Wow! Can I just say how BIG and GREAT oh...and AMAZING is the God we serve??!! As one of the favorite songs of our kids in our Christmas play goes..."Shout it from the roof tops, shout it in the streets, come on everybody spread the news with me...." I want to SHOUT it from the roof tops...how amazing God has been in our adoption journey. Please allow me to explain....
As those of you know who have been following us on our Rwandan adoption journey, the doors to Rwanda in August were unexpectedly closed due to a program that the government is preparing to enter into called the Hague Convention. It is a good program as it protects kids from Child Trafficking, but the time line was rough b/c we didn't have all of our paperwork completed and just couldn't make the August 31 deadline. We were so disheartened because we truly believed that God was beginning to move and then the doors were shut all of the sudden. But as a very dear friend told me, "delay in the kingdom of God does not mean denial"...that has helped me over the past few months as we've just went through the motions of waiting and praying for God to open the doors to Rwanda quickly. But little did we know He was preparing to surprise us with an all together different plan and path.
It is with that that I proudly declare that we are now adopting from Uganda, Africa (which is right above Rwanda on the map)! We are elated! There is one word to describe this process as I'm told "Whirlwind"! Things have a tendency to happen FAST in Uganda! Gulp....just teasing! Ha ha ha! Allow me to explain one of the many reasons why God is so amazing with this adoption so far.
About 2 months ago, a dear friend of ours had a African Children's Choir(called the Watoto) (http://www.watoto.com/home) come to their church. The Choir she explained had brought jewelry to sell made by Christian Women (who are Moms to orphaned children) who had Aids and were trying to earn a living. She said she noticed a beautiful hand-made wooden bracelet and her husband bought it for her. Well, when we met and I told her our story one day she said the Lord asked her to give that bracelet to me as a "symbol" of faith that God was going to do just as he promised and give us our heart-born African Child. And let me tell you when I took the bracelet and placed it on my wrist I knew that that bracelet had been made just for me! You see, I have a hard time finding bracelets that fit my wrist and it fit like a glove! Just like the Cinderella slipper, that bracelet was destined to be mine all along. Well, what I've not shared is that the bracelet and children's choir was from, Yep, you guessed it...Uganda! Isn't God SOOO neat!!!
Now, Rwanda is definitely still in our hearts and so is Malachi (whether he is from Rwanda or Uganda). And as the Lord has been speaking to us, Rwanda is not our Season right now, and who knows, that may come sometime later! We are pleased and excited to say that we are NOT going to specify a Boy or Girl...we are going to let the Lord decide that!!!! To which my Mom (who is dying for a granddaughter...even though Kevin teases her that she had 3 girls to raise) is thrilled!!! Ha ha ha! Love ya Mom!!!
So, we are absolutely thrilled and will ask that you continue to pray with us as we start this new adventure and ask that you please keep the many friends of ours that are still awaiting Rwanda to open back up the grace and peace to hold steady as they await their children!
Much love and Prayers,
Marissa, Kevin and ________ ?
