The best gift of all - Thursday, November 11, 2010

Today was the best day in the classroom or maybe I was just more sensitive & sentimental. I tried to create a permanent imprint on my brain of every smile, every hug and every silly saying today. I can't believe how connected I've become to all the children is such a short time. It's hard to believe I've only been in the classroom for 4 days.

I spent all morning with the thought of adoption circling around in my head. I just couldn't shake it, so I figured the best thing was to just find out if any of the children were eligible for adoption. If none of them were, then I hoped it would quiet the voice that had been nagging me since yesterday. I know that if we were even to pursue considering it, the child would have to be a boy younger than Jelly Bean. I first asked the "Mr. Steve" who was leading our team in the absence of the COR missionaries. He told me he thought a couple of the kids might be eligible and said he would check with the missionaries. He also suggested that I talk with two of the house mothers, so I did. She thought that there were some children that were complete "orphans" and eligible for adoption - they were all boys under 12. WOW, all boys and all younger than my youngest. I couldn't believe how all my "stipulations" were lining up with the children who could be adopted.

At dinner I was sharing with one of our team members that I was feeling led to pursue adopting one of the children. We began talking about the expenses of an international adoption, which of course I have not been planning for!  He then offered to help with funds if Fil & I were actually able to adopt one of the children.  I was so overwhelmed that I couldn't control the tears which began to stream down my face. It's feeling like God is putting all the pieces into place for this to happen.

This was certainly not what I had planned when I left home almost a week ago. I left home with the thought of bringing gifts and service to the City of Refuge and I'm beginning to feel like I'm going to be given the best gift ever.