With Open Hands

Since our home study update meeting in June, I have been waiting with open hands to see what God would give or take away. The song, "Blessed Be Your Name' has been my prayer all summer. I have been waiting for direction on what to do next: Should we continue to wait for Liberia to open or pursue foster care adoption instead. I wanted to be open, but it has been so hard. I love our boys in Liberia. I know I always will and, regardless of where they live, we will always be involved in taking care of them.

Last Sunday, Mark and I went on an early morning walk. As we talked and prayed, Mark shared how much he hoped that the door would open to adopt Michael and Varney. It was really meaningful to me because he doesn't usually express deep emotion about it. I felt like it was a leading from God. When we got back home, I checked my email and received good news, for the first time in months, regarding adoption from Liberia.

Here's the email:

I want to let you know that the meeting on Wednesday with the Minister of
Justice Christiana Tah went very well!  Maria and I are very encouraged.  She
listened to myself and the other two American families very intently in our
private meeting with her.  We were able to share the facts about children in
America and Canada that have been adopted from Liberia.

I am very impressed with Minister Tah.   She made it very clear that she is
going to take care of the problems that we have incurred in bringing our
children home with decrees.  She sympathizes with the families that have been
waiting  and is asking them to wait until the next meeting (public hearing) on
Friday, August 6th; to know her exact plans for the future of adoption.  She
stated that no one will walk away from the meeting on the 6th and not understand
the future of adoption in Liberia.  I am certain, however, after our
conversation with her that she will do everything in her power to expedite these
waiting adoptions with decrees.

Minister Tah made it very clear in our meeting that she understands the problems
on the Liberian side that need to be fixed and she will fix them.  She also
realizes that the vast majority of adopted Liberian children are thriving in
Canada and America!  I was able to present her with the book of letters and
photos.  Thank you all for helping me with that.  She will have the 2nd copy
delivered to the President’s office.

 She herself went to school in America and knows the truth about adoption!  I
will give more details after the meeting on the 6th.  This is certainly a
praise.  As Maria and I discussed the meeting with Minsiter Tah we are truly
encouraged and grateful to the Lord that He has brought a woman into power such
as this, who will truly be a voice for the Liberian child.

I fly out of Liberia today.  Thank you so much for your prayers.  I apologize
for not emailing more, it was much more difficult than I thought to do so.

Again, it seemed like a light to our path. After the email, our family got ready to go to an adoption fund raising event in Colfax for "Saving Lera". Peder Eide lead worship. It was great to see him again. While the kids and I played on the teeter totter, we pretended that Michael and Varney were with us teeter tottering too. The kids continued the imagining, by taking turns holding the boys as we walked around.

So, here I sit. It's Friday morning. I should find out in about an hour if the meeting really happened. It has been canceled twice already. And if this door will open.

FFH: Lord, Move or Move Me

"Lord move in the way, that I've never seen before
Cause there's a mountain in the way and a lock on the door
I'm drifting away, waves are crashing on the shore
So Lord move (move), or move me."