It Is Time For an Update

Here we are, 7 weeks since we requested a homestudy and began the process of officially committing to Tobi (Fletcher on Reece's Rainbow). It has been an interesting journey so far, filled with many emotional highs and lows. Our homestudy has been almost done for several weeks, waiting on one child abuse and neglect clearance from the state of Michigan. Every other state came back, even those sent out much later. We were getting ready to send out a second request, assuming it had been lost somewhere along the way. We took a quick trip to Michigan to visit family for Thanksgiving. While we were there, we called a contact that we had in the local DHS office and asked if there was a way we could do it quickly while we were in town. They said to come down and fill out a new form and they would do their best. The next morning, we got a call that they were done and we could pick them up. We scanned a copy and sent it to our social worker and she was able to get everything final. We returned from our trip on Saturday and received our finalized homestudy on Monday! Just like that, it is done! One copy is being routed through the must stops, on its way to USCIS, where it will be united with our I600a application. That will grant us permission to bring Tobi into the country and will make him a citizen as soon as the airplane lands! Two more copies get put into our dossier (the official package of paperwork that will be presented to Tobi's government). It feels like we have been flying nonstop for weeks to get this set of paperwork finished. Suddenly we are finished. All the busy work is complete and I find myself obsessing about very silly things. We decorated for Christmas this week and the fact that there is an empty spot where Tobi's stocking belongs breaks my heart. I have been searching frantically to find him one that matches the other kids'. I have been in tears because I could not find it, after literally hours of scouring stores and the internet. If we were not saving every penny, I would replace them all so they can match. I know it is more important to get him home than for him to have a stocking that matches everyone else's right now. There will be time to figure that out next year. But that empty spot threatens to rip out my heart. It is a very visual reminder that he is missing. It is strange how a little person that we have never met can have such a definite, almost tangible place in our hearts and our family. I pray often through the day that he will somehow know that we are out here, working our hardest to get to him. That we love him dearly and that he has reason to hope, and to hang on.

Would you pray with us that his orphanage would be protected from illness during this season. Sickness in these children, so weak already, can get very bad very quickly.

"This is MY Hudson"

Would you watch this video?

And now would you act? Have you considered saving one that is precious but lost? You can see so many waiting children at http://reecesrainbow.org/new-family/thechildren. They wait for someone to be moved to act.

If that is not where you are being called, would you help us? This is OUR son. Would you please help us get to him? Would you help us spread the word? 

 Would you help us call the body of Christ to be His hands and His feet. We are doing everything that we can think of to get our boy home. Would you help us get to him?

Orphan Sunday

Today is the day. Orphan Sunday. The church's attempt to highlight the need of orphans. Our church joined with many others across the country and even the world to bring to light the plight of so many children without families. The ones that so often go forgotten. Now what? The day is over. Will we go on rushing through our busy lives choosing to forget? Can we see and not act? We are God's hands and feet. We have been given a great responsibility to care for the widows and the orphans. The most vulnerable. Orphan Sunday is a good start, but those children will still be orphans tomorrow. Those children need to be fed, held, and cared for more than once a year. Tobi and the many many like him will wake up tomorrow and stare at the same crib bars and drab walls as they have all their lives. Many of them have never experienced life outside of one room. They do not hope for a better life because they do not have any idea that any other exists. God has given us, as His followers, the responsibility to care for them. We are failing them. The question is, what are you going to do? Are you going to continue on with life tomorrow? Will you research ways to help? It may not look the same for everyone. Some of us are called to open our arms. Others are called to research and truly pray for the great needs. Others are given positions to advocate for the helpless. Others still have the means to support and encourage families like ours who are adopting or those that have already opened their arms. Each of us, with many different gifts, in so many areas need to do our part. One day a year is not enough. Orphan Sunday is over. What are you going to do tomorrow? 

PLEASE don't forget! 

I challenge you to look through the many faces of waiting children listed on Reece's Rainbow. Even if you cannot bring one home, you can pray over them. You can advocate for them. You can care about them. You can find them here. 

We have been so blessed to have a church family to come along side us. They are there to encourage and pray for us. It has meant so much to our family. To know that our church cares about and is praying for our boy and us as we go through this process to bring him home means so much. If you know a family going through adoption, would you encourage them? Would you pray for them and let them know that you support them. This is truly a spiritual battle. Would you hold them up as they fight? The support from our friends and family has made a world of difference for us.

If you'd like to give to help us meet the great financial cost of ransoming our son, you can press the donate button on the top right of this page. Every bit helps! If you do give,  please send me an email at bringmehometobi@gmail.com with your address so we can send you a wrist band and a big thank you!