Adoption/Foster Journey #3 - Part 6

Adoption/Foster Journey #3 - Part 6 

August 21st 2020

We have now entered the new school year of 2020, and this was not where I thought I would be on Charli's 3rd birthday.  I thought she would turn 3 on a Sunday....and on Monday August 17th, our dossier would be mailed to China. 

We have had some tough conversations the past month with our agency.  As it stands today, there is a way to get our documents through the DC Embassy.  But it would require re-doing our documents...because at this point, they have expired either way.  There is still no movement as far as travel to China.  The cases of this virus seem to continue to rise. Rising case numbers, and the political tension continue. The little girl's file we had been following is now gone. This could mean she was matched, or the file is floating around somewhere, or other situations making her not visible for adoption. But we will not lose hope.  I think that is what the Lord has revealed to me and Matt over the past few weeks...we won't lose hope.  But can we, should we, pause?  Maybe it is possible to pause....but yet somehow keep moving towards the calling to love and serve those without a voice. 

We started to truly open our hearts and eyes to see how we can keep moving, but not give up hope.  After multiple phone calls, emails, conversations and orientations, we learned a lot more about what it would look like to open our home to foster care for this season.  We talked about what bedroom we could use, what new documents and training needed to be done and how to make this happen in the middle of a pandemic.  Somehow, through these conversations, we slowly started feeling a peace cover us the more we walked this way.  Scared, Yes! But also a feeling of strength.  Sad, Yes! But also a feeling of joy.  Overwhelming, Yes!  But also a the feeling of peace. 

After a heartbreaking conversation with our wonderful international adoption agency, we came up with a plan, as to how we would pause and wait for China. Let me be VERY clear here...I cannot and will not say we will not be back to China.  The image of a sweet girl, with a special heart, is still there. The image of multiple children are still there.  3,000 other children are still waiting in China, and that is only on the shared list. That doesn't count the thousands of orphans without a file.  This fight is not over.  We will continue to fight for our daughter's birth country, to pray for those families currently still waiting, and mostly to pray for each child who waits.  But as we wait with hope...we are step by step preparing our home for maybe a child here in Texas that needs that love and hope too.  Maybe it isn't two separate paths after all? Maybe this walk/journey is just going to look a little different then expected?

So we will start the new paper chase again, the new training again, and continue to plead with the Lord to make a way for every child.  We continue to pray for renewed open travel to and from China so adoptions can resume and children will find homes.  But while we wait...may our home be a home of safety and love to one of your children God.  May you prepare our hearts for whatever child comes through our door...our open door.