This blog was originally begun to share the experiences of our family while living and working cross-culturally. We certainly attempt to provide insights into that unusual lifestyle on a regular basis. However, currently, we are embroiled in quite a drama regarding the adoption of two precious boys. (See earlier posts for details.) So, I suppose, naturally, many of our current posts focus on the place where we find ourselves right now.
We send out semi-regularly, updates to people personally about what we need pr*yer for and what "mountains" we're currently facing. Yet, as we're staring down a massive mountain right now...and knowing that there are many of you who I don't know personally or have your contact info...but who would be faithful to lift up our current situation...I'm going to post the details here. Although it is with an ounce of trepidation, because I know that there will be some with their heads shaking as we share these details...but I want you to know how GOOD He is when He fulfills these needs...so that you might believe, too.
Perhaps we will move our adoption journey to another blog at some point...but maybe not. We're not traveling anywhere (only across town) to get the boys, and since this blog is about our life here...maybe we'll just include it all here...but, I digress...
We have, in the past done our best to follow Him wherever He leads us. This "leading" has manifested in many ways: job changes, adoptions, and moving Here, for a few examples. Each time those experiences in "leading" shared a common thread...generally it wasn't "our" idea at first (that is we didn't think up a great plan for our next step in life and simply ask Him to bless it), in most cases it was 180 out from what most people would have considered wise/reasonable/respectable. Most of our experience in following Him often seemed, well, crazy.
In fact, last week, Magpie (10 yrs) and The Bug (8 yrs) said that they have determined that it is time to change our "Family Theme Song." For the past three years it has been Steven Curtis Chapman's "Divin' In." ...I'm divin' in, I'm goin' deep, in over my head I wanna be, caught in the rush, caught in the flow, in over my head I'm gonna go, the river's deep, the river's wide, this river's water is alive, SO SINK OR SWIM, I'm divin' in...I know there is no turning back once my feet have left the ledge...
That song's lyrics have certainly seemed appropriate as we attempted to let go of everything we thought was reasonably important...our geographical proximity to beloved family, friends, community, jobs that we loved, a house that we built, cars that drove us everywhere at ANYTIME we wanted to get there, food that we enjoyed...but we, as a family, were Divin' In to the living waters that carried us far away from all those things we held dear...to this place.
But now, as our oldest two (who are at home right now) have rightly discerned...it's time for a new Theme Song. They suggested last week that our new theme song is another Steven Curtis Chapman song (yeah, we listen to his music quite a bit) called "Something Crazy" ...It's crazy when Love gets ahold of you, and it's crazy things that love will make you do, and it's crazy, but it's true, you really don' t know Love at all, till it's making you do, something crazy...I know a lady in Uganda, 40 kids call her Momma, and everybody thought she was "crazy", she used to drive a Beamer, but I've never seen her any happier that she is now, I've seen them all around the World, their the boys and the girls filled up with the love of the Father, and they know it may look a little strange, but they just smile and say 'that's alright, 'cause Love puts things in a different light'...
So, we are definitely in the realm of "Something Crazy." Just ask anyone on the street what their comment would be about adopting "twin", two-year old boys as your 8th & 9th children in your 40's and 50's! They'll tell you "that's crazy!"
In fact I suspect that a great deal of this journey to the boys is about leading us further into the realm of faith and is an invitation for us to believe MORE about what a massive, compassionate, personal, mountain-mover that He really is...
I just received an email.
It was the e-ticket receipts of the plane tickets back to the US that we just bought. We have to bring the boys back for their US Citizenship and we have only 6 weeks available for us to do such a thing, The only problem was that, it didn't look like we had enough money to buy all the tickets (think HIGH FINANCE), and we don't have finalized paperwork on their adoptions (in fact we're FAR from it!) But we cannot "wait" to buy those tickets because seat availability is going quickly for seats this summer! So we were in a quandary. Do we "play it safe" and wait for more of the paperwork to arrive in our hands before buying the tickets (for Graham & Silas, too)? Or do we step out in faith and make the purchase? After several weeks of prayer and a time of fasting...we believed that He was actually bringing everything together for us to buy those tickets NOW....to extend WAY OUT THERE in faith...and to TRUST HIM for the favor we need to see those final papers for the boys.
The purchase of those tickets was really exciting. We had just enough (within $170) to purchase those tickets. We used ALL of our resources to do it...quite literally. But, we saw that He had moved in some miraculous ways to provide the funds to do it. In fact, two weeks ago, we were SEVERAL thousand dollars short of being able to purchase them. But, as of Sunday night, He had provided just the right amount for us to purchase seats (for 10 of us, our oldest daughter will be with us, AND for Graham & Silas, too) to depart here on July 1. That is a tiny bit over 8 weeks away, I believe.
Do I find myself battling anxiety from time to time? YES. Do I know that He calls us to follow Him by faith and NOT by sight? YES. Is this a major time of growing into more faith? YES. But, the Word is FULL of stories of those who walked with Him who simply had to extend themselves in faith to see the mountains in their lives move. We're in excellent company, in that regard. Will most people believe that this is "something crazy?" YES.
So we'll appeal to you, our blog readers and friends...will you join with us in lifting up our current situation? We're letting it all hang out there on the blog so that we can all see together how He does it! I pray that your faith will increase with ours during this time!
