Our Adoption Journey

That’s right, the time is finally here! Amy and I are heading back to Uganda! We (along with all of you) have been praying for this moment for over a year now, and I can’t begin to tell you how excited we are that the time has finally arrived! However, this trip looks like it is going to be much different than we first anticipated, so I wanted to catch you all up before we head out.

From the beginning, we’ve been told by our attorney in Uganda that once our case had been assigned to the court we would be given a date for a hearing. Once we knew the date of that hearing, Amy and I would both travel to Uganda and go to court together. After our hearing we would both stay in Uganda for two weeks and then return to court to get the judge’s ruling. The ruling is what actually gives us guardianship over Joyce. After receiving the ruling, Amy would return to the States and I would stay in Uganda another two to four weeks to get Joyce’s visa and passport and then the two of us would return home together. If there is anything we have learned in this process, whether it's in Africa or the States, change is inevitable! 

Over the last month, we have been very anxious about our court date because we know the courts close in Uganda on Dec. 23^rd and don’t reopen until the middle of January. This could add several weeks to my time in Uganda if we went to court for our hearing before the break but didn’t get our ruling until after. Last week, we received word that our team in Africa had come up with a new plan. They wanted me to come alone for the first hearing and then return home before Christmas. I would then return in January for the ruling, finish up the process and bring Joyce home. Amy was pretty excited about this new plan because it meant she would not have to go…though she loves being with Joyce, she is not crazy about being in Africa!! So, we have been planning for the last week for me to leave this Sunday...alone.

The down side to this new plan is that it would mean two trips for me and make it even longer before we get to bring Joyce home. So, we have been praying. In our seeking, we have heard his voice. Scriptures have been jumping off the pages of the Bible and stirring faith in our hearts. The messages we have been hearing, even last Sunday’s KidStuf service, have spoken directly to us as if God spoke them just for our benefit. Even as far back as May and the blog post I wrote entitled “The Space In-Between, there is evidence of God prepping us for this moment! To put is as plainly as I can…we have heard God invite us to believe for a miracle. We have been praying that God would give us a ruling the same day of our hearing (which is extremely rare!) and that I would be able to bring Joyce home on this first trip.

Then, just last night, our plans were turned upside down again. We were told that both of us were now going to have to come after all. This news caught us totally off guard! We have gone through a whole range of emotions over the last several days and are now focused on getting ready for both of us to leave the Country together…again. What a rollercoaster ride!

So, here is the current plan. On Monday, Amy and I will leave for Uganda and return on the 23^rd. That is the natural plan! We however, are praying for a supernatural plan. As I mentioned before, we are praying for God to do a miracle and move on the judge’s heart to give us a ruling on the day of our hearing and that we get to bring Joyce home on this trip, even if it means us staying a little longer.

We know, “What is impossible with man is possible with God” (Luke 18:27). And if God chooses not to do a miracle in this situation it will not be because we didn’t ask and believe for one, “for the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their prayer” (I Peter 3:12).

I am sorry for such a looooooong post! That is what happens when you only update your blog every 3 months! I am planning on updating often while we are in Uganda, so stay tuned.