began to fall. The disaster cruelly destroyed the new family, creating its own orphan back in the Netherlands. Jim,
just five months old, will be brought up by Rowena’s sister, who already has her own three-year-old boy. The bodies
of Richard and Rowena and Arno Pet were taken to the Netherlands together, just as they had been found together in the rubble
of the Hotel Villa Therese. They had been a family for a few hours, but a family all the same. Arno had a tragically short
life, but he ended that life in the arms of a mother and a father. Who can read this account without heartbreak . .
. and a heart warmed? Is there a heart so cold that it does not feel the pathos of this report, and sense the sentiment of
this family's tragedy? At the same time, this is not a tragedy in the classic sense. The love of Richard and Rowena and Arno
Pet transcends tragedy. That is why The Times published this report, and why it stays with you so long after you read it. Of
course, for the Christian there is far more to this story. In the story of Arno Pet we find a picture of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians: But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, born
of a virgin, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption
as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying "Abba! Father!" Therefore
you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. [Galatians 4:4-7] Adoption is perhaps
the most powerful depiction of the Gospel found in the Bible. We are all orphans, born under the curse of sin. By the sheer
grace and mercy of God, those who come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are adopted as sons. Redeemed sinners are adopted
as sons "through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise and glory of His grace,
which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved." [Ephesians 1:5-6] Arno Pet began life as an orphan, but he ended life
as a son. He was abandoned at his birth, but he died in the arms of his parents. He did not die as Arno, he died as Arno Pet. In
the rubble of the Hotel Villa Therese the film crew found the bodies of Richard and Rowena and Arno Pet. In that same rubble,
we find a picture of the Gospel of Christ. He who has eyes to see, let him see
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Haitian Orphans-The Information We've Gathered Part 2
 Through God's leading, we have delved into a ministry...a ministry of adoption support and orphan care. Through this
website we have been asked one question repeatedly, "God is turning our hearts to adoption through the devastation in Haiti.
What do I do and where do I start?"
Though this blog is in response to that question, we need to back up a little bit and talk about some of the history
of Haitian adoption, the reason many things are being handled the way they are, and the state of Haitian adoption now.
Before the earthquake, an orphan in Haiti would literally take years to bring home. You may have received a referral
within the first year (from what we understand), but it would take around 24 months to bring your child home after he or she
was referred. It was not uncommon to have a wait of three years from the first signing of a contract with an agency.
It was a long and daunting process with rumors being whispered about a lack of transparency.
Now that we have seen, heard, and felt in our hearts and lives the catastrophic results of the Earthquakes in Haiti,
our eyes are even more open to the longing to do something. Our hearts may be open to adopt one of these precious survivors
and show them the love that God intends for us to share and they so readily deserve. It's hard to say how easy this
will be in the future though. There are MANY unknowns.
Humanitarian parole has been offered to those children who have already been declared legally orphans and matched with
families prior to the earthquake. With the right paperwork, these orphans are united with their forever families. Some of
these have taken place and are still taking place.
Though we would love to see every single one of these orphans in loving homes, being able to tell who is an orphan can
be a struggle after a natural disaster such as this. Many in Haitian orphanages may NOT be orphans, but placed there
by families that are not able to afford to care for them. They may be visited by family with the ultimate goal to take
custody back from the orphanage at a later date. This is not uncommon. This is one of the reasons that idea of
bringing a mass airlift of children over to the United States is not considered to be the right thing to do. The hope
is to reunite families.
Do we agree with this...No and yes.
No, because the physical well being of the children (just the opportunity to survive) has to be first and foremost.
Even the thought of a group home in the states for a short period of time (until they had the facilities to care for these
children in Haiti) seems a better option than letting them face hunger, unclean drinking water, and the dangers we are now
seeing for their physical well being. We need to keep these precious blessings alive FIRST.
On one hand the answer is yes, they are right, do not do a mass airlift. These children need their family. Their
biological family has to be the first and best option. They need to be reunited if they have living family. They
need to be in the country of Haiti to raise this possibility. The thought of your own child being airlifted out of the
country you're in, as you're trying to make your way to them, adds tragedy to tragedy.
Though we first and foremost believe the countries need (and many are not) to prioritize the children's survival, health,
and safety.... it is not as clear cut as many believe.
This is a hard and difficult subject. My husband and I would gladly, praising God, fill our arms with more precious
blessings, but right now that is not the governments plan for Haitian orphans...right or wrong, this is the reality.
There are still so many rumors flying about orphans NOT matched to families being flown over here. From research
and digging this does not seem to be reality (the best we can ascertain).
So what do you do if you wish to adopt from Haiti in the future? We can make some recommendations, but that's all
they are....
Haiti is currently closed to adoption, as many of you know.
Will they open up soon? There's no guarantee. In the past, countries that have closed their doors for the
purpose of revamping their system or corruption have had a unpredictable reopening time frame. There were always many
rumors that they would open next week or next month, and a year later they still weren't open. There is talk that Haiti's
closing won't last long. We will hope and pray that it is so, but there really is no date we feel confident enough to
list. It could be a month or a year...there is no telling.
Will they expedite the process since the earthquakes? There is a hope that the process will be expedited and not
be NEAR as long. We, again, pray that this may be so...but cannot predict the future. There are just so many unknowns.
