A different kind of 5 am.....

I have a confession to make.  When I wake up in the morning at 5 am....as I am heading to the coffee....I always take a sneak peek at my phone.  You never know what kind of amazing things happen when you are sleeping, right?  Reality check....I'm addicted to technology.  But that is not what this post is about.  This morning, still in the middle of my
"5 am getting my coffee fog" I got an email saying something to the likes of:

YOUR ADOPTION HAS BEEN PAID FOR!!!

Yes....you read that right.  How amazing is our God?????  We are COMPLETELY BLOWN AWAY.  I'm at a loss for words.  Well....not really....I've always got words but most of the time they just don't make sense :o)

Throughout this adoption, I have constantly been reminded of Malachi 3:10

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

Test me in this.  And I can honestly say that both John and I had that mentality towards fundraising for our adoption....but not necessarily in a positive way.  When we began pursuing adoption, everyone in the adoption community kept telling us "don't worry about the money.....God will bring it".  We doubted....but we still trusted.  But God showed up and showed off right out the gate.

God has continually brought His Word to life in this adoption.

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? - Matthew 6:26

God loves our boy more than we ever could.  He values him more than we ever could.  And God IS BRINGING OUR BOY HOME....in a way that we never could.

I wish I could find the words to express exactly how grateful we are for the generous hearts that have given toward our adoption.  I just want to hug every single one of you so tight....like to the point where you could feel my gratitude through osmosis....ya know?  :o)  We just feel so unbelievably blessed!!!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to the  community of believers....to the Body of Christ...to the people who are bringing our boy home.  Thank you.

And to the DYNAMIC DUO who sealed the deal and closed the gap....you know who you are....you. completely. rock.  THANK YOU for listening to the Lord's leading and for using what He has blessed you with to bless our family.  Praying that God fills your heart with an immeasurable amount of joy..........

To God be the Glory.......ALWAYS!!!!!
Dawn

The day our hearts broke.....

One of the purposes of my trip was to understand the needs for a medical clinic in Mukono, Uganda.  Access to medical care is limited, at best.  And sadly, it's something that many families can't afford.  As much as I "thought" my heart was prepared to visit the pediatric unit of a government run healthy facility.....it wasn't. 

As we approached the facility, it didn't feel like I was approaching a "hospital" at all.  In fact, it reminded me of several schools I had visited in Ethiopia.

 

 

It wasn't until we approached the "pediatric" building that I got a healthy dose of reality.   This little guy was outside the building with his mama and he wasn't happy or healthy.  The family that I went to the facility with knew this young mama and there was a lot of discussion happening in Luganda.  We didn't know what was happening but I saw the Pastor just shaking his head.  This little guy had malaria.  I have limited knowledge of malaria but have been told that when it gets to the level of needing IV medication....it's pretty bad.  Some say that malaria is the number one killer of children in Africa.

This little guy was in the middle of being treated and the facility "just decided" they wanted more money from the mother.  Yes.  They can do that.  If you don't have cash in hand....you don't get treatment.  If you run out of cash....you could be taken off treatment.  This little guy was taken off treatment because Mama didn't have 2000 shillings.  About 75 cents.  Needless to say, Mama was given the money she needed to complete the treatment her boy so desperately needed.

Then we went inside.  Even now, as I type, I feel my heart aching.  I saw 2 mamas, with 2 children fighting for their lives.  One was receiving IV treatment for malaria and the other was receiving treatment and a blood transfusion.  These children were completely lifeless and their mamas faces showed complete despair.  I broke.  I cried.  I prayed.  And I just loved on the mamas.  That was all I could do.  

Then I saw something I REALLY wasn't prepared for.  One of the strongest women I've ever met, a Ugandan mama & grandma broke down in tears.  It was too much.....even for her.   As broken as my heart was, everything I saw that day was exactly what I needed to fuel me for the next season God has called me to....to help raise funds to build a HIV/childrens clinic in Mukono, Uganda. 

I will be sharing more information soon about how you can be a part of changing the lives of children in Uganda.

To God be the glory....always!

Dawn