November-Thankful and Grateful Month

November is Adoption Awareness Month. Check out this link for more information......http://www.childwelfare.gov/adoption/nam/. We frequently get many questions about adoption; the biggest one is why are we adopting when we already have children or because we can have children. Well adoption is something both Tyvon and I thought about when we were growing up. If you know our background, you could understand why. We contemplating the idea during the first year we were in Okinawa however that wasn't God's timing. After my mission trip to Cambodia, we knew it was God who place this in our heart. Additionally when Tyvon and I went to the Philippines for another mission trip that was more confirmation for the both of us. There are so many orphans in the world so why not giving a loving home to one if you can. We were all orphans until we were adopted (grafted) in to the Body of Christ. Our son will have a home, family and opportunities that he may not have gotten if we didn't adopt him.

Adoption update.....well we got news from our social worker that she should have the written report finished by this weekend. Whoo hoo!! She also sent us an email letting us know that her mission trip to Haiti was great; thank you all for praying with us about that mission trip. Once we received the finalized home study, our goal is to have the I600-A sent out by the first of December (please be praying with us about that). This document is sent to the US Immigration office as a official initiation of our international adoption. Next stop after that is our dossier.

God is truly showing us that he is Jehovah Jireh, the God that provides. When praying about financing for the adoption, He has given us clear and immediate answers. We know that complete costs of the adoption is already fulfill in the Heavenly realm and are just awaiting Earthly manifestation. Soooooo....are latest fundraiser has begun. We are selling bracelets that will not only help our adoption but the beautiful people of Haiti. If you want to know more see the following link....Apparent Project.

Until next time, we leave you with this scripture to ponder.....

Romans 8:14-16 - For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God's Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father."For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children.

Home Study....CHECK

The social worker has come on and gone. She was a beautiful person and we truly loved her heart. She has a heart for the orphans and especially for Haiti. We had 3 visits with her; one with the whole family, one with Ty and I individually and then as a family again. The girls had the honor of giving her a tour of our home and their brother's room; they were thrilled. We are just waiting for the write up and all our clearances to come back. Next step....I-600A.

But....there's always an also or change in international adoption; we have an additional Adoption Education class to take. The state of VA has changed their requirements and we will now be taking another course called "With Eyes Wide Open."

We pray for the children of Ghana and our "son." Please pray with us for the people of Ghana. We have been made aware of 3 little boys, over the age we first discussed, who are on the waiting list for forever families. Pray with us that God will connect them with right families; even if that means that one comes home with us. Pray for all the missionary families that are on the ground in Ghana bringing the love of Christ to the nations.

We met a couple who the wife is from Ghana and we are planning to get together to learn more about the culture; so excited!! More to come on that....

Until next time...

I leave you with this verse. "I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, desolate, bereaved, forlorn, helpless]; I will come [back] to you" John 14:18. We continually praise God for not leaving us fatherless or alone. We also believe that as children of God we should go out to the nations and bring the FATHER to those who are desolate, helpless, loss. Just as we were adopted into God's family and given a better life we feel compelled to go to the nations and bring an orphan child home!