No matter the wait or the time frame though, these children will need homes. They will need to be held and loved.
They will need families to remember them months or years after this earthquake. Their need for a family to show them
the love for Jesus will not diminish because of time.
Our first suggestion, if you are wishing to adopt from Haiti, is to pray, "What would you have me do Lord?" God
knows how He will knit together your family. He knows, beyond your yearnings to open your arms, what will bring glory
to His name in your life. We've seen many in other situations who assume they know what God has wanted for them, but
found out differently. Our Heavenly Father knows your family, past, present, and future...ask Him.
After you have diligently been seeking God's will and if He convicts your hearts...here are some suggestions or possibilities.
With Haiti closed, it is possible that many agencies will not accept applications from families wishing to adopt from
Haiti. These agencies, though, may be able to tell you what you CAN do to get ready for Haiti to reopen. They
may recommend getting a country specific home study for the day that Haiti does reopen. If it takes longer than is expected,
you may have to get a home study update eventually, but this would enable you to act quicker when the country opens.
Talk to an agency though! These agencies may all have different requirements and you don't want to feel like your
ahead and find out you will have to redo everything. Some may let you or encourage you to get ahead...there is just
no telling with so many agencies out there (many with different requirements).
Here are a couple of agencies that we have heard good things about and that have an adoption program in Haiti.
I'm sure there are many great agencies out there, but you will want to do your research. You can find some of the questions
you need to ask here on this Adoption Support site.
AGENCIES
Holt International
Bethany Christian Services
We wish we could be of more help...give you more information. Please feel free to ask us anything. Please
feel free to request prayers...you've got 'em!
One of the last things, one of the best articles we've read thus far is from Tapestry. They wrote a wonderful
article with a ton of information.
Don't forget to check the JCICS blog for current information on Haiti.
If you feel that God is leading you to give of yourselves in another way, please check the Orphan Care link on this
website.
Last and most important, remember that God is in control. He is even bigger than this devastation. He is
even bigger than any government. We must act and we must seek God for the best way to do that.
May God give you clarity as you seek His will
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Total Adoptions in 2009
The statistics were released by our government on inter-country adoptions that took place in 2009.
Many of us (me included) have been concerned about what the economy is doing to the fatherless around the world. I've blogged
about it before in "The Effect of the Economy on Orphans".
May we all seek God and ask Him, "What would you have me do Lord?"
11:01 pm
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Haitian Orphans-The Information We've Gathered
Many have asked me the information (and sources of this information) that we have on the plight of
the orphans in Haiti.
I've heard a story about a four year old, being cared for by a homeless man, because there is
no orphanage that will take him. I've heard of a six year old trying to explain, when his two younger siblings needed amputation's,
that he WAS the parent. I've heard of children left unattended in hospitals for days with no one checking on them. We've all
heard the stories, they're horrific and very real.
Not only are orphanages struggling to obtain food and drinkable
water, but are at times being raided for what supplies they do have. Besides injuries, living on the streets, aftershocks,
and food and water, we also need to remember that child trafficking is a real threat as well.
We live in prayer.
Through
the adoption community we have obtained some information from places that others may not be aware of. JCICS stands for Joint
Counsel on International Children's Services. It's attempting to advocate for the Haitian orphans right now (and is normally
advocating for the rights of the orphans around the world and participates in humanitarian aid). The JCICS has the most current
information and more accurate than many news reports. From the JCICS Website....
_______________________________
"Humanitarian parole into the United States may be granted by the Secretary of Homeland
Security to bring otherwise inadmissible individuals into the country on account of urgent humanitarian reasons or other emergencies.
The humanitarian parole policy announced by Secretary Napolitano today will be applied on a case-by-case basis to the following
children:
•Children who have been legally confirmed as orphans eligible for inter-country adoption by the Government
of Haiti and are being adopted by U.S. citizens.
•Children who have been previously identified by an adoption service
provider or facilitator as eligible for inter-country adoption and have been matched to U.S. citizen prospective adoptive
parents.
Under applicable laws, unaccompanied minors entering the country without a parent or legal guardian will be turned
over to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement."
_______________________________
Currently they are expediting adoptions for the previous children. Much of what we hear
on the news about flying in planes of children is NOT correct, except for those children previously identified.
http://betheanswerforchildren.wordpress.com or http://www.jcics.org/Haiti.htm
There are rumors in certain states of imminent arrival of Haitian orphans. Many states are trying
to prepare in this eventuality, but as of yet they are just rumors. No flights are planned
The thought/hope is this.
If a child was already established as an orphan before the earthquake (but not matched with a family), many hope that they
will AT LEAST allow these children to be in group homes here in the States (the greater hope is a foster/adopt program). Finding
paperwork is a confusing process since much paperwork was lost in the earthquake. This would create a opening at the functioning
orphanages in Port Au Prince or outside of Port Au Prince. The general policy is NOT to take a child that is NOT confirmed
as an orphan in the case of a natural disaster completely out of the area. Some families in a case like this will be reunited.
There's a hot debate on this issue...and not a clear right answer. The only answer that is paramount is the safety and health
of the children.
For now we wait for the government to make some decisions. Haiti is currently closed to new adoptions
to insure that children that are labeled as orphans are truly orphans. Previously the adoptions in Haiti have been in question
due to the LACK of transparency in the adoption process.