Please, lift these three main issues up with us:
1) That we would have FAVOR with the national government Here. In fact we need two rounds of paperwork to be pushed through their offices that will enable us to finalize the adoptions before July 1. Some would say that is impossible...but we know our Father is the one who knows nothing to be impossible.
2) That we would have FAVOR with the US Immigration officers handling Silas' paperwork. We found out 2 weeks ago that paperwork we'd filed to "pre-approve" Silas some 7 weeks ago was REJECTED due to a simple error. We didn't know for 5 weeks (no contact from the government) and then finally we were told that we need to START OVER. Our paperwork was received TODAY to start that process over again. We need two rounds of paperwork to process through those channels so that we can obtain the Immigrant Visas for the boys and they can board the plane with us on July 1. Some would say that our time frame is impossible...but with Him, ALL THINGS are possible.
3) We have applied for Grant money to assist with the major price tag of these adoptions. Pray for His will to be done and FAVOR to be given in the form of Grant money...so that we have the resources needed to complete the adoptions.
Please, if you are so inclined, lift these matters up with us...we're excited to see, and for you to watch, just how He is going to accomplish these things. No doubt about it, when we're all on the plane on July 1...He gets ALL THE GLORY...for we know that it had nothing to do with us.
Sorry for this, yet again, long winded post. You know, I used to talk 3 hours a day on a talk radio show though...so, maybe I just have more words to get out that are bottled up now that I live in a land where I speak the local dialect like a two year old!?
Something Crazy. Yup. Good call Magpie and Bug. That's us.
28 April 2010
22 April 2010
Gardening
We've been so blessed by the personal emails and posts of encouragement this week. It's a strange thing when we live far away from the "world" we once knew. Of course there are times that we find ourselves, minds filling with images, smells, sounds, and faces of loved ones from back There. As we near our two year mark of living Here, we find a peaceful place that remains deep within that encourages us to experience more of Him. While we have relationships here, Praise Him, where we can now speak our mother tongue together and understand each other's struggles at a deep level...we still find ourselves often longing for those emails and contacts from There...they mean so much to us.
I was involved in a study last night with the foreign teacher who I shared about on April 10th. It's an amazing priviledge to share the deep things of Him with her. She was raised in a background of absent of really any spiritual teaching. But her wisdom, her recognition of the pure beauty of the Good News, refreshes me. When I sit with her, often just telling her stories of how we've seen and experienced Him, showing her promises in the Book that have been life to us...she just glows as the Spirit inside her confirms His presence.
We ended up focusing on how we manage the thoughts in our minds, those of doubt, discouragement, and fear. I used one of my favorite analogies, of "pulling the weeds" that sprout up in our mind. That we must do ABSOLUTELY nothing for these "weeds" to sprout. Soon, if we're not minding the garden, we find our thoughts are overrun with weeds, thoughts that do not agree with the Word. I conveyed to her that, just like a good gardener, we must do the work of pulling out those weeds. By forcibly pulling them out and exchanging them for the promises and Truth in the Word. Simultaneously planting the good food of the Word by agreeing with and claiming those promises for our lives. Then our minds are renewed and we can walk in peace.
That's what this week has been largely about for me. Confronting the thoughts that do not match up with the promises of the Word and exchanging those thoughts for the Truths. It brings me to this ordinary Thursday morning, while my family peacefully slumbers on, filled up with the faith that He is doing it. Everything related to the paperwork problems, the finances required, the time that is dwindling and the deadline of July 1 (our departure from Here to travel back for summer furlough)...they are tiny in comparison to His hand, His power, His sovereignty over the situtation. He has called us to do this, so He will accomplish it. Regardless of what I "see" around me, or the weedy thoughts that sprout up...I have access to a Higher Truth...that consumes these momentary troubles.
Hang on boys...your big, crazy, loud, and grateful family is coming for you. Soon, we'll make that 25 minute drive across town and absorb you into this family...and I pray we'll help you to become good gardeners of your minds and lovers of the Truth.
We're ready to love you, hug you, smash you into these massive group photos...
He is doing it...He is making us family...
I was involved in a study last night with the foreign teacher who I shared about on April 10th. It's an amazing priviledge to share the deep things of Him with her. She was raised in a background of absent of really any spiritual teaching. But her wisdom, her recognition of the pure beauty of the Good News, refreshes me. When I sit with her, often just telling her stories of how we've seen and experienced Him, showing her promises in the Book that have been life to us...she just glows as the Spirit inside her confirms His presence.
We ended up focusing on how we manage the thoughts in our minds, those of doubt, discouragement, and fear. I used one of my favorite analogies, of "pulling the weeds" that sprout up in our mind. That we must do ABSOLUTELY nothing for these "weeds" to sprout. Soon, if we're not minding the garden, we find our thoughts are overrun with weeds, thoughts that do not agree with the Word. I conveyed to her that, just like a good gardener, we must do the work of pulling out those weeds. By forcibly pulling them out and exchanging them for the promises and Truth in the Word. Simultaneously planting the good food of the Word by agreeing with and claiming those promises for our lives. Then our minds are renewed and we can walk in peace.
