Miracles!!

Just in case you were wondering, God is still in the miracle business. As you know, we are in the process of adopting a little boy from Uganda. Our friends, the Myers, are also adopting a little boy from the same children's home. We started the process in April. We have been working to raise $30,000 to bring these two boys home. As of the first of October we had raised about $10,000. This amount covered all of the "paperwork" expenses - home study, Uganda lawyer, immigration fees, and other state-side related expenses.

Jacob and Sarah had their fingerprints done on October 5, and John and I were scheduled for October 22. On the 14th, Sarah called me to say they had received their immigration approval. In case your math is a little rusty, that is nine days!! Miracle #1. She e-mailed our lawyer to let him know they had received the approval, and what was the next step. She told him that we were still working on raising the rest of the needed money. The next day, she called to say they had received word that their court date, in Uganda, had been set for the 22nd. We were all in panic mode, because we didn't want money to be the thing that kept us from getting our boys. We both started calling and e-mailing family to see where we could borrow the rest of the needed funds NOW.

John came home for lunch that day, and we were stressed over the money. Our family gathered in the kitchen to pray that God would provide, as he already had. During that prayer, Jacob called to tell us that the e-mail they had received was actually for another family, and Isaac (lawyer) had told him to expect a mid-November court date. That could count as Miracle #2. We still needed $20,000 but not quite as urgently.

Saturday morning, Sarah called to say that they had been promised $5,500 towards the adoption. Miracle #3. We knew at this point, they could at least get over there, and buy us a little more time to get the money raised. We went into hyper-drive sending out e-mails and newsletters.

Wednesday night at church, John was called to the side by a friend at church. After a couple of minutes, I was also called over to join them. She said she had read the e-mail, and felt like God was telling her to give us the rest of the money we needed to bring these boys home. Yes, the remaining $15,000. Miracle #4!!

It took us about six months to raise $10,000, then we received $20,000 in five days. If that's not a miracle, I don't know what is.

We are still trying to raise a little more money to help with the legal costs when we finalize the adoption state-side, as well as to pay for Michael's airfare. Since ours and the Myers' paperwork got separated, we are no longer assured of traveling and staying together. John and Michael are both uncomfortable with me being alone in Uganda. I have to admit that the travel back home alone with my new little boy concerned me a bit as well. We're not sure if Michael will travel the entire trip with us, or just come out when John and Jacob have both returned to the states. We will cross that bridge when the time comes.

Now, we are praying for Miracle #5. Please pray with us that our immigration paperwork is approved as quickly as Jacob and Sarah's. We so much appreciate all of the prayers you have said on our behalf as well.

Thanks for taking this journey with us!