A "led" encounter towards Adoption- our story and now my turn to give back

So my story begins back when I was in a very difficult place. I had recently learned I could not physically have anymore children and Pete and I were searching for answers and the right path. We always knew we would adopt one day......."one day" seemed easier than actually doing it at the time. We investigated surrogacy (which did not feel right and now we know why). The whole adoption thing seemed so overwhelming, but it was what we felt like we were being led to. All the questions began....domestic, international, WHAT country, etc. Not to mention, all the normal questions and fears that come along with initial thoughts about adoption. I was upset one day, put both my kids in a jogging stroller and went out for a run and some quiet time of prayer and searching. I ended up on a back road, dirt road, a dead-end road that became the opposite. Rarely I would see a car when on this road so pulled the stoller over as I saw 2 cars coming....then I realized they were stopping (probably to ask for directions as they were obviously lost. I quickly needed to pull myself together as I had been crying asking the Lord for answers, I was in the middle of telling the Lord that we knew we were to have more children and how should we go about doing it. When the man climbed out of his car I realized that 2 beautiful boys were in tow......both were not his skin color or race. My mind started racing....he asked a quick question about a house for sale nearby and then I realized the shirt he was wearing said "Christian Adoption Association"!! As a started to break down I asked him if he had adopted and a huge smile came across his face and I will never forget his response, "We are huge fans of adoption, we have adopted 4 children and I am a chairman on the Christian Adoption Association.....anything you would want to know I would love to share." I could not muster many words and apologized for my tears, but assured him that our encounter was PERFECT timing. I needed to get my thoughts together but I wanted to talk to him. We exchanged information, I briefly said hello to his wife in the car behind and off they went. I called my husband from my cell phone and told him what had happened and knew in my heart of hearts that we were going to adopt. When I got home there was already an e-mail from this man with information on a seminar the following week on adoption as well as the agency he used, America World (our now agency). Mark was an angel sent to me to answer my prayer that day, and even though I thought I must have come across weird and a mess, he completely understood and knew where I was coming from. He even said in his e-mail that he was e-mailing me from his blackberry on his way home, because I seemed like I really wanted and needed some answers and information. I often look back at that encounter and thank God for his amazing work at just the time we need it. NOw it was my turn..........

Two weeks ago I went to a Southern Living party at a friend's house. Towards the end of the party I began talking to a woman there. She asked how many kids I had and I told her two and that we were in the process of currently adopting one or two. She seemed a little surprised, but nothing out of the ordinary..... she then asked from where and her face changed drastically as a said Ethiopia. She was completely stunned and immediately I could see the emotion welling up. I recognized this face as it had been the look on my face one time a ways back on a dirt road. She swallowed hard and said she didn't know why she was getting so emotional and said she was sorry but she and her husband had been through a lot and adopting from Ethiopia was what they had specifically thought about doing. A ways back they had decided to move forward with Ethiopia and then became very fearful of the possibility of a child coming home with HIV, or other illness. They have two boys and couldn't imagine having that situation come into their family, the thought became too overwhelming for them to ask questions or continue to move forward, her husband one day just said it was too much and he couldn't do it........she was devastated. She felt as if she had lost a pregnancy. I shared with her the specifics on how they test children and there shouldn't be concern.......but I knew in my heart that this wasn't the real reason, they could have called the adoption agency and gotten the reassurance and answers they needed. She said her husband had recently asked her if they could possibly revisit the adoption discussion, but they were afraid. I shared with her that I feel everything happens in God's timing and how we had been a path to go to China for 1 1/2 years before being led to Ethiopia. We believe we were moving too fast, or that we had work in our hearts that needed to be done in order for us to go to Ethiopia. I believe they fall in this same category. Sometimes we need to go through some pain and/or searching to finally know when we have reached the right place that is the Lord's destination for us. She could not believe that we had met at this party and how it was unbelievable timing........no it wasn't that unbelievable.......just a blessing! I was so thankful to get to be on the other side of providing answers and hope when it comes to adoption. I told her about our fundrasier coming up and sent an invitations not knowing what to expect. I ran into them at church this morning and with big smiles and enthusiasm said they will be coming! I pray that they find the answers they are looking for and turn to their faith to wash away their fears.