project JI:27

In an effort to raise funds for our adoption, we have created a project we are calling J1:27. We are partnering with our friends, Tim & Anna Dreyfus. It's a great idea we found recently on the internet. Teams we recruit will work to find sponsors for every hour of work they contribute to the restoration of a widow's house. Both the widow and the orphan are blessed...taken from James 1:27.

Through a local service organization, we have befriended 2 widows - Mattie Boyd & Cora Bentley. Their houses have a combined age of over 100 years old and are in need of repair. Our 2 teams will work all day on Aug 8th to restore their homes. All the funds pledged to workers will go toward our adoptions!

Here's how you might could help:

BE A WORKER. If you live here in Tuscaloosa, we could use you on the team. Between now and August 8th, send out letters to friends and family requesting sponsorships for ever hour of work you compete. We have a form letter and pledge cards already printed for you! How easy is that??

SPONSOR A WORKER for every hour they agree to work. We will be working as a part of the teams of course. You might agree to sponsor us or any other team memeber for for the hours of work completed.

DONATE materials, tools, or equipment. If you have tools or equipment you would like to offer for the project, we will need a variety of things. If you have contacts who may be able to arrange materials at discounted prices, this would be most helpful! Cash donations for material purchases will also be most helpful.

ORGANIZE MEALS and refreshments. Both teams will consist of 15-20 workers. They will all need breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and drinks. We will need friends to attend to these needs throughout the day.

BECOME A PRAYER WARRIOR & encourager. We want this to be a day that blesses people! We know we will be blessed as workers. We pray the widows will be blessed tremendously. We pray neighbors and passer-bys will be blessed as well. It will be most encouraging to know many out there are praying for the event!

2 nations
2 orphans
2 families
2 widows
2 houses...

1 community of faith

"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress..." JI:27

Fellow Travelers

We are thrilled to find out Tim & Anna Dreyfus will be making the same journey. They have decided to adopt a baby girl from Ethiopia. We have become close friends with their whole crew after moving to Tuscaloosa. It's been amazing to see how God has led them to their decision. We will enjoy the road together and look forward to having the support and encouragement of these good friends as our new daughters grow up together!

Check out their video post!
http://www.annadreyfus.blogspot.com/

The Red Sea

I may never forget one adoption story in particular from the America World seminar. A gentlemen shared vivid memories of his trip to Ethiopia. He and his wife were adopting two, a young boy and a baby girl.

Upon arrival at the orphanage, the gates swung open welcoming them into the place. Immediately, many kids surrounded them all very happy to greet them. They new it was going to be an emotional day!

This family had previously received photographs of their 2 children. The time had come to meet the children and take them to a new home! For this particular orphanage, it was customary (perhaps part of the ceremony?) to allow the adopting parents to find the child amidst the others - with no assistance. The mother looked very briefly and went almost instinctively to her new baby girl sweetly resting in one of the cribs.

It was the father's turn. (He recounted his nervousness in this moment.) He began to scan the crowd of young boys crammed into the large room. What happened next he compared to the parting of the Red Sea. The boys all parted down the center of the room leading all eyes to a young boy standing alone in the back. The boy ran down the aisle and jumped into his father's arms!

Jenny and I grow more excited about this journey each day. As we share the news with others, we are finding that many people have dreamed about adopting one day! We hope and pray our testimony will one day inspire and encourage many others to take the same plunge.

Today, we were officially accepted into America World's Ethiopia program. It's small but a step in the right direction. We will soon begin assembling our dossier (the main legal paper work packet) AND working with a home study agency. Also, Jenny & I will begin a required online course for international adoption. Thank you for your continued prayers!

Choosing A Country

As we prayed through the month of April, we didn't mind including a little, 'Oh and God, if you don't mind, give us some ideas on where to go?!' We had no idea. Earlier in Jenny's journey, she had dreamed a little bit of China and Guatemala. But Guatemala has been closed off due to corruption and China has recently become unusually difficult.

Among other countries, we considered Columbia, India, and Africa. Early on in the process, we quickly started to rule out children from Africa. We weren't sure this was best considering all the dynamics at play in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. However, it seemed at every turn God showed us He has a different way of looking at it!

When it comes to discernment, I guess it's easier for me to consider a chunk of time rather than looking for a single 'sign.' As I look back over the recent months, here is some of the overwhelming leading God has provided for us.

a) Over the last year, we have had Africa on the brain and in our hearts. Our great friends Carson & Holly moved to Tanzania in March for a 10 year project. We had been along side of them as they prepared for their move for over a year. Their team was featured at this year's Gulfcoast Getaway in Panama City, Florida.

b) The friend I mentioned in One Prayer Later...they selected Africa (Ethiopia). I am able to put great trust in their research and choice.

c) Jenny has befriended a mom through our home school association who adopted from Africa (Uganda). Her little girl, Savannah, is now 6 years old.

d) In March (before I had a clue I'd be praying about adoption in April), I committed to be a table host for a benefit dinner on UA's campus. I knew next to nothing about the cause. I was just trying to support one of our students in her effort. It ended up being a dinner by Apwonjo -a student group working to raise aid & awareness for...Africa.

e) We quickly learned some of the greatest needs exist in orphanages across Africa. Ethiopia alone is home to over 4 million orphans.

f) In a practical sense, we found Ethiopia to be about the quickest process. It is less costly than most all other countries. And, the required visit is only 7 days or so.

g) Just as we began to lean toward Ethiopia, the America World seminar we attended in Nashville featured one testimony from a family who adopted 2 from...Ethiopia! Hearing their story was so moving. We met their beautiful children Bruik and Ava!

Praise God! He is such a diligent communicator. We are amazed as He continues to pave the way for us in this journey.