That's what this week has been largely about for me. Confronting the thoughts that do not match up with the promises of the Word and exchanging those thoughts for the Truths. It brings me to this ordinary Thursday morning, while my family peacefully slumbers on, filled up with the faith that He is doing it. Everything related to the paperwork problems, the finances required, the time that is dwindling and the deadline of July 1 (our departure from Here to travel back for summer furlough)...they are tiny in comparison to His hand, His power, His sovereignty over the situtation. He has called us to do this, so He will accomplish it. Regardless of what I "see" around me, or the weedy thoughts that sprout up...I have access to a Higher Truth...that consumes these momentary troubles.
Hang on boys...your big, crazy, loud, and grateful family is coming for you. Soon, we'll make that 25 minute drive across town and absorb you into this family...and I pray we'll help you to become good gardeners of your minds and lovers of the Truth.
We're ready to love you, hug you, smash you into these massive group photos...
He is doing it...He is making us family...
19 April 2010
Video Recommendation
Hey everyone,
Just stumbled upon this short video clip with a guy talking about living a "safe life"...it really encouraged me, and hope that you'll find encouragement too...check it out if you're interested...
http://www.godtube.com/featured/video/francis-chan-balance-beam-life/all
Just stumbled upon this short video clip with a guy talking about living a "safe life"...it really encouraged me, and hope that you'll find encouragement too...check it out if you're interested...
http://www.godtube.com/featured/video/francis-chan-balance-beam-life/all
18 April 2010
Floating
What a week it has been.
We had an incredible April 10th as I wrote about on the blog. It was so encouraging, rewarding, and deeply satisfying to see fruit borne that is eternal. Then the focus of the week was communicating about the "twins" to family, friends, and a few rubberneckers (those who just can't keep driving by because they are horrified by what they see as lives involved in a wreck.) One week ago we were feeling excited and encouraged.
Then we began to be bombarded by difficult news, delays, sad reports from home, confidence issues, and negativity. Gee, wonder where all that came from after our "mountain top" experience last weekend?
While we spend time each day connecting with the One who can sustain us through the storms of life...this week it seemed that the waves were higher, the swells more punishing, and just plain scary. Yet each day, by grabbing onto the Word, reading the life-sustaining promises within it, we carried on. For those of you who lift us us, please know how much we depend on that covering each day. It shields us. We know that perhaps some of you are in a stunned silence...please, we depend on your partnership in pryr.
The beautiful news is this, that in these times when the storms rage all around us, we find deeper truths that provide indescribable joy.
I told a group just last night that since we've come here, and most certainly in the past six months, it feels as though we've gone from playing little league ball to the Majors. (Which is sort of a bad analogy as I don't really know or care much about Baseball and on my best day I wouldn't be confused with an athlete.) There simply isn't a day where we can go on our own strength or abilities.
For much of my past I lived as a "spiritual anorexic." I would eat my pastor's or teacher's regurgitated spiritual food on Sunday mornings...and then starve myself the rest of the week. Ignoring the feast of spiritual food available to me each day in the Word, I lulled myself into the belief that eating regurgitated food from someone else's feasting was "good enough" and that "that's what everybody else is doing." Now it seems that not only would such behavior be woefully unsatisfying but would leave me without hope of surviving the storms that rage around me.
The feedback from people about the latest announcement about our life has been interesting. As a person who struggles with "people pleasing" it presses me deeply to find my acceptance in our Lord. That like one of the words of a song we sing to Him, "all of You is more than enough for all of me, for every thirst and every need, You satisfy me with your love, and all I have in you is more than enough." He is all-sufficient.
We're so encouraged to know that some of you share our desire to live completely devoted to His calling. We are indebted to those of you who have, by your example, shown us how to live as believers (not just believing in Him, but BELIEVING Him.) I also know that there are some who read us who yearn to see devotion to something that is greater than the sparkling things of this World (money, power, fame, beauty, the perfect spouse/children.) That there exists Someone who can fill the void that exists in everyone's inner self that demands to be satisfied. And still others of you who shake your heads in disbelief. I wonder if this is a thimble-full of awareness of how Noah might have felt while building that ark? ;)
For years He has been taking us into deeper and deeper water. At first the water felt cool on our ankles but he invited us to wade out further. Soon we had to swim to stay afloat. Yet at all these stages we could do it under our own power. We could use our own strengths and abilities to walk and finally to swim. Now however, we're awaking to a new understanding of the vast ocean in which we find ourselves. We can no longer see the shore, let alone the bottom, and we can no longer swim...for there is an end to our strengths, reasoning, and abilities.
Yet we've discovered a beautiful Truth, that when we trust in Him fully and when we surrender in total to His plan and calling for our lives, we can STOP struggling to swim. Though there are dozens standing on shore watching to see if we'll go under (and thankfully more of you out here in the water with us!)...we give all praise to Him as we report that we are simply floating...
We are surrounded and buoyed by His compassionate presence. In the midst of the storm...simply floating...
We had an incredible April 10th as I wrote about on the blog. It was so encouraging, rewarding, and deeply satisfying to see fruit borne that is eternal. Then the focus of the week was communicating about the "twins" to family, friends, and a few rubberneckers (those who just can't keep driving by because they are horrified by what they see as lives involved in a wreck.) One week ago we were feeling excited and encouraged.