I know we are all hurting and crying and wanting to take
these children into our arms. I am praying that God moves our government and others to insure these children are protected
and taken care of.
Again, right now we pray.....
Why I Haven't Posted About Haiti....
 The situation in Haiti is beyond words for me right now. I am overwhelmed with emotion...drop to your knees, mind can't get
wrapped around it emotion. It reminds me of 9/11, where it is just difficult for me to process...the sheer magnitude. I feel
helpless. Thankfully God is much bigger than this... We will glorify Him in this tragedy. We will see His name exalted
and many brought to their knees. We will see people wake up from the deep slumber of complacency and begin to "do" instead
of watch. Even knowing this I still, in some ways, feel helpless. I long to take every one of these innocent little
blessings, orphaned and alone, into my arms. I long to comfort these sweet parents mourning a vital part of them lost, their
children. I long to wrap blankets around the widows in their sorrow. So I pray, we all must pray. I'm sorry I haven't
written more, done more...right now I just can't. Thankfully, God can....
Saturday, November 28, 2009
The Blind Side of Adoption...Do You See?
This is not a review of the movie “The Blind Side”, but a review of sight…the ability to see.
Sight
is this miraculous thing. It enables us to move forward without tripping and falling on your face (which I do often). It enables
us to understand the world around us. It enables us to act.
Yes, I did see the movie “The Blind Side” tonight, but
I brought something out of this movie that I didn’t expect. You see, we all have a blind side that we use so often. Many call
it “turning a blind eye”, but basically it’s the ability to turn around and not see the world around us.
Occasionally
we moms use the blind side when our house is “a little too quiet” and we really don’t want to know why, so we pretend. We
pretend that we don’t know our three year old found a permanent marker and “decorated” the refrigerator with her “art work”.
We pretend that our teen isn’t sneaking the snack you hid in the cabinet to eat after the kids went to bed. We pretend that
the quiet is really a well-deserved peace settling on our households. This blind side often serves us well.
A young
man name Michael Oher, seventeen years old, walking the streets on a freezing cold night, fell through the cracks of a foster
care system that is overloaded. A family, living in their comfort, saw. Does that sound simple? It is.
They didn’t
need night vision goggles or corrective lenses for their hearts to see someone that had no cushion, but abject poverty. They
didn’t need a flood light to see a young man that had no home, comfort, or the loving arms to wrap him up and let him know
it would be ok. They saw, because the Lord, our Heavenly Father saw Him. They saw because they threw away their blind side
like litter along a highway.
When we arrived at “The Blind Side”, the line wrapped through the huge 18-cinema complex.
A second theater had to be borrowed to house the overwhelming crowds. I personally was stunned. You could hear the silence
in the theater as the movie progressed, hearts breaking for Michael and his life before love. The crowds filtered out of the
movie exclaiming its greatness, with tears in their eyes. What a good movie. What an amazing family. What a great man Michael
is.
I came out of the movie, tears in my eyes, praying that we all give up our blind side. There are other kids still
on the street, having fallen through the cracks. There are children in abusive homes, children of crack addicts. There are
thousands, if not millions, of children who don’t know where their next meal will come from. They own one set of clothes,
ragged and worn, often smelling of urine. They wake up to their father standing over them knowing that what comes next is
every parent’s nightmare. Children are waiting in orphanages, children’s homes, and foster care around the world. Many of
these same children are wasting away from neglect and starvation.
I want to ask you a question. It’s about a child
that doesn’t go to your children’s school. They don’t live down the block. In our safe little worlds of comfort, they aren’t
physically present in our lives. Before I ask, this one verse comes to mind, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and
certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
Do you believe and have faith that these children are out there and that
they exist, though you haven’t seen them? If the answer is “yes” and God has allowed you to see with His sight, what will
you do with that sight?
Will you choose to take a child off the streets, to ease their loneliness, or will you choose
to leave them there and continue to pass by? I know this may sound harsh and I’m FAR from being able to pass judgment on anyone.
I’ve made and continue to make mistake after mistake. This is not about guilting anyone into action, but about truly seeing,
using our sight.
I just want to remind everyone out there that this is very clear and straight forward.
Will
you see that child standing alone on the street corner? Will you see them smile in hope as you hold our your hand, letting
them know they’re not alone? Will you hold a child having night terrors about their life before love?
Or will you take
another avenue? Will you reside in comfort, closing your eyes to the fact that without you they will not have a family (just
pretend they will, we are all good at pretending)? Will you look into the eyes of a cherished child of God and turn your back?
Will you decide to choose to not see, close your heart to what you know, and turn your blind side?
God is not blind
and neither can we be.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Surely Not....
I did not write this, but it moved me...
______________________
Imagine with me for a minute…
Right now, today…
you are small and alone.
You are hungry and lost.
You have no home, no parents, and seemingly no future.
You are scared, and weak, from days without food. You have nowhere to go, nowhere to be.
People walk by you but they don’t even
look your way. It’s like you are invisible, nothing.
You keep walking, your feet are bleeding and sore… and yet
still you manage to cling to the small bit of hope, the little voice inside your head that says maybe, just maybe, one day
things will get better. Maybe one day -you will matter.
It is getting dark outside- inside your fear is growing.
Where will you go?
Your
heart is beating faster, and your fear becomes overwhelming, consuming your every thought. Then you see it, a dirty, broken
cardboard box and you bow your head thanking God for His provision. For you have found it- shelter. Safety, if only for one
night.
