It's that time

Well, it's that time.  The dreaded time involved in Ethiopia adoption.  Friday, the Ethiopian courts closed for the rainy season and will not reopen until mid-October.  I have not been looking forward to this since we started the process.  Things will slow down a good deal over the next two months.  Referrals can still happen, and the Embassy will keep scheduling dates, but with the courts closed, things will be pretty slow.  On the other hand, this will be a blessing because the people are in desperate need of rain right now, so we are praying the God sends lots of it!  Focusing on that blessing will hopefully make this time a little easier. I start back to work at the preschool tomorrow so that should help move things along too!  We are praying for all of the families caught in the middle of this closure.  I can only imagine how hard it would be to have seen our baby's face and then get stuck in this closure, waiting extra months to be able to hold them. 

There have also been several orphanage closures in the southern region of Ethiopia recently.  No one is quite sure of the reason for this yet, but this is also causing several families with our agency to be in a limbo of sorts, not knowing what will happen next or when they will get their babies home even though they have already been approved by the courts.  Our hearts are hurting for them and we are constantly lifting them up before the Father.  We ask that you would pray with us, and that these little ones would get home to their families as quickly as possible!  It's still amazing to me how quickly things can change in this world of International Adoption, but I am thankful that we have a Father who holds us all in the palm of His hand, and has ordained all of this from the beginning of time, so amazing!