Where are you?

(One of my nieces, Hannah and her friend Rachel are raising money for an orphanage in Brazil.  Erik and I have been considering going with them to the orphanage there in a few months….)

“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” ~James 1:27 NLT

While we’ve been praying about adoption and talking with family about it, it dawned on us….

What about Brazil?  Could we adopt a child from this orphanage?  It’s right here in our faces!  Could this be part of God’s plan?  What are the chances of our family planning a trip to an orphanage during the time we’re prayerfully considering adoption?!  And we’re considering going there!  Could we actually go to Brazil and meet our child?!  Could we bring our child home in just a few short months?!?!

We got pretty excited about the possibility.  We eagerly called the founder of the orphanage today to get answers to our long list of questions.

Well, I feel like we got lots of question marks instead of answers.  :o( 

It’s no one’s fault.  It’s just the way things seem to be there.  There really isn’t a strict process which could be nice, but also scares me.  Remember how I love plans?  Well, you can’t easily “map out” a plan when dealing with adopting from this orphanage.  Everything seems to “depend” on something else…. on the age of the child, the mood of the judge, how fast the lawyers work, etc.  Really?!   The judge’s mood?!  That stresses me out.

To say the least, we got off of the phone and I felt…. I don’t know….  defeated, I guess.  I didn’t expect him to say, “oh yeah- come on over here in a couple of months and choose the child you want and “tah-dah!” it’s a done deal.”  But I did expect some answers.  Some sort of certainty in the process….  Just something…. anything to help us out while we’re weighing all of our options.

We’ll still pray about going to Brazil.  Even if our child isn’t there, being at an orphanage, loving on the children, seeing first-hand the needs of orphans…. Would be life changing, I’m sure.  (Your prayers about this would be great!)

After not having our questions answered, I’m left with the questions we had plus some for our child- - Where are you?  Have you been born yet?  Have you been waiting for years for a forever home?  Are you in the U.S.?  Are you in Brazil?  Are you in another country?........ Where are you?

“O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever?
      How long will you look the other way?
  How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,
      with sorrow in my heart every day?
      How long will my enemy have the upper hand?

  Turn and answer me, O Lord my God!
      Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.
  Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!”
      Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.

  But I trust in your unfailing love.
      I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
  I will sing to the Lord
      because he is good to me.”  ~Psalm 13:1-6 NLT