You slip underneath
it, hugging yourself, vowing once again not to cry- because by now you know tears are a waste of your strength. Your eyes
become heavy, despite the sweltering temperature. As you begin to drift off to sleep you pray, hoping, dreaming, of a family
of your own one day...of a place where you will matter...to someone.
Somewhere else in the world is a family...
They are just sitting down to dinner together.They are smiling and
their laughter fills the room.
Dinner is served and they bow their heads and they pray- thanking God for their many blessings… their home, their job,
the food that is set before them.They lift their heads and go back to the laughter and the joy.
They talk of their upcoming vacation plans, the lunch date
they shared with a friend today and the movie they plan to see this coming weekend.
More laughter, more excitement, more. As the leftovers are scraped
into the garbage can and the table is cleaned up, hot bubble bathes are taken by all.
Evening settles in, and the family slips under their down
comforters preparing for a good night's sleep.
Before turning out the lights, the husband leans over to kiss his wife good-night. She shyly smiles at him and
begins to tell him that she has been feeling that perhaps God is calling them to adopt.
The room grows quiet as they are both lost in their own thoughts…
their minds are flooded
with questions, concern, and then inevitably -fear.
How could they manage?
Another child?
Why, they already have two!
Where would they put the child?
Who would share a room?
How could they afford to adopt?
Would they
be able to take that vacation?
What would people think?
What if the child, you know, caused ‘problems’?
As their eyelids become heavy, they begin to drift off to sleep...
and they think to themselves ‘surely not’.
Surely God knows this is not convenient.
Surely God wants them to take that vacation they deserve...
Surely he knows how busy they are.
They have plans and they
have dreams.
As sleep overcomes them, the temperature in their master bedroom
is perfect…
and their pillows are fluffed to perfection.
Life is good for them, just as they had
planned...
Because after all, they matter...
Too much...
to themselves.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Let Me Tell You About Jesus....
My eyes and my heart have
just absorbed too much in 37 years. Sometimes it’s hard to breathe as I read
more and more about the children out there subjected to the abuse, starvation, and neglect.
We read about child trafficking. We hear how people are stealing children, but often we forget about those that remain
as maltreated possessions of the cruel and money hungry.
Often we forget about those
that are genuinely starving IN the care of an orphanage, because support is so scattered.
We forget about the little child, covered in filth, walking the streets at this very moment…as you sit at your computer…a
child living on the edge, vulnerable to the dredges of the child sex trade. Being
treated like cattle, worse than cattle…. there for the enjoyment of the perverse.
I’ve been reading about some
children in an orphanage remaining under the fist of unscrupulous adults in Sierra Leone. Profiting off these children, but treating them like dogs. Refusing
to let children go and having the connections to fight the release of these children within the government. Money being the reason for horror. They have a safe and secure
haven that God has provided waiting for them, but yet they still remain. I don’t
doubt God will triumph over this adversity and bless them in unimaginable ways, yet….right now there is fear for their welfare. Fear of the abuse (all forms) heaped upon the remaining children. The children they are clinging to like the last scraps of a shredded hope for profit.
The need in Kenya has been shared with us….effected by the drought and the lack of sufficient
crops. Children there not knowing where
their next meal will come from. The flu having already hit with the ability for
medical care absent or closely so. So many children, already ill from malnourishment
will fall victim to this next scourge upon them.
In Ethiopia, a beautiful country on my heart daily, new orphans are created every
moment. One in six children will die by the age of five. Aids still ravages the landscape. You can meet the most amazing
people who have nothing…literally. Street children are not unusual to see, but
remarkably common. Take a moment…picture your child…with no one. Picture them sitting on a street corner knowing mommy or daddy will not be coming to pick them up. This is reality. I see my eight-year-old
Anna, having no one and yet at eight being an older child on the street.
I remember being in Russia,
seeing the stream rise from the huge trash bins and smelling the urine as we walked around Max’s orphanage as we introduced
him to the outside world. I remember watching
the fear in his eyes as he touched a tree for the very first time. Seeing
the bones protrude under his translucent skin.
I visited with a sweet woman
and she shared with me some insight into her adoption of a little one from India. She told
me to watch “Slum Dog Millionaire” if I wanted to see what life was really like there.
She said it’s remarkably accurate. I did.
I cried as I saw the filth perpetrated on children. It made me sick with
the thoughts of what adults can do. I physically felt ill at things I had yet
to imagine because they are so heinous. Blinding children so that they may make
more money begging…. and so many other tragedies that no child should have to live through.
In our own country,
hardly a week goes by that we don’t hear of some horrible act against a child. CPS
is bogged down with the neglected, unwanted, and abused little ones of our society.
Yet they wait. They hunger. They shiver in the cold
or swelter in the heat. They have crust covering their eyes and noses and have
flies crawling across their faces. Their ribs protrude as they hold out their
hands that are often no bigger than the palm of yours. They smile as they fill
their mouths with dirt or leaves to try to fill their little stomachs.
They are children of our
Heavenly Father that we ignore.
We ignore them
for vacations, cruises, larger televisions, or nicer clothes. We ignore for an
expensive restaurant, or the all treasured new game system. We ignore them for
a new computer program or the new power tool. I’m the worst. I ignore them for convenience. I ignore them for a quick meal
out instead of cooking. I ignore them for the instant pleasure of a purchase
that I don’t need, but want.
