Going Private and Being "All In"

As you all are aware, I've had to make my blog private. It is something that was recommended to all of us in a Congo Adoption Yahoo Group. To put it mildly, there is a lot of corruption within the Congolese government, and the less information they are able to get from my blog, the better it is for everyone. Having to be careful with information about my life is not something that comes naturally to me, but then, I've never been in the place where sharing information could jeopardize attempts to do good. I guess the good thing about going private is that I feel a lot more freedom to share.

So here's what's been going on since I last updated. The babies are really doing great in their foster home - getting stronger and fatter each day! I get pictures and am able to hear how they are doing every week. I keep feeling amazed and so grateful that I am able to receive so much information about them during this time. It is not the norm for an international adoption, for sure. Our dossier, which is the packet of information required by Congo, has been filed and we are officially an adoptive family in process! If that goes smoothly, the kiddos could be legally ours in around 2 months! However, plenty has to happen on the U.S. side of things before we go get them. And, honestly, a lot can happen there, even after they become ours, that can delay things quite a bit. Please keep praying. Congo is a very unstable and risky place to adopt from, and adoption "miscarriages" can definitely happen.

This brings me to the "all in" part of my post. Zach and I made a decision, from the beginning of our referral, to love these babies. Many well-meaning and loving people have cautioned me to not fall too hard for them, and I get it. However, we feel so much that God has called us to this process, and that while this does not necessarily mean things will turn out how we might expect or wish them to, we have peace that we are following His plan and that He will use whatever happens for good. Even if these precious children are never to be ours, they will have been loved and named and longed for. I guess I am feeling the need to remind myself of this, as there has been so much talk lately about immigration problems on the Congo side of things, increasing violence in the eastern side where our babies are, and the upcoming election next year with rumors of the UN pulling out of Congo. I honestly don't have any more info about all that than what I've just posted. I don't know what is true, false or hype. I just know that I feel fear creeping in, which brings the temptation to harden my heart. But fear is not of God, and it certainly isn't what I've been called to do. And so I will look at the pictures of the babies I hope will be ours, and love them and pray for them and plan for the day when they will be here. And in case you want to do the same, here are some little faces to look at while you pray...