Prayer & Update

Here are a few things you can join us in praying specifically for this week:

* For our Attorney to be successful locating true orphans in need of families.

* that the adoption process in the DRC would go smoothly!

* for the Presidential elections in the DRC in November & for all that comes with that. (This is a big deal for this newly democratic nation. We will need much wisdom in making our travel plans this fall to bring our children home.)

Also, after talking for a bit with our director from CCI, it sounds like they may have already located possible children for us & are just getting their medical testing done before they send us the official referral!!!

Can you hear my heart pounding in my chest?? Just typing that makes me so excited/anxious to see the faces of our children!!!!! It is hard to believe that this real some days! That God is really leading us down this journey to add 2 children to our family, who currently live across the globe but we have been praying about for years!
It grieves my heart when I think of the conditions they are probably living in. These pictures from another adoptive momma's trip to the DRC haunt me & cause me to PRAY! We pray daily & anytime our children come to mind that the Lord would protect our children, provide nourishment for them, and someone to care for and love on them while they wait.
It's almost unthinkable that our two precious children (and 4.2 million others) who are made in the image of God could be living in a dirt-floor orphanage with worn concrete walls and no electricity and running water. With 100 children and only 1 caregiver who will hold them and help them know they are loved? Who will feed them their bottles? What will they feed them? Will there be formula to nourish them? I pray constantly that they would not go hungry! Oh Lord, please provide nourishment for the children! 
There are no diapers so the children just go all over themselves. I can only imagine the sickness and disease that may result from this. Lord protect our children from disease & illness!
 And these are the ones lucky enough to make it into an orphanage. Out of the 4.2 million orphans in the DRC, 39 million in Africa, and 147 million worldwide I would venture to say that many, if not the majority, aren't lucky enough to make it into an orphanage.

Father, I thank you that while I was living in the disgusting pit of my sin that you RESCUED me! You brought me out of darkness into your marvelous light! "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). That is amazing God! And I thank you that I am a new creation in Christ and no longer live for my own glory, but for your glory! I pray that you would be glorified in our adoption Lord! And we bring two children into our family forever, as cherished sons and daughters! And I trust that you are holding our children in the palm of your hand and you know the plans you have for them!
In Christ, the only Son of God & perfect sacrifice for my sin,
Bethany