Then we began to be bombarded by difficult news, delays, sad reports from home, confidence issues, and negativity. Gee, wonder where all that came from after our "mountain top" experience last weekend?
While we spend time each day connecting with the One who can sustain us through the storms of life...this week it seemed that the waves were higher, the swells more punishing, and just plain scary. Yet each day, by grabbing onto the Word, reading the life-sustaining promises within it, we carried on. For those of you who lift us us, please know how much we depend on that covering each day. It shields us. We know that perhaps some of you are in a stunned silence...please, we depend on your partnership in pryr.
The beautiful news is this, that in these times when the storms rage all around us, we find deeper truths that provide indescribable joy.
I told a group just last night that since we've come here, and most certainly in the past six months, it feels as though we've gone from playing little league ball to the Majors. (Which is sort of a bad analogy as I don't really know or care much about Baseball and on my best day I wouldn't be confused with an athlete.) There simply isn't a day where we can go on our own strength or abilities.
For much of my past I lived as a "spiritual anorexic." I would eat my pastor's or teacher's regurgitated spiritual food on Sunday mornings...and then starve myself the rest of the week. Ignoring the feast of spiritual food available to me each day in the Word, I lulled myself into the belief that eating regurgitated food from someone else's feasting was "good enough" and that "that's what everybody else is doing." Now it seems that not only would such behavior be woefully unsatisfying but would leave me without hope of surviving the storms that rage around me.
The feedback from people about the latest announcement about our life has been interesting. As a person who struggles with "people pleasing" it presses me deeply to find my acceptance in our Lord. That like one of the words of a song we sing to Him, "all of You is more than enough for all of me, for every thirst and every need, You satisfy me with your love, and all I have in you is more than enough." He is all-sufficient.
We're so encouraged to know that some of you share our desire to live completely devoted to His calling. We are indebted to those of you who have, by your example, shown us how to live as believers (not just believing in Him, but BELIEVING Him.) I also know that there are some who read us who yearn to see devotion to something that is greater than the sparkling things of this World (money, power, fame, beauty, the perfect spouse/children.) That there exists Someone who can fill the void that exists in everyone's inner self that demands to be satisfied. And still others of you who shake your heads in disbelief. I wonder if this is a thimble-full of awareness of how Noah might have felt while building that ark? ;)
For years He has been taking us into deeper and deeper water. At first the water felt cool on our ankles but he invited us to wade out further. Soon we had to swim to stay afloat. Yet at all these stages we could do it under our own power. We could use our own strengths and abilities to walk and finally to swim. Now however, we're awaking to a new understanding of the vast ocean in which we find ourselves. We can no longer see the shore, let alone the bottom, and we can no longer swim...for there is an end to our strengths, reasoning, and abilities.
Yet we've discovered a beautiful Truth, that when we trust in Him fully and when we surrender in total to His plan and calling for our lives, we can STOP struggling to swim. Though there are dozens standing on shore watching to see if we'll go under (and thankfully more of you out here in the water with us!)...we give all praise to Him as we report that we are simply floating...
We are surrounded and buoyed by His compassionate presence. In the midst of the storm...simply floating...
12 April 2010
Two Twos
Sometimes when you’re expecting a baby…an amazing surprise greets you at that first ultrasound appointment…that precious one you’re expecting is really two…twins!
And so it is with us…
I’m beyond writing things like “you’re never going to believe this,” or “this is so crazy, but,” or the old faithful, “you might be surprised to hear”… the reality is, we’re expecting twins, via adoption.
As we’ve written about on this blog back in November, we’re in the process of bringing Noah Graham home to our brood. You can read the story of how, unexpectedly, we knew that He wanted us to open our hearts again to adoption. We’ve been running, twisting and turning ourselves this way and that to complete the home study, to assemble a dossier (the massive stack of papers required to be sent to the adoption authority), and to begin to imagine our lives with another wonderful son.
About eight weeks ago, things took an unexpected turn.
We had received an email from our home study agency that they had word from the adoption authority in our host country, that the remainder of waiting children on their agency’s list would be returned to this host country if they didn’t have a family matched to them. It was the first word we’d received that the rules/procedures here in our host country were changing again regarding adoption.
A few minutes later, I was speaking with a different agency, our adoption agency in the US. They also had a list of waiting children, children with special needs, from our host country and there were three boys remaining who had not been matched to a family. The purpose of my call to them had NOTHING to do with the boys remaining on their list, but rather about some paperwork detail on our adoption of Noah Graham. However, at the end of the conversation, the program director for our host country asked me a question that stopped me in my tracks…
“You know, “Phillip” on our list is in your city too. He has had several families review his file and no one has chosen him. He is one of my favorites and I just can’t understand why some family hasn’t claimed him for their own! Maybe it’s because his special need sounds so scary? Anyway…would your family consider bringing him home too?”
I discovered that this little guy was running out of time. That the return of his file to our host country was imminent, and no one knew what would happen to his file after that. Though my mind was rattled at the thought…having learned from the past six years of unexpected leading from the HS…I told her we would pray about it…and to send us his file.
You see just a few days prior, late one evening, Daddy and I were speaking about our calling to adoption. That we recognize that at this time, this is our primary calling, and that as He would lead us, we would obey. Daddy suggested, “You know this paperwork for the dossier has been so difficult living Here, so costly and time consuming…is there another child that we could bring home at the same time as Noah Graham?” I thought he clearly needed more sleep…and told him as such.
