Rahel

Today we were supposed to get some new details on our case, unfortunately Rahel, who is our attorney over in Ethiopia, is in the southern region. The only reason I am sharing this small fact with you all is that I am assuming she is there trying to get the information she needs on some cases. When we had spoken to the agency last time, they had said that she were trying to get more info. on the boys and that they were having to look in the southern region and were having difficulty. So if she is there looking for information, let's pray with a specific renewed picture of what she may be dealing with now and that the Lord would be merciful and gracious in her endeavors.

Inward Groanings

Romans 8:26: "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

Yep, that is how we feel. We have prayed so fervently for our two boys. The latest news has put us into a state of inward groaning and crying to our Father. As we don't know what words to pray, we rest in the knowledge that the Holy Spirit is interceding for us and supplecating our case before the Father.
Jason and I had been suspious of the fact that something must be going on with our case for there to be no court date assigned in over a month and the constant seeking for information for over a month and getting no answers from Ethiopia. Today we found out that they are in need of more information on the boys that needs to be gotten from the southern region of Ethiopia, which they are from. They are saying it's getting almost impossible to get the information that they need and that if they can't get it, they will assign us a new referral or new child. Jason and I had a conference call with the lady that is direct contact with the people over in Ethiopia. We made it more or less clear that we are fighting for our boys and not going to give them up that easily. If we didn't adopt them, they would be without a family for the rest of their lives.
We don't know all the details yet. Hopefully we will be getting them in the next couple days, but Jason and I are resolved that we are going to be these boy's advocate if no one else will be. We don't know what this will look like, but I am asking you to please please pray for us and especially for these boys that the people in Ethiopia get the information that they need and that the communication will get better, because it is terrible right now and has been a real source of frustration.

Below is a letter that Jason wrote our agency and the agency they are partnered with. I included because it speaks to our resolve.

Dear Nightlight and Hope Adoption Agencies,

As Christians, we owe everything to God’s relentless, pursuing, patient love for us in Christ. When I was powerless and helpless, Christ died for me (Rom 5:6). The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for us (Mark 10:45). I have been adopted into God’s family because Christ was willing to do whatever it took to bring me to His Father and now my Father so that I can cry out loud “ABBA, Father” (Rom 8:15).

Therefore, we wish for it to be known that we are not in this endeavor simply “to get a child” so that if one case doesn’t work out we will just get “another referral.” We are commissioned as Christians to “visit orphans in their affliction” (James 1:27), bring justice to the fatherless and plead widow’s cause (Is 1:17). If we are not the advocates for these two boys, we know that no one will be. The foster care system will not give them a family. Therefore, we seek to reflect the relentless love of Christ that we have received by pursuing Jonathan and David (Teketel and Mussie) with a “whatever it takes” approach.

Therefore, it is important for us that you know where we stand as we commission you to look for the missing information. We will be patient, but we are not going to stop asking and pursuing and so we hope that our resolve will help empower you to join us in being a relentless advocate for these two precious boys and relentlessly accept a “whatever it takes” approach for them. Thank you for allowing us to share our hearts in this matter. To summarize: we will be patient and understanding, but we will also be relentless. We ask that you will be patiently relentless in your advocacy for these boys.

For the love of Jonathan and David (Teketel and Mussie),

Jason, Cara, Gracie, and Allie Meyer

All That is Left is Prayer

Sorry I haven't kept up with updates. We have been in South Dakota for two weeks and technology was not at my fingertips and time was fleeting! Throughout the last few weeks it has become very clear that our adoption process is becoming more and more discouraging. Waiting on answers and results has almost stretched my patience beyond my limits. (Thank God He stretches me beyond my own abilities!!) It has becomes slowly clear that MOWA is a mess and so far behind that it's hard to give definite deadlines or answers for anything. The director of MOWA has taken upon herself to sign each and every adoption dossier in the country, which is a good thought, but impossible for do. She is also going to school for her masters and is not in the office like she should be. She was the one who decided to go to school on our third court date rather than take ours and other families cases to court. MOWA is also revamping everything which also is slowing things down. I know our agency is doing everything they can here and in Ethiopia to get things resolved, but it is so hard to be totally out of control with regards to this process. They are not giving any sort of timetable right now and so we have not idea how long this process will be going on. The advice I got from our director was to just pray and commission others to pray with you.
So there it is. Pray that that Lord would intervene. I am reminded, every time I have fleeting thoughts of doubt, that God's timetable has not changed and God's perfect will, no matter the timing and results are good and right, for them and us. I don't always understand everything about our journey....but I am not God either!! I rest in someone who is infinitely more capable than I in running my life, our family's life and these precious boy's lives.