Wow, it has been a while since we have written, so I am warning you this is going to be a long one. I can't believe October is already over and November has quickly begun! Kevin took October out with a bang with his Halloween costume he made, yes made, for work on Friday. So, obviously, I had to post the picture. He worked so hard on this, and he was really proud! He did a good job. I really like how much fun Kevin enjoys having; he makes me laugh a lot. one of my coworkers commented that our children are going to have a wonderful playmate in their father, and that is very true! He is going to be such a great dad!
Well, October began with my trip to see my friend, E, in the Persian Gulf. I wrote briefly about it in earlier posts, but I just wanted to add that I am constantly amazed at how our Father moves and works all over the world in so many unique ways. Be assured that His work is being done in amazing ways in a very difficult part of the world through people that have said yes and said yes to His unique plan. I love traveling and serving overseas for the opportunity that it provides to stretch and grow you in ways you couldn't have imagined before. Qatar is a great place, and it was interesting to observe how the Western world and the Middle East are colliding. E, thanks for an amazing time!
While I was gone, we did receive confirmation from the National Visa Center that our CIS approval has been sent to the embassy in Ethiopia, so we were excited to hear that had been taken care of. Also, sweet Kevin, began to paint our nursery furniture! What a nice surprise to come home to. We are continuing to wait as patiently as possible. Probably the most difficult thing with the referral timeframe being extended is the question of "will we ever have our baby, and will the timeframe be extended again." So, the Lord has really been working with me on trust the last couple of months. Wow! When a friend who has adopted told me that this would be the biggest faith walk of my life, I definitely listened to her, but now I am beginning to understand. Jackie, thank you for speaking that truth! Other friends, John and Sheila, gave the encouragement that once it happens, then we will forget all the dark days. That was good to hear! My heart is being knit to a little person somewhere in Ethiopia that I do not know, and I do not know when exactly I will have the opportunity to meet him/her. We may not be pregnant, but we are expecting, and we think and dream about this sweet baby everyday, many times every moment of everyday. Our hearts long for him/her in a way that I never could have imagined or dreamed of. We are so excited to be parents of the child that God has chosen for us.
I am reading "There is No Me Without You" a very powerful book about a woman in Ethiopia who took orphaned children into her home, and it is written by a woman who has adopted 4 children from Ethiopia. I would say it is a must read, even if you are not thinking about adoption. It will hopefully provide a better understanding of some issues surrounding orphaned children, so you will know how to pray. As we have been working through this adoption process, my heart has been grieved for the reality that is present prior to the adoption. Unfortunately, we live in a world where many things are so wrong for so many different reasons. It really makes me sad to think about all of the loss that our child will have experienced prior to their first birthday, the loss of biological parents and siblings, extended family, familiar language, their country.... mainly due to poverty, lack of resources, country's infrastructure....Now, not to be all doom and gloom, but for some reason this reality has been pretty heavy on my heart since this summer. I am concerned for my child's biological mother because I do not know if she has a roof over her head, any type of family or financial support, enough food, or if she will survive childbirth or other preventable diseases. This is a reality that the Lord and I talk about quite often. We know that He has made adoption one beautiful solution for such a grave reality, and we are so thankful that an adoption process has been made available, so many, many children will have a different opportunity. Orphaned children and adoption are God's heart. We are thankful that our adoption agency (link below) makes humanitarian aid and service such a priority for the countries that they adopt with, so they are using adoption and country fees to help provide much needed medical, educational, and vocational services available for many countries. I am also so thankful that this is not our home, and we have a promise of an eternal home because of God's amazing love and grace where there will be no more sickness or tears. What a beautiful place. However, in the meantime, we as believers cannot sit back in our comfortable worlds and pretend as if everything is okay. We have a much higher calling than that. God has called all of us to love and serve with the least of these, and we all need to seek Him to know what that calling is for our lives, and His will and glory will be spread. We can all have an impact in the way we serve, give our money, challenge our mindsets, the way we vote, the way we shop, the way we work to simplify our lifestyles, and the list goes on and on. We have to respond to His call. Thank you for letting me share my heart and for reading.
Well, the rest of October was filled with a visit from my friend, Kristen, who lives in California. We had a great time and it was great to see her. My parents and my sister were here this weekend, so it was really great to see them and get to spend time with them. My brother and his family headed to VA for their overseas training, and Kevin's brother headed to BC for his overseas training, so it has been quite a month.
We have a very exciting month ahead with Kevin's 35th birthday, and we are headed back to SIERRA LEONE, West Africa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are so excited! We can hardly believe it, but we are so thankful that we have the opportunity to go. We can't wait to see all of the smiling faces above and hug their sweet little necks! We definitely covet your prayers. Hassan, the orphanage director, is actually in town this week, and he will be sharing on Saturday night at 7:00 pm at Crossings. Well, I am sure that you are tired of reading now, so that is all for now!
