Application tidbits

While earlier this month we completed an online application, there was some additional paperwork to complete (there's ALWAYS additional paperwork to complete). We were able to get that completed and sent back out to Portland. It will hopefully arrive there in tomorrow's mail. From this point, we will wait to receive a serious packet of information to complete (see, I told you). We have talked about setting artificial deadlines for ourselves in order to help facilitate the completion of paperwork. Going back to when we first met in college, we have done most paperwork-related things at the last minute. Because there is no official deadline for any of this to be completed, we must generate our own, or next year at this time we might be typing about the paperwork we still have to complete.

IT'S OFFICIAL!!!

I am tired and don't feel good, but I felt it was important to get something up here on the day that we have made our official decision. Today as of about 4:30pm EST, we submitted our application to Holt International to adopt a child from the country of India. As a family, we are excited but know that there is a very long road ahead for us. Because of India's adoption rules, this process in many ways will be more complicated than our adoption from China. India gives preference to Indians living within the country first, then to non-resident Indians living in other countries, and finally the least preference to non-Indians. Whereas China discourages (for the most part) in-country adoptions, India very much encourages them. By definition, we can only qualify for a special needs and/or older child. We have had two people from Holt tell us that we should expect a child at least 3-4. It remains to be seen how this will all play out. That is good by us!

Will you follow me?

Dear friends and family,
On the same day that our family made a verbal commitment to adopt our next child from India, the country has come under horrible terrorist attacks. If you are following the news, you have seen the scary, despicable acts committed by radical Hindus and targeted against Westerners. We must pray for this country of India. Though it seems so far away, the reason Westerners are being targeted is that they are most likely to be Christian. Our brothers and sisters are falling for no reason other than they proclaim Christ. This is real persecution.

This whole thing has certainly given me pause. I am convinced that God is directing our path to this country. I am also convinced that we have more to do in India that simply pick up a child. It is EASY to sit here in my warm, comfortable bed late at night and tell God I will go where he sends me. Will I follow?

Suddenly, they're everywhere

Greg typing:
Maren and I are getting close to making a decision on where we will be adopting. Trying to discern the Lord's will at times can be tricky...at least for me. I sometimes have trouble figuring out if what I am "seeing, hearing, and feeling" is from the Lord (something like, "He who has ears let him hear.") or if it is more like I have a thought, desire, whatever, and then see/hear/feel stuff to back up my own created idea. That is sort of where we are right now.

Several days ago, while praying in the car going to work, I was struck by the thought of adopting from India. I don't think I have any preconceived wishes/desires about adopting from India, so the thought was a bit unusual. When I came home and talked to Maren about it, she was definitely open to the idea. As we have begun to explore it more, the idea seems to be gaining ground. One of the ways I have begun to try and test this thought (is it from God or from me) is to try to seriously consider adopting from other places...especially the United States (probably more about this in a future post). Honestly, those other ideas do not seem to be right within my spirit. I don't mean that I am considering other places to be defiant to God, but rather to try and sense with the Spirit what I should know. It is not right to say that I am repelled by the other thoughts, but there is a curious (or not so curious) feeling of emptiness with those thoughts. The only way I can think to describe it is in a word picture. When I try to think about adopting from places other than India, I have this mental picture of standing all alone in a room with one window but the door open behind me. When I think of adopting from India, my mind is filled with architecture, people, sounds, sights, and images of connecting with believers in that far away land. I must confess that at this time I am reading a book called God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew so it is entirely possible I am being swayed by that (or is that why Brian Mease handed me the book when I asked him for some light, free-reading material????!!)

So, what is the point. The point is this...You know how after you get pregnant for the first time (Ok, yeah well not speaking from personal experience in the truest sense of the word) you look around and suddenly people are pregnant everywhere and everyone seems to be talking about being pregnant? That is a little like what is going on now. I am now seeing Indian people all over the place. The news suddenly seems filled with stories from India. I don't think I am allowing this to affect my thinking on the whole thing, but it has been an interesting observation. Even tonight as I was reading the Sunday paper, several pages in was a story with the byline of New Delhi which is where we would fly into most likely.

Once we make an official decision (and in my mind, making an official decision includes my signature to some sort of contract of sorts), we will post the details. That being said, we are eager to go where we are sent whether even more half-way around the world than China or 20 minutes away to our county Children's Services.

Marvin K. Mooney

Greg here:
One of my favorite children's books that was read to me many times was "Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now". The opening of the book goes like this: The time has come. The time is now. Just go, GO! The book goes on from there to describe how some unseen Dr. Suess character orders another character to go. The book never says exactly where Marvin is supposed to go, but presumably he figures it out at some point in the story. We can assume this because the book finishes up with: I said GO and GO I meant. The time had come, SO...Marvin WENT.

Ok, lest you think I am drawing my marching orders from a children's book, rest assured that I am listening to someone so much more intelligent. However, there is much about this story that rings true for our family at this point in our lives.

Most of you know that we have already adopted a little boy to add to our two natural children. This blog was originally started to chronicle that story. Well, while that story is many chapters from being completed, a sequel has been started. Just a few weeks ago, within about 24 hours, Maren and I both suddenly became certain that God was again calling us to adopt and that now was the time to begin moving forward. So, like Marvin in the story, we are going. Also similar to the story, we don't yet have a concise idea of where we are going, but we are confident we will receive our particular marching orders soon. When the end of our story is written and someone looks back and learns that we were told to "GO", I also want the end of our story to read, "So, they went".