Just Hangin' Out in NY

We talked with our contact at Living Hope Adoption Agency today hoping for good news on the progress of our dossier.  The news wasn't what we were hoping for.  She said that our dossier was still in New York.  She told us that the Honduran contact in New York is very thorough in his review of each dossier, so we are hoping the dossier travels back down I-95 by mid-week next week.  Living Hope is waiting for some of their paperwork to be finalized that needs to go with our dossier, so we were told that it will probably be at least two weeks before our paperwork goes to Honduras.  We are just being reminded that all things will be completed in God's timing.  We are just reminded of the passage in James 4

(James 4:13-17) 13 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement as you journey with us.

New York, New York!

Our dossier made its way back from Harrisburg to Living Hope agency.  Today it began its journey up I-95 to New York.  New York is the final stop before our paperwork goes to Honduras.  In one sense it is hard to have to just wait, yet at the same time it is good to know that things are moving along.  Lord willing our dossier will return to Living Hope agency early next week and then it is off to Honduras.  Once it arrives in Honduras, the six month clock begins - we will receive our referral within six months.  We know that we are among the first three families sending dossiers to Honduras, so we need to be ready for all kinds of "hiccups" in this process.  We are still hoping to travel before the end of the year.  Alicia and I are sporting sore shoulders because of immunizations - one in each shoulder (typhoid and Hep-A).  Now that Ariana and Alexa are planning to travel with us on the second trip, Ariana is hoping that her childhood immunizations will be good enough...she does not want to get a shot.

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Updates in the Mail

We returned home from a week of ministry at Pinebrook Bible Conference to receive two pieces of news in the mail.  Via email, we learned that the process for finalizing the adoption in the country of Honduras will be about six weeks.  This would require us to stay in the country for the entire time, or take two trips.  Alicia and I just spent about an hour estimating the finances of these two options.  For the two of us to stay in the country for the entire time would cost us about $6000 more than taking two trips and taking Ariana and Alexa with us for the second trip.  So, it looks like we will take one trip for about 5 days to meet our daughter and go through the initial interviews and do all of the necessary paperwork to finalize the adoption and for our daughter's US citizenship.  A few weeks later, the four of us would go for 5-7 days to finalize the process, and bring her home.  With estimated food and other expenses, this is about $4500 more than the original estimate that we were given.  We are still waiting for our paperwork to go to New York then to Honduras, but at least we now have a clearer picture of what the travel process will look like when it is time to travel.

Another piece of news that we received in the mail was from a grant request we had submitted to Show Hope.  We were informed that we have received a grant, which will be a huge help with the travel expenses.  It has been awesome to trust God through this process as the details seem to change regularly, so does His provision.

Both Hands Goal is Reached

We have been completely overwhelmed by the generosity of so many that have given to the Both Hands project to help with our adoption costs.  When we began planning for the Both Hands project, we needed to raise about $19,000 to cover the "anticipated costs" of the adoption.  We were able to get a no-interest loan for $10,000 to help pay for the dossier fee which was due in mid-June.  As we set a goal for the Both Hands project, I recommended that we set a goal of $5000, but Alicia said that we would need about $9000 to $10,000 for traveling to Honduras and covering all of the fees for finalizing the adoption.  We set the goal at $10,000.  I did not believe that we would come close to reaching that goal.  We received an email yesterday informing us that we have received $10,782 toward our Both Hands project.  The great thing about this is that now we are completely ready to travel, and any more money that is donated to the project will help us pay back the $10,000 loan.  If you did not get a chance to view the video from our project, check out the post entitled "Both Hands - The Video".  For all of you that have been praying for us, and for those that have given time and money to help us - THANK YOU!

