Changes

First of all, I can hardly believe it's been so long since I've posted. I know I've always been a bit sporadic, but five months is a long time to be quiet. That's not very like me. I think the reason is that there has been so much going on inside that I've been processing, I haven't known what to say. So I've been just living life (which has been good, by the way) and waiting on the Lord for further direction.

In the meantime, there have been a few changes. First of all, we are pregnant! Our sweet baby #7 is due to come on Easter Sunday, April 8, 2012. I really hope that he/she is born on that day. It just means so much to me. This baby is such a gift from God. I have had such a hard time with my attitude about being pregnant in the past, but since adding Crown and Lion to our family in 2009, my heart has changed so much. I want to welcome every little one with whom God blesses us with open arms and an open heart. Including the process of their arrival, whether through my womb or that of another loving birth mother. So there has been a dual desire in my heart. I want ... oh, so badly ... to adopt again soon. And I also want to have the incredible opportunity to carry another little life inside, and this time with a good attitude!

Regarding adoption, we are still waiting on the Lord. Despite our completed home study, there have not yet been any open doors for us in this area. We are praying and hoping that it will not be too much longer!

And finally, we are moving! While doors have not yet opened for us to adopt again, doors have opened (for the first time since we sold our last home in 2006) for us to buy a house! It's a pretty farm house out in the country, and we are SO excited to move our family there. The property is an acre, which we plan to "homestead" farm with gardens, goats, chickens, and whatever else we can dream of. We will be surrounded by beautiful 20+ acre horse ranches, trees, and fields. This is a dream come true for Saltracer and me, as we have longed to raise our children in a more rural environment. The house itself is in some need of repair (hence our ability to purchase it for a low price), so we will be spending the first few months/year or more remodeling and renovating to make it just right. I'm actually looking forward to it, as I feel that this is my opportunity to really design my home just the way I want it. I haven't been so excited about creating a home since moving into our first home, a small townhouse, and setting it up when we were newlyweds.

Speaking of which, we celebrated our 10th anniversary during my "quiet period." We enjoyed a beautiful, romantic weekend in Sutter Creek at The Grey Gables bed and breakfast. It was so fun to relax, talk, walk, and dream together. That weekend was actually the seed for us coming home and seriously looking into purchasing a farm house. Now look what God has done! I am in awe.

I hope soon to post pictures of our new home. We'll have to post "before" and "after" pictures during the renovation. In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this update and that God is blessing you abundantly, above all that you could ask or think.

Where we are at ...

First of all, thank you, thank you, thank you for all the donations so far. They are greatly appreciated.

Some people may be a little confused about where we are at and what is going on.

We are moving ahead to try and get these boys. Just not as quickly as some would like us to. With adoption there are many questions, and not a lot of answers. We are waiting to hear back from the placement agency on these questions.

If the fact that this placement isn't a done deal makes people uncomfortable giving we TOTALLY and COMPLETELY understand. As Paul mentioned last night, there are two tracks that are needing to happen simultaneously: information and fundraising. The fundraising is like Gideon's Fleece for us. And it's coming in, just not as quickly as we had hoped. We see this as God's confirmation to proceed a bit more slowly.

All that said: We are NOT giving up. We aren't backing down. We are doing this for HIS sake. These boys are HIS children. We want them to be our children too. The question is: Will He let us? We only want to do His will. No more. No less.

We will let you know further as soon as possible. Thank you again for your generosity!

(Note: If the placement with us falls through, then we will be contacting each donor individually and privately to determine what you would like us to do with your donation.)

Generosity

So the total money we now have toward our adoption is $6670. We started out by putting in $5000 ourselves, money that we had set aside for adoption, savings, and other projects. Our seed offering. The rest has been given to us by 64 people - sixty-four very generous family and friends who either love us, love children, or both. I cannot thank you enough. (And I look forward to an upcoming home school project with my children of writing lots and lots of thank-you notes!)

One of the biggest things I am realizing is how many people love adoption. How many people's hearts are stirred to care for three little boys they have never met. Three little boys who some may soon welcome into their family and friend community. Three little boys who others may never meet in this world. But it makes no difference. Because we are all brothers and sisters. We are all the body of Christ, and we care for one another. That's the way it should be. And I am honored to be a part of it. You have blessed and encouraged me beyond words. Not only that you would give so generously, but that we really are not alone in our heart to care for orphans. Isn't that so prideful? But it can start to feel that way sometimes. And then something like this happens and you realize how mistaken you were. Many, many, many people love the Lord and love His children. Thank you for showing that to me today.

