Here is our Adoption Journey so far…
We started this process of adopting 2 little girls from Liberia in April of 2022.
After visiting Liberia for 5 months in 2024, we decided to additionally adopt a little boy. This little guy, already bonded to our Liberian daughters, also became very close to our entire family during our time in Liberia, and now, life without him with us is unimaginable.
We chose Liberia because we are impressed by Liberia’s resilience and progress as a war torn country that is healing from so much. Liberia works hard to allow adoptions when necessary and to reunite families whenever possible. We are grateful Liberia is allowing us to adopt our daughters, and hopeful as we watch Liberia grow as a country.
We started this journey in April of 2022.
In May of 2023, with the help of our friends and family, church, community, and organizations like Noonday Collection, Phill the Box, Funds2Orgs, and Adopt Together, we reached our fundraising goals to make our adoption possible. At that time, we anticipated our Liberian daughters would be joining our family in 3-6 months time.
We did not get any solid updates for months, until November of 2023, when adoptions for multiple agencies, including our agency, were suspended in Liberia, which prompted our visit to bond with our kids and explore all avenues in person in February of 2024. We returned home in July of 2024 after exhausting all resources to unite our family permanently.
There are multiple political conflicts that brought adoptions to a halt in November of 2023. Although these political conflicts put Liberian children at risk, the layers of the conflicts are multifaceted and complicated beyond the adoption process itself.
As we continue to wait, we are committed to intentional international parenting. We will continue to visit as much as we can and continue to pursue every avenue to unite our family on one continent. We appreciate any encouragement as we continue to walk this road.
Astronaut loneliness.
Rachel’s 2nd travel day.
Trajectory
As I see my trajectory changing towards home today, and know that the reason I have to go home is because I literally need to buy more time, it is a difficult view from the airport today. I am separated from my family as I battle something different on my own to make this all work.
It reminds me of labor in childbirth. At some point, you just reach a place that no one else can help you. It’s just you, and what you have and who you are and whether or not you can endure.
Endurance in adoption is difficult, but not impossible. But it is not for everybody.
As I stand in the space of being their mother, I have to think back on why I personally chose this road. Of course, we decided this as a family. But what was my reasoning? What was my “why”? For me, it was more than deciding to do the next right thing I could reach. Although that was part of it, that was not all of it.
I decided to pursue these 2 little girls the same way God pursues me. No matter what it costs, be that time or money or distance. My efforts will continue until this is done or I am dead.
James 1:27 is a verse that comes to mind a lot these days as we work to keep the doors of this orphanage open, so that the widows are not turned away in their most desperate hour.
Malachi 3:10 is another verse that comes to mind when I think of how each time we appeal to the court of public opinion, you all become the hands and feet of a mighty power that changes the trajectory of so many little lives.
This pursuit does not end when their adoption completes. It is a lifelong pursuit to prove value to those the world values least.
I love this quote…
“I am a daughter of a King not moved by this world. My God goes before me and is with me. I do not fear, because I am His. “ -not sure who said it.
No matter my trajectory, I am His, and I will keep…. …going.
As they grow, all of our daughters will see what happened here this year. They will know their value to us and the consistency that lies within our actions to secure their futures as best we can. They will be able to look back and see the handprints and footprints we brought to Liberia just for them.
Even if this never works out and even if we sell all of our possessions and continue to surrender our security on this earth to claim these 2 little girls as our daughters, we know that our decision to be here matters. Our decision to stay longer matters. Our decision to bridge time and distance for other families who cannot be here right now is a decision that really matters.
Thank our for standing with us and cheering for us and picking us up each time the waves of this process knock us down and threaten to let our dreams drown.
Kids matter. People matter. People are good, with good intentions.
Thanks for the proof.
Keep…. …going.
This is day 113 in our 2024 video update for our adoption journey to 2 little girls from Liberia. We have been in the process of adopting these 2 little girls for 755 days.
YouTube link to subscribe:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhvmF_X0zoUuAwUF7WzqlfZaskzIBmns2&si=0SE6xFYPJoXfkGIY
To shop our noonday fundraiser to help with needs for the orphanage, click here:
https://bit.ly/lightsoninliberia
Click here to find out more about our story. There is a place for tax deductible donations.
https://bit.ly/adoptfaster
To support the orphanage directly for their upcoming lease payment, go to this website:
https://smallworldadoption.com/donate-today/
and choose “Small World’s Children’s Home Liberia” from the drop down menu.
Happy Sunday!