Back to the morning of the question from the agency… I sat in front of the computer and opened the files of the second little boy, here in our City, who lives in the orphanage just about 25 minutes from our apartment. In a bit of a daze I walked to the bedroom to tell Daddy about the question…he was just waking up…as I told him about this second boy, just one week younger than Noah Graham (both two year olds!), who was born with two darling dimples and clubbed feet. He had a horrible haircut in the most recent pictures, but sparkling eyes, and both hands had a slight deformity when he was born, they were rigidly closed. According to his file, therapy had nearly straightened his feet and his hands could both be used, but probably his greatest “strike” was that he was a boy. Boys always linger on the waiting lists for months and months…there is a terrible bias against them in adoption.
Our immediate reaction and discussion was one of disbelief and a “counting the costs” of how this boy’s adoption would affect us. Daddy was quick to point out that our big concerns, “how would we travel?” “we feel old!” and the nagging, “we will ‘look’ like there’s something wrong with us, others will think we’re fools”…were entirely selfish reasons and could not bear up under the admonitions of the Word. For every selfish and frankly, fearful, thought we spoke, we had to recognize that it was not in keeping with His Word…
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden in light.” Mt 11:28-30
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Mt 16:24-25
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me…Mt 25:35-36a “Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” Mt 25:40b
“But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” James 1:22
“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
“For God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even the things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” I Corinth 1:27-29
And on and on we could list them…
The fact of the matter was that if they brought this boy to our apartment door and said, “he has no family yet, would you open your hearts and receive him?” We would. No question. We also felt strongly that if we were not at least willing to put it back in His hands, to test and see if this was what He was calling us to do…that we would never feel “released” and wonder if we’d disobeyed.
Daddy got up after our discussion, as we needed to get everyone off to school, and as he walked into our kitchen, he said that he understood the words spoken into his heart, “you’re in the right place at the right time.” Since such occurrences have rarely happened to Daddy…he was quite literally astounded…and confident that no matter how unusual, he was certain that God had spoken to him.
So with that, Daddy and I reasoned that we would step forward to bring this boy home…fully aware that there were at least two miracles that were required before this young man could become a H man. The first miracle was that we certainly had no more money for adoptive fees. We wondered that since the agency was eager to place him, if they would, as an act of mercy, waive their fees for his adoption. (This is somewhat of an insane proposition.)
The second miracle involved the approval of our host country. We had three major problems with securing an approval to adopt this little guy. The “rules” say that only one child can be adopted at a time when not related by blood. Furthermore, we already fell short on the requirements of our income and our family size exceeded their regulations.
The next day we notified the agency that we would step forward to adopt him…and would they consider waiving their fees?
Their answer?…”we can help you."
But a problem had developed. In just the night prior, without any warning, the little guy’s file had been removed from the agency’s list and pulled back to the host country.
Somewhat relieved, we thought, “aha, a closed door…he wasn’t meant to be ours!”
However that morning, through a time of study and prayer, we believed that He was telling us to press on. That as imitators of our Good Shepherd, we were to search for the lost sheep so that like him, when he found it, rejoice over it more than the 99 who didn’t go astray. (Mt. 18:10-14)
A call was made on our behalf to the host country asking for the file to be returned.
The request was denied.
But a promise was given that if we waited until a new “shared list” was published, that he would be on that list and THEN we could petition to adopt him.
The days turned to weeks as we waited. Each day we would ask Him again…”do you want us to adopt this little one?” And over and over and over again we would find our answer through the Word…”yes.”
Even a reminder was given to us about the story in I Samuel 9 about David seeking Jonathon’s lame son, Mephibosheth. And that like David we should continue pressing on after this boy to “show the kindness of God to him.”
Finally the day arrived for the release of the new “list.” Our cell phone rang with the news at 9:30 am that the little guy’s file was NOT on the list. Though we heard the news, in our hearts, we knew that something simply was not right.
Another call was made on our behalf inquiring after this boy’s file.
The answer came back to us that his file had been “lost” between two computer systems in the host country’s adoption center. We wondered how long it would have taken to “find” him again if we hadn’t been seeking him…? There are over 1800 children on the list…if one goes missing…who will notice?
With the finding of his file we submitted a “letter of intent” indicating our desire to add this little one to our brood and why we believed that we could provide a good home for him. Furthermore, why they should “waive” the three “regulations” and approve us as a placement for him.
It was supposed to take no more than 2 weeks for an answer.
Two weeks became three but we received daily encouragement that He was “doing it”…that we needed to believe and that He was going to accomplish this.
During those weeks of waiting we needed to move on with applying for additional immigration approvals…expending a considerable amounts of money and time to move forward in faith, behaving as if the second miracle (of the host country’s approval) was already a done deal.
Finally at 11:30 pm our time our cell phone woke us from a deep sleep last Wednesday evening.
The approval was granted. The second miracle performed.
A marvelous thing has happened over all these weeks that we've waited to see if indeed we were expecting twins...our initial fear and selfishness was changed to enthusiasm and longing to bring him home. We rejoiced at the news that God really is doing this and that we've been given another blessing. Truly, how could we be so favored by Him to parent another miracle?