We are wanting to make sure that we follow the Lord very carefully in this. We will be talking with the social workers more tomorrow to get more information. We want to be sure that we really are the best family for these boys and they for us. This is not a commitment that we take lightly, so we are diligently seeking out godly counsel and wisdom. We hope to make a trip soon to meet them (hopefully with all our children!). We will definitely keep you updated.

Please keep praying!!!!! We are seeking God's face with all our hearts.

For a more in-depth analysis of our status in this situation, please read my husband's blog post.

Update on 3 Little Boys

My mind is reeling with all that's happened today. We talked with the boys' social worker and our own social worker. We are the first choice for these boys! We are thrilled and excited and nervous all at once. But beneath it all we know that we want God's will more than anything. We will be working on every front to make sure that we can bring them into our home (if it is God's will). We are contacting everyone we know to get the information and resources we need.

Here's a picture of my kids yesterday, fascinated by a lizard found on our back porch. Just to keep it real. :)

Thank you so much for the many donations we have received already! We are already up to $5710, and more donations keep coming in. I am in awe of how quickly God can move things when it's His time. Thank you, and please keep praying for us.

Here We Go!

So ... where do I begin? ... Yesterday we heard through Christian Adoption Consultants about three little boys, ages 5, 4, and 3, who need a home immediately. They were looking for families in Arizona or Virginia, but were open to considering families from others states. We looked at each other, each thinking, should we be open to this situation? It's not exactly (or even remotely) what we've been preparing for.

Background: We've been praying and preparing to welcome a baby boy or girl into our family this year. Before we started our home study, we prayed about what direction God would have us to go this time in our adoption. We felt led to domestic adoption again, so that's what we've been anticipating. We've even had a due date time frame in mind, based on a feeling I had last fall that our baby was being conceived around then. We went through CAC last time and felt peace about going that route again. We knew that they occasionally find placements for older children and sibling sets, but that is rare, so we naturally assumed that our next child would be a baby.

So when we heard about these boys, my first reaction was that they aren't for us. We are in California, and we are expecting to adopt a baby. However, I have also committed in my heart never to say no to anything God might call me to. I also know that my impressions are not always correct, so while I pay attention to them, I hold them lightly. They take on a lot more credibility when that chapter in the story is done and I can see more clearly how God has led us.

Since our home study is all but complete, since this is an urgent situation, and since we had peace about it, after praying we agreed to let the social worker know that we are open to the situation. After all, there are some hurdles to cross before this can become reality. First of all, we have to be picked. Second, there is the small matter of $30,000 needed. We don't have nearly that much money. (Yet.) But we know that if this is God's will for us and for the boys, the money is no problem for Him.

The boys are adorable. I don't know much at this point, but I do know that their birth father, who has been raising them, appears to love them very much and is unable to care for them. I believe he is trying desperately to do what is best for them. And I don't want to be responsible for allowing them to fall through the cracks because I didn't speak up.

In fact, this verse was on my heart yesterday:

"Speak up for the people who have no voice, for the rights of all the down-and-outers. Speak out for justice! Stand up for the poor and destitute!" (Proverbs 31:8-9, MSG).

I don't think I have many illusions about this. I've hear and read about attachment and children from hard places. I know that this could be a very rough road. But I also know that I serve a God who cares about orphans much more than I do. And I am confident that where He calls, He equips. There could be some very hard days ahead, but He will be faithful.

This morning we emailed the boys' social worker to let her know that we are open to this situation. This afternoon she asked us if we would be available to travel THIS WEEK. We can and will, if that is what God wants. We simply want to have wisdom and discernment to know what His will is.

We had a family conference with our kids, emphasizing that if we do adopt these boys, things will not be the same around here. There will be even more sharing, serving, being patient, loving, forgiving, etc. They voted unanimously that we go ahead and see if God wants them to be in our family.

