It has been three years since we began the process to adopt our fourth child.
Three years ago this month, in February of 2006, we received our first adoption grant (a grant we later returned, along with others, when we left the States to come to Chile.)
Three years ago we chose his name.
It has been a very, very long journey. There have been many "bumps" and heartaches along the way - including a miscarriage in July of 2006. Shortly before that we had begun working with an agency specifically to adopt from their African American program. We invested several thousand dollars and many hours of paperwork; phone calls with potential birthmoms; and of course we invested our hearts. When some months later we withdrew from the agency on the basis of our pro-life convictions (after learning that they would provide abortion referrals in certain situations), we lost most of those investments. We began working with a wonderful new Christian agency, again investing time (including two weekend trips 7 hours away from home) and emotional energy and resources. But that door closed as well, with our move to Chile in August of 2007.
Upon arriving in Chile, we attended several days' worth of required seminars through the national adoption agency, only to be informed that we could not continue with them at this time - yet another closed door. Some months later, through a series of circumstances and in ways we could not deny, God directed us to Haiti and also provided in full financially for the adoption of not one, but two little boys!
It has now been a full year since we began our adoption process with Haiti. One year ago this month, we received the referral of twins. Later we lost that referral due to a change in their circumstances, and in April of 2008 we were matched with our precious sons, Ian and Alec. (On our adoption blog you can follow our Haitian adoption timeline on the right-hand side of the blog.)
Recently I asked our adoption blog readers to "Pray the Date." I wanted to post the link here for those who may not have had a chance to read that entry, because as I think back on the past three years I know that it is only through God's strength and the prayers of His people that we have made it this far in our adoption quest ... and only through those same means will we be able to see this through to the end. Thank you - so much - for praying!
Three years ago this month, in February of 2006, we received our first adoption grant (a grant we later returned, along with others, when we left the States to come to Chile.)
Three years ago we chose his name.
It has been a very, very long journey. There have been many "bumps" and heartaches along the way - including a miscarriage in July of 2006. Shortly before that we had begun working with an agency specifically to adopt from their African American program. We invested several thousand dollars and many hours of paperwork; phone calls with potential birthmoms; and of course we invested our hearts. When some months later we withdrew from the agency on the basis of our pro-life convictions (after learning that they would provide abortion referrals in certain situations), we lost most of those investments. We began working with a wonderful new Christian agency, again investing time (including two weekend trips 7 hours away from home) and emotional energy and resources. But that door closed as well, with our move to Chile in August of 2007.
Upon arriving in Chile, we attended several days' worth of required seminars through the national adoption agency, only to be informed that we could not continue with them at this time - yet another closed door. Some months later, through a series of circumstances and in ways we could not deny, God directed us to Haiti and also provided in full financially for the adoption of not one, but two little boys!
It has now been a full year since we began our adoption process with Haiti. One year ago this month, we received the referral of twins. Later we lost that referral due to a change in their circumstances, and in April of 2008 we were matched with our precious sons, Ian and Alec. (On our adoption blog you can follow our Haitian adoption timeline on the right-hand side of the blog.)
Recently I asked our adoption blog readers to "Pray the Date." I wanted to post the link here for those who may not have had a chance to read that entry, because as I think back on the past three years I know that it is only through God's strength and the prayers of His people that we have made it this far in our adoption quest ... and only through those same means will we be able to see this through to the end. Thank you - so much - for praying!
2 comments:
Thank you for sharing your story. Adopting is such a heart stretching process.
Praying your family through this. God has Ian and Alec in His hands.
It can be such a journey, can't it? God is faithful though and your boys will be coming home!
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