Without further delay, we'd like to introduce you to.... Silas James....
Time is short. We've run into two major paperwork issues...and we need to bring both boys back to the US when we go home for furlough on July 1. We've written for various adoption grants to satisfy the costs of paperwork, orphanage donations, country fees, etc..we would certainly appreciate your prayers.
Thanks for reading the longest blog post we've ever written, but we want to give Him all the glory for what He is doing!
Thanks goodness He's not asked us to do something really crazy like...like...build an ark...yet. ;)
And so it is with us…
I’m beyond writing things like “you’re never going to believe this,” or “this is so crazy, but,” or the old faithful, “you might be surprised to hear”… the reality is, we’re expecting twins, via adoption.
As we’ve written about on this blog back in November, we’re in the process of bringing Noah Graham home to our brood. You can read the story of how, unexpectedly, we knew that He wanted us to open our hearts again to adoption. We’ve been running, twisting and turning ourselves this way and that to complete the home study, to assemble a dossier (the massive stack of papers required to be sent to the adoption authority), and to begin to imagine our lives with another wonderful son.
About eight weeks ago, things took an unexpected turn.
We had received an email from our home study agency that they had word from the adoption authority in our host country, that the remainder of waiting children on their agency’s list would be returned to this host country if they didn’t have a family matched to them. It was the first word we’d received that the rules/procedures here in our host country were changing again regarding adoption.
A few minutes later, I was speaking with a different agency, our adoption agency in the US. They also had a list of waiting children, children with special needs, from our host country and there were three boys remaining who had not been matched to a family. The purpose of my call to them had NOTHING to do with the boys remaining on their list, but rather about some paperwork detail on our adoption of Noah Graham. However, at the end of the conversation, the program director for our host country asked me a question that stopped me in my tracks…
“You know, “Phillip” on our list is in your city too. He has had several families review his file and no one has chosen him. He is one of my favorites and I just can’t understand why some family hasn’t claimed him for their own! Maybe it’s because his special need sounds so scary? Anyway…would your family consider bringing him home too?”
I discovered that this little guy was running out of time. That the return of his file to our host country was imminent, and no one knew what would happen to his file after that. Though my mind was rattled at the thought…having learned from the past six years of unexpected leading from the HS…I told her we would pray about it…and to send us his file.
You see just a few days prior, late one evening, Daddy and I were speaking about our calling to adoption. That we recognize that at this time, this is our primary calling, and that as He would lead us, we would obey. Daddy suggested, “You know this paperwork for the dossier has been so difficult living Here, so costly and time consuming…is there another child that we could bring home at the same time as Noah Graham?” I thought he clearly needed more sleep…and told him as such.
Back to the morning of the question from the agency… I sat in front of the computer and opened the files of the second little boy, here in our City, who lives in the orphanage just about 25 minutes from our apartment. In a bit of a daze I walked to the bedroom to tell Daddy about the question…he was just waking up…as I told him about this second boy, just one week younger than Noah Graham (both two year olds!), who was born with two darling dimples and clubbed feet. He had a horrible haircut in the most recent pictures, but sparkling eyes, and both hands had a slight deformity when he was born, they were rigidly closed. According to his file, therapy had nearly straightened his feet and his hands could both be used, but probably his greatest “strike” was that he was a boy. Boys always linger on the waiting lists for months and months…there is a terrible bias against them in adoption.
Our immediate reaction and discussion was one of disbelief and a “counting the costs” of how this boy’s adoption would affect us. Daddy was quick to point out that our big concerns, “how would we travel?” “we feel old!” and the nagging, “we will ‘look’ like there’s something wrong with us, others will think we’re fools”…were entirely selfish reasons and could not bear up under the admonitions of the Word. For every selfish and frankly, fearful, thought we spoke, we had to recognize that it was not in keeping with His Word…
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden in light.” Mt 11:28-30
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Mt 16:24-25
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me…Mt 25:35-36a “Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” Mt 25:40b
“But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” James 1:22
“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
“For God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even the things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” I Corinth 1:27-29
And on and on we could list them…
The fact of the matter was that if they brought this boy to our apartment door and said, “he has no family yet, would you open your hearts and receive him?” We would. No question. We also felt strongly that if we were not at least willing to put it back in His hands, to test and see if this was what He was calling us to do…that we would never feel “released” and wonder if we’d disobeyed.
Daddy got up after our discussion, as we needed to get everyone off to school, and as he walked into our kitchen, he said that he understood the words spoken into his heart, “you’re in the right place at the right time.” Since such occurrences have rarely happened to Daddy…he was quite literally astounded…and confident that no matter how unusual, he was certain that God had spoken to him.
So with that, Daddy and I reasoned that we would step forward to bring this boy home…fully aware that there were at least two miracles that were required before this young man could become a H man. The first miracle was that we certainly had no more money for adoptive fees. We wondered that since the agency was eager to place him, if they would, as an act of mercy, waive their fees for his adoption. (This is somewhat of an insane proposition.)
The second miracle involved the approval of our host country. We had three major problems with securing an approval to adopt this little guy. The “rules” say that only one child can be adopted at a time when not related by blood. Furthermore, we already fell short on the requirements of our income and our family size exceeded their regulations.
The next day we notified the agency that we would step forward to adopt him…and would they consider waiving their fees?