So I am asking you two things. First and most importantly, PLEASE PRAY. Pray that God's will be done on behalf of these boys and for our family. Pray that we will have discernment. Pray that God will make it very clear what our role is to be in these three boys' lives.

Second, if you feel led to donate toward our adoption, you may do so through the button at the right. If you would prefer to mail a check, please email me directly at mswagerty [at] gmail [dot] com. Due to the urgent nature of this situation, we will need the $30K in just a few days in order to rescue these children. If you desire to partner with us, we will be very grateful. One of the ways we will know whether this is God's will is if He provides the finances to do it in the necessary time frame.

Thank you for reading this and for praying for us. We look forward to posting further updates as we know more!

If you would like to read my husband's post about this adoption, please click here: http://saltracer.blogspot.com/2011/06/three-little-boys.html.

Adoption Is Expensive

One of the first comments I hear from people considering adoption is, "Adoption is so expensive!" They have a heart to help. They feel that they have love to share with a child. But they wonder how they could possibly come up with tens of thousands of dollars to make it happen.

I understand this mindset. When I first started researching adoption, the first question I would ask was, "How much does it cost?" Then I would go away feeling discouraged because I didn't see how we could possibly do it.

Then I started hearing stories from people whom I knew did not have millions stashed away somewhere. Regular people who, like me, simply wanted to obey God's call to care for orphans (Isaiah 58:6-12; James 1:27). They spoke of a fountain of blessing that God pours out on the heads of those who step into the gap to care for the lowest - those closest to His heart - the widows, orphans, and poor. Those who do not have anyone to speak up for them. They spoke of how God delights to meet their needs, and how those who partner with Him in helping them get to splash in the pool of His provision, laughing and playing in His delight. They spoke of impossible mountains being conquered, expensive surgeries being provided for, and deep emotional wounds being healed. So I began to pay attention as I read my Bible. Was this true? Did God truly say that this would happen? What I found amazed me. Here are some of my favorite verses:

"Some give freely and still get richer, while others are stingy but grow still poorer. The person who blesses others will prosper; he who satisfies others will be satisfied himself" (Proverbs 11:24, 25 CJV).

Wow! So ... if I hoard my resources to care only for myself and my family, then I may grow only poorer and poorer, thus reinforcing my belief that I do not have enough to share with others. However, if I give freely, trusting my future to God, then He will bring the increase and satisfy all my needs.

"Here is the sort of fast I want ... sharing your food with the hungry, taking the homeless poor into your house, clothing the naked when you see them, fulfilling your duty to your kinsmen! Then your light will burst forth like the morning ... Then you will call, and Adonai will answer; you will cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.' ... If you will ... generously offer food to the hungry and meet the needs of the person in trouble; then your light will rise in the darkness, and your gloom become like noon. Adonai will always guide you; he will satisfy your needs in the desert, he will renew the strength of your limbs; so that you will be like a watered garden, like spring whose water never fails" (Isaiah 58:6-12, emphasis mine).

"Do not store up for yourselves wealth here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and burglars break in and steal. Instead store up for yourselves wealth in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and burglars do not break in or steal. For where your wealth is, there your heart will be also. ... So don't be anxious, asking, 'What will we eat?,' 'What will we drink?' or 'How will we be clothed?' ... But seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:19, 20, 31, 33, emphasis mine).

"Here's the point: he who plants sparingly also harvests sparingly. ... Moreover, God has the power to provide you with every gracious gift in abundance, so that always in every way you will have all you need yourselves, and be able to provide abundantly for every good cause. ... He provides both seed for the planter and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of our righteousness. You will be enriched in every way, so that you can be generous in everything" (2 Corinthians 9:6-8, 10, 11, emphasis mine).

So if you are one of those who would like to adopt but haven't been sure whether you could afford it, I ask you to consider this challenge: can you really afford not to? Take these verses before God. Ask Him to explain them to you. Think about them. And watch while your faith rises to the point that you are willing to step out, take a risk on God's faithfulness to keep His promises, and see what He will do!

A Little Crazy?

A friend recently drew my attention to this post that I wrote three years ago. I am thankful that in many ways, life is not as hard as it was then. My oldest three children, now eight, six, and five, are SO helpful. And I am much more at peace with my life. With some hormonal supplementation and lots of prayer, I experience depression much less than I used to. We now have six children and are beginning the process to adopt #7! Yet, somehow, I feel a little less crazy than I did then. Rereading this today, it rings more true than ever.

