Prayfull waiting.

This year we celebrated Thanksgiving on LaGonave with the rest of the Global Partner's team on Wednesday night and then spent seven hours on Thanksgiving day traveling home.  

On Saturday, we joined some of our missionary friends in the North to celebrate Thanksgiving again. After a great meal, we listened to a message that spoke to my heart. 

John spoke of the kidnapping stories of Joseph and Squanto and how they ended up saving groups of people because of where they ended up later in life. 

 

How when in difficult times when we don't understand we should not ask 'why' but ask 'what next' realizing that the Lord remains in control. Roman 8:28 "And we know that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him, how have been called according to His purpose" 

He reminded us that often that while in the middle of the story things may look bleak, and we can be very discouraged and maybe feel forgotten, but the end of the story is 'what's next'. We need to trust God that He's working out the good during the middle of the story. 

 

I feel that progress occurred last week due to our prayers for a Thanksgiving miracle. No news or proof yet but know God's working. 

Maybe our chart received the last signature. 

Maybe we exited but our agency was closed for Thanksgiving. 

Maybe the miracle looks like us waiting well and praising Him during the wait.

Maybe F adjusted a bit to the idea of us being his family or some healing of his emotions started.

Maybe.......maybe we will not know what our prayers accomplished last week.

But we will continue to pray and praise in anticipation of celebrating each step of this adoption process.

Praying for peace and progress.

Sunday we watched the dedication of two beautiful baby girls in church.

 The sermon scripture was Judges 13: 1- which talks about when Samson’s mother hear from the messenger of the Lord that she would be having a son. 

Needless to say, both of these events caused me to think again about F’s homecoming.

Thankful that despite many protests last week in Port-au-Prince we heard about a referral and an IBESR exit, indicating that the office did open.

Thankful for additional people letting us know that they are praying for a Thanksgiving miracle.

Requests:

• Calmness in Port-au-Prince, so that staff can travel to work and to work on cases. Election protests tangle traffic, shut offices, and keep people from appointments/work.
• For staff to focus on signing charts so that both referrals and exits can occur from IBESR, including our chart.
• Heath and protection for the staff so that they attend to their jobs and get work done.
• Resources for doing the needed work: people, supplies, time, energy.
• Protection for our chart. Nothing lost, stained, damaged. No mistakes that will add on time.
• Praying for wisdom and patience for the staff interacting and preparing F for this big change.
• Praying that F will not get frustrated with waiting and will continue to have hope about coming home soon.

Growing Hope

Yesterday our message in church focused on persistent prayers.

In the midst of protests causing issues in many parts of the country, including the capital where our paperwork waits to be released, we hold on to hope.

As the staff continue to prepare F for his new family, his hope also grows.

I'll admit to being a bit concerned...OK stressed with our Nov. 11 deadline looming ahead that we would not hear about our extension. Possible travel strikes in Port had been called for today-Wednesday, which could have closed down the Embassy.

I even considered sending a second e-mail with a more dramatic subject despite knowing that they requested patience 'If you have a pending case and are asking for an extension of your deadline to submit the final adoption documents or need a status update on your case, please take note that we answer our e-mail on a first-come first-served basis.  There is no need to send duplicate e-mails. '

Praise the Lord. Early this morning, 9:45 a.m. to be exact, we received our extension. Hopefully the last we will need.

We received two e-mails this week from different members of a small supporting church sharing how they studied in Acts about praying continuously for Paul's release from prison and how the angel took him out of jail. They stopped at that point to pray that F can come home soon. Praying for the chains to fall off and freedom be realized. 

Praying for peace in Port. 

Praying for F and those interacting with him daily.

Praying for the Lord to prepare each of us for the transition to our new family.

Thank you!