Meeting wonderful new friends

Last night we had the privileage of getting together with several families in our area who are or have adopted from Ethiopia. We began the evening in prayer and continued to enjoy one another throughout the night. It was such an amazing evening. The kids has so much fun, the adults talked and talked and talked. To be surrounded by many others who have the same passion you do for orphans and for adoption was just incredible. There were parents of 11 children (these people were a wealth of information), there were parents of special needs children, there were moms and dads adopting 12 and 14 year olds, waiting moms and dads for babies, and parents paper chasing as they look to make their family of 4 children a family of 7 children, and a family in Ethiopia right now getting their son. Everyone has their own story, everyone has their own feelngs on age of children, how many, etc., BUT in the end we have all been touched and chosen in the same exact way by God. It is awe inspiring to me to get together with others like this and to hear the way God led each of us to his orphans and particularly to Ethiopia. Even though the stories are so specific to each of us, it is overwhelming to me how they really are the same story over and over and over. God is truly in control and he knows exactly how to reach each one of us and to soften and prepare our hearts to have us step out in faith and embrace his children. I am so happy to have found these families and even more so for our children to come. It will be so important for them to be surrounded by other children and families who came to be just like them. Also, for us to be able to share in and celebrate the Ethiopian heritage and culture.