I have been thinking a lot lately about adoption. Why are we doing this? Is it a good idea? Are we hearing God, or just going off half-cocked with good intentions but little wisdom? What will people think? What does God think?

I know what I think. I think we're more than a little crazy. We have four (now six) children already. Our oldest is five (now eight), and our youngest is five months (nineteen months). There are many (only some now, thankfully, since the depression is largely gone) days when I wonder how in the world I will survive the next five years--no, minutes. In nearly seven (now ten) years of marriage, we have yet to go more than nine months of our marriage without getting pregnant (nineteen months and counting now), and in addition to our four living children, we have had two miscarriages. In the natural, it makes sense that this would be a time to step back and regroup, not a time to step it up yet again.

And yet.

There is a burning in my heart that will not be ignored. And when I tap into that place, that God-space inside me, all of my objections are burned away in an instant. Suddenly I don't care how tired I am, how messy my house gets, or how much more I have to slow down my life. Suddenly I realize that my life is not getting more complicated by adding more children. No, with each additional child my life becomes less complicated. My focus turns more and more toward home, toward love, toward being. I have much less time and energy for outside activities and lots of doing. Instead, I find myself stopping, looking into little faces, smiling, laughing. Oh, there are still the moments (and they are many) when I think I am going to collapse under the drain of the continual need of the little people in my life. But then I am constrained once again to look at what I am really trying to do, who I am really called to be. To refocus my gaze. To stop trying so hard. To relax and let this season be what it is.

What is this season?

This is not a season for outward accomplishments. This is not a season for pursuing goals. This is not a season for being SuperMom. This is not a season for doing much at all.

And yet ... it is.

It is a season for digging deep. It is a season for gazing at the face of the One I love most in the countenances of His children. For wiping His tears, bandaging His owies, preparing His food, and, yes, even changing His diapers. It is a season for becoming less, less, and then much, much less, while He becomes more, more and more again within me, to me, through me, around me, above me, beneath me, permeating the very air I breathe.

It is a season for becoming, for discovering who I am in His heart as all my outward identities are stripped away. A season for being hidden in the palm of His hand, being fed from His table, and delighting in the intimacy of His gaze. A season for knowing that, though I am mostly invisible to the outside world, though most of my accomplishments go unnoticed, He sees. A season for learning that that is enough. It is more than enough. It is everything.

It is a season for learning that He is enough.

I meant to focus on adoption in this post, but my heart is so full that I couldn't even get that far. Think of this as the preamble. I have much more to share another time. For now, wherever you may be, whatever the circumstances in which you find yourself, I pray that in that very place you will find God. He is so worth finding that all the struggle becomes nothing compared with the delight of knowing Him.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2Co 4:17-18 NKJV)

I Love My Hair!

10K in 20 Days

God cares about orphans. Just read James 1:27. Our family has long felt called to adoption. We are thrilled to have adopted once and hope to adopt again in the future. Perhaps you, too, are called to adopt. Or perhaps you are called to help orphans and widows/single moms in another way, through mentoring or fostering or aunt-ing or uncle-ing or grandparenting adopted or foster children. In any case, we are all called to be a part of the body of Christ and take care of the children who need us.

10K in 20 Days is a push to raise money to bless 26 families who are in the process of adoption. It is my personal commitment to give $10 whenever I learn of a family who is raising money for adoption expenses. It is not much, but it's what I can do at this time, and I know how much every donation encouraged us when we were raising money for our own adoption. Sometimes it was the one donation at the right time that confirmed for us that God was in this and we were doing the right thing.

Will you join me? Will you donate $5 or $10 to help bring children home to their families? You can read more about this effort (and donate) here: http://www.storinguptreasures.com/2010/05/paying-it-forward.html

In addition, if you post about this on Facebook, Twitter, or your own blog, you will be entered into a contest for some great prizes!

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

I have been reflecting lately that I have many areas of interest, only some of which I've blogged about. Partly because I'm busy all the time with my kids, and partly because I don't want to risk offending or being misunderstood, I tend to stick with what I see as safer subjects and keep others to myself unless asked. But I have prayed, researched, and discussed these so thoroughly with my husband that I feel it is time to step out of my comfort zone and make myself available to discuss them.

