Come and hear,
all you who fear God;
let me tell you what He has done for me.
Psalm 66:16
This week has been challenging. My faith has been tested and I am seeking God more than ever.
13 months ago, we stepped out in faith when God called us to start the adoption process for a (then) 10 year old girl. We were intrigued by her and grew to love her as much as you can love a child you’ve never met. We have seen God work several miracles on our behalf, each of which added to our conviction that we are walking in God’s will for our lives.
Then on Wednesday, we received an email we weren’t expecting. The agency said that our child, the girl we’ve already started thinking of as daughter is still not agreeing to be adopted. The agency gave us two options: voluntarily terminate the adoption process now or wait until the end of August, at which time they will speak with her again. If she’s still saying no, they may terminate our adoption.
We fell to our knees in prayer. We asked others to pray. Since the very first day we found her profile, we’ve been praying that our girl’s heart will be softened toward us, that she will want to be adopted, that she will accept our love.
We sent several long emails to our agency, asking questions about the scant information we’d been provided and begging them to keep advocating for us. We told them that we will never give up on our girl, that we are fully committed to her adoption. We asked that they please try to get a Skype call scheduled so that we can talk to Zhi Zhi, let her ask us questions, and so that she can get an idea of who we are.
On Wednesday afternoon, we finally received the sheets for Zhi Zhi’s bed. They have been on back order for two months. The very day we receive an email asking if we want to terminate the adoption process, we receive the final piece of Zhi Zhi’s bed. Frame. Mattress. Sheets. Comforter. Pillow. Stuffed animal. It’s all ready. Was the timing a matter of irony? Or a quiet reassurance that everything will be ok?
Thursday was a day of prayer.
And this morning, we receive a very welcomed email. Our agency reassured us that they want this adoption to succeed. They answered several of our questions, giving us more insight into how the adoption process works and what goes on behind the scenes. They inform us that a Skype call is in the works, that we will be given the opportunity to get to know our girl and to help her get to know us. And what was even better news to my ears? Zhi Zhi agreed to the Skype call. She isn’t being forced into it. She agreed to it.
This evening, Zhi Zhi’s dresser was delivered. We ordered it on July 4th and it arrives the very same day that we are given hope that our adoption process will continue. Irony? Or the hand of God again reassuring us that everything will be ok? I believe that God is at work in our adoption, that He is still working to bring our daughter home. We have seen evidence of God’s hand guiding our adoption throughout the entire process, starting the day I heard a whisper saying that “this is the day you’ll find your daughter” and continuing through today.
All I can do is continue to trust.
