Story Time

Do you ever have a story to tell that is so complicated, so twisted, and yet so beautiful that you just don't know how to tell it in a way that will do it justice?

I have one of those stories. One that might bring tears to your eyes. One that definitely makes me weep like a baby.

It is a story that centers around one little boy.

A little boy whom we tried to bring to everyone's attention way back in January. A little boy who started out with $5 in his grant fund, donated by a little girl who saw his picture and loved him.

A little boy for whom hundreds of people have prayed: "Lord, let him find a family before he is transferred."

One little boy.

Jonah.

From the first day I mentioned him, families have expressed interest in him. Over and over again, families inquired about him, only to discover that they couldn't bring him home for one valid reason or another.

Our hopes rose and fell with each and every family. We longed and prayed for him to find a family.

It began to seem hopeless.  Each day that ticked by put Jonah at greater risk for the dreaded car ride to Aaron's institute and life as a Lost Boy.

Who would go get Jonah before he was transferred?

Finally, a lovely family stepped forward. They wanted him. They committed to him. Praise God! I thought it was finally going to happen.  I announced the triumphant news and people rejoiced. In 6 months, Jonah would be coming home. 

The timing meant that he might still be transferred, because he was overdue. We hoped, however, that the director of his baby house would hold him there if she knew that someone was coming for him.

But then came a twist that stunned everyone. 

A new family, a different family, came into Jonah's life. They were already in Jonah's country. They had crossed the ocean to get this precious treasure:

Alina.

They had no intention of adopting Jonah when they left home. They had wanted to adopt two, but their social worker said NO.  She was opposed to the adoption of unrelated children; so even though this family met all of the other requirements to adopt two or more children, she approved them for only one.

So they crossed the ocean to get their girl. They were approved for one child, and filled out their dossier of paperwork as if they were adopting just one child. They were planning to bring home exactly one child.

Until they met Jonah.

And loved him.

And realized that he was Alina's BEST FRIEND. These two, Jonah and Alina, had been together since birth. These two little orphans loved each other like brother and sister.

This couple decided that they wanted Jonah.

But in order to get him, they would need around $5,000 right away so that they could add a second child.

GUESS HOW MUCH JONAH HAD IN HIS REECE'S RAINBOW GRANT ACCOUNT THANKS TO ALL OF YOU????

5277.50 

One mountain toppled.

And so they contacted their social worker and begged her to approve them for another child.

And she said, once again, NO.

But instead of giving up, they sat down and prayed, asking God to change her heart.  They wrote out a thoughtful, Holy Spirit-inspired letter that spelled out in clear and intelligent language why these two children were NOT unrelated.  That they were as close as brother and sister could be.  Alina needed her brother.  Jonah needed his sister.

They sent the letter and prayed that God would open up this social worker's heart..

And God answered.

After reading the letter and discussing it with her adoption agency, the social worker decided to approve their request to adopt two unrelated children.

Two mountains toppled.

But they needed to move FAST. They were already in country, waiting for their court date for Alina. They needed all of their new approvals from the US to reach Jonah's country within a week in order to get another SDA appointment so that they could go to court for both children.

Only God.

WITHIN ONE DAY the social worker and the agency had revised all of their new paperwork.

Three mountains toppled.

 With the help of their amazing RR stateside facilitator and some great friends, all of that paperwork went to the USCIS in absolute record time. If you've ever assembled one of these dossiers, you know that this is no easy feat.

Four mountains toppled.

All of this happened within a single week. Last week.  In less than a five day period.  It was an absolute whirlwind.

There are more mountains.

USCIS still has to approve the new paperwork, and it must reach Jonah's country by THIS FRIDAY.

That is a huge mountain.

But God is toppling the mountains before them.

I am weeping as I write these words.

So far they haven't been able to tell Jonah that they're going to take him home. It's too soon, and too uncertain. So far, they can only watch him from a distance and don't yet have the right to take him in their arms. So close, and yet so far.

Please, dear friends: Pray for this family.  Tom and Mary.

Their blog is private because of the nature of Tom's job.

They need our prayers.

Today is Tuesday. Their papers must be there by Friday. Please pray.

There is a little boy across that ocean whose heart longs for a Mama and a Papa. Right now he is watching his best friend receive what his little heart longs to have.

Please pray that soon Tom and Mary will have the unbelievable privilege of kneeling down in front of this child whom they have come to love and telling him that they are HIS Mama and Papa too.

Pray church.

Pray Jonah home.