BOGATA COLUMBIA (click here to learn about the mission)

Please pray for my sister in law and her husband, founders of WordServe United Methodist Church in Fulshear, TX as they and 13 other volunteers serve the people and children, living in poverty, in Bogata, Columbia.  They will be on this mission trip from June 13th - June 20th.  There are families and abandoned children in the hills, living in nothing but cardboard or tin shelters, having nothing but each other to keep warm, and depending completely on the mission site established there to feed them.  Please pray that the mission team  will be safe, stay healthy and able to do God's work by serving, feeding and loving those in need.   Also pray that through their work, they will encourage others to join in and serve the poor in their own communities and around the world.  

CHILDREN EVERYWHERE!

  If you had a chance to read my first several postings on this blog, you will understand why we keep thinking to adopt a little girl.  As I had mentioned when I had my dream/vision,back in November there was a little girl in my room with wide, Asian looking eyes, waiting for me.  As I had said in the second vision, the girl who appeared may not have been the same exact girl, because the second one looked younger.  However, they were quite similar.  Well, I came across this photo the other day, and was thinking how much this girl resembled my vision.  (much like some of the other pictures I've been attaching to posts) However this girl happens to be from South America.  She is not Asian.  Hmmm... as we research other programs, that widens the possibilities of places I suppose.  But what it comes down to is this; if God has intended for us to adopt a child, then He will lead us to whom is meant just for us.  As we are sort of starting over in our research, or at least taking a few steps backward, it gives us more time to save money and plan for whatever reason He has given us a detour.  And how much has my passion grown to advocate for children and my hope to do much more in the future!

Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God."

OKAY, LET'S REGROUP

  So this week, we are starting to do some re- research on some programs we had kept in our folder from the beginning.  We are ready to see what God has in mind for us!  We know that there are countless children out there who need homes... millions,  that is sure.  Why does the process have to be so difficult and costly?  Well yes, of course I am aware of the dangers of not being thorough.  We have heard stories of children being taken from poor families in some countries and put up for adoption.  I would never want to take a child under these circumstances so yes, that calls for research and paperwork to be sure the child is truly an orphan, and is truly going to people who have the best intentions of parenting in mind.  But I've been hearing numerous stories of people here, with wonderful families, having a very hard time finding a program for which they qualify.  Here are some of the reasons, just depending on the country, the orphanage or the agency, (they each can make their own rules as they see fit or as they believe) ... cannot adopt if you have been married before, cannot adopt if just the Mother is over 38, cannot adopt if the combined age of the parents is over 90 years, cannot adopt if either parent is over 45, cannot adopt if you have more than 2 children, cannot adopt if you already have a boy and a girl, cannot adopt if mother is 5 years older than father, cannot adopt if you are overweight, cannot adopt if you have previously adopted from another country, cannot adopt if you are not of a certain faith, cannot adopt if you are not of that nationality.....and the list goes on.  Now of course, these are not qualification for all programs, but you will find them dispersed/popping up throughout your research.  You will find what seems just right and then..oh no..I don't qualify on that one term.  Then travel is a huge consideration.  Many South American countries require that you travel and stay for at least 6 weeks.  What working parents can do that?  All of those children waiting for homes and we can't get there!  Or many countries require 2 or 3 visits, which when flying around the world and taking off from work is very costly!  So the 1 trip country is what we can do.

  Then there is the wait times for a referral...I'm thinking, do I want my oldest to be in college by the time our new baby arrives?

But don't despair!  When you do the research, you will almost assuredly find a program that accepts your family status, with all of your details, whatever they are, you just have to keep looking!  Don't ever rule out and forget domestic adoption, it seems exclusive, but that is not always the case, keep searching the domestic photolistings for that face that needs you.

  So here we go.....