"I will recount all your wonderful deeds..."

I just heard that our agency is cautiously optimistic about the adoptions being able to move forward relatively soon!!!!!

( Let's just take a break here and PRAISE GOD!!!!!!!!!!!! )

"I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your

wonderful deeds.

I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish before your presence.

For you have maintained my just cause; you have sat on the throne, giving

righteous judgment. "

Psalm 9:1-4

The Child Bill will most likely be passed in Liberia, and will allow adoptions to move forward with very strict guidelines.

Our agency will have to apply for a new accreditation with the country to do adoptions. This process sounds like it puts the timing of being able to move forward with adoptions at 2-3 months. Now, if the Bill does not pass, we will just have to see what comes then... but all indications point toward it passing (without the intention of HALTING all adoptions!). After that 2-3 months, then our paperwork can begin to be processed in Liberia. I won't even guess at a time frame for that. It could be a long time b/c of the new policies we'll be working with.

BUT IF WE CAN BRING OUR KIDS HOME, THEN I WILL NOT COMPLAIN ABOUT HOW LONG IT MAY TAKE!! :)

I almost don't believe it. I mean, the ups and downs of the information in the last several months has got me pretty cautious. I almost don't believe information at all unless a good chunk of time goes by without it changing!

Obviously, we are incredibly thankful for this news. We trust that God worked the miracles that we have prayed so fervently for in order to have made it possible to continue our adoption. Thank you for interceding for Kelvin and Hawa, for Liberia's government, and for our peace and comfort in the recent months. We are so grateful!! I wish I could thank each of you individually and tell you how much it means to us, and how God has comforted us through you. It is amazing and humbling to know that there are people praying for us that we don't even know. People at our parents' churches and small groups in Wisconsin and Oregon, past teachers, people in Thailand, Mexico, & South Africa, children from families all around us, and our incredible family and friends. We just know he is moving in this, and we are sure that your faithfulness is a huge part of that!

That said, there are still very grave concerns. This struggle is not just about our Kelvin and Hawa. It is about ALL the Liberian children who are caught in the crossfire of poverty and politics. While adoptions may be able to continue for a small percentage of these kids, the vast majority will stay in Liberia, and will need assistance to live. The orphanages extend some hope for life... food, education, etc. The policies that UNICEF and Save the Children are pushing for could drastically change what is required of orphanages. This may affect many, many children and their ability to be allowed to live in the orphanages, thus displacing them. Please keep praying that the officials in charge of these extremely important decisions are influenced by God to do what is truly the best for the children.

Can I just say that I am in awe of how God uses these times of desperation to draw me close to him? He doesn't cause these problems, but he most certainly uses them for my good. He has proven to me, once again, that he is faithful to redeem the times that look so dark and hopeless, even while I have no idea what the outcome will be. In the midst of all this, before I had any reason to have optimism about bringing the kids home, God gave me peace and the assurance that EVEN IF things turned out badly... He would hold us all and show us the way through. He's that trustworthy, he's that good.