As we prepare to travel, we want to share our hearts with you all in terms of praises and prayer requests in the hope that you will join us in them in the coming days.
We thank God for:
- Already having a visa, so soon after the orphan investigation meeting! We (and our caseworker) are amazed at this. It surely must be a God move.
- Our caseworker, Belinda. I've just spent the last forty minutes or so talking with her, and she's guiding us along in our preparation for travel. We've often said that when you pay an agency fee, you aren't hiring someone to "do your adoption". Your paying for administration and getting a dear friend and confidante in return. We continue to be grateful to God for Belinda, who is dear to us not only for her "official" role in our lives, but for her heart as well.
- John and Dixie Bickel, and the staff at GLA. These folks are so diligent. Because of them, we don't even have to go to the consular office when we're in Haiti. They've done everything for us. And they've cared for and loved our son for the last two years.
- The gift of adoption. Obviously conceiving a child is different than this. But it couldn't possibly be better. No one will ever convince us that Jude is not our son. God has been too faithful for us to ever believe that he's not ours.
- Our travel preparation. We have lots of packing and planning to do, people to call, plans to make...phew!
- Time management! We have much to do in the next week (less than that!) We have class assignments, projects to grade (for Valerie's teaching work), work, packing, planning, and much more. Please pray that we would be wise with our time and that we would be able to accomplish all that we need to before we go.
- Our time when we arrive home. So many will want to see Jude, and we want that, too. However, we've been strongly advised by our caseworker to dramatically limit introductions to new people as part of Jude's transition. Our airport welcoming party will be very small, and there are many who we'll want to visit once we've been home for a couple of days. Please pray that we'll be wise, and that Jude will adjust well and attach to us quickly.
- The people of Haiti. The news reported that about 150 people died as a result of hurricane Hanna. The reality is that 300 people in one region of the country died. We don't have a total number. But the devastation is extensive and I'm sure we'll see some of it when we're there. Please pray for food for the people, houses to be rebuilt, etc.
- For more donations! We'd love to take as much as possible with us. See the previous post if you want to help!
