Injustice

Last week I found myself doing some Bulgarian Orphanage searches on YouTube which led me down a very sad road. I had seen some of them before and I knew that most would only bring a heavy sadness to my heart, but I wanted to check to see if there were anymore happy ones?.....Well, where I ended up was on a thread of videos that focused on the discrimination of the Roma People (also known as Gypsy). Now, ever since we made the decision to adopt from Bulgaria I was aware of the discrimination, but I truly did not fully comprehend the full extent of the situation.

Can I tell you that what I saw in the videos and then read in the comments absolutely made my heart twist in pieces and my stomach lurch? The hatred was so deep and angry...I felt like I was reading something that may have taken place in our country 60 years ago...or even worse in Germany almost 70 years ago...or sadly enough in such a horrendous way in Rwanda 15 years ago (See the book "Left to Tell" on my home page list of books). How do people become filled so deeply with hate? How it must make the Lord's heart ache...to see our world and what we have done with it. But...I must focus on His promise and know that there WILL be a day where there will be no more pain. Jeremy Camp's words from his song "There Will be a Day" are just so real. They speak to our hearts about His Promise that WILL make right all the injustice in the world and also about His Promise to never leave those who suffer to walk alone.

There Will Be A Day

I try to hold on to this world with everything I have

But I feel the weight of what it brings, and the hurt that trys to grab

The many trials that seem to never end,

His word declares this truth,

that we will enter in this rest with wonders anew

But I hold on to this hope and the promise that He brings

That there will be a place with no more suffering

There will be a day

with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears

There will be a day

when the burdens of this place, will be no more,

we’ll see Jesus face to face

But until that day, we’ll hold on to you always

I know the journey seems so long

You feel your walking on your own

But there has never been a step

Where you’ve walked out all alone

Troubled soul don’t lose your heart

Cause joy and peace he brings

And the beauty that’s in store

Outweighs the hurt of life’s sting

I can’t wait until that day

where the very one I’ve lived for always will wipe away the sorrow that I’ve faced

To touch the scars that rescued me from a life of shame and misery

this is why this is why I sing….

There will be a day

with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears

There will be a day

when the burdens of this place, will be no more, we’ll see Jesus face to face

There will be a day,

He’ll wipe away the stains,

He’ll wipe away the tears,

He’ll wipe away the tears…..there will be a day.

Please continue to pray for not only our little Selah who will most likely be of Roma descent, but for all the children in the orphanages in Bulgaria. Please pray, also, for the families living under that oppression who because they have not been given the opportunity to attend the regular or "quality" schools and acquire a strong education, who have not been given any opportunities for work, or who have not been allowed a life outside of the "gypsy ghetto"...have been forced by circumstance to surrender their children with the hope that they may possibly have a better life someday. Please pray for these families whose hearts are breaking and pray that these children are rescued and that those who care for them in the orphanages are free from hatred and have been touched with a heart filled with love from the Lord.

Here are some links to various articles and videos regarding the plight of the Roma People.

Madonna's latest concert in Romania where she spoke on behalf of the Roma People. http://omg.yahoo.com/news/madonna-booed-in-bucharest-for-defending-gypsies/26947?nc

A YouTube Video discussing Bulgaria's attempt at desegregating the schools. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgN-XxewkVI

YouTube Video again discussiing Roma education.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lzZ7In8KEE&NR=1&feature=fvwp

Moving Along

After only 10 days of waiting we received a letter saying that our NBC application was received. I was happy about the quick turnover time :-) Then three days later we received an appointment time to get our biometrics (fingerprints) taken. The fingerprint date is September 16th at 1:00 p.m. which is a really great time because Bryan can work it around a late lunch and not have to take too much extra time off from work!

I am so very thankful for the smooth processes that have taken place and I thank each of you out there who have been praying for paperwork to pass along quickly and in the hands of capable and caring individuals! Prayer really does work :-) Please keep praying that our little Selah comes home as quickly as possible and that she knows in her heart that we are coming for her just as soon as we can!!

The Lord replied, “Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it. Habakkuk 1:5

Our Paperwork is Almost Done!

Well, the NBC (National Benefits Center) application has been filed, and all other documents needed for the dossier have been notarized, apostilled, and mailed off to All God’s Children so that they can begin the process of translating all the documents into the Bulgarian language. That means that we are almost finished with our paperwork! Now, we will wait for our NBC approval which can take 2-3 months. When we get that, hopefully the translating process will be finished and then we can be registered with the Bulgarian Minister of Justice. Please pray for favor in the approval and translating processes so that we can get one step closer to bringing our Selah home. I don’t want her to spend even a second more than absolutely necessary in any situation where she does not have the love of her very own forever family…the kind of love that I so wish every child in this world had.

I find myself amazed at how God knew before time began that our family would someday adopt…How He knew that He would place that desire deep within our souls. And here we are now having been given the privilege of realizing His grand plan…of feeling that ache in our hearts. As we take each step, I realize that plan even more. Each time I complete something, learn something, or as time simply passes, I find that new feelings erupt and an even stronger emotion and awareness occurs within me. I think how incredibly amazing it is that God knew I would feel this way…even when I never ever imagined the way I would feel!

Even though it could be another year until we get to cuddle and hold Selah in our arms, she is already a part of our family. We think of her all the time and can’t help but talk about her constantly! Zachary and Landon talk to others and write about their sister as if they already know and love her. Our little Zachary closes his prayer EVERY night with “Lord, please take care of Selah and tell her we love her. Let her mommy love her as best she can and don’t let Selah be hurt. Please just let her mommy love her and just not be able to afford her.” Every night he says this, my heart splits in two. It cries out to God repeating my son’s words and asking that He protect her and let her feel the love of a birth mother. But it also aches for the mother that has to surrender her child because she cannot care for her; A Mother that loves her child to a point of surrendering her…surrendering her to the faith that her child will live a better life apart from her. And then?...then I am left firmly standing in faith that God’s Word is Truth and that His Truth says He will make all things good and that from even a tragedy and injustice such as this… He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, and festive praise instead of despair. (Isaiah 61:3)