Out of Africa...the time is now

Ashley was almost 3 when she asked me, "When are we getting our brown baby?"

"Well Honey...I'm not sure." Where did that come from? How do you answer that question? At the time we were in the throws of infertility. (Todd and I were asking the Lord for another baby, but that was between Todd, God and me.) Was God trying to get my attention through this "wee one"?

A year later, I was finishing up a week of teaching with YWAM-Atlanta. I was teaching on World View. It had been such a great week. I ended with a question and time of waiting on the Lord. I asked, "What are the dreams that God has, that He is waiting to fulfill through YOU?" As soon as the question was out of my mouth, a picture came into my mind of a little black child in our family. All the way home to Charlotte, I "pondered it in my heart."

We had talked about adoption, and what would that look like for our family. As Todd and I prayed, we really felt that "we were not to actively pursue adoption, but that the Lord would bring a baby across our path." "What does that mean?", I thought to myself. Would I open my door one day to find a babe in swaddling clothes? Maybe in a box with a note, "please care for my baby".

I continued to have dialog in my heart with the Lord. I know that He knows, even better than me, the deepest desires of my heart. One day, we received a call, asking if we would be interested in adopting a baby that was about to be born. What?!!!! Are you kidding? This was amazing. My heart was spilling over with joy. Oh, the possibility. This was God "bringing a baby across our path"! (We had not announced our heart to adoption. We remained very quiet about this issue).

Todd and I took some time to get away and pray. We asked the Lord if this was our baby. We really sought the Lord. After our weekend, we sensed that we were to say no. For me, it was a bit hard. I asked the Lord, "Why bring a baby, just to have us to say no?" He was so kind and gentle. I really felt like He was showing me that He could DO IT. This was not the right timing, but He had not forgotten. He is the God who sees. He is the God who remembers. There was such HOPE placed in my heart that day.

Almost one year, to the day, Todd was in Atlanta for a YWAM-Atlanta Board meeting. When he came home, I was asking about the meeting, our friends, etc. After a few reports back, he said he had very sad news. Komi, our friend and fellow YWAMmer working in Atlanta, had just lost his sister. She died in childbirth in Togo, West Africa. I started crying. I knew it must be so hard to lose your sister and be so far from home and family.

I said, "Oh, we need to pray for Komi and his family." Todd said, "Vickie, there is one more thing...the baby survived." Long pause.....Ashley came into the room and asked why I was crying. We explained about the sad news, and that now the baby did not have a mommy. Immediately, "Maybe this is supposed to be our baby." Todd and I look over her head at each other. He goes to call Komi...

This happened 18 months ago. Since then, we have fasted and prayed. We asked the Lord is this was our baby. Not only did we get a "yes!" We got a name. We have been actively been pursuing our baby girl all this time. I have not blogged about the baby up until this time. I really wanted to be certain of the timing.

I have many miracles and stories to share. We have learned so many things through this process. I know that God does have dreams, and He want us to be a part of seeing them fulfilled!

I write now because Todd leaves in the morning for Lome, Togo. He will be gone for ten days. The purpose of this trip is to meet our daughter (who has been in the loving care of family), to pray, to acqaint himself with the country, to meet the family and government officials. This is really an assignment that we sense is from the Lord. We covet your prayers.

Each day that he is gone, I will be blogging about our story...the chapters that have led us to this point. The journey has been long, at times heart wrenching, but never have we felt separated from the Lord, His love or faithfulness.

I am asking that you, and your friends, would join in praying daily for our family for

1.protection

2.wisdom

3.divine appointments, and favor, with governement officials

4.financial provision for this trip

5.us to bring our daughter home now!

We are wanting to see a team of prayers warriors raised up. Please join us in this journey. We need you!