More Delay's

I received an email from Nicole at AWAA today. Due to the increase in abandonment cases in Addis Ababa the last few months, MOW@ and the ET government are not processing any abandonment adoptions. They are investigating extensively the abandonment cases to ensure that there is no corruption going on. While on one hand this is a good thing on the other it is going to delay or slow down the process with our agency. AWAA is not going to process any referrals that are abandoned children until they have more information on the investigations and process. This only comes to around 25% of their referrals but that is still a pretty big chunk and will slow down the referral process some and increase wait times. I know that this is all in God's plan and we will see our son and hold him when God is ready. May 26th will be 8 months waiting. Currently I am preparing myself to not pick up or hold my child until after court closures in October. As hard as this is for me to do, it is easier than getting my hopes up to pass court before closures and then dealing with the crash of that wasn't in God's plan. I am grateful that the Ethiopian government is taking such great strides in making this a process that is binding, no corruption so there is no question in the future. For them to do that we will need to be patient and hold on to hope that one day we will get our boy.

Please pray with us that the government will quickly complete their investigation and processing their paperwork so the referrals can start flowing again like rain.

Tonight as I finish this post to update the 2 people that read this I am playing these two songs in my head (I have been listening to them non stop for awhile but they are heavy on my heart especially right now):

Savior, Please
by: Josh Wilson

Savior please take my hand // I work so hard, I live so fast//This life begins, and then it ends//And I do the best that I can, but I don't know how long I'll last//
I try to be so tough//But I'm just not strong enough//I can't do this alone, God I need you to hold on to me//I try to be good enough// But I'm nothing without your love//Savior, please keep saving me//Savior please help me stand//I fall so hard, I fase so fast//Will You begin right where I end//And be the God of all I am because You're all I have//Hallelujah//Everything You are to me//is everything I'll ever need//And I am learning to believe//That I don't have to prove a thing//'Cause You're the one who's saving me

Hold Me Jesus
by: Big Daddy Weave
Sometimes my life just don't make sense at all//When the mountain looks so big//And my faith just seems so small//So hold me Jesus,//'cause I'm shakin' like a leaf//You have been King of my Glory//Won't you be my Prince of Peace //When I wake up in the night I feel the dark//It's so hot inside my soul//I swear there must be blisters on my heart//So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shakin' like a leaf//You have been King of my Glory//Won't you be my Prince of Peace//Surrender don't come natural to me//I'd rather fight you for something I don't really want//Than to take what you give that I need//And I've beat my head against so many walls//I'm falling down, falling on my knees//God please//
And the Salvation Army band is playing this hymn//And your grace rings out so deep
It makes my resistance seem so thin//So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shakin' like a leaf//You have been King of my Glory//Won't you be my Prince of Peace

As I listen to these songs I trust in God to provide, I trust in him to keep our baby boy safe and I trust in him to give us peace during this time of waiting. I also ask that you pray for all the families that are waiting with us.

"Lord, give us the strength that only you can give during this already difficult time of waiting that just got a whole lot harder. I know Lord that you know when the end of this will come, there is a reason behind all this that only you know. I pray that you are with the family of our little boy as they make the difficult decisions they will have to make and give them peace that he will be loved and will be raised to know you. I pray for all the families that are in this boat with us, Lord give them the same peace and comfort knowing it is all in your hands. We love you and we thank you for this journey we are on to glorify you. In your name I pray. Amen"