I do think it’s
a blessing to be able to enjoy what we have, but for us to conclude what we do for these little ones is ever enough is naïve. It will never be enough. “The poor will
always have with you, but you will not always have me.” Matthew 26:11.
Yet, I remain in tears today…with
my heart heavy…loaded down, with the burden of need for these little ones. What
difference can we make for these children? We have the opportunity…through our
Heavenly Father, to make every difference. We have the opportunity to say not
only, “I can”, but “I will”. We can not hold the hand of our child, our precious
blessing, and not realize how blessed we are. We cannot ignore the tugging on
our shirts saying, “I have no one, will you leave me here too?” Our hearts cannot
remain intact, ignoring the wail of the motherless…the fatherless, alone on the streets…in orphanages…being sold…alone…abandoned…cold…hungry…alone…alone…alone….
As I sit here tonight, I
pray from the bottom of my heart that each and every Christian will listen to the child tugging on their shirt. I pray that they will hear the little voice from next door or across the world. I fall to my knees and beg, plead, and cry out for someone to hear the voice…and answer the question “Will
you leave me here too?”
I long to hear the answer….
“You are my child, a child of the most amazing Heavenly Father. I
will not ignore you. I will adopt you, as God adopted me. I will have mercy,
as mercy has been given to me. I will feed you, as I have been fed. Let me tell you about Jesus….”
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Mass Armadillo Exodus, What does it mean?
Everywhere I go
I see armadillo carcasses…along the sides of busy highways, rural roads…the armadillo’s are moving. Studies show that often animals know that geographic events are going to happen before they do. So what does this all mean?
It means
that I’m enjoying messing with you and that Armadillos may not be the brightest crayon in the animal crayon box. Yep, had to use it! I mean how could I resist using the title, “Mass Armadillo Exodus, What does it mean?”.
Really, I just wanted
to share that God has very quickly moved our Dossier (adoption paperwork) onto Ethiopian soil.
On September 14th, 2009 Fed Ex delivered our dossier to Ethiopia where they will translate it
and deliver it to the courts. We are ready to wait for our little ones officially. We look forward to sharing with you our official “wait date”. Though the official wait is 5 to 6 months once we are on the wait list, we know that’s God has His own
timing and, just as with our other wonderful journeys, our children will be ours in His time.
Praise God that
we are one-step beyond where we were even two weeks ago! God is moving and this journey is such a joyous adventure!
_________________________
Praises!!!!
That God has seen to bless our wonderful friends with approval of their home
study. and that more sweet children will now find their forever family!!!
That God is leading our lives. It doesn't matter
if it's easy or hard, SOO COOL!
That God provided the funds through some WONDERFUL means to submit our dossier and begin
our wait!!!
Immediate Adoption Process Prayer Requests:
*That God’s hand is on the paperwork, that they proceed
with not a glitch, getting translated and registered with amazing speed.
*That God brings our newest children home quickly.
*That
God blesses us with the funds as we gather them to complete the next step of this process (accepting the referral of the twins
when the time comes).
All Adoption Prayer Requests:
Please Pray…..
*For these little ones God has chosen to place
in our family…for their physical and emotional health in a difficult place.
*For their biological family…that God has His
hand on them and brings them peace in whatever they must face.
*That God has His hand on this adoption, guiding us, bringing
peace, and financially providing. That the funds pour in like water in a surge of blessing.
*Last, though it may seem a
bit premature, please specifically pray that once we are referred our little ones, that they come home quickly and pass court
the first time (many are starting to have multiple court dates and a LONG wait until travel). The Ethiopian government is
being very cautious and caring with their wonderful children though and for that we are so thankful.
*Lastly, that we
have peace and not stress, trusting God in every step.
________________________
Also, please join us in prayers
for four beautiful Christian families and five sweet children who are facing obstacles above and beyond what a adoption process
usually looks like. Governments will literally have to move for these older and special needs children to come home. Families
are waiting for them and we are SO excited to see God work in these lives and these governments to bring these adoptive blessings
home!
Olivia Mame (Ethiopia)-I would like to ask your prayers for
a little sweet young girl in Ethiopia
named Olivia Mame. There are some very immense road blocks, serious ones, that have to be conquered in order to finish the
adoption of this precious young lady.
Jubilee (China)- A Christian
family is struggling through major hurdles with their international adoption from China. Please pray for this family and for the government to move to bring her
home.
Daniel (Liberia)-A little
one with hydrocephaly awaits his family. Please pray that Daniel does not deteriorate farther and that people in authority
to move this case feel the passion to see this through quickly.
Ronaldo and Julia (Guatemala)-For
years this family has been trying to get their beautiful future children out of Guatemala.
Every time it seems close there is another glitch. Please pray with us. Please pray that EVERY problem is resolved and every
piece of paper has the perfection only God can give.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Blogging Flakes :)
You may notice that we have MANY blogs posted today, yet written other days. This year we have
been not only seeking our sweet twins in Ethiopia, but also home schooling five children/teens for the first time.
This summer had us gathering Dossier paperwork AND planning 1/2 year of home school. Even cheating (our oldest is taking
four classes at our local Home School Association), this has left me blogging (when the time allows) on our family blog. We
have been SERIOUSLY remiss at posting them here as well. It has been VERY busy, but we are slowly starting to fall into
a routine. In order to glorify God in this whole process we are diligently trying to post both places now, The
below posts are "catch up" post that we have been writing on our family blog.
