Dan and I finally figured out which Foster Agency we're going to "use"! We have prayed over it, sought lots of wise counsel, and feel really good about it. So, Tuesday morning, I'm on the phone with the woman we're meeting with next week and ask her "How soon can we get this show on the road?" Her response? "April. We start training April 4. Every Tuesday and Thursday night, 6-9pm." I quickly begin to spiral out of control in my head... 'I'll have to quit running with No Boundaries (5K training program I'm doing) on Thursday nights'... 'I can't host Bunko'... 'What will we do about childcare for E?' Panic. All of my plans became immediately less important than doing what we needed to to bring children into our home. I emailed my Bunko girls asking for someone to switch hostessing dates with me... I called my friend who is in charge of the No Boundaries program to ask about rescheduling my Thursday runs... I did everything but put the April dates in pen in my Daytimer.
Then Dan called.
I told him, in a panic-y tone, how I was so excited we'd get to do our training in April and have kid(s) in our home by summer!
In his very Dan way, he told me to slow my roll. He told me that while, yes, God has called us to do this, He's also called me to No Boundaries, and I can't quit that. He told me that if we wait until July to do the training, childcare will be less of an issue. And he pointed out that in the days of April, we need to be available to help out our besties that live up the street who will soon be bringing home their children from Rwanda.
Well said.
I promptly emailed the Bunko girls back and said "um, just kidding..." and stepped carefully back into reality, immediately relieved of that stress.
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Scene Two, the last few months/years... conversations with my best friend from college:
"So, John and Laurie are adopting two kids from Rwanda!"
"Did I tell you that Austin and Ann Marie are moving to Botswana?"
"I might go with our church to Kenya next summer... heads' up."
"Guess what? Our friends are moving to Nairobi!"
Her response?
"Y'all love you some Africa in Lewisville!"
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Back to Tuesday... so, I come off my self-induced roller coaster of stress, and Laurie (the Rwandan-to-be Momma) asks if she can come talk to me... that she has a "favor" to ask. I prepare in my head that she's going to ask me to go to California to drop off their son, Caleb, when they go to Africa. (He's not going with them, he's going to stay with his Auntie in CA instead.)
Nope.
She asks if I want to go with them to Rwanda to bring home their children.
Holy Africa, Batman... OF COURSE I DO!!!
How funny is God's timing? An hour before this, I was ready to sign us up for Foster Care training for the same time we'll likely be traveling. (Which, of course, I could have moved... but still...) I was panicked about my plans... but the minute He showed me His plans, I had an amazing sense of peace and excitement.
The details:
-Not sure when we'll go... it'll be a couple of weeks after they get their referral... but that could be any day now.
-No, I don't have a current passport. (Working on it!)
-No, I haven't had my shots. (Getting them done soon!)
-No, we don't have any idea where the money will come from to get me there... we're just trusting that God will provide.
Seriously, even as I type this, it seems surreal. I am going with my second-family to Africa to bring home their children. Does that even make sense? What a joy. What an honor. What a blessing. And, funny enough, I'm not panicked at all.
The best part of my week was on Wednesday night when I got to tell their daughter, Amelia, that I'm going. I was driving her home from church and told her... and we both got tear-y. She kept giggling, then said, "I thought you were going to tell me something cool, like I got to spend the night with you or something... not that you are going to Africa with us!! That's awesome!"
I told her that since I was lucky enough to be there when she was born, it was only right I got to be there when she meets her brother and sister, right?
with sweet Amelia, 2007
2 comments:
All of this is SO awesome!
I do love me some Africa too!
(more than a little jealous of you going for such an important moment in your friends' lives)
Fantastic, Becky. Love this. You are so amazing and inspiring! How I wish we were neighbors, I'd come over for coffee right now and hug you. Much love from your LaHiggy!
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