On To Harrisburg

We found out that there was a bit of a delay as our Psychological Evaluation was completed and reviewed by the government officials in Honduras.  As one of the first few families in this new process with Honduras, we know that we need to be flexible, but at times it gets a bit frustrating when our plans change.  We continue to pray that we would patiently wait upon the Lord and trust His timing.  Since our Psych eval. was the first one completed, we became the test case for the process.  There were some aspects of the evaluation that needed to be adjusted, and our agency worked with our psychiatrist to make the necessary changes.  Honduras approved our evaluations, and now our agency has an outline for what they are specifically looking for in Honduras.  With the approval from Honduras regarding our psych evaluation, our dossier was finalized by our agency and today it made the journey by courier (now, I need a linguist to answer why dossier is pronounced dos-ee-ey and courier is pronounced kur-ee-er.  Why isn't courier pronounced kur-ee-ey?  Next time you see a courier call him a kur-ee-ey and see how he responds..)  Anyway, our dos-ee-ey went by kur-ee-ey to Harrisburg today.  It should spend about a week in Harrisburg, then to New York, then to Honduras.  It has about a two week road trip before going international.  We are excited that things continue to move along.  thank you for your prayers!

Both Hands - The Video

Dave Peters, a friend of one of the team members on our Both Hands Project, pulled his video team together to capture the Both Hands Project and put together a great video.

Thank You, Dave and Team!


If you want to make a donation to help us with the cost of our adoption, visit our donation page.  Donations will be accepted up til Aug 16, 2011.

Both Hands - Before and After

We are finally able to get some before and after pictures from the Both Hands Project posted on the blog.  Here is a sampling of work that our team was able to complete at Sandie's home on Saturday, June 25th.

Before

With a Fresh coat of Paint

Before

The gardens were all freshened up

Before

After - There is a bit more to be done in this powder room, but we were able to get a lot done.  Sandie's nephew is going to finish this room.

The Office before

The office with a new paint job and a new ceiling fan

Time Stood Still

Have you ever been so engrossed in some task that it seemed that time stood still?  I returned to the office this afternoon and began studying the Scriptures.  I read through the end of the book of James a few times, and began to put together the outline of sermons for the remainder of this sermon series that I am preaching through.  I received word that a woman who had been part of our church died suddenly today.  Her sister and her mother are still members of our church, so part of my day was spent talking and praying with the Mom.  She shared that even though her children are grown and their children are grown, it is still difficult when your daughter dies...yet, she said with confidence...my daughter had recognized that she was a sinner and needed the forgiveness that only Jesus gives.  She said to me a few times, "She was ready, and that is the important thing to remember, she was ready!"  We prayed together and I left that conversation more encouraged then when I began.  I returned to my study in the book of James.  My study was good, and it felt like time was standing still.

After a while, I realized that part of the reason that time felt like it was standing still was because my watch had stopped around 1pm.  So literally, every time I looked at my watch, time was standing still. 

Just a quick update on the adoption...we received an update on the donations made to the Both Hands project, and the total amount given so far is $7709.54.  We are truly humbled by the generosity of our team, and everyone that has given financially.  THANK YOU!

Independence

There really isn't much to update with regard to the adoption.  We are waiting to hear that our dossier has begun the finalization process here in the US, we haven't received any updates from Lifesong regarding donations to the Both Hands project, we are waiting to hear from Show Hope to see if we have been approved for a grant, we continue to be amazed at the love and support that friends and family have given us.  We are in the midst of another waiting period, and we continue to trust the Lord to lead us.  Our prayer is still that we will be able to travel before the end of the year, and pick up our little girl. 

As today marks the 235th year since the signing of the declaration of independence, I have been thinking about this great country.  I have recently thought about the process of issues, petitions, and disagreements that brought our forefathers to the point that on July 2, 1776 the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution of independence, and two days later signed the Declaration of Independence.  Have you ever taken the time to read the list of reasons our forefathers gave for declaring our independence from the King of England.  Have you ever pondered the struggle that these men had in making this decision.  Many of these men were devout Christians that wrestled with the command of Scripture (especially Romans 13 and submitting to all human authorities) and the fact that the King would not listen to them.  Yesterday, I preached a sermon on James 1:19-21, in which Scripture commands us to be "quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry".  How different would history have been if the King had taken this counsel, and listened?  Regardless, I am thankful that our forefathers persisted and when necessary took the bold steps necessary to lead this country to independence.  In case you haven't read the Declaration of Independence recently, I have included it in this post.  Enjoy the reading, then pause to thank the Lord for our leaders in the past and pray for our leaders in the present!

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.