Don't Just Believe...Act - Written September 15, 2009
9:44 pm
An Orphans Prayer- Written September 13, 2009
9:43 pm
God's Provision and Dossier Astonishment - Written August 31st, 2009
I want to say the path to this
adoption is unusual for us, but it’s not. It’s all about God and all about following His voice. That’s the only way we’ve
known adoption. That’s the only way to expand the limits of imagination, of what we can fathom….following Him.
Though
our journey is a step we’ve taken previously, it’s far from normal. Two weeks ago Monday we had $2000.00 with much more needed.
Today we had over $7000.00 with a smidgen left over to go toward the next stage. Today we watched as God delivered us a small
piece of this miracle we call our adoptive journey.
We see God as a God of big miracles. God is also a God that breathes
on our every move, blessing us, walking with us. His timing is always perfect. His will is always the ultimate gift.
We
want to thank each of you for the prayers we feel covering us. To each that gave so selflessly to bring these little ones
home, we long to share with you the joy of holding them. Most of all though, we praise our most glorious Heavenly Father….celebrating
and basking in His goodness. Thank you Father….
______________________________
Though our prayers have advanced,
we still have a exciting journey ahead of us. We sit in wait now for the referral (pictures and information) on our future
children. Would you please join us in prayer for our little ones and this adoptive journey.
Immediate Adoption Process
Prayer Requests
*That God’s hand is on the paperwork, that they proceed with not a glitch, getting translated and registered
in God’s timing.
*That God blesses us with the funds as we fundraise to complete the next step of this process (accepting
the referral of the twins when the time comes).
All Adoption Prayer Requests:
Please Pray…..
*For these little
ones God has chosen to place in our family…for their physical and emotional health in a difficult place.
*For their biological
family…that God has His hand on them and brings them peace in whatever they must face.
*That God has His hand on this adoption,
guiding us, bringing peace, and financially providing. That the funds pour in like water in a surge of blessing.
*Last,
though it may seem a bit premature, please specifically pray that once we are referred our little ones, that they come home
quickly and pass court the first time (many are starting to have multiple court dates and a LONG wait until travel). The Ethiopian
government is being very cautious and caring with their wonderful children though and for that we are so thankful.
*Lastly,
that we have peace and not stress, trusting God in every step.
________________________
Also, please join us in prayers for four beautiful
Christian families and five sweet children who are facing obstacles above and beyond what a adoption process usually looks
like. Governments will literally have to move for these older and special needs children to come home. Families are waiting
for them and we are SO excited to see God work in these lives and these governments to bring these adoptive blessings home!
Olivia
Mame (Ethiopia)-I would like to ask your prayers for a little sweet young girl in Ethiopia named Olivia Mame. There are some
very immense road blocks, serious ones, that have to be conquered in order to finish the adoption of this precious young lady.
Jubilee
(China)- A Christian family is struggling through major hurdles with their international adoption from China. Please pray
for this family and for the government to move to bring her home.
Daniel (Liberia)-A little one with hydrocephaly
awaits his family. Please pray that Daniel does not deteriorate farther and that people in authority to move this case feel
the passion to see this through quickly.
Ronaldo and Julia (Guatemala)-For years this family has been trying to get
their beautiful future children out of Guatemala. Every time it seems close there is another glitch. Please pray with us.
Please pray that EVERY problem is resolved and every piece of paper has the perfection only God can give
Praying for Governments to Move - Written August 29th, 2009
I think that I'm seeing a theme in so much of the stories of hardship and of triumph
that God is bringing to light in my life recently. So many families are waiting for governments to literally move to bring
their adopted blessings home. Some have been fighting for years, some for months. Some adoptive families are fighting to bring
their special needs children home. Some families are praying and struggling for their older children or babies to come home.
Often in the theme of these very special and personal stories, lies the amazing blessing that God has given. Children are
ALWAYS a blessing, but also there is a blessing of Christian families with imprints on their heart waiting for children who
they've never met, but are every bit their child. These are imprints that may not be of tiny infant feet, but the "stomping
in muddle puddle" prints of a seven year old. All these families are in need of tremendous prayer for the movement of red
tape, permission of governments in closed countries and the approval of governments that don't see adoption as a blessing.
These stories are on my heart. As we pray and petition in our own adoption, I will be praying long and hard for these other
families. I can NOT wait to share with you how these governments move, today, tomorrow, next month, or next year. I will be
celebrating and singing with these wonderful families. Here are their prayer requests. Please, as you pray for our adoption,
commit with me to pray for these five young ones and their four families waiting to embrace them.
Prayer Request One:
Olivia Mame (Ethiopia)-I would like to ask your prayers for a little sweet young girl in Ethiopia named Olivia Mame. There
are some road blocks, serious ones that have to be conquered in order to finish the adoption of this precious young lady.
Please pray hard for her to come home. PLEASE pray for the government to move (which is what HAS to happen). Please pray God's
hands are on this young one and this family until they are united. We know God is moving. You can read about Olivia Mame on
Sandee's blog at
http://findingolivia.blogspot.com/2009/08/is-this-hardest-thing-ill-ever-do.html
Prayer Request
Two: Jubilee (China)- A Christian family is struggling through major hurdles with their international adoption from China.
