An adoption story

In September of 2007 I spent almost a month in Uganda with a team of people preaching, doing door to door evangelism, and running a soccer camp for boys and girls aged from 8-18. The camp was designed as a tool to help pastors learn to relate to the kids in a personal way for the purpose of growing them as disciples.

Upon my return I was presented with a card from my family. It read, "Congratulations! It's a Boy!" Inside it announced that Kristi had begun the inquiry into adoption, an adoption from Uganda. This was a huge leap of faith for her, and my eyes flooded with joy to see her excitement.

Another team returned from Uganda in the late winter of 2008 and came home bringing news that the orphanage in Busia had opened for business and that children were already being placed there. By Spring we had found out that there was a three year old boy ready for us to bring home. As we were awaiting word on his medical testing I continued to ask Kristi some what if questions, like "What if he has a sibling? or more than one sibling?" I even scheduled a lunch with Jill to discuss the possibility and to try to persuade Kristi to consider bringing home more than one. Kristi was pretty confident that adopting one was already a cliff dive for her and that multiple children would be too much for her.

In June a miscommunication occurred that led us down a life changing path. Jill called us to inform us that the three year old boy had a sibling, a five year old sister. I hesitantly called Kristi to break the news. I knew that she would be upset. I knew that she could not bring that little boy home and leave his sister. Within a day she had made the resolution that we would bring them both home.

Within two weeks of that news we discover that the original three year old did not have a sibling, and that this pair of siblings was another three year old boy and his sister. However, because of the heart wrenching decision we had already made we remained committed to bring home two children, a three year old brother and his big sister.

Another curve ball was served up in July as we received word that the paternal grandfather was unwilling to relinquish guardianship. Because of the issues with communication we have remained unclear as to the grandfather's intention. Tomorrow we hope to hear for sure what his intention happens to be.

This has also caused us to create a Plan B, which happens to involve adopting the original three year old and another five year old girl.

Now I find myself in amazement asking, "Did God use the miscommunication and confusion to help change Kristi's heart so that we'd eventually bring the original three year old home with another Ugandan child?" Either way this is going to end up being a great story.

To Him who is able to do exceedingly more than we can imagine...to Him be the glory. AMEN