Video!

I was excited & encouraged today! We got to see the video from Angel's mission trip to the kids' orphanage! How incredible to see and hear of what God was doing on that trip... and continues to do in the hearts of those that went. Also... we got to see Kelvin and Hawa (just tiny little snippets) on the video; Kelvin looking at our album as he learned he had a family waiting to adopt him, and Hawa as she enjoyed the lollipop that we sent! It's the first time we have seen our children moving a little! How exciting for us! If I can get permission to post it, I will do that soon. You can watch it by going to http://www.africanchildsponsorship.com/ and clicking on the video link on the left side of the screen. Angel's husband, Dan, put it together... I feel like God has used both Angel and Dan's talents and gifts "for such a time as this" (as is spoken of in the book of Esther). I am so grateful. I would highly recommend checking out her blog, especially the entry from today where her husband writes about the "after-effects" of their trip to Liberia. http://www.rutledge6.blogspot.com/

It's been a heavy couple of weeks for me.... ones that have driven me to my knees even more. God has been so faithful to sustain me and give me hope just in those moments where I felt the despairing thoughts creeping around my head. I have never known the burden of something that meant so much to me. More than anything else, I have been made acutely aware of my desperation for God to move on our behalf, and of my need for him every moment. He's our rock, and our strong tower, and our refuge. So, I can see the value in this time, even as I am willing the circumstance to pass. Those moments when God speaks to my heart in such an obvious and purposeful way, to lift me up and show me that he cares for me, are worth the struggle. He has answered me when I have called to him, he has held me when I needed holding, and he has comforted and strengthened me with others that he has brought into my life.

Although there is no solid news yet on the Child Bill in Liberia, we have gotten a tiny bit of encouraging news today... that the severe restrictions may not be outlined in the bill as we had been told was the worse case scenario. We will have to wait that out and see, but it's possible that there may actually be some good news on that front eventually. We are told though, that UNICEF and Save the Children are still working very hard to stop adoptions, as they did in Guatemala... where because the parents , as well as the government, cannot care for these children... they are thrown into the trash piles. Yes, I'm talking about babies being thrown into the trash. I'd like to ask UNICEF...How is that better than allowing them to be adopted? How is that in their best interests? Unreal. I just cannot fathom the thought process there.

On a infinitely less important note, I got bar stools today! :) As some of you know, we have been in our house for 4 years now, and have never been able to justify spending the money to get bar stools for our breakfast bar, since they need to be tall & sturdy to be safe. Well, I was given permission to find and buy some a few months ago, but was discouraged that they cost so much. Today, I was with my sister and our collective 4 children at Target, and we found bar stools that were sturdy, tall enough, and matched my cabinets... and they were $50 each! Woo-hoo! I am ALL about half-price things! :)