The Gift

It has been a few months since we updated our progress.  We have had some exciting things happening and have a renewed energy in this process.  In August, we received a gift … a gift of updated pictures of the sweet little one in Ghana for whom we have been praying  … for over a year now.  Our friend from Rochester traveled to Ghana and was able to MEET her.  What a gift … an in-person meeting and new pictures of her.  So thankful for that gift.  Sometimes you can convince yourself that someone has played a cruel trick on you and that the child you have a picture of and are praying for doesn’t exist.  Of course that could happen, and has I am sure to many people, but having someone put eyes on her was a gift that we are thankful for.

 We moved on September 30^th and since that time have been working on getting things updated.  Our agency was finally able to get out to our home in November for a new home study assessment and we had our updated home study in hand the end of the first week in December.  Let me tell you, when you are a person who is responsible for writing home studies it is really hard to be patient waiting for that document to arrive.  Another item of patience in the process.  Our home study update has made it to Ghana, we have updated and renewed our application with the US government and as of yesterday, had the additional money needed wired to Ghana for the next step in this process.   It is encouraging to see (through a Facebook group we are a part of) many people from the US finally getting to the point of bringing kiddos home and making it through the process.  Less orphans, more kids with a forever family.    

So, we are praying again for a court date.  We knew, over the past several months, that nothing was going to happen because we had to get things updated and have money sent for the new program director.  Now that those things have been accomplished there is the possibility, once again, that progress can be made.  We have had many conversations over the past few months with our kids, who have become increasingly skeptical that we will even make it to the other side of this process.  We have had hard conversations that are more “grown-up” in nature as the boys’ ages bring hard questions that show their fears present in this process.  Fears of parents having to travel and trusting that through all of this, God has a plan that we are following.  We are privileged to serve a mighty God, this process gives you many opportunities to learn and experience His mightiness in new ways.  Please pray with us that this sweet little girl can have the process completed to determine her orphan status.  Please pray that if she is able to have a family to live in that the court process would be completed.  Please pray that she will not have to have to go through another full year without a family to care for her. 

We hope that you all have a blessed Christmas!  We are likely not going to get Christmas cards out this year.  I so enjoy getting cards in the mail; one of my favorite things each year.  If you send us a Christmas card it will still forward from our old address … or if you want our new address please get in touch with me and I will gladly share it with you!  :)