It Arrived!

Praise God! We received the offical letter from China that we are officially matched with Kai! We very carefully marked the box to accept Kai's referral and sent it back to our agency. In the last few days since receiving the document, we have been working diligently on paperwork. We submitted the next set of immigration paperwork, had the joy of sending a small care package to Kai and have been working on our visas. Would you please pray for us?

1. Please pray for fast processing on all of the remaining paperwork. If paperwork is processed quickly and without error, we remain hopeful for possible May or June travel. Please continue to pray for Kai to be home with us soon.

2. Please pray for the care package we sent to Kai. It included a labeled photo album with pictures of us, a teddy bear that we have all been holding for months, an outfit, a short note and a disposable camera. Please pray that the care package would arrive and be given to Kai. Please pray that a caregiver would show Kai the photo album regularly and that he would begin to attach to the teddy bear. All of these things will help us in our attachent process! He will learn for the first time of his family. In an orphanage for the past 2 years, has no concept of what family is. Please pray that his young heart would sense the love of his family.

3. Please pray for our visa processing. We are facing some possible challenges with Paul's visa. As a pastor, there are typically restrictions on his visa. These restrictions can restrict the length of his stay in country as well as the amount of time we have to travel from when his visa is issued. This could present many different concerns. Please pray that Paul would receive the appropriate visa and that our travel would not be delayed because of his visa. 

4. Please continue to pray that we would trust the Lord. These final months hold days of great excitement! It is such a joy for me preparing rooms for Kai and Asher, praying for the boys and the difficulties and joys they will face in the upcoming months. At times, I must admit, this excitement gives way to bursts of anxiety.

As we get closer to holding Kai in our arms, the reality of his needs cast a shadow over my heart at times. We are working through training for Kai's medical needs and plan to meet with a team at CHOP's Internatinoal Adoption Clinic for further training before we travel.

We are receiving amazing training on how to foster attachment with Kai and help heal his emotional needs within the context of our family. Because of the trauma of Kai's hospitalization and brain sugery, abandonement and instituationalization, he likely lacks many of the coping and attachment skills we take for granted. We are so grateful for the ways we are being equipped to love and care for Kai and help him heal from his broken start. When the anxiety grows and I feel ill-equipped, I remember, we all come from broken places. Our brokenness doesn't always show up at age 2, but eventually it does and God graciously and patiently loves us and brings healing in context of our relationship with him. We get the priveleage of being Jesus to Kai. 

We are so grateful for your continued prayer and love. While this journey of getting to Kai is winding down, the journey of loving this little one and helping him know love and connection is just beginning.