Joining Me in Prayer

My dear friends flew out on Thursday, headed toward Uganda. There were riots in Kampala all day Friday, so they had to stay in Entebbe (a nearby city) for safety....early Saturday morning they headed to the orphanage in Jinja. Asher immediately knew who his mommy was....walked up to Dana and said, "I want to go home". She has gotten to spend every second with him since. She has been so moved just by the sheer poverty....her heart is breaking for those around her.

Suzanne's blog...made me stop and just weep. You can visit her blog joiningthejourney.blogspot.com. These are her words....
"As I glanced up little Joseph and Daisy (Oatsvall children) were standing at the door, so I was able to kiss and love and kiss and love on them and say your mama is coming soon! Then, I looked around and there sat teeny tiny (with BIG marble brown eyes) little Patrick (Maddux lil one) and I held him, kissed his cheeks and told him that his mama and daddy are coming soon too. And then there was little Judah with his timid little grin ran into my arms for hugs and I whispered those same words to him "she will be here soon! Your mama and daddy are coming! My heart was totally overwhelmed with joy as I looked into each of these orphans eyes KNOWING that the are no longer orphans, their parents are coming for them. Then I made my way to find little Josephine. She sat in my lap and didn't leave for the while day!........And then I spotted Nicholas (Maddux's other lil one) and I just started laughing! He and Josie are in the same room, sleeping, eating and doing life together...just like they will be once they get home!!!! and THEN on the playground there was little Bobby who was running, jumping, and playing with every inch of his little body. Full of energy, joy and it made my heart COMPLETE knowing that I will see all of these children DAILY for the rest of my life. (Smallings, i have several in mind for you...precious!)"

(I was only going to write a few of Suzanne's words...but it was just too good!!!!)

Please, please join me in praying for their court date....TOMORROW....that everything will go smoothly...that they will get quick rulings. Please, please join me prayer for their safety. Please, please join me in praying for a little boy named Arnold. His dear family has been in Jinja since August 25th, there is a chance he may have TB...and if he does his sweet family will have to leave and not bring him home for another six months.
Please, please join me in praying for my friend Gwen, who, like us, is just waiting on God's timing for our court date. We wait to go experience what our friends are experiencing. And we wait to go love on our children and the other orphans. The waiting has been crippling at times....other moments I just try to figure out what the Lord is trying to teach me.
There are now a total of eight families (that I know of) from our church/school community in Nashville who are adopting from this orphanage...a total of ten children!!!! Ten children who will have mommy's daddy's. Ten children who will know the love of a family. Do I claim to have it all together? Absolutely not. Do I claim that my other three children have it all together? Absolutely not. We are an imperfect family....who make mistakes daily...and we are called to love others in our imperfection because Christ first loved us.
Before church this morning our phone rang early....and I saw that it was my grandmother (my dad's mom...not the one who just had two strokes). My heart stirred....and I must confess... that "oh no, what has happened" feeling came into my mind. Yet, my fears were put to rest after hearing her words. She said she was getting together after church with a lot of her friends and family and she just wanted to check on the status of Judah....had we heard? My dear, dear grandmother.....this eighty-five year old woman who just wants to share what God is doing in her four-year old African great-grandchild's life. Her concern and love meant more to me than words can express.
I know this one was long....but just wanted to share and ask for your prayers. Thank you,,..thank you for joining me in prayer.
And my to my friends in Uganda....Dana, Suzanne, and Renee...much, much love!