Certain paperwork on this end is taking a long time to process and the Chinese government has withdrawn their approval of
this families adoption of this sweet seven year old. Please pray for this family and for the government to approve the appeal
of their decision (reversing it). Here is the blog with more information.
http://aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com/2009/08/would-you-please-pray-andor-fast-with.html
Prayer
Request Three: Daniel (Liberia)-A little one with hydrocephaly awaits his family. Please pray that Daniel does not deteriorate
farther and that people in authority to move this case feel the passion to see this through quickly. Also, please hold up
to God this family and Daniel, for their peace and comfort until they are in each others arms. To read more you can read the
following blog....
http://smithsoup.blogspot.com/2009/08/leaning-on-everlasting-arms.html
Prayer Request Four: Ronaldo
and Julia (Guatemala)-For more time than you can imagine this family has been trying to get their beautiful future children
out of Guatemala. Every time it seems close there is another glitch. Please pray with us. Please pray that EVERY problem is
resolved and every piece of paper has the perfection only God can give. Please join us in prayer that Ronaldo and Julia come
home to their waiting family soon. Also, again, pray for peace and comfort for all until they arrive in each others arms.
To
read more about this journey, please see
http://prayingthemhome.blogspot.com/2009/08/boy-brains.html
_____________________________
Though
our requests seem so trivial compared to these stories, please continue to keep our journey in your prayers when you have
the opportunity. We feel covered and have found such comfort and peace from God. Thank you for every prayer you've offered
up. God is SO astounding and amazing!!!!
Immediate Adoption Process Prayer Requests (Next couple of weeks)
*That
God’s hand is on the remaining paperwork and that they proceed with not a glitch, quickly and correctly.
*That God blesses
us with the funds to submit the paperwork (dossier) to Ethiopia when the time comes (hopefully within a week).
All
Adoption Prayer Requests:
Please Pray…..
*For these little ones God has chosen to place in our family…for their physical
and emotional health in a difficult place.
*For their biological family…that God has His hand on them and brings them peace
in whatever they must face.
*That God has His hand on this adoption, guiding us, bringing peace, and financially providing.
That the funds pour in like water in a surge of blessing.
*Last, though it may seem a bit premature, please specifically
pray that once we are referred our little ones, that they come home quickly and pass court the first time (many are starting
to have multiple court dates and a LONG wait until travel). The Ethiopian government is being very cautious and caring with
their wonderful children though and for that we are so thankful.
*Lastly, that we have peace and not stress, trusting
God in every step
First Week of Home School and God's Amazing Blessings - Written August 20, 2009
 I sat at the home school table and heard a quiet crying from the girls back bedroom. It sounded like Bekah our three year
old. It was so sweet and pitiful. “Bekah honey, what’s wrong?” I asked her as I pulled her into my arms. Sniff sniff,
“I want more homework mommy.” Oh, the trauma I inflict on my children. I just tried not to laugh and snuggled with her. I
was really concerned…hmmm…concerned isn’t the right word. I was really unsure of how this year would progress home schooling
five children. Will the schedule be too intense? Too easy? Would I be stretching myself too thin? Actually, it’s been peaceful
and fun. The schedule is working out wonderfully and though I know it needs some tweaking, the routine seems to be working
so far. Don’t worry, I’m not saying that out loud (wink). We are studying the usual Math, English, History, Science,
Health and adding Gym and Africa/Ethiopia Studies to it as well. I love that there is so much available on the web to create
the Africa curriculum for my younger kids. After not liking…no, detesting Math as a kid, I’ve been surprised how much I enjoy
teaching it. I guess after years of trying to stretch the almighty dollar, multiplication is not so bad (smile). This
week we are still gathering funds to send the adoption paperwork (dossier) in. We have been blessed by some wonderful people
who have shared with us their desire to help bring our newest blessings home. I’m stunned at the amazing ways God is fulfilling
His gift to us. Wow…God is at work on us in ways that we don’t even have the ability to understand yet. I want to mention
yet again how wonderful God had been and IS to us. We don’t deserve Him and the gifts He continues to give. I feel so unworthy.
As we see this crack in the door of how these funds will be provided, it amazes us and humbles us. For those who have
been called to pray for our family… _____________________________________________ Immediate Adoption Process Prayer
Requests (Next 1-2 weeks) *That God’s hand is on the remaining paperwork and that they proceed with not a glitch, quickly
and correctly. *That God blesses us with the funds to submit the paperwork (dossier) to Ethiopia when the time comes (hopefully
within a week). All Adoption Prayer Requests: Please Pray….. *For these little ones God has chosen to place
in our family…for their physical and emotional health in a difficult place. *For their biological family…that God has His
hand on them and brings them peace in whatever they must face. *That God has His hand on this adoption, guiding us, bringing
peace, and financially providing. That the funds pour in like water in a surge of blessing. *Last, though it may seem a
bit premature, please specifically pray that once we are referred our little ones, that they come home quickly and pass court
the first time (many are starting to have multiple court dates and a LONG wait until travel). The Ethiopian government is
being very cautious and caring with their wonderful children though and for that we are so thankful. *Lastly, that we
have peace and not stress, trusting God in every step Posted by Kat at 6:21 AM 0 comments
The State Capital and Our Missing (and Found) Three Year Old - Written August, 18th, 2009
2003 was the last time Thomas and I went away together without the
children AND that was when we were bringing home Max from Moscow. We have had our “dates” and such, but overnight? Nope, we
just haven’t done it.