So here is a list of a few of my favorite things. Not everything on here is controversial. They are just the subjects that I like to think, read, write, and talk about most. Most of them are probably no surprise. (Maybe none of them are!) But I am hoping to write at least one blog post about each subject. This is a large goal for me and may take a year or more given how often I am able to post, but I am hoping to complete it eventually. If you're interested in any of these subjects, I hope to start a conversation with you. Please leave comments!

1. Knowing God through prayer, worship, and meditating on Scripture.

2. Marriage (Growing closer to my husband, learning to be a godly wife, the "s" word - submission.)

3. Parenting (Investing in relationships with my children, teaching them to know and love God, and modeling His love to them [ouch!].)

4. Natural Family Planning/Theology of the Body/Large Families (Could also be called "Are you sure you aren't Catholic?" BIG subject - lots to say - we'll see how this one goes.)

5. Home Schooling (Bible-centered, life apprenticeship, intergenerational relationships, one room schoolhouse, living books, non-charter.)

6. Adoption/Orphans (Ohh yeah. I LOVE this subject! Also learning about attachment in adoption - which helps with bio offspring as well, by the way.)

7. Reading (C. S. Lewis, George MacDonald, J. R. R. Tolkein, G. K. Chesterton, L. M. Montgomery, Louisa May Alcott, and the like. Also lots of nonfiction in areas of interest.)

8. Household Organization (Menus, Chore Charts, Finances, etc.)

9. Writing, Composing, Drawing, Journaling (When I have the time [sigh] .... But God is teaching me how to use these passions to enrich my children's education. Fun for me and for them!)

10. Healing from Sexual Addiction (Been there, walking the path of healing.)

11. Black hair and skin care (having fun learning about my daughter's hair and skin!) and other aspects of race and culture.

12. Cloth Diapers (Thought I'd never do it, but here I am, cloth diapering three little bottoms at once!)

13. Movies (Just for fun - though I often have a hard time doing anything just for fun - I like historical, biographical, musicals, classics, pure romance, and heroic.)

There you go. Anyone want to talk? Which should I blog about first?

Unfinished Thoughts

Now that I have been mother to an adopted child of another race for a few months, I have a few thoughts to share. They are a small contribution to the general discussion about adopting and race issues. I do not consider them well-thought-out or complete. Just me in the process of growing in understanding.

It seems to me that race is not a simple matter of clearly defined labels such as "red and yellow, black and white," though all people are certainly "precious in His sight." People's skin type, hair texture, and features are as varied as the people themselves. Some people are tall (like my husband), others are short (like me), and most fall somewhere in between (where probably most of our children will be). Dry skin crosses genetic and racial lines; it is a characteristic shared by two of my daughters (Laughter and Crown) and me. The reality is that every trait comes in a spectrum. There are infinite variety and combinations. How beautiful! I find it much more interesting than my previous notions that people could be categorized. (Not to mention that many people are not clearly "black" or "white" or anything else anyway; and increasing number of people are a lovely mixture of races, breaking down previously established boundary lines.)

One result of my changing mindset is that I am starting to realize that I don't so much need to learn how to do "black" hair. As I've talked with other moms, I have discovered that there is as much variety in "black" hair as there is in "white" hair (whatever that is). My daughters each have unique hair and skin, and it is my privilege to discover the products and techniques that best care for each of them. (In fact, it has taken me many years to find the right hair and body products for myself as well.)

On a slightly different note, the concept of adoption is a thread weaving itself throughout my consciousness. Last week, I was forced to spend an entire church service in the nursing mom's room enduring my adopted daughter's screams. In some ways, it seems easier to love her patiently in that situation than my birth children. After all, who do I have to be angry at? Myself? For I hunted her down and chose to have her in my life. In no way was she forced on me by chance or providence. Though I love my homegrown kids, my human nature has sometimes struggled not to resent their ubiquitous presence in my life. (I'm just being honest here.) I know it's a wrong attitude, and as I pray and mature, I learn to see them as a blessing and a privilege. Recently, I realized that if these very same children were in need of adoption, I would gladly welcome them into my home. There is no way I would allow them to be orphans if there was anything I could do about it. And suddenly, I found that they are incredibly precious. No longer simply extensions of myself, they are unique treasures in their own right. This may sound strange, but in my heart I decided to "adopt" every one of them. I kind of laugh at myself, because that thought makes me like them more! In some way, isn't that God's heart as well? He made us, true, but He also chose us, adopted us as His sons and daughters.

