Loved

"God sets the solitary in families..." -Psalm 68:6a

Prior to coming to Ethiopia this was one of our theme verses.  And within the two months of us being here, we have witnessed God’s heart in action.  We’ve watched Him take four little ones who were once orphaned and now have been adopted into wonderful, Godly families.  Adoption is God’s heart… for the Christian we’ve been adopted into God’s family through Jesus Christ.  A few summers ago, I read a book titled Adopted For Life.  In the foreword the pastor writes:

"I WAS ADOPTED when I was eighteen years old.  I wasn’t an orphan, the way most people think of that term.  I wasn’t an abandoned child.  But I was in a condition far more serious: I was a stranger to the family of God, a slave to sin, and an object of the justified wrath of God.  And I didn’t even realize it until my friend began to share with me the good news that Christ died for my sins.  As I listened, God opened my heart to understand and believe the gospel.  I turned from my sin and trusted in Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death for my sins.  In that moment, I was adopted into a new family. God the righteous Judge became my merciful Father.

         

(Our Church) is filled with parents who traveled to distant (and sometimes dangerous) countries to adopt a child or who adopted a child in the U.S.  Meeting these newly adopted children was a unique joy for me.  Each time I felt God’s presence. Each time I admired the adoptive parents’ selflessness and compassion. Each time I was reminded of the Savior’s death for my sins so that I might be adopted by God the Father. Each time I was reminded of God’s love for us, displayed in the Gospel."

(Mahaney, C.J. / Moore, Russell D. (2009-05-31). Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families & Churches (pp. 13-14). Good News Publishers. Kindle Edition. )

...I'm thankful to be able to be here and be reminded of this truth again. 

Here are photos of the families with their newly adopted children:

The Krul family are Dutch missionaries.  They serve alongside a ministry that teaches the local people how to farm and grow crops.

They adopted Miret and Yakob.  Miret was born out of wedlock and therefore dropped off at Ebenezer Grace Children’s Home by her mother who loved her enough to not just abandon her.  Yakob (Jacob) was abandoned by his mother at the hospital where he was born.

The Shannon family are American missionaries.  They started a free daycare in the slums of Addis Ababa to allow single moms the ability to work and provide for their children.  There are over 100 kids from newborn to six years old!  I can’t help but think how many of these kids might have been orphaned if it wasn’t for this precious ministry. Also, Jerry, the husband and dad, is the pastor of International Evangelical Church (IEC).

They adopted Yirgalem and are fostering/in process of adopting Tsion (Zion... not pictured).  Yirgalem was found in a trash pile when she was just a newborn.  Tsion came to Ebenezer Grace just recently. Her mother died of malaria a few days after she was born and her twin brother also died for reasons not certain.

It’s been such a blessing getting to know these wonderful families who are serving in Ethiopia and meeting the needs of the people!  The children they have adopted have gone from being unwanted and cast away to being wanted and chosen! What examples these families are of the true Gospel.

There are also other families who are in process to adopt from EGCH as well.  We have a desire to adopt and are waiting... Please join us in praying for this big step of faith.  We can’t legally adopt for two years but we are praying about fostering the child/children.  We trust and know whom He has, and that His timing will be perfect.  

We celebrated Shaun's birthday this month!  He had a joint party with some cute kids (also celebrating a birthday) from EGCH.

Last--and certainly not least--we had a visit from our dear friends, Beth and Niki.  During their short time here we shared many stories, laughed, and were mutually encouraged in what God was doing in all of our lives.  So thankful for our sweet friends!

This was a month of experiencing (yet again) God's love, and seeing His love demonstrated through these families and our friends.  Loved. :)

Thankful for your love and prayers...

Megan... Shaun, Jude, and Sonya