Sunday, December 12, 2010

It started with a Word...

I met my husband three years ago.  On our second date, he asked what I thought about adoption for a family.  He's not much for surface conversation.  When I finally decided, a few months later, that he just might be a keeper, I really started thinking about his question, because of the weight that it carried.  As we continued to talk over the months of dating, we realized how aligned we both were on our hope to adopt one day.  Brian and I both feel that God has placed a call on our lives to have biological and adopted children. Once we were engaged, we really started to flesh out the logistics of what we wanted our family to look like.  Our "plan" was to have a biological child, then adopt, then have another biological child, and adopt again.  Oh, how I should have known. :) God rarely moves according to my schedule!

Because we are in our 30s, we knew we wanted to start a family soon.  As the months went by and "our plan" was not happening, the conversation of adoption kept coming up.  In conversations with each other. In conversations with our friends. In conversations with strangers.  Through reading scripture, through books, through magazines.  Basically everywhere.  You get the point.  Brian and I really began to be convicted about "our plans."  Though they were not bad, they also weren't leaving a lot of room for God to move.  So in September, we decided that we would be open to adopting first. I started researching countries and agencies and pretty quickly we landed on Africa. 

Through researching, I found that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)  was open to US residents for adoption.  Know where the Congo is? Nope, neither did I.  It's a very large country in the middle of the continent.  It was in a violent civil war from 1998-2003.  In addition, many of the rebels from infighting in Rwanda came across to eastern DRC.  Eastern DRC is now an area where many boys are taken to become child soldiers and girls are taken to become sex slaves for soldiers.  TheDRC is now labeled as one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a female.  My heart broke to read about the lives of children in the DRC. There are over 5 million orphans, and many, many others that are unaccounted for after being taken by guerilla armies.  After talking together, Brian and I knew that if we were able to adopt from the DRC, that was our country. 

We applied to One World Adoption agency a week ago, and this friday we were accepted into their program!  We are excited and nervous about the roller coaster ride that is international adoption.  As with any third world country, there are so many variables, so many things that could go wrong.  We know that our baby will probably be malnourished and even have suffered some type of trauma.  We know that we know NOTHING about raising a baby.  Not even how to change a diaper.  We prefer hanging out with teenagers.  But what we do know is that God has clearly called us to this journey of adoption.  And though we may have to wait longer than nine months for our baby, we are still waiting expectantly for the next member of the Word family.  :)    

15 comments:

  1. Tears! Many blessings to you both as you impart on this amazing journey!
    Love you!

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  2. Yay! We're praying for wisdom for you both! SUPER EXCITING NEWS!! Hugs, Jenn (and Will)

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  3. I am so excited for you two!!!!!!

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  4. I'M SOOOOOO EXCITED and can't wait to journey this with your family!!!!!!!!!! It will be well worth every curve and bend in the ride...I promise! Love you both!

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  5. OH WOW!!! This is great news Leslie and Brian! Congrats!

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  6. Oh my gosh!!!!! I'm sooo excited Leslie. Really. Full of joy for you guys. What an awesome call. Wow.

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  7. Praise the Lord! Girl, you know how I feel about this topic and John and I are so stinkin excited for you two!!!!! Another kiddo (or two or three or four) :) getting a home. Doesn't get any better than that! One less orphan. One less. Glory. To. God!

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  8. I love the scene in Evan Almighty when God (Morgan Freeman) just starts laughing out loud when Evan says God is not following his "plans." I'll certainly be praying for the two of you as you continue down the road of His plan.

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  9. Just know your family of friends are praying for both you guys through this incredible time in your life.. Blessings
    Jeromy Mashburn

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  10. I love your heart guys. I'm here when you need me, even if it's to show you how to change a diaper (i can do that in my sleep).

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  11. Congratulations, Leslie and Brian!!! I am so excited for your family; what a tremendous blessing! I can't wait to share in this special journey with y'all!

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  12. I am blessed to see what God is doing in your hearts. I started reading your story and i was overwhelmed with a sense of God's design for your family. I prayed for the child God has for you and for your journey to be unforgetable!! Brian,Leslie... I love you both and I am so excited to see Him use you as couple to rescue a child that has been forgotten!! Ray Lloyd

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  13. Our family wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the blessing of adoption. We're so excited for what this will mean for you guys and for all of our family. Hudson and Laurel have been asking when you would give them a cousin. We'll be praying!! Love you! Allison

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  14. i didnt know about this blog. i am very technologically challenged! and i am going to give lissa the what for for not keeping me posted on this. we know what it is like to want a child and think that you will not have one. after years of trying, we too went to adoption, but it was almost impossible to even get on a list around the states then. we ended up getting approved by the dept of welfare (does it even exist now). anyway, i guess i am just affirming what you already said--that God has His own timing. we are excited about what you both are planning to do and let us assure you that this aunt and uncle will be there to celebrate when the time comes. we love you both.

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  15. Leslie- i am so happy for you and look forward to following your journey. you will most certainly be in my prayers. Thank you for sharing this amazing God-given decision.
    Leesa (Mott) McIlhinney

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