Thank You

I just want to post this video of Mark Schultz's song as a thank-you to our Crown Princess's birth mother, who loves our baby every day from a distance. I remember the day we met her. Her face was puffy from having been crying while waiting for us to come make her baby our own. While she was sure of her decision, that didn't make it easy for her AT ALL. She made the decision out of love. And we love her from the bottom of our hearts.

Mark Schultz's Song, Everything to Me

And if you want more, here's a short interview with Mark Schultz about the song.

Interview with Mark Schultz

Didn't Get the Memo

If you wonder why we do what we do (and why we intend to keep on doing it), read this post. I think it sums it up pretty well.

http://aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com/2010/03/we-didnt-get-memo.html

This is not just for those who have hearts for adoption, but for all who give away their lives every day, laying down their lives for others instead of putting themselves first. Adoption is a big one on God's heart, and so is human trafficking, homelessness, sex addiction, poverty, single parenthood, and more ... there are so many opportunities. What has God laid on your heart?

Mom of 10 Wants 20 More, Despite Husband's Death

Just have to share this report of our beloved Loux family.



To read the news article, click here.

Third Day Mac Powell Adoption Testimony

If you have ever felt the Lord tug at your heart to adopt, you may want to watch this testimony. Let Him speak to your heart!

A Baby Break

My babies have been at their grandparents' house for the past 24 hours. It's the first time they've been away from home overnight. I've enjoyed having a bit of a break from the complicated round of diapers, bottles, naps, and laundry which make up much of my daily life. I have been able to relax a bit with only my 7-, 5-, 4-, and 2-year-old children to think about. This morning I had to change only one diaper before breakfast. I was able to eat my own food without spooning food into two other mouths between my own bites. I found myself reflecting that if we had made some different choices last year, this could be my life. Much simpler. A bit quieter. Less stressful. I must admit, it was kind of nice.

I knew that I needed some perspective. So, the next time I went into the bathroom, I picked up the most recent issue of Lifelines magazine that we receive from Bethany Christian Services. With a prayer in my heart that God would restore me to His perspective, I opened it up and read about families who have adopted. My heart resonated when I read one mom's words, "We were comfortable in our routine, yet I knew that we weren't put on this earth to be 'comfortable.'" I read profiles of children who need to be adopted and cried as I prayed that God would place them in families. (Yes, I read and cry and pray in the bathroom. It's sometimes the only place I can be alone!)

Later, I read some articles on the Above Rubies website. Then I went to my Google Reader and saw Stephanie's post. (I am so glad to know I am not the only one who has these thoughts. God knew what I needed to read today!)

I did enjoy the break. It was nice to have time to get my refrigerator cleaned this morning with my girls' help while Saltracer (hubby) took the boys on errands with him. And I didn't quite feel ready for the babies to come home as soon as they did. But we all have a choice. We can invest in our own comfort, or we can invest in others. I have made my choice. If I could go back to last year and decide all over again, I know that I would not change a thing. Besides, I did miss my babies a little bit. :)

"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matthew 16:25; also in Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24, and Luke 17:33)

I am not living for today. I am living for eternity. Then I will rest. Until then, I am resting in faith that He is sufficient for today.

Good News!

Good news from Africa! The Lord has begun to turn the hearts of the tribal people away from the superstitious mingi practice that leads them to drown or abandon their children. Here's an excerpt from the Drawn from Water blog:

The meeting is over in the tribes and Lale has returned beaming with pride for what was accomplished. What started out as a meeting in one village with 60 people ended up being in two separate villages over the weekend and included nearly two hundred people! Lale said that there were people who had killed mingi children in the past crying and repenting for what they had done and in the end everyone there made a pact to try and stop the belief in mingi in the entire 130,000 people that live in the three tribes as soon as possible. Lale is planning another follow up meeting in the coming months to ensure that the progress continues and that the people who made the pact together feel supported.