Sunday we went to our State Capital. Mom kept all five children and Thomas and I had a night
at the Holiday Inn. This was a trial run for our current youngest, Bekah (3). She had never spent the night at Grandma’s and
will have to for at least a week when we go to Ethiopia. They were all great…not a tear. Mom said every time the phone rang
Bekah would say, “That’s mommy!”, but not much else.
That’s without mentioning the fact that Bekah disappeared at about
2am though. Sarah (12) was spending the night in the “play room” with Bekah. Sarah had the top trundle bed and Bekah had the
bottom, close to the floor (in case she fell out). Sarah woke up at 2am and Bekah wasn’t in her bed. She checked beside the
bed…no Bekah. She wasn’t worried at this point as she figured that Bekah went into grandma. She got up and started looking…no
Bekah. She wasn’t in Grandma’s room, the kitchen, bathroom, or anywhere else. Though she started to get really scared, she’s
a trooper and didn’t panic. She instead went back to her room to look again, hoping beyond hope that she was just so sleepy
and somehow didn’t see Bekah. Nope, Bekah wasn’t there. There was just a pile of covers UNDER the bed. To be safe, Sarah went
close and looked at the covers…they looked a little weird. Bekah was wrapped under the covers, under the bed…sound asleep.
Sarah, the sweet girl that she is, got her little sister and put her back on the bed. She told Bekah that she still needed
to get covers or she would be cold. Bekah immediately started to climb back under the bed to go to sleep. Poor Sarah…
When
Bekah woke up in the morning she immediately asked Grandma if she could play under the bed…hmmmm.
______________________________
Back
to Thomas and I…
When we arrived the Secretary of State Apostille section, we were sure we’d have to find something
to do for a couple of hours, after all we had 25 papers to be certified to be sent to Ethiopia. Everyone else was coming in
with one or two…then there was us. We handed our papers over and it actually only took 30 very quick minutes to do all 25.
This trip ended up being VERY quick….three and a half hours later, we were home. Ok, so it was more like five since we got
turned around.
Anyway, this is to let everyone know that we have completed the next step…the Dossier (paperwork) is
ready. We are now just finishing the “gathering of the funds” stage. If you could please join us in prayer for this last Dossier
part (funds to accompany), we would really appreciate it. Without mentioning names, thank you so much to our friend that sent
funds to aid in this step. It amazed us and encouraged us. We didn't expect it and really appreciated it. We hope to gather
enough this week to send in the Dossier quickly. God has and will provide in His time. We are VERY thankful our insanity is
not His and never could be (smile). He is SOOO good!
Immediate Adoption Process Prayer Requests (Next 1-2 weeks)
*That
God’s hand is on the remaining paperwork and that they proceed with not a glitch, quickly and correctly.
*That God blesses
us with the funds to submit the paperwork (dossier) to Ethiopia when the time comes (hopefully within a week).
All
Adoption Prayer Requests:
Please Pray…..
*For these little ones God has chosen to place in our family…for their physical
and emotional health in a difficult place.
*For their biological family…that God has His hand on them and brings them peace
in whatever they must face.
*That God has His hand on this adoption, guiding us, bringing peace, and financially providing.
That the funds pour in like water in a surge of blessing.
*Last, though it may seem a bit premature, please specifically
pray that once we are referred our little ones, that they come home quickly and pass court the first time (many are starting
to have multiple court dates and a LONG wait until travel). The Ethiopian government is being very cautious and caring with
their wonderful children though and for that we are so thankful.
*Lastly, that we have peace and not stress, trusting
God in every step
God's Provision...Today's Prayer - Written August 15, 2009
9:23 pm
Adoption Prayer Requests - Written August 14th, 2009
We are down to the wire in some
ways :). All we need is the funds to be gathered to send with our paperwork (for this step in the adoption process). Please
pray for the funds to pour in the next couple of days! We know this is all in God's hands and His timing and for that we are
very thankful.
Immediate Adoption Process Prayer Requests (Next 1-2 weeks)
*That God’s hand is on the remaining
paperwork and that they proceed with not a glitch, quickly and correctly.
*That God blesses us with the funds to submit
the paperwork (dossier) to Ethiopia when the time comes (hopefully in about a week).
All Adoption Prayer Requests:
Please
Pray…..
*For these little ones God has chosen to place in our family…for their physical and emotional health in a difficult
place.
*For their biological family…that God has His hand on them and brings them peace in whatever they must face.
*That
God has His hand on this adoption, guiding us, bringing peace, and financially providing. That the funds pour in like water
in a surge of blessing.
*Last, though it may seem a bit premature, please specifically pray that once we are referred our
little ones, that they come home quickly and pass court the first time (many are starting to have multiple court dates and
a LONG wait until travel). The Ethiopian government is being very cautious and caring with their wonderful children though
and for that we are so thankful.
*Lastly, that we have peace and not stress, trusting God in every step.
IMMIGRATION APPROVAL!!!! - Written August 13, 2009
9:20 pm
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“Religion that God our Father Accepts as pure and Faultless is this: to
look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” James 1:27 (NIV)
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