Their answer?…”we can help you."
But a problem had developed. In just the night prior, without any warning, the little guy’s file had been removed from the agency’s list and pulled back to the host country.
Somewhat relieved, we thought, “aha, a closed door…he wasn’t meant to be ours!”
However that morning, through a time of study and prayer, we believed that He was telling us to press on. That as imitators of our Good Shepherd, we were to search for the lost sheep so that like him, when he found it, rejoice over it more than the 99 who didn’t go astray. (Mt. 18:10-14)
A call was made on our behalf to the host country asking for the file to be returned.
The request was denied.
But a promise was given that if we waited until a new “shared list” was published, that he would be on that list and THEN we could petition to adopt him.
The days turned to weeks as we waited. Each day we would ask Him again…”do you want us to adopt this little one?” And over and over and over again we would find our answer through the Word…”yes.”
Even a reminder was given to us about the story in I Samuel 9 about David seeking Jonathon’s lame son, Mephibosheth. And that like David we should continue pressing on after this boy to “show the kindness of God to him.”
Finally the day arrived for the release of the new “list.” Our cell phone rang with the news at 9:30 am that the little guy’s file was NOT on the list. Though we heard the news, in our hearts, we knew that something simply was not right.
Another call was made on our behalf inquiring after this boy’s file.
The answer came back to us that his file had been “lost” between two computer systems in the host country’s adoption center. We wondered how long it would have taken to “find” him again if we hadn’t been seeking him…? There are over 1800 children on the list…if one goes missing…who will notice?
With the finding of his file we submitted a “letter of intent” indicating our desire to add this little one to our brood and why we believed that we could provide a good home for him. Furthermore, why they should “waive” the three “regulations” and approve us as a placement for him.
It was supposed to take no more than 2 weeks for an answer.
Two weeks became three but we received daily encouragement that He was “doing it”…that we needed to believe and that He was going to accomplish this.
During those weeks of waiting we needed to move on with applying for additional immigration approvals…expending a considerable amounts of money and time to move forward in faith, behaving as if the second miracle (of the host country’s approval) was already a done deal.
Finally at 11:30 pm our time our cell phone woke us from a deep sleep last Wednesday evening.
The approval was granted. The second miracle performed.
A marvelous thing has happened over all these weeks that we've waited to see if indeed we were expecting twins...our initial fear and selfishness was changed to enthusiasm and longing to bring him home. We rejoiced at the news that God really is doing this and that we've been given another blessing. Truly, how could we be so favored by Him to parent another miracle?
Without further delay, we'd like to introduce you to.... Silas James....
Time is short. We've run into two major paperwork issues...and we need to bring both boys back to the US when we go home for furlough on July 1. We've written for various adoption grants to satisfy the costs of paperwork, orphanage donations, country fees, etc..we would certainly appreciate your prayers.
Thanks for reading the longest blog post we've ever written, but we want to give Him all the glory for what He is doing!
Thanks goodness He's not asked us to do something really crazy like...like...build an ark...yet. ;)
11 April 2010
A Monumental Day!
April 10 started out like an ordinary Saturday...little did we know what a phenomenal day it would be!
Just the evening before we entertained several young friends from a University nearby...opportunities like these are multiplying all around us! A few of the young men will be coming to visit with us weekly now...such an encouragement...
Then on Saturday morning, The Bug, who has been persistent in her questions about faith, life and the decision we all must make to accept or reject the claims of JC, asked to go out for a private time of study of the Book. Daddy and I recognized that it was a crucial time for her, so I took her out for a breakfast date. We ended up sitting in a Starbucks here (the very first time I've even been in one in 2 years)...but they had a comfortable quiet table on the third floor where The Bug and I sat down and read the Book together. She was full of questions and her heart was so tender and open...
At the end she told me she was ready to make her decision...so there, in Starbucks, we bowed our heads as she received the free gift of Him. Immediately after she said, "I want to be bptzed...tomorrow!" I told her that we certainly could do that, but that there was a large party, later the same day, where others like her would be doing the same. I asked did she want to join? "YES!" So that was that...
She was absolutely radiant. My heart was so deeply moved by the purity of her heart, her recognition of her need to settle this decision and clearly that the HS was drawing her to himself! There will be many things in her life that will challenge her and the decision she made...but she, like all of us, will grow in the knowledge of her faith...now she will have the help of the HS to teach her!
I simply cannot report to you the other miracles we saw today...though my heart longs to show you the pictures...but you can give thanks to Him with us for the many new Family members...a harvest day for sure!
After The Bug's special act of obedience, one of our fellow teachers, a foreigner who has taught with us for the past two years...came to be a part of The Bug's event...and stood with me as we heard person after person share their stories of changed lives.
I have carried a burden for this teacher for the entire time we've been here...I've shared more of my faith with her than probably with any other person...her heart was always warm and receptive, but her DOUBT continued to overwhelm her.
There have been many times, as she has come to our foreigner's meeting each weekend, that I've wanted to say..."Okay, what do you think NOW, what is the state of your heart?" But each and every time, I felt a strong "WAIT" from the HS.
