Update

At 1 am our time Chandra, her father, and "the fource" will be at the US embassy applying for a visa. All other hurdles have been demolished. In theory they will be ready to leave for home on Wednesday. The "in theory" part is because there are no flights out until August 23rd meaning it might be 12 more days until they can leave. So we wait... Getting 6 tickets out to come home early would normally be a challenge but throw in the fire at the international airport in Kenya and there are no flights available. The airline has said they might send an additional aircraft through but it hasn't materialized yet. Thanks for your continued prayers and support.

The peace of God

I, Matt, left Ethiopia last night. At 10:05 my mother-in-law, my mother, and myself boarded a plane to come back to the US without our 4 new children. Behind we left my wife and father-in-law who are waiting to bring the children home. Today as I am writing this the birth mother is awaiting her interview at the embassy. It is to be at 6:00 AM our time Wednesday morning. (Prayer point #1) Once that is completed the embassy will finish their evaluation of the case which we pray happens quickly. (Prayer point #2) We will schedule an interview with the embassy as soon as possible. (Prayer point #3) After the embassy appointment is set up Chandra and her father wil take custody of the four children (Prayer point #4) and they will attempt to move the flight up. (Prayer point #5). This will be a significant challenge as moving up 1 ticket is foreseeable, moving 6, must be of God. We started this second trip to Ethiopia knowing full well that we could come home without the kids as there were so many loose ends to tie up. But we knew it was of God. Why, you ask? Why would it be of God to leave your six children at home with friends and family to pursue the other 4 children? Simply put, it comes down to the peace of the Lord. Three years ago we were in a similar situation with Jeremiah's adoption. All air traffic had been shut down in and out of Europe so we had to make a quick decision. Do I go by myself, leaving the rest of the family behind to bring home a baby from across the world knowing I would be late for the embassy appointment even after our own agency had advised us not to go? The peace of God said "Yes, go." In Jeremiah's case the peace started with me. After prayer, I had a compelling from the Holy Spirit to go by myself. After i discussed with Chandra, she agreed and both of us shared this peace. In the fource's case Chandra led out with a nudging from the Spirit that it was right to go. After prayer, I agreed. So, here we sit in the middle of that step of faith waiting for God to move and pull all of the pieces together. But what if He doesn't? What if everything falls apart and all of our best laid plans fail? Was going not of God? Do we judge the truth of the call based on the outcome? Surely not. If the birth mother interview fails, the embassy appointment doesn't happen right away, the plane tickes cannot be moved, or if, God forbid Chandra and her father come home without the children, how do we respond? We will mourn. The depth and breadth of our mourning will be felt by those closest to us but... we will not question what God has laid on our hearts. Whatever occurs mourning or rejoicing we will give God the glory for His purposes have been completed in our lives. Please pray for those areas listed above. God is moving.

Appearances vs. Reality

Anyone who has had the blessing of caring for children on a regular basis knows the differences between your first interaction with the child and the reality of his or her nature. There is that initial "honeymoon" period of behavior where they are able to control their struggles, and then there is reality. Reality is always uglier and messier than it first appears. Adoption agencies do a good job of preparing your for some of these struggles, having you read books that discuss worst case scenarios and how to deal with them. They use phrases like artificial twinning, post-adoption depression, and the dreaded reactive attachment disorder. We have prepared for some of these problems especially those unique to adopting older children. What will it be like for them to use a toilet the first time? How do I teach them to shower? How will they handle the 17 hour flight? How will I handle the 17 hour flight with all 4 for them? Will they be overstimulated by American culture? What foods will they like? How will they interact with our other children? How can I communicate with a child whose language I don't understand? And the questions mount as the stream of consciousness flows with more and more firsts for these children. We have prepared for these concerns. Over the past few days we have started to see the "reality" of our children. Shega... playful, likes games, but possessive of her belongings. Atanfu... Rough, likes active games, when angry he kicks. Mirihetu... in his own little world, happy, quiet, seems to be oblivious to the orphanage. Ashenafi... seems to include the others, holds hands well, likes soccer, "gets" that we are adopting him. At first that last statement doesn't seem too important but it is of the utmost importance in Levi Ashenafi's attachment to us. Today as we were preparing to leave he developed a "headache" that caused him to withdraw, shed tears, and have difficulty explaining his emotions. He had this intense look of sadness. Chandra and I saw it right away; even without words we understood. You see to Ashenafi there has been a continual pattern of people who have come into his life and abandoned him. His father, dead. Six homes in the last 2 years. His birth mother, relinquished him. Sent to one orphanage. Now in another. Eighty-three children in his current orphanage with scores of parents like us coming in and out to adopt other children. Never him. Now there is a family for him but every day they leave? Why do they leave? They say they love me? Why don't I go home with them? We are just another layer of disappointment to him. When adopting you understand there is baggage that comes along with the child. As the parents you have to deal with all of the failures and disappointments the child previously encountered. But never do you enjoy seeing that inner struggle. It is so painful to see. So ugly and real. Yet it is the reality of the situation. We reach down into the muck and filth of their past life and vow to walk through it with them. To help them when they can't see and to feel for them when they are too hurt to feel. But it is never pretty, and it is always painful. Maybe that is why the reality of the cross is so different than the appearance. A cross necklace is a beautiful and innocent reminder of God's sacrifice for me. The reality of the cross is so completely different. God allowed himself to be bruised, bloody, and broken for me. A broken people being saved by a God who chose to be broken to reach us. He reached into the muck and the filth of my life to walk through it with me. And so we, as the people of God do likewise. As God brings it to your mind, please pray for those concerns above; mostly how to reach them.