We are so thankful that the meeting went well and that progress is finally being made, please continue to pray with us that these tribes start to see the light and know that what they are doing is wrong.

Also, Lale met with a family who is pregnant with a mingi child who was planning to kill the child. They agreed to give over the baby Lale when its born instead of killing it. The mother is 7 months pregnant and so we are expecting to have a newborn in the orphanage soon!

Levi

Drawn from Water

Children are being killed in Africa for no good reason. But Drawn from Water is rescuing them! They need 76 new supporters to help support the children than are being rescued. They are on their way to hopefully rescue five more right now!

Please read this blog post and consider whether this is something you can help with.

http://www.drawnfromwater.org/archives/588

A New Name

Here is an excerpt from a letter that I sent to our baby's birth mother recently that I would like to share with you as well:

Over the past few months as Paul and I have gotten to know Alana, prayed for her, and asked God what He says about her (as we do for all our children), we have constantly gotten the impression that she is His treasure, His crown, his precious pearl. We speak and sing this identity over her every day. We are so honored to be entrusted with someone that He prizes so highly.

One thing that we have realized during this time is that we feel the need to give her a name in addition to the beautiful name that you gave her. As her parents, we want to impart to her an identity as part of our family. We feel that if we do not name her ourselves, we will not be giving her what is her right as our child: a name from her parents' hearts and from God's heart to her through us. We have been praying about this and felt led to these verses in Isaiah 62, "... You'll get a brand-new name straight from the mouth of GOD. You'll be a stunning crown in the palm of God's hand, a jeweled gold cup held high in the hand of your God" (verses 2-3). We were amazed that so much of what the Lord has spoken to us about her was right there in these verses! We looked up the Hebrew word for crown and found the name we were looking for: Atarah, which means "crown."

I hope that you understand our hearts in this. We still love Alana Michelle and will keep those as her middle names. We believe that God spoke those names to you as an important part of her identity. And He used them to help us know that she was meant to be our daughter! We will simply add another name and she will be Atarah Alana Michelle. (Plenty long name for a little girl whose life is already making a big impact!)

We heard back from Jennifer soon after sending the letter, and she told us that she loves the new name! Atarah likes it too. We call her Atarah, Alana, Tah-Tah, Precious Pearl, Princess, etc. God is good!

Changing Perspective

My Daddy sent this to me in response to the news about Derek Loux. What an amazing earthly father I have.

There was this guy that came by and told everyone that they needed to change the world one child at a time. I missed it. I wasn't there to hear him but my oldest daughter and her husband tried to explain how the little flame that had been in their heart had been ignited into a torch by this guy. I kinda understood what they were saying and what they were were about to do but I was so unsure. But because I have full confidence in their ability make mature decisions and to hear God I was able to jump on board their adoption adventure. Soon after they adopted Alana, a newborn. She is beautiful, then a month later they birthed their 6th child. A little boy they call Tayan. I'm beginning to get it now. These kids need them! Need people like them to protect and love them.

I remember long ago having the feeling like we could adopt and do something special for someone. It didn't work out for us but I remember the feelings and the desire to make a difference in a child's life. But that was so long ago... Our other daughter is now pregnant with her sixth and they are looking at adopting another! This all seems so backwards. Aren't families getting smaller. Giving more to less? And the risks; they are so many, the work is so hard, the future is so dim, but they do it anyway! Why? Cause it is the direction God is sending them? Cause one child needs them to do the unusual. Cause they have hearts as big as the moon and my kids cannot just standby and do nothing so they take responsibility for others children with no needed or expected compensation. I think I'm am getting there.

No I didn't hear that guy speak but I do see his words. Why do I even bring it up? Cause I was just listening to his song today. It was a song of a lonely child that needs to be cared for and loved. As I watched the slide show on his website the words of the song sliced my heart. Pictures of his wife and many kids passed by, then the whole family transitioned to the top and he looked proud and strong. This man had set the pace. He raised the bar for us all. I wouldn't have even taken the time to listen to the song except I heard of the accident and I remembered he was the one who inspired my family. He died this morning and I had to know who he was so I went to his website and.... well I know many will cry and some will wonder why, but all are blessed because he was here.

By the way, Daddy, we are following your example of always giving yourself for others. You led the way. We are simply taking it the next step. Love you!!!