However yesterday, while we were standing together hearing the stories and celebrating the acts of obedience we witnessed, I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt that HS was telling me to say to her, "Today is the day of your s*lv*tion." I was petrified! I reasoned that perhaps I could say, "So, what do you think about this s*lv*tion thing?" or "Do you have any more questions about this thing everyone is talking about?"...but NOOOOOO....over and over again, with my chest pounding, the HS told me...to say directly to her "TODAY is the day of YOUR s*lv*tion!" I thought I was going to faint...everyone in the room was in tears as a time of celebrating and thanking Him continued...then, as I drug my feet over to her, turned her, looked her straight in her eyes with my hands on her shoulders and said it...I said, "I know that the HS wants me to say this to you, 'Today is the day of your s*lv*tion."
She burst into tears, clung to me and said, "I don't know!" Then I asked her to go to a quiet place with me to talk about it, assuring her that I respect her fully and love her dearly, but that I HAD to share it with her.
We studied some relevant text from the book and she interrupted me. Through tears she told me, "Two days ago, I prayed and asked Him, "would you please give me a sign that you're really there, a sign that I am supposed to believe in you and follow you? And please...please don't let it be subtle, but something undeniable, right in my face"...
I was stunned....as the reality of what I had felt led to do and how it was a direct answer to her prayer settled over me...then she said, with both of us and Magpie, who had joined us, crying with joyful tears..."I am ready."
For the second time in one day I had the privilege of listening in on a precious soul turning her life over to Him.
April 10th...I hope that yours is a indescribably incredible as ours was!
Just the evening before we entertained several young friends from a University nearby...opportunities like these are multiplying all around us! A few of the young men will be coming to visit with us weekly now...such an encouragement...
Then on Saturday morning, The Bug, who has been persistent in her questions about faith, life and the decision we all must make to accept or reject the claims of JC, asked to go out for a private time of study of the Book. Daddy and I recognized that it was a crucial time for her, so I took her out for a breakfast date. We ended up sitting in a Starbucks here (the very first time I've even been in one in 2 years)...but they had a comfortable quiet table on the third floor where The Bug and I sat down and read the Book together. She was full of questions and her heart was so tender and open...
At the end she told me she was ready to make her decision...so there, in Starbucks, we bowed our heads as she received the free gift of Him. Immediately after she said, "I want to be bptzed...tomorrow!" I told her that we certainly could do that, but that there was a large party, later the same day, where others like her would be doing the same. I asked did she want to join? "YES!" So that was that...
She was absolutely radiant. My heart was so deeply moved by the purity of her heart, her recognition of her need to settle this decision and clearly that the HS was drawing her to himself! There will be many things in her life that will challenge her and the decision she made...but she, like all of us, will grow in the knowledge of her faith...now she will have the help of the HS to teach her!
I simply cannot report to you the other miracles we saw today...though my heart longs to show you the pictures...but you can give thanks to Him with us for the many new Family members...a harvest day for sure!
After The Bug's special act of obedience, one of our fellow teachers, a foreigner who has taught with us for the past two years...came to be a part of The Bug's event...and stood with me as we heard person after person share their stories of changed lives.
I have carried a burden for this teacher for the entire time we've been here...I've shared more of my faith with her than probably with any other person...her heart was always warm and receptive, but her DOUBT continued to overwhelm her.
There have been many times, as she has come to our foreigner's meeting each weekend, that I've wanted to say..."Okay, what do you think NOW, what is the state of your heart?" But each and every time, I felt a strong "WAIT" from the HS.
However yesterday, while we were standing together hearing the stories and celebrating the acts of obedience we witnessed, I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt that HS was telling me to say to her, "Today is the day of your s*lv*tion." I was petrified! I reasoned that perhaps I could say, "So, what do you think about this s*lv*tion thing?" or "Do you have any more questions about this thing everyone is talking about?"...but NOOOOOO....over and over again, with my chest pounding, the HS told me...to say directly to her "TODAY is the day of YOUR s*lv*tion!" I thought I was going to faint...everyone in the room was in tears as a time of celebrating and thanking Him continued...then, as I drug my feet over to her, turned her, looked her straight in her eyes with my hands on her shoulders and said it...I said, "I know that the HS wants me to say this to you, 'Today is the day of your s*lv*tion."
She burst into tears, clung to me and said, "I don't know!" Then I asked her to go to a quiet place with me to talk about it, assuring her that I respect her fully and love her dearly, but that I HAD to share it with her.
We studied some relevant text from the book and she interrupted me. Through tears she told me, "Two days ago, I prayed and asked Him, "would you please give me a sign that you're really there, a sign that I am supposed to believe in you and follow you? And please...please don't let it be subtle, but something undeniable, right in my face"...
I was stunned....as the reality of what I had felt led to do and how it was a direct answer to her prayer settled over me...then she said, with both of us and Magpie, who had joined us, crying with joyful tears..."I am ready."
For the second time in one day I had the privilege of listening in on a precious soul turning her life over to Him.
April 10th...I hope that yours is a indescribably incredible as ours was!
Kindergarten Field Trip
When you live in the midst of so much pavement and people...a trip to the park is really refreshing!
These next photos are of two fellas in the K class that our girls often talk about..."he's so funny"..."he's so nice"..."he's my best friend." It freaks Daddy out...but, I still think it's really cute... ;)
Below: Davie and Potato..."he's my best, best friend...when I grow up...